Showing papers in "Asian Academy of Management Journal in 2011"

Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory and job satisfaction in the malaysian retail sector: the mediating effect of love of money

Abstract: This paper examines what motivates employees in the retail industry, and examines their level of job satisfaction, using Herzberg's hygiene factors and motivators. In this study, convenience sampling was used to select sales personnel from women's clothing stores in Bandar Sunway shopping mall in the state of Selangor. The results show that hygiene factors were the dominant motivators of sales personnel job satisfaction. Working conditions were the most significant in motivating sales personnel. Recognition was second, followed by company policy and salary. There is a need to delve more deeply into why salespeople place such a high importance on money. Further analysis was performed to assess how much the love of money mediates the relationship between salary and job satisfaction. Based on the general test for mediation, the love of money could explain the relationship between salary and job satisfaction. The main implication of this study is that sales personnel who value money highly are satisfied with their salary and job when they receive a raise.

The importance of corporate social responsibility on consumer behaviour in malaysia

Abstract: Malaysian consumers should be more aware that, in pursuing their business objectives, corporations now bear more responsibility towards society and the environment. The awareness level has increased through better education and the increased influence of the media. Corporations also now believe that, to a certain extent, the degree of their involvement in corporate social responsibility (CSR) does have certain effect on consumers' buying behaviour. This paper aims to examine the influence of CSR on the buying behaviour of Malaysian consumers and whether they consider a corporation's CSR initiatives before making any purchase decisions of the products and services. The definition of CSR was adopted from Carroll's definition, which included economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic responsibilities. A total of 220 structured questions were distributed, with 193 returned for analysis. The results showed significant positive relationships between all of the variables used in measuring CSR and consumers' buying behaviour. Malaysian consumers' priority, however, seemed to be different from Carroll's pyramid, where, although economic responsibility remained the utmost priority, philanthropy stood second, followed by ethical and legal responsibility.

Job satisfaction and organisational citizenship behaviour: An empirical study at higher learning institutions

Abstract: This study is designed to measure the two dimensions of organisational citizenship behaviour (i.e., OCBI and OCBO) and to examine how these organisational citizenship behaviours are related to the two facets of job satisfaction (intrinsic and extrinsic). To achieve the research objectives, the survey method is employed. Findings of this study reveal that both extrinsic and intrinsic job satisfaction are very important in predicting citizenship behaviour. Implications and limitations of the study are discussed along with suggestions for future research.

An exploratory study on the work-life balance of women entrepreneurs in south india

Abstract: In India, entrepreneurship has traditionally been considered a male prerogative. However, in tandem with a changing socio-cultural environment and an increase in educational opportunities, women have started recognising their inherent talents and business skills. With the help of various governmental and non-governmental agencies, growing numbers of women are joining the ranks of entrepreneurs. However, in the existing familial and societal setup, entrepreneurial women are overburdened and find it increasingly difficult to balance their work and life roles. Therefore, the major objective of the present study was to develop and validate an appropriate tool to illustrate the work-life balance (WLB) issues faced by women entrepreneurs of South India. We also sought to understand the important factors influencing the WLB of these women entrepreneurs. To achieve this end, data were collected by area sampling (clusterrandom) paired with semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire. The generated data were subjected to standard statistical procedures, such as factor analysis, regression analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and student's t-test. The five-point psychometric tool developed consisted of 39 statements related to five factors. Each of the statements possessed adequate reliability and validity. This study revealed that role overload, dependent care issues, quality of health, problems in time management and lack of proper social support are the major factors influencing the WLB of women entrepreneurs in India. Furthermore, even though the vast majority of the entrepreneurs examined in this study suffers from WLB issues, there are significant differences in the level of WLB issues faced by the various categories of women entrepreneurs. The present study provides recommendations for human resource professionals, management consultants, academicians and women entrepreneurs themselves to deal with the major WLB issues faced by Indian women entrepreneurs.

A resource-based view of small export firms' social capital in a southeast asian country

Abstract: This study empirically examines the social capital that facilitates the flow of export knowledge, thereby supporting the entrepreneurial stance of small export firms. By applying the VRIO (value, rarity, inimitability and organisation of firm resources) framework to the resource-based view (RBV) of the firm, this study suggests that superior performance is a function of resources that are valuable, rare, inimitable and sufficiently organised to develop and sustain the firm's competitive advantage. This study argues that small, resource-constrained export firms in a developing economy are able to adopt entrepreneurial tactics and reap positive rates of return by exploiting their relational capital to acquire export knowledge. A survey of 175 small export firms in the Philippines was conducted, and the data were analysed using structural equation modelling. The results suggest positive relationships between the firm's social capital and export knowledge. Export knowledge is associated with entrepreneurial orientation, which then correlates with export performance.

A framework for classifying misfits between enterprise resource planning (erp) systems and business strategies

Abstract: Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is a broad set of activities that is supported by multimodule application software that helps manufacturers or other businesses manage their activities. ERP is more than a software package; it includes the efforts and activities to integrate internal and external management information, business process automation and reengineering, and organisation structure streamlining. Thus, ERP eventually leads to an efficient and competitive business. Despite the prominence of ERP systems, approximately three-quarters of ERP projects are deemed as failures. Most failures are attributed to the misfit between pre-loaded business models in the ERP system and business requirements in the real world. This paper introduces a framework to classify ERP misfits into logical categories that provide insights for solution derivation. Subsequently, the classification methods are applied to a case study. Practitioners can use the misfit classification method to derive corresponding actions as solutions for ERP misfits based on their nature or specificity. In addition, the theoretical contribution of the ERP misfit problem is explored to provide information for researchers to determine appropriate theories and concepts explaining this domain.

The entrepreneurial start-up process: The role of social capital and the social economic condition

Abstract: Entrepreneurship is a complex phenomenon that involves not only economic activity but also social mechanisms. The intention to become an entrepreneur is a matter not only of one’s individual personality but also of one's interaction with the social environment. This study has three main objectives: predicting the existence of entrepreneurial behavioural intentions in different socio-economic conditions; examining how entrepreneurial behavioural intentions formulate entrepreneurial behaviour; and identifying how social capital influences this relationship. It also aims to reveal the differences between entrepreneurs in a relatively mature free market economy (Taiwan) and a newly emerging free market economy (Mongolia). The analysis shows that socio-economic conditions affect the formation of entrepreneurial intentions. There are different approaches to building social capital in a relatively mature market and its newly emerging counterpart. The tendency of having high trust and social ties was found in Taiwanese entrepreneurs, while monitoring is commonly found among Mongolian entrepreneurs.

Patterns of supplier learning: case studies in the malaysian automotive industry

Abstract: Supplier development programs support the development of a supplier's capabilities, usually with the assistance of a buyer. In an industrial environment that lacks home- grown technology, it is of interest to explore precisely how suppliers learn and increase their capabilities. There are also questions regarding how the buyer impacts this learning process, specifically with respect to dependent suppliers for which major buyers account for more than 20% of sales. It is claimed that support from buyers for supplier training has been deficient. Thus, there is a need to identify the types of training that suppliers themselves prefer. The objective of this study is therefore to examine the patterns of learning for dependent suppliers in the Malaysian automotive industry by exploring how suppliers learn best and defining the role of buyers in providing assistance. This study presents a model based on empirical findings and discusses the implications of the findings.

Understanding the relationships of program satisfaction, program loyalty and store loyalty among cardholders of loyalty programs

Abstract: Loyalty programs have increasingly attracted interest in both academic marketing research and practice. One major factor that has been increasingly discussed is loyalty. In this study we examine the influence of cardholders' satisfaction on loyalty (program loyalty and store loyalty) in a retail context, namely, in department stores and superstores. Data were collected from 400 cardholders of a retail loyalty program in Klang Valley, Malaysia via the drop-off-and-collect technique. Structural modelling techniques were applied to analyze the data. The results indicated that program satisfaction is not related to store loyalty (share-of-wallet, share-of-visit and store preference). However, loyalty to the program (program loyalty) plays a crucial intervening role in the relationship between program satisfaction and store loyalty. The study underscores the principal importance of program loyalty in the retail loyalty program.

Organisational justice and affective commitment: the mediating role of perceived organisational support

Abstract: Perception of fairness among employees is a guiding force that influences employee attitude and behaviour. However, the mechanisms associated with justice need to be studied further. This study hypothesises that perceived organisational support (POS) mediates the relationship between organisational justice perceptions and affective commitment of employees. The study was conducted in a multi-national organisation operating in India in the service sector; the sample size was 71 employees. Baron and Kenny's model of studying the mediating relationship was used. The findings showed that POS fully mediates the relationship between distributive justice and affective commitment as well as partially mediates the relationship between procedural justice and affective commitment. This study highlights the importance of fairness and justice in organisations and identifies the mechanism by which employee perceptions of justice influence their loyalty and involvement.

The influence of media exposure, safety and health concerns, and self-efficacy on environmental attitudes towards electronic green products

Abstract: As the high-tech industry evolves at a rapid pace, vast amounts of hazardous materials are used in fuelling its global expansion. These rapid changes in production processes are significantly depleting natural resources. With the surge of popular interest and awareness pertaining to environmental issues, organisations may be in peril if consumers' attitudes towards their products are ignored. This study intends to understand consumers' environmental attitudes towards electronic green products and to identify the effect of three factors, namely, media exposure, safety and health concerns, and selfefficacy, on this attitude. Data were collected via a self-administered questionnaire among 170 respondents in a public university. The results of the study indicated that safety and health concerns as well as self-efficacy had significant positive impacts on consumers' environmental attitudes. Surprisingly, however, media exposure did not exhibit any significant influence on consumers' environmental attitude. It is recommended that campaign and awareness projects focus on safety and health issues. Additionally, media should play a more active role in increasing environmental awareness among consumers.

Microcredit, microenterprises and social welfare of the rural poor in north-eastern trinidad: an evaluation of "hope"

Abstract: The study examined the relationship between microcredit, microenterprises, and the social welfare of the rural poor in north-eastern Trinidad. Guided by the main propositions of social capital theory, the researchers held 45 semi-structured interviews with active participants/clients within a case study research design. The data showed that access to microcredit through Helping Others Prosper Economically (HOPE) positively affected their microenterprises and social welfare, though marginally. Findings also revealed that fragmented social relations within the network, conflict, distrust, and the loose structure of the program limited the impact of their access to microcredit on social welfare as well as the financial potential of the lending organisation, that is, HOPE. It is the contention of this paper, therefore, that such questionable social relations dynamics 'hijack' the promise of collective social networks as exercised through goodwill and resource building. Implications of this study and directions for future research are discussed.

Sme loan decision-making process: the declining role of human capital

Abstract: This study is intended to establish relationships among a borrower's attributes, the likelihood of loan approval, and the effect of lender's human capital in the SME loan-granting process. A conjoint analysis has been used as the main analytical tool. The results showed that: (1) a borrower's attributes are all positively related to the likelihood of loan approval on different levels, (2) officers place different weights on a borrower's attributes, and (3) human capital factors do not have significant roles in the SME loan-granting process.

Time horizon and uncovered interest parity in emerging economies

Abstract: The aim of this study is to re-examine the well-known empirical puzzle of uncovered interest parity (UIP) for emerging market economies with different prediction time horizons The empirical results obtained using dynamic panel and time series techniques for monthly data from January 1995 to December 2009 eventually show that the panel data estimates are more powerful than those obtained by applying individual time series estimations and the significant contribution of the exchange rate prediction horizons in determining the status of UIP This finding reveals that at the longer time horizon, the model has better econometric specification and thus more predictive power for exchange rate movements compared to the shorter time period The findings can also be a signalling of well-integrated currency markets and a reliable guide to international investors as well as for the orderly conduct of monetary authorities

Strategic motivations of australian and new zealand manufacturing foreign direct investments in international markets

Abstract: We empirically investigate how different location-specific variables and strategic motives influenced Australian and New Zealand (ANZ) firms' ownership strategy choices in foreign markets between 1998 and 2008. This study is the first to analyse how strategic motives and ownership-specific, location-specific, and internalisation variables have influenced the ownership structure choices of ANZ firms in foreign markets. The results indicate that large market potential and low levels of cultural distance increase the probability that ANZ manufacturing firms will undertake wholly owned subsidiary (WOS) ownership structures and market-seeking (MS) and/or efficiency-seeking (ES) foreign direct investment (FDI). Low exchange rate fluctuation increases the probability that ANZ manufacturing firms will undertake WOS-type risk reduction-seeking (RRS) FDI.