Investigating the purchase intention toward healthy drinks among Urban consumers in Malaysia

This study aims to investigate whether attitude (ATT), subjective norm (SN), perceived behavioral control (PBC), brand, awareness (AWS), and trust and would influence the purchase intentions toward healthy drinks among urban consumers in Malaysia. Furthermore, the authors examine the influence of AWS and trust on consumers’ ATT toward healthy drinks. This study adopted the extended model of Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) of Ajzen, which included brand, AWS, and trust with ATTs, SN, and PBC to investigate consumers’ purchase intention toward healthy drinks. A total of 323 usable surveys were received from consumers in Penang and Kuala Lumpur. Data obtained from the survey were then analyzed using SPSS and Smart PLS. The results indicated that ATT, SN and PBC in the standard TPB model were supported. Trust as the additional determinant also proved to influence consumers’ purchase intention toward healthy drinks. Trust and AWS also have a positive and significant relationship with consumers’ ATT toward healthy drinks. Surprisingly, brand and AWS were found insignificant in influencing consumers’ purchase intention toward healthy drinks.     

Strategy development: Driving improvisation in Malaysia

Improvisation is vital for strategy development, but there remains a lack of understanding about this phenomenon. This emerges directly from the insufficient investigation of its drivers and context. This paper extends improvisation research to the unexplored competitive settings of an emerging middle-income economy. Drawing on survey data from Malaysian research-intensive firms, we examine managerial and organisational antecedents of improvisation under turbulence. Findings reveal that organisational risk-taking and manager expertise are common antecedents of improvisation, but additional relationships arise under high (flexibility) and low turbulence (learning, manager tenure), developing capacity to inform practice, which is critically lacking in international business and management theory     

Ethnicity as a Management Issue and Resource: Examples from Malaysia

There has been recognition for some time that the management policies in overseas operations of multinational companies may be complex. This is not only due to diverse business or product market strategies, but also because the political, economic, social, legislative and cultural environment varies between locations. In particular, a neglected aspect of the context is ethnicity, especially in locations which are multi-ethnic. Such environments provide not only ‘constraints’, but also ‘opportunities’ in terms of management. Ethnicity is not only an issue which calls for ‘management’ itself, but is itself a potential managerial resource. Ethnicity is important for organizations at both external (contextual) and internal (operational) levels. We use the example of Malaysia to highlight such issues.     

浙江省城乡居民收入差异的特征分析

本文以浙江省的收入分配资料为依据,回顾并探讨了浙江省城乡收入差异的若干特征,提出了一些政策建议,旨在为缩小城乡差异、构筑和谐社会提供有益参考。     

Technological intensities and economic performance: a study of foreign and local electronics firms in Malaysia

This article compares technological intensities (TI) and economic performance of foreign and local electronics firms in Malaysia. The results show that foreign firms enjoyed higher labour productivity, wages and export intensity than local firms, though technological intensities between both sets of firms were similar. The econometric results show a strong and positive relationship between labour productivity and technological intensity in all the samples. The higher coefficient of TI in the local sample compared to the foreign sample shows that productivity in local firms is driven much more from in-house technological effort at host-sites than in foreign firms who can access technology from their parent plants. However, the relationship between TI (contributed by differences in R&D intensity) and export-intensity in the local sample is negative demonstrating that much of such effort is devoted to inward-oriented production. Reversing the relationship also produced the same negative relationship in the local sample. Skills intensity enjoyed a positive relationship with TI with similar coefficients. The positive and significant relationship between wages, and R&D and TI shows that the more technology-intensive local firms pay higher wages to attract human capital.     

Dynamics of Islamic Financing in Malaysia: Causality and Innovation Accounting

This article addresses the underresearched issues of marketing challenges and business strategies/models for emerging markets. It suggests that firms need to fundamentally rethink their business models and marketing policies for emerging markets. Although strategies focusing on product affordability and availability are necessary, identification of niche market segments and making clear choices about which segments to pursue, with what value propositions will promote great success. Moreover, strategic flexibility, local sourcing, engagement of nontraditional partners, and local entrepreneurship will be important factors for successful pursuit of the emerging markets.     

Does forced migration increase regional human rights commitment? The cases of Malaysia and Thailand in ASEAN

ABSTRACT

Why do non-democratic governments commit to human rights on a regional level? We argue that the negative externalities of political repression, operationalized as large amounts of transnational refugee flows, affect states’ willingness to commit to human rights. Neighbouring governments commit to human rights to send a signal to their repressive neighbours that repression will no longer be tolerated. We use official UNCHR data, a number of other secondary sources, as well as congruence analysis and process tracing to demonstrate the relevance of the theory for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Malaysia and Thailand in particular.     

