Vol. 16 No. 3(I)S (2024)

In recent decades, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has become a significant factor in promoting economic growth. Recent years have witnessed significant discourse regarding the relationship between foreign direct investment and economic growth. This research employed the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) methodology to analyze the long-run and short-run relationships between foreign direct investment and economic growth in Malaysia over the period from 1990 to 2022. The findings indicate that foreign direct investment has a positive impact on economic growth in both the short and long term. This aligns with the fundamental principles of endogenous growth theory, which posits that foreign direct investment enhances the transfer of skills that enrich the knowledge base of the host country in both the short and long term. The study provides policymakers with insights regarding the relationship between economic growth and foreign direct investment (FDI).

Finding a balance between the needs of all parties and the state of the environment is what "sustainable development" tries to do. The goal is to protect future generations while also making progress for humanity. However, not a lot is known about how small and medium-sized businesses can run safely in emerging countries and how sustainable development affects them. So, this study's goal is to find out how the success of small and medium-sized businesses in Malaysia is linked to long-term growth. The main purpose of this study is to find out how sustainable success and sustainable growth are linked in Malaysian small and medium-sized companies. A numeric survey method was used to get information from small and medium-sized businesses in Malaysia. The businesses filled out a questionnaire on their own time. Using data from this study, PLS-SEM was used to look at the link between sustainable growth and sustainable success. The study's results showed that sustainable success and sustainable growth are closely linked. The study's results will help the government and business community build businesses that are competitive, strong, and long-lasting, so they can do well in both local and international markets.

Effective administration of dispatch riders is crucial for delivering reliable diagnoses and research results by enabling prompt and precise sample collection. Laboratory Information Systems (LIS) offers a solution to enhance the efficiency and organization of dispatch riders in laboratory settings. Thus, the main objective of this study is to provide insights and knowledge on the potential benefits of implementing LIS to optimize the management of dispatch riders and enhance the efficiency of sample collection. An analysis of previous research findings illustrates the varied benefits of using LIS in improving key performance indicators such as turnaround time, mistake rates, and coordination of dispatch riders. The LIS platform serves as a centralized system for managing and allocating sample collection jobs, minimizing scheduling conflicts, and optimizing dispatch rider routes. Real-time tracking capabilities enable laboratory management to monitor dispatch rider locations and sample collection progress, facilitating enhanced coordination and resource allocation. Furthermore, LIS-generated data analytics provide valuable insights into sample collection patterns, enabling proactive management strategies to mitigate potential bottlenecks. Integration of LIS into payroll systems allows for automated compensation calculation based on dispatch rider performance metrics, ensuring fair and transparent pay rates. Studies consistently demonstrate that adequate compensation positively impacts dispatch rider motivation and sample collection effectiveness. This study highlights the vital importance of LIS in enhancing dispatch rider administration for efficient sample collection operations. It provides insights for laboratory managers and policymakers to optimize the potential of LIS to improve operational performance, facilitate patient care, and advance research outcomes.

Business intelligence (BI) refers to a technological tool and process that transforms large and fragmented data into well-informed graphical insights to aid managerial decision-making. Recognizing the significant benefits of BI in leveraging extensive amounts of data, governments have been progressively investing in BI tools to improve efficiency in public offices. Nevertheless, despite a significant body of knowledge related to BI adoptions and their advantages, there is a dearth of theoretical understanding of how the effective use of the system affects employees' work performance, particularly among civil servants who have distinctive work natures compared to businesses. Most studies have also ignored external and institutional factors that influence individual usage, whilst studies on the effective use of BI tools remain limited. The paper thus proposed a new conceptual framework for examining the factors that influence the effective use of BI and its impact on individual job performance. The suggested propositions could provide a theoretical contribution by integrating technological, organizational and authoritative dimensions that are novel and unique to the public sector. It would also contribute to practical understandings for public managers and policymakers in ensuring the investment made on BI is worthwhile. Ultimately, the paper seeks to bridge the gap in BI studies related to public organizations.

The feasibility of maintaining a comfortable standard of living for civil servants in Malaysia is frequently questioned due to their reliance on pensions as the primary source of retirement funds, which may not suffice to cover the rising retirement costs. To address this issue, civil servants could consider accumulating savings during their working years instead of solely depending on pension disbursements. This academic discourse examines the effect of the independent variables of attitudes towards retirement savings (financial risk tolerance, past behaviours, and subjective norms as psychological elements) and financial considerations (tax incentives) on retirement savings behaviour. Additionally, the research also explores the moderating role of perceived government policy and perceived behavioural control with its antecedents, namely financial literacy, self-control between the independent variables, and retirement savings behaviour among civil servants in Malaysia. Drawing from the extended interactive theory of planned behaviour, amalgamated theories comprising the interactive theory of planned behaviour, rationale choice theory, and the behavioural economic model and existing literature, this article introduces a conceptual framework detailing the determinants influencing the RSB of civil servants in Malaysia. The proposed framework has the potential to benefit various stakeholders, particularly civil servants seeking to prepare adequately for their retirement years.

