Vol. 17 No. 3(I) (2025)

Although empowerment is often discussed in organisational theory, how it is operationalised in practice—particularly in banking institutions—remains underexplored. This study examines the enactment of empowerment in two Malaysian banks, emphasising the viewpoints of senior managers who are pivotal in defining its significance and implementation. Using semi-structured interviews with 12 senior managers and employing thematic analysis, the study reveals four interconnected dimensions that operationalise empowerment: institutionalisation (formal policies), communication (explicit delegation and information flow), capacity building (training and readiness support), and scope and differentiation (variation according to role, rank, and proximity to operations). The findings indicate that empowerment in banking is not a uniform process but rather a context-dependent practice influenced by managerial interpretation and shaped by the specific functional realities of various job roles. Employees closer to frontline operations were found to acquire greater empowerment, indicating a strategic differentiation of authority. The study enhances theoretical knowledge by filling a significant void in comprehending the dynamics of empowerment operationalisation within structured service environments. From a pragmatic standpoint, it provides bank leaders with actionable insights to embed empowerment into career development, augment flexibility in decision authority, and conduct periodic role-specific empowerment audits to ensure alignment between empowerment design and operational demands.

This conceptual paper will explore a hybrid approach of phygital retailing, which merges physical and digital shopping experiences to enhance customer engagement and satisfaction. Retailers who want to meet the demands of today's consumers must comprehend the dynamics of physical encounters as retail settings change in tandem with technology. Retailers need to utilize cutting-edge technology that connects online and offline experiences. Physical shopping provides customers with distinctive value propositions. On the other hand, phygital retailing advantages by emphasizing the potential of digital sensing technologies and augmented reality to counter issues in digital purchasing, highlighting their role in creating immersive shopping experiences that mimic the appeal of in-person shopping while retaining the benefits of electronic convenience. This intersection of physical and digital spaces empowers retailers to engage customers on multiple sensory levels, leading to deeper emotional connections and increased purchase intention. Hence, the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) theory is deemed appropriate to underpin the research framework. The S-O-R will explain how phygital retailing influences the customer's response, such as purchase intention. Moreover, the relationship between technology and consumer experience poses new opportunities for retailers because the emergence of phygital retailing represents a new strategy in how retailers interact with consumers. Considering positivism as a primary paradigm for this research, the quantitative approach is deemed an appropriate research method to test the proposed model with empirical results. Finally, the outcome of this proposed research framework will help the researcher and manager to explore and further understand the integration of technology with consumer behaviours in the retail setting. In conclusion, phygital retailing is urged to redefine consumer experiences by merging the tactile and immediate benefits of physical retail with the convenience and personalized nature of digital interactions. Retailers can effectively harness this fusion to create engaging, memorable experiences that drive customer loyalty and satisfaction in an ever-evolving retail environment.

Physical activity is essential for maintaining individual health through indoor or outdoor activities. Whether the individual or group initiates it, the physical activity should be encouraged and included for students at the university. However, students encounter various barriers that hinder their engagement, including time limitations, a lack of motivation, and inadequate access to facilities. Nevertheless, they recognize the numerous benefits of physical activity, including improved mental and physical health, stress alleviation, and enhanced academic performance. This study investigates the relationships between perceived barriers, perceived benefits, and students’ physical activity. A cross-sectional, quantitative approach was adopted, with data collected through structured online questionnaires. The sample comprised 150 students selected using convenience sampling. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS Version 23, employing descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The findings indicated a significant positive correlation between perceived benefits and physical activity, while perceived barriers did not demonstrate an important relationship. This study highlights the necessity for universities to improve access to facilities, offer flexible scheduling, and cultivate a supportive environment that promotes active lifestyles among students.

Financial issues, university environment, and parental issues have been investigated as factors influencing absenteeism among full‐time undergraduate students in a local university in Selangor. An online survey was conducted among 350 students from a local university in Selangor. The survey respondents reported that most of them had absenteeism during their studies. The data collected was then analyzed and applied to a structural equation model (SEM) using Partial Least Squares, and the model consisted of a measurement and structural model. The finding revealed that parental issues do not significantly influence absenteeism among local university students. The results revealed that financial problems and elements of the university environment, like lecture quality, class participation, and support networks, significantly influenced absenteeism. In contrast, parental problems like family expectations, home conflicts, or guardians' pressure did not significantly influence students' attendance. This implies that even if students might experience pressure at home, these elements have less impact than their financial condition and the daily academic surroundings they negotiate. These findings emphasize the need to enhance financial support mechanisms and create a more interesting academic environment to lower absenteeism and support student retention.