International Linkages among Stock Markets of Malaysia and Its Major Trading Partners

This study empirically examines the short- and long-run dynamic causal linkages between Malaysia and its major trading partners (the United States, Japan, Singapore, China, and Thailand) based on a two-step estimation, Autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) and Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) during the period 1992–2008. The study documents that the stronger the trade ties among the countries, the higher the degree of comovements among their stock markets. The Japanese stock market, to some extent, is found to be more important than the United States over these markets. In designing stock market policies, each country should take into consideration of any shocks in its major trading partners.     

Quality-Labeled Vegetable Consumption in Malaysia: Factors Affecting Attitude and Purchase Intent

The rising rate of foodborne diseases has caused not just consumers but also food producers to become increasingly concerned about food safety. As a result, the government of Malaysia, together with relevant bodies, have introduced quality-assurance agencies to certify food products that are produced, processed, and handled with methods that are acknowledged by the certification agencies as clean and safe for consumption. This study aims to identify the factors influencing consumer purchasing behavior toward quality-labeled vegetables. A survey was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire and distributed randomly to consumers in public places in the Klang Valley. Four hundred and sixteen respondents were approached. The results indicate that most of the respondents are aware of food quality labels. Using factor analysis, four latent factors that influence consumer attitude toward quality-labeled vegetables were identified, and the importance of quality attributes (sensory, health, safety, and social attributes) in shaping those attitudes was also shown.     

基于社会核算矩阵的中国收入再分配效应分析

根据中国2007年的社会核算矩阵(SAM)表,利用基于SAM的乘数和相对乘数方法,分析中国各部门收入分配和再分配的结构效应,结果表明:当外生注入行业部门时,大部分行业之间的分配和再分配影响是非相互促进的,行业部门对城乡高等阶层的初始分配比较有利,对城乡中等阶层的再分配较有利;当外生注入居民部门时,各阶层居民之间以及居民对生产部门的分配和再分配的影响也是非相互促进的;当外生注入政府部门时,政府对各行业的分配和再分配的影响是不对称的,不利于高等阶层但却比较有利于低等阶层的分配和再分配。     

The impact of microloans in vulnerable remote areas: evidence from Malaysia

Microfinance is not a panacea, and the extent to which the very poor are being served remains unclear. This study examines whether microfinance programmes reach the intended target in vulnerable remote villages, and whether the borrowers improve their lives through microfinance. Seventy-two borrowers from three villages were studied. Remote villagers living below the poverty line were reached. Ninety-three per cent of the borrowers observed an increase in income, assets and spending on family members. Improvement on non-income aspects was also reported. The findings suggest that small loans can encourage the development of (1) rural enterprise, (2) skills and confidence in rural women and (3) social standing of rural women. The study concludes that microfinance is an empowering tool in vulnerable remote areas.     

Banks' Efficiency and Stock Prices in Emerging Markets: Evidence from Malaysia

ABSTRACT

This paper empirically investigates the X-efficiency and P-efficiencies of Malaysian banks listed in the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE) during 2002–2003 by applying a non-parametric Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method. We find that during the period of study, the X-efficiency of Malaysian listed banks was on average significantly higher compared to the P-efficiencies. The P-inefficiency was largely due to inefficient production of profits rather than the wrong scale of operations. Our results also suggest that the large banking groups were on average more X-efficient whereas the smaller banking groups were found to be more P-efficient. We further link the X-efficiency and P-efficiency to the respective banks' share prices and find that the stock prices of Malaysian banks react more towards the improvements in P-efficiency rather than the improvements in X-efficiency.     

Call Warrant Listing and the Behavior of its Underlying Spot Market: Some Evidence from Bursa Malaysia

This study investigates the call warrant listing impact on its underlying stock based on Malaysian stock market. The study indicates that call warrant listing has no significant impact on the return, volatility, and bid-ask spread of its underlying stock. However, its trading volume tends to be higher in the post event period. The results suggest that (1) the diversion of trade from spot to warrant market is nonexistent, (2) call warrant does not expand the opportunity set for investors, (3) it is fair to use historical data in volatility estimation for the purpose of asset pricing based on Malaysian context.     