Globalization and other environmental issues are causing problems for organizations. Improving employee performance is the responsibility of any organization, as it is crucial for the attainment of optimal objectives. An employee’s reputation is improved by performing well on the job, which helps them advance in their professions. Without effective remuneration and motivation, it can affect employee performance in the organization. Other than that, the past researchers regarding this study also discussed. The relationship between independent variables and dependent variables was assessed using descriptive analysis, normality analysis, reliability analysis, Pearson's correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis in this study. The population and sample of employees in the selected organization in Perak. The total population of 250 respondents in the company, and the sampling size was 148 respondents based on the Krejcie & Morgan table. Data collection in this study was conducted through questionnaires, and the data were analyzed using SPSS 20. The findings indicated that employee performance is significantly and positively influenced by remuneration and work motivation, with motivation being the most significant factor in the performance of education employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Malaysia’s captivating attractions are increasingly promoted through community-based ecotourism (CBE) initiatives. These efforts aim to empower local communities, conserve nature, and generate income by involving locals in managing ecotourism resources and activities, ensuring both economic benefits and sustainability of protected environments. CBE highlights diverse customs and cultures, enhancing ecotourism experiences through local resources. Understanding tourists' attitudes and preferences is crucial for developing sustainable cultural tourism packages. Key inquiries involve measuring local community participation, artistic elements, and tourism offerings in CBE management around protected parks. Evaluating tourism preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for attributes provided by local businesses is essential for effective CBE management strategies in rural areas. This study employs the Choice Experiment model to analyze tourists' preferences for CBE activities and their marginal willingness to pay (MWTP) for management attributes at Min House Camp (MHC) in Kubang Kerian, Kelantan. The attributes examined include local community involvement, activity packages, accommodation facilities, and information provided. The study found 'super' package activity, increased local participation and employment, excellent accommodation, and adequate information to be the most important attributes. The study suggests that business owners and local managers adopt the CBE concept and focus on the key qualities that have been identified. Local communities and stakeholders should implement new tour packages at MHC, combining desirable features to meet market demand. Future studies could use a mixed logit model to account for multiple attributes of community ecotourism tours in protected parks.

The implementation of infrastructure projects through the Public Private Partnership (PPP) that involve investments from the private sector has greatly benefited the country. Apart from being an alternative to conventional public infrastructure projects, PPP is also said to be a more efficient method as the risk of project implementation is transferred to the private partner. Even with these advantages, it cannot escape criticism, especially the implementation of PPP projects which involve financial implications to the government. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the Malaysian government's experience in the implementation of PPP projects especially regarding its financial implication issue and how the Malaysian government addresses the issue. A total of 29 officers from several government agencies were interviewed. The interview transcripts were analyzed using ATLAS. Ti application. Apart from contributing a theory regarding PPP, the results of this study have provided new knowledge on PPP, especially Malaysia's experience in dealing with financial commitment issues arising from the implementation of PPP projects. Although the context of development in other countries may differ, this Malaysian experience can be used as an example for PPP practitioners in planning PPP projects elsewhere.

This research illuminates the determinants and outcomes of Islamic financial literacy as scrutinized in prior investigations. A systematic literature review unfolded across the Scopus database from 2016 to 2023. This investigation encompasses 22 articles from the 40 scholarly works extracted from the Scopus database. The Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research emerges as the most prolific disseminator of insights into the determinants and outcomes of Islamic financial literacy, credited to its robust publication frequency throughout the year. The autonomous and reliant facets of Islamic financial literacy were predominantly studied, with emphasis not only on individual dynamics but also on business perspectives. The determinants instigating Islamic financial literacy congregate within the affective, conative, family influence, self-controlled, and demographic predictors. Conversely, the ramifications stemming from Islamic financial literacy manifest in cognitive, affective, and conative dimensions, leaving an indelible imprint on the business realm. Geographic focus reveals a concentration of prior investigation within Muslim-majority nations, predominantly Indonesia. Furthermore, the investigation discovers that past studies were mainly conducted in the context of Islamic banking. The evidence from the present study provides input to researchers in conducting further research on Islamic financial literacy.

Housing maintenance fees are essential to maintaining the standard and operation of residential communities. However, non-payment issues present serious problems to the Joint Management Body (JMB) and residents due to various issues related to maintenance are delaying to be solved. Thus, this study objectively assesses the role and relationship of JMB with the respondents toward residents’ commitment and support in making payments for housing maintenance. A quantitative approach through a survey questionnaire was distributed among 31 respondents of high-rise buildings in Klang Valley for a pilot study. Four (4) independent variables were involved: the role of JMB, the relationship between residents and JMB, facilities provided, and safety and security towards the dependent variable of resident’s commitment and support. The findings show that most respondents agree that any problems related to the housing unit should be consulted with JMB and residents should get permission from JMB before proceeding with any necessary action. This study is expected to benefit JMB and residents in ensuring a sustainable harmonious housing environment in the high-rise buildings and thus contribute to the achievement of SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.