In recent years, environmental crises have been perceived by businesses as significant threats to their operations and long-term sustainability, forcing many businesses to adapt and incorporate environmentally friendly approaches. Due to the increasing importance of environmental issues and demand for environmentally friendly methods, green innovation has emerged as a pivotal strategy for companies to achieve sustainable growth and boost their business’s sustainability efforts. The term ‘green supply chain management’ or ‘supply chain environmental management’ has only recently gained recognition from numerous companies; thus, only a few studies have been done on the relationship between greening the supply chain, green innovation, competitive advantage, operational, and environmental performance. The paper aims to bridge the significant gap by providing empirical evidence, which will allow the industrial implementation of green supply chains and green innovation to gain a competitive advantage in the global market. Through the findings, it will then improve operational and environmental efficiency. The information was gathered from 240 Malaysian companies in the automotive industry sector through a questionnaire survey. Structural equation modelling was utilized to analyze the data, and through the results, it is evident that greening the supplier through green innovation has a major impact on environmental performance. The results will contribute to facilitating automotive industry professionals in building a systematic blueprint to control and maximize the implemented green innovation practices towards increasing the overall productivity. Keywords : Green innovation, automotive industry, competitive advantage, performance, green supply chain management

This conceptual paper explores the intersection of sustainability education and social entrepreneurship through an experiential learning lens. While environmental challenges continue to escalate globally, there remains a significant gap in pedagogical approaches that effectively integrate hands-on sustainability education with entrepreneurial thinking, especially among younger learners. This study addresses this gap by proposing a framework grounded in Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory, focusing on how immersive, community-based environmental activities can cultivate sustainable values, social responsibility, and entrepreneurial skills among youth. The framework is modeled on a structured one-day environmental engagement program involving real-world activities aligned with four stages of Kolb’s learning cycle: concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. The program design is further mapped to relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The paper finds that such experiential interventions have strong potential in shaping responsible, action-oriented learners and offers a replicable model for integrating green social entrepreneurship into sustainability education. The proposed framework contributes to the growing body of literature by offering a structured pedagogical model that blends environmental stewardship, community engagement, and entrepreneurial learning for youth development.

With the widespread use of digital and information technologies in education, students' learning styles and needs are always changing. This study examines the relationships among student engagement, information literacy, perceived digital proficiency and learning agility within a university student population. Research indicates that there exists a relationship among these factors; however, the specific pathways of influence remain inadequately comprehended. This study surveyed 323 students from a higher education institution to assist educators in improving students' learning agility and refining educational strategies. It used Structural Equation Modelling to look at the direct and indirect relationships between these variables. The results show that how engaged students have a big effect on their information skills, which in turn affects how competent they feel with technology and how quickly they learn, with a mediator between information skills and learning agility. The study highlights the importance of enhancing student engagement and information literacy to effectively prepare students for evolving learning environments. These findings provide significant insights for formulating innovative strategies to enhance students' learning agility and overall academic performance.

Entrepreneurial resilience is essential to SMEs' success and long-term viability, especially when faced with competitive pressures and economic uncertainty. The resilience of their leaders and staff is critical to SMEs' capacity to weather economic downturns, adjust to shifting market conditions, and seize new opportunities. Because of the rapidly expanding and multidisciplinary nature of the research, a bibliometric analysis was carried out, as it is crucial in the field of entrepreneurial resilience. The Scopus database provided the bibliometric information used in this investigation. The results highlight the most significant writers, organizations, and geographical areas that contribute to the field, as well as trends in keyword co-occurrence and citation. The results and limitations of this study can be taken into consideration for future research.

The study of finance, especially corporate finance, poses significant obstacles owing to its dependence on calculations and the complexity of its theoretical constructs. Students frequently need to comprehend complex concepts such as Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), cost of capital, and financial modelling, all of which necessitate accuracy, logical reasoning, and multi-step problem-solving abilities. Even trivial computational errors might result in substantial misinterpretations of financial results, hindering effective learning. The swift progression of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the education industry presents an increasing possibility to include AI-driven technologies into finance education, enhancing both understanding and implementation of complex ideas. The present study explores the potential of AI that can be effectively utilized as a teaching assistant for finance students, focusing specifically on quantitative analysis, decision-making under uncertainty, and corporate financial management. AI applications such as intelligent tutoring systems, automated calculation engines, and adaptive learning platforms can assist students by simplifying complex tasks, offering personalized learning trajectories, and providing real-time feedback. Moreover, scenario-based simulations powered by AI allow learners to engage more deeply with financial decision-making processes, bridging the gap between theory and practice. By leveraging these capabilities, AI not only enhances accuracy but also improves student engagement, motivation, and critical thinking skills. The study concludes with a discussion on the long-term implications of AI integration in finance education, highlighting its potential to reshape traditional pedagogy and prepare students for a technologically driven financial landscape.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the key determinants of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors about the principles of Maqasid Shariah and their role in advancing financial inclusion. Most Islamic banks and Shariah-compliant firms have started promoting sustainability through their financing and initiatives many years ago, which puts them ahead in terms of ESG. There are still many obstacles that need to be overcome to get the best results from the integration of ESG and Islamic Finance, as well as offering insights into Islamic finance models such as ESG investment from an Islamic perspective, especially about the concepts of Maqasid Shariah, so that ESG and Maqasid Sharia can be applied in all institutions, especially Islamic banking and also Sharia-compliant firms. The integration of ESG principles within Islamic finance offers a holistic framework that aligns ethical and sustainable practices with the objectives of Shariah, particularly in promoting economic justice, social welfare, and financial accessibility. By appraising the synergies between ESG dimensions and the five pillars of Maqasid Shariah—protection of religion, life, intellect, progeny, and wealth. This study explores how these determinants contribute to inclusive financial systems. Using a conceptual framework analysis methods approach that includes qualitative analysis and evaluation, the study provides insights into how ESG-aligned strategies can be instrumental in reducing financial disparities, fostering trust, and promoting responsible investments in accordance with Islamic values. This study contributed to the literature by expected to offer policy recommendations and practical frameworks for stakeholders seeking to leverage ESG criteria to enhance financial inclusion in Shariah-compliant economies.