Socio‐demographic determinants of gambling participation and expenditures: evidence from Malaysia

This study examined the socio‐demographic determinants of participation and expenditure decisions on gambling among non‐Muslim households in Malaysia using data from the 2005–2006 Malaysian Household Expenditures Survey. Heckman's sample selection analysis was used to obtain consistent (unbiased) empirical estimates for the regression equation of gambling expenditures in the presence of censoring (observed zeros) in the dependent variable. Marginal effects were also calculated to further explore the effects of socio‐demographic variables on the probability and levels of gambling expenditures. The results indicated that non‐Muslim households in Malaysia who are more likely to participate and spend more in gambling include Chinese, affluent, male‐headed, younger and non‐white collar households. Specifically, households of Chinese descent have higher gambling probabilities and expenditures than Indians and those of other ethnic backgrounds. While education reduces and age increases the likelihood and expenditures of gambling among Chinese households, these effects are non‐extant for Indians and other ethnic groups. Higher income and male‐headed households were more likely to partake and have higher expenditures in gambling among all non‐Muslim ethnic groups. Finally, Chinese and Indian households headed by a white‐collar worker have lower gambling likelihoods and unconditional expenditures than their blue‐collar cohorts. Based on these results, several anti‐gambling policies were suggested to target those more likely to participate and spend more in gambling activities.     

环渤海经济圈的形成与胶东地区收入水平的提高

随着我国经济中心的北移,环渤海经济圈应运而生。环渤海经济圈无论从广义上还是从狭义上来看,胶东地区都是其中一个重要的组成部分,其区位优势特别突出。环渤海经济圈的形成在加快城市化进程,促使交通运输业的发达和旅游业的兴旺以及承接日、韩等国经济产业的转移都起到了至关重要的作用,对整个胶东地区收入水平的提高将产生巨大的影响。     

Income disclosure and consumer judgment in a multilevel marketing experiment

Consumer protection concerns have been raised related to income misrepresentation in multilevel marketing (MLM) recruitment. Though not required by law, some MLM firms choose to voluntarily disclose income information about previous participants. Through replication and extension of the experiment created in Bosley, Greenman, and Snyder (2020), we investigate the impact of these disclosures on consumer interest and earnings expectations. We test the external validity of their findings with subjects from Mechanical Turk and explore issues regarding treatment heterogeneity and better-than-average bias. Supporting prior findings, we present evidence that income disclosures, on average, do not significantly affect subjects' interest in the MLM opportunity, but they do decrease earnings estimates for most while increasing earnings estimates for a few. These effects depend on a subject's numeracy skills and whether they see their earnings potential as better-than-average. We also find that asking about earnings estimates first tends to decrease interest.     

Supplier-Retailer Relationships in Grocery Distribution in Malaysia: Indications of Dominance,Conflict, and Cooperation

ABSTRACT

This exploratory study sets out to assess the presence of dominance, conflict and cooperation in channel relationships between grocery suppliers and retailers in Malaysia. There have been extensive studies on these channel issues in markets of developed countries but very little is known in markets of developing countries such as Malaysia. The initial assessment identifies traces of dominance, conflict and cooperation in the Malaysian channel environment. The findings suggest that the retailers perceive the suppliers as being more in control of the grocery distribution channels as indicated by the extent of influence they exert on channel functioning. The suppliers also acknowledged their roles in channel functioning as they felt that most channel issues are within their control. There also appears to be evidence of relationship characteristics identical to aspects of relationship marketing.     

Attitude of Muslim Consumers Toward Sex Appeal in Advertising: A Comparative Study Between Subcultures in Malaysia

This research was designed in order to explore the subculture differences in Malaysian consumers’ responses to sex appeal advertising. This study employs a 2 × 2 × 2 full factorial between subjects design. There are two levels of model gender (male/female), two levels of sex appeal (high/low), and two levels of religion of the subjects (Muslim/non-Muslim). When comparing Muslims and non-Muslims in the responses to the ads, it was generally found that Muslim subjects’ attitudes were significantly lower than non-Muslims attitudes toward the same ads. Future research should adopt a more representative sample and test different product categories.     

The Effect of Audit Committee Characteristics on Financial Restatements in Malaysia

This study investigates the influence of audit committee characteristics on the likelihood of financial restatements by firms in Malaysia. Annual reports of 350 firms that have restated their financial statements in the year 2008 and 2009 are analyzed. An additional 350 firms that did not restate their financial statements are considered, resulting in a total of 700 observations. Regression analysis identifies audit committee characteristics such as its independence, size, expertise and activity as statistically significant in explaining the likelihood of financial restatements. This article highlights the important role of the audit committee in mitigating financial restatements by firms in Malaysia.