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

Online buying has become a norm in Malaysia after the COVID-19 pandemic. It is one of the measures to cope with the rapid spread of the virus. Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) staff is not left behind in following the current trend. The present study is intended to determine the factors that influence them to engage in online buying although they are very busy ensuring public safety. Data was collected using online surveys distributed conveniently to the staff. After the lapse of the allocated data collection period, 150 responses were received and analyzed. Out of five factors that have been selected as the independent variables, only two are significant in influencing online buying intention among the RMP staff: attitude and perceived usefulness. Perceived ease of use, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control did not significantly influence the online buying intention of RMP officers. The findings show that only those with the right attitude towards online buying and those who find online buying beneficial will pursue online purchases.

Internships have become crucial to help students make them stand out while at the same time providing training and work experience for the students. However, the issue of workplace aggression among internship students is increasing and is worrying many parties as it is a prevalent matter that internship students can be subjected to mistreatment in the workplace. Drawing from the Job Demand-Resource model and Conservation of Resources theory, this paper sought to identify the relationship between independent variables such as workplace bullying, interpersonal conflict, abusive supervision and anxiety among interns from the Faculty of Business and Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Puncak Alam campus who underwent internship in Klang Valley. An online questionnaire was distributed to the interns, and 128 completed sets were responded to. The results found that there were positive correlations between workplace bullying, abusive supervision and interpersonal conflict on anxiety among the interns. The findings suggest that aggression in the workplace correlates with psychological disorders as it can cause the interns to experience psychological strain such as anxiety. In general, the research aims to contribute to a better understanding of workplace aggression and anxiety to mitigate these conundrums and foster a positive and supportive atmosphere for internship students. Furthermore, both organizations and interns need to have the knowledge and skills to prevent them from experiencing psychological illnesses. The implications of the study will be further discussed in the paper.

Online gaming or esports has become extremely popular nowadays. As esports popularity increases, the trend of esports events has also been increasing around the world and all major esports stakeholders such as players, organizers, sponsors, teams and broadcasters are taking this opportunity to step up and shine. People participated and watched esports as a form of entertainment until it is now one of the most popular sports in the world. Players are now fighting to be professional players while event organizers take the opportunity to organize more esports events. However, with no specific policy or guideline regarding esports, many issues and risks could arise especially among the major esports stakeholders. Without proper planning on risk management, not only players but all major stakeholders in esports events could be at great risk. To address the gap, this research will explore major esports event stakeholders and identify risks associated with esports events from the stakeholders’ perspective. The proposed research will first need to explore the esports stakeholders in its preliminary stage and continue with addressing the risks and issues for all major stakeholders at the secondary stage. Methodically, this exploratory research will apply focus study interviews and case studies as its main method of investigation. The framework can later help all esports events stakeholders enhance their planning process through a proper risk management plan. It will also benefit the government in the development of policy regarding esports events.

In today's global economy, more companies are going global, and employees are actively seeking better career opportunities and growth. This dynamic has made employee retention a significant focus for Human Resources Management. The main purpose of this study is to understand the factors that influence employee retention at pharmaceutical companies in Malaysia. The research objectives were to examine whether factors such as reward, career advancement, and manager engagement have a significant influence on employee retention in pharmaceutical companies in Malaysia. The population in this study is made up of employees of pharmaceutical companies in Malaysia. This research was conducted in a natural setting in a non-contrived manner using non-probability convenience sampling. Of the 400 surveys provided, 365 were answered by Malaysian pharmaceutical company employees, regardless of status. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were checked, and responses were collected and analyzed via SPSS software. The result suggests that rewards, career advancement, and manager engagement positively influence the retention of employees in pharmaceutical companies in Malaysia. For hypothesis testing, all independent variables show a significant relationship with employee retention.

The need to have a healthy work-life balance is generally recognized across several professional domains. The present investigation was carried out within a public health institution situated in the Klang Valley region. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of workload, time management, and work environment on the work-life balance of nurses, who serve as frontline healthcare professionals. The research utilized purposive sampling as one of the quantitative research methods. Online distribution was utilized as the means of data collection. A grand total of 276 questionnaires were appropriately completed and afterward returned. The findings indicate that workload negatively impacts employee work-life balance when compared to aspects such as time management and work environment. All the variables found have a significant impact on employees work-life balance in different positive and negative relationships.

Supply chain disruptions, such as floods and unforeseen events, have historically caused severe economic and environmental consequences, emphasizing the need for risk mitigation strategies to improve organizational performance. The multi-dimensional nature of these risks necessitates comprehensive classification and identification to inform effective managerial decisions. This study reviews the role of GSCM practices as a strategic approach to mitigate supply chain risks and enhance economic and environmental performance. By examining existing research on supply chain risks, GSCM practices, and organizational performance, this study seeks to fill a gap in the literature, particularly in exploring the integration of GSCM practices into risk mitigation strategies. This study contributes by highlighting the intersection of supply chain risks, GSCM practices, and organizational performance, with a focus on the Malaysian manufacturing sector. Through a comprehensive review and analysis, this study aims to shed light on the role of GSCM practices in building resilient and sustainable supply chains.

Life in the modern world today is full of frustrations, demands and deadlines as stress has become a norm for many people. Since the harsh episode of the pandemic, stress is the normal physical response that disturbs our balance. Many experienced work-related ill health cases due to work-related stress, depression and anxiety. Therefore, work stress is inevitable. Work stress is increasing in Malaysia, especially since the pandemic and it continues to pose a major global health threat until now. Alarmingly, stress has become a modern epidemic and has influenced poor public health. Many past researches reviewed the prevalence of occupational stress and the causes of its prediction among the Malaysian population and found many occupational stress severe incidents. The Malaysian government mobilized the Malaysia Civil Defense Force (MCDF) for several responsibilities to save lives and properties. Based on the nature of MCDF work, stress is a major issue. There are many factors of stress; operational, organizational and lifestyle to name a few. Organizational stress highlights employees’ attachment to the organization, operational stress highlights employees' experience doing the work, and lifestyle stress highlights individual ways of living. Therefore, the researchers attempt to examine the relationships between operational, organizational and lifestyle factors and the most influencing factor that may cause stress among a population of 180 personnel of MCDF, while carrying out their work assignments in Klang Valley.

Today's business environment is highly competitive and globalized, characterized by shorter product life cycles and demanding customers. As a result, supply chains must be responsive to changes in the marketplace to maintain and create a competitive advantage. While previous studies have acknowledged the advantages of effective supply chain management (SCM) in gaining a competitive edge, there remains a limited understanding of the implications of adopting various SCM practices. To address this gap, this conceptual study focuses on examining the relationship between SCM practices (strategic supplier partnership, customer relationship, information sharing, and postponement) and both supply chain responsiveness and competitive advantage within the Malaysian timber industry. The study integrates the Resources Based View (RBV), Dynamic Capabilities theory, and Natural Resource-Based View (NRBV) theory.

This preliminary study investigates the relationship between government assistance and household savings. This study sought to understand the impact of government support on individuals' ability to save money. The study aimed to shed light on whether government assistance programs directly influence households' savings habits. Data were collected from 25 representative sample households, which include their income, expenses, savings, and participation in government assistance programs. The study also examined how much money households could save regularly. The study suggested a significant correlation, between government assistance and household savings. Families that received some form of government support demonstrated a lower propensity to save than those who did not receive assistance. This trend was consistent across different income brackets and demographic groups. The researchers proposed several potential reasons for this relationship. There can be several reasons for this negative relationship. First, increased government assistance may alleviate financial strain and provide immediate relief for individuals or households, reducing the urgency or perceived need to save for future expenses or emergencies. Second, some government assistance programs may have income limits or asset tests that discourage or restrict saving behavior. It is important to note that this study was preliminary, and further research is necessary to establish a more robust understanding of the relationship between government assistance and household savings. Future studies could delve into the long-term effects of government support on savings behavior and investigate the specific mechanisms through which assistance programs influence savings habits. The preliminary findings suggest a negative association between government assistance and household savings. It emphasizes the importance of further exploring this relationship to understand household financial wellbeing comprehensively.

The purpose of this study is to examine the crucial factors amongst monetary policy and macroeconomic variables that spike the anomalies momentum on stock markets post-COVID-19 pandemic in selected Developed and Eastern European countries. This study uses panel data to measure the cross interactions of five stock exchanges based on unprecedented recovery in the European stock markets that yield astonishingly higher returns post-COVID-19, believed to be due to a perfect adoption of monetary policies (Exchange and Inflation Rates) and macroeconomic factor (Economic Growth) from January 2017 to December 2022. Findings suggest that the Exchange Rate and Economic Growth of the country are positively significant in influencing the Stock Market Performance in European stock markets. Additionally, the Inflation Rate surprisingly is negatively related to Stock Market Performance. Furthermore, local and foreign investors prefer to invest in a country that has a great adoption of monetary policies (stable Exchange Rate and lower Inflation Rates) as well as macroeconomic variables (resilient Economic Growth) for post COVID-19 economic landscape. For practical implications, the study suggests that the stock market performance, exchange rate, inflation rate, and economic growth of the country should be maintained and improved to attract fund inflows from local and foreign investments. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first that examines the anomalous market momentum effect post-COVID-19 pandemic focusing on aspects, monetary policy, and macroeconomic variables. The momentum effect investing strategies that provide abnormal returns in different stock markets truly existed.