Vol. 15 No. 3(SI) (2023)

This research paper aims to investigate the relationship between work-life balance and job satisfaction among executives in the commercial banking sector. The study considers three sub-factors of work-life balance, namely flexible work arrangements, organizational culture, and motivation, to analyze their impact on employee job satisfaction. Questionnaires were distributed to executives in a commercial bank located in Johor Bahru, resulting in 213 responses. The collected data confirmed the relationship between the examined constructs and provided support for the hypothesized relationships of work-life balance sub-factors with job satisfaction. The study emphasizes the importance of analyzing and enhancing work-life balance through flexible working arrangements, motivation, and organizational culture to promote job satisfaction and maximize human capital resources within organizations. The outcomes of this study can serve as a benchmark for management seeking to improve job satisfaction levels among employees. Notably, while previous research has explored work-life balance, limited attention has been given to its subtopics and their impact on job satisfaction within commercial banks. This study addresses these gaps in understanding and provides valuable insights into work-life balance and job satisfaction in the banking sector.

The job satisfaction of employees is one of the main keys to the success of an organization. It represents how you feel about your job and what you think about your job. Despite the continuous effort by the Malaysian government, the outcome of the implementation and occurrence of remote work practices towards job satisfaction in Malaysia is equivocal. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to investigate whether the impacts of remote work led to employee job satisfaction and performance. The respondents are from one oil and gas company in Kuala Lumpur. The data were collected using an online survey among (n = 185) employees from various departments in the organization. A Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was developed to examine how the variables were related. Results showed that: (1) remote work has a significant relationship with job satisfaction and (2) Perceived Autonomy mediates the relationship between Remote work and Job Satisfaction. The novelty of this research is the contribution of the present body of knowledge through the development of the adapted model of remote work-job satisfaction concerning the oil & gas industry. The findings also could guide the stakeholders and policymakers in formulating a plan and action towards the betterment of the remote work process that can elevate the job satisfaction of the organization.

Entrepreneurial orientation-based research is reviewed and in-depth examined especially in the entrepreneurship theme. Research on the impact of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) on organizational performance has generated numerous important findings. Despite abundant attention given to research on the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and organizational performance, the results are still inconsistent. Current progress on entrepreneurial orientation-based research is lacking in terms of theoretical integration therefore unable to produce a unified framework. This paper reviews the literature review thoroughly to build a novel theoretical framework that proposes the linkages of entrepreneurial orientation, innovation management, business environment as well as organizational performance. By using resource-based view (RBV) and contingency theory, the relationship between the variables has been established. The proposed unified theoretical framework will provide useful insight into the direct impact of entrepreneurial orientation on organizational performance. Moreover, the direct relationship is moderated by two variables namely innovation management and business environment. This unified theoretical framework would benefit from an amalgamation between process and outcome-oriented research in the entrepreneurship field.

This paper aims to investigate the impact of CEO age on commercial bank performance in Malaysia. Our sample data consists of 84 observations from commercial banks in Malaysia from 2016 to 2021. Using the Quantile Regression Method, we find that the CEO's Age positively influences the commercial bank's performance. This finding indicates the wisdom of the CEO in making decisions when they are getting older, positively affecting the commercial bank's performance. The result is consistent with the resource-based view; the CEO is the invaluable human capital providing experience in managing the bank's performance. Our findings guide practitioners in hiring a qualified CEO.

The year 2020 has changed the world of education intensely with the distinctive rise of online distance learning (ODL), whereby teaching and learning are undertaken remotely and on digital platforms. Driven by both the pandemic and advancements in digital technologies, the new norm of online learning continues to persist post-pandemic. Therefore, this paper explored the extent of ODL challenges faced by semester 5 business students in one of the public universities in Malaysia. Their perception of internal and external challenges namely time management, attitude, self-esteem, internet connection, socioeconomic and non-conducive environment will be examined. By using non-probability sampling, data were gathered from a total of 110 semesters 5 business students from 9 courses in the Faculty of Business and Management. The findings of this study revealed that internal challenges domain (time management, attitude, self-esteem) affect students the most in ODL. Consequently, the result of this study is hoped to help the education community prepare for a hybrid and flexible learning system as recently announced by the Malaysia Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE).

When Covid-19 hit the globe, Malaysia was specifically affected by the implementation of MCO which restricted its citizens from having their normal daily activities. Malaysian students are especially distressed by the implementation of online learning, whereby they need to cope with the burden of learning without having physical consultation with their lecturers while indulging the ‘nuisance’ of the home environment. This cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the relationship and impact of emotional intelligence which comprised self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management components toward optimism among public university students in Perak, Malaysia. Convenience sampling was applied as the sampling technique in selecting the required sample size of 441 respondents. A set of questionnaires comprised of three sections was used as the instrument and was virtually distributed to the respondents via Google form through their acquaintances. Descriptive analysis findings have demonstrated male students have greater levels of emotional intelligence and optimism as compared to female students. Meanwhile, results from correlation analysis projected each component of emotional intelligence has a large relationship with optimism except for social awareness with a medium relationship. Subsequently, the multiple regression analysis revealed that self-awareness was the strongest predictor of the dependent variable. This study has achieved all research objectives and the hypotheses were supported by the findings. Therefore, a few recommendations for educational institutions as well as future researchers were suggested accordingly.

Household consumption could hurt the environment. What we collectively choose and consume on a day-to-day basis determines what’s left for future generations. As household consumption is one of the largest activities in an economy, sustainable consumption is an important key to achieving sustainability goals. Improvement in the role of individual citizens in society, concerning sustainability is vital for a better future in all aspects of the environment, society and economy. The purpose of this article is to examine how education, sustainable awareness and attitude, as well as social influence impact the intention to consume sustainably among households. The method used is quantitative where cross-sectional data was collected through an online self-administered questionnaire in which a convenience sampling method was applied to 151 respondents. The data was analyzed using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) by utilizing SmartPLS3 software. The findings suggest that social influence and sustainable awareness and attitude had a significant influence on the intention toward sustainable consumption among households. Education however was found to be insignificant and not sufficient as the predictor in this study. Implications for policymakers and the directions of future research are proposed.

Due to the pandemic of COVID-19, students have started using digital technology in learning and note-taking. However, for early adopters, this method might be challenging. Thus, this study objectively examines the preferences of students’ physical or digital note-taking styles. Convenience sampling among 125 students in Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Selangor branch, Puncak Alam Campus has been used as part of the methodology. Three main variables are selected in assessing the student’s preferences for notes based on the previous study which are Health Expectancy, Eco-Friendly Environment, and Notes Accessibility Conditions. The analysis done is descriptive statistics and correlation analysis using SPSS and SMARTPLS 4. The findings show that the students still prefer physical notes over digital notes. The percentage of preferences is almost the same, and it is expected that in the future the percentage of digital notes taking will shift from physical notes to digital notes. Notes accessibility condition is a significant variable while the other variables are not significant towards student’s preferences for notes. The students are still in the transition process from the era before the pandemic and the post-pandemic era. Thus, it is recommended that the learning style and note-taking style might adopt the combination of physical and digital notes.

The transition from financial repression to financial liberalization, which led to cross-border capital flows and the expansion of the financial sector, has had a significant impact on the global financial market. Competition could pass through or interact with the impact of financial liberalization on financial stability. A liberalized banking sector prompted commercial banks to intensify risk-taking activities, which ultimately could affect financial stability. This paper examines the effect of financial liberalization on financial stability and the roles of competition as the interacting variable using a panel data analysis based on a sample of 43 banks in Malaysia. Results from the Malaysian banking sector indicate that increased competition will affect the stability of the financial system. Lastly, competition needs to be set at the best possible level so that financial stability can be well preserved.

Technology entrepreneurship is a new breed of entrepreneurship in a technology context, where it merges technology prowess and entrepreneurial skills. Technology plays a critical role in Industry Revolution 4.0; hence undoubtedly technology entrepreneurship is crucial in business settings as well as for economic developments. The intention to become technopreneurs among students from higher education institutions has become more and more prominent since it can be seen as a valuable way to contribute to the labor market to solve unemployment issues. However, despite data showing that the unemployment rate in Malaysia post-COVID is at a worrying state, studies on technology entrepreneurship intention are still lacking, with few areas being under-researched. This paper attempts to provide a review of existing academic literature on technology entrepreneurship intention among university students, revealing the current state and future direction of technology entrepreneurship intention research. Using a systematic literature review (SLR) method, the research papers were analyzed between the years 2017 and 2023 (7 years) to see the trend in the current years. The result shows that previous studies do not cover the subject comprehensively. Subjective norms were the least studied factor, despite their importance in shaping an individual’s behavior and intention. It was also found that none of the papers studied the role of government support and social media towards technology entrepreneurship intention. The identification of these under-researched areas will provide future directions for researchers to empirically study the factors. This paper may also provide future directions for the government in ensuring that more graduates have the intention to pursue technology entrepreneurship which will in turn contribute to the country’s economic growth.