Zainal Ahmad

• EdD Adult Continuing Education in HRD
• Head of Department at Universiti Tenaga Nasional

The Malaysian government aimed to develop more competitive and innovative graduates to propel the country into becoming a high-income nation by 2025, in line with the Eleventh Malaysia Plan. In support of this initiative, the Department of Polytechnic and Community College Education (DPCCE) developed the Blueprint for Smart Green Polytechnic and Co...

Green jobs are jobs focused on environment friendly products and services The Malaysian Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water (KeTTHA) is encouraging the use of green technology and the creation of green jobs. This descriptive case study identifies the Green Jobs Degree Programs (GJDPs) offered at the Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), M...

The characteristics of the mechanism of transferring technology from the transferor to the transferee companies play a critical role in the effectiveness of the process of technology transfer. Since evaluating the effectiveness of the transfer process is the current issue in the developing countries, therefore it is often measured by technology tra...

In this study we argue that the knowledge and networking relationship are related with growth, efficiency, and effectiveness among the Malaysian Bumiputera small and medium agro-based enterprises (SMAEs) and even more positive relationship established in appropriate environment. The study on 615 agro-based industries ascertained some direct impact...

In this study we argue that the knowledge and networking relationship are related with growth, efficiency, and effectiveness among the Malaysian Bumiputera small and medium agro-based enterprises (SMAEs) and even more positive relationship established in appropriate environment. The study on 615 agro-based industries ascertained some direct impact...

The study proposes entrepreneurial orientation a the determinant of objective performance among SMEs in Malaysia. However, some of the relationships were not direct since some perceived environment factors were influential to a certain extent. Furthermore, the study clarified discrepancies and inconsistent findings in relationship between EO and pe...

Small and medium agro-based enterprises (SMAEs) in Malaysia is progressing parallel with the developed nations’direction in 2020. The progress in this sector could be enhanced with the support of strategic entrepreneurship variables. Entrepreneurial orientation, knowledge, business network, technology, strategy and perceived environmental factors s...

Institutional audit is an integral part of the quality assurance process in the Malaysian higher education to determine whether the institution is achieving its mission and goals, to identify strengths and areas of concern, and to enhance quality. One form of institutional audit is the periodic academic performance audit to determine the continuati...

A recent Malaysian Innovation Climate Survey (MICS) suggests that whereas organizational leaders play a crucial role in inculcating innovation, they are seen as inhibitors to innovation due to their unwillingness to take risk, risk adversity and lack of clear direction. To lead innovation in their organizations, Malaysian SMEs leaders and entrepren...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between secondary school teachers' perception of principal leadership style (specifically transformational and transactional leadership styles) and school climate. Design/methodology/approach The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire was used to assess the transformational and tra...

Small and medium agro-based enterprises (SMAEs) in Malaysia is progressing parallel with the developed nations' direction in 2020. The progress in this sector could be enhanced with the support of strategic entrepreneurship variables. Entrepreneurial orientation, knowledge, business network, technology, strategy and perceived environmental factors...

Small and medium agro-based enterprises (SMAEs) in Malaysia is progressing parallel with the developed nations’ direction in 2020. The progress in this sector could be enhanced with the support of strategic entrepreneurship variables. Entrepreneurial orientation, knowledge, business network, technology, strategy and perceived environmental factors...

Resurgence in agricultural-based sectors in Malaysia has recently prompted this study to explore the multi-dimensional entrepreneurial orientation (EO) relationship to knowledge and networking among the Malaysian Bumiputera small and medium agro-based enterprises (BSMAEs). The moderating role of technology and strategy on EO-knowledge-network relat...

The link between KM and network theory lies in the cultivating of knowledge networks by viewing knowledge as connections and understanding it as the aggregation of connections across different entities albeit it people or organizations (Kadushin, 2004). The study explores primarily on the capabilities and capacity building of government-linked corp...

As the second largest producer of cement after Egypt in the Middle East, Iran planned to increase production from 33 million ton/yr (Mt/yr) currently to 70 Mt/yr by 2021 due to increase in local demand and also to compete in export markets (Dehgan, 2002). Thus, Iran is experiencing some changes in workforce participation in order to achieve high le...

As the second largest producer of cement after Egypt in the Middle East, Iran planned to increase production from 33 million ton/yr (Mt/yr) currently to 70 Mt/yr by 2021 due to increase in local demand and also to compete in export markets (Dehqan, 2002). Thus, Iran is experiencing some changes in workforce participation in order to achieve high le...

Resurgence in agricultural-based sectors in Malaysia recently has prompted this study to explore the entrepreneurial orientation (EO) patterns as an indicator to explain Malaysian agro-based enterprises. Based on 615 observations of Bumiputera small and medium agro-based enterprises (BSMAEs) in three regional growth corridors (RGCs) throughout the...

The knowledge management (KM) discipline conjures a host of understanding and impact upon the global business community albeit commercially or socially. Regardless of the different approach to KM, it has inarguably brought about changes in viewing the knowledge capabilities and capacities of organisations. Skyrme (1998) argued that knowledge has be...

This study investigates the relationship between socialization, organizational contexts, and knowledge sharing. Organizational contexts were operationalized as organizational structure and climate. Five broadly hypothesized relationships between organizational contexts, socialization and knowledge sharing were tested based on empirical study in ser...

The knowledge management or KM discipline conjures a host of understanding and impact upon the global business community albeit commercially or socially. Regardless of the different approach to KM, it has inarguably brought about changes in viewing the knowledge capabilities and capacities of organizations. Peter Drucker (1998) argued that knowledg...

Compensation management literature highlights that income has three major features: salary, bonus and allowance. If the level and/or amount of income are distributed to employees based on proper rules this may increase pay satisfaction. More importantly, a thorough investigation in this area reveals that the effect of income distribution on pay sat...

Compensation management literature highlights that income has three major features: salary, bonus and allowance. If the level and/or amount of income are distributed to employees based on proper rules this may increase pay satisfaction. More importantly, a thorough investigation in this area reveals that the effect of income distribution on pay sat...

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the relationship between team learning, top management support (TMS) and new product development (NPD) success. Design/methodology/approach This is a quantitative research by nature. A questionnaire derived from previous studies and covered by 27 NPD projects in the high‐tech semiconductor industry in Malaysi...

This study examines the influence of four selected soft factors (management commitment, employee involvement, training and education, and reward and recognition) on quality improvement within 255 Malaysian electrical & electronics (E&E) firms. Despite extensive research on quality management and quality improvement, very little empirical research h...

A higher number of complaints have been filed by the public due to delays by public sectors in taking action and providing services to the public. This suggests that service quality is not being delivered as expected by customers. With competency-based pay being offered in the public sector under the System Saraan Malaysia (SSM), which aims to prod...

The common de facto of a business entity has traditionally stemmed along the acquisitions of profit, planning and performance. This universal goal to strive for business excellence remains unchanged. Nonetheless the emerging notions of business-web and technological innovations, have changed the rules of business engagement and companies are compel...

This paper aims to explore the mediating role of knowledge and networking on entrepreneurial orientation (EO)-performance relationships among the small and medium agro-based enterprises (SMAEs) in Malaysia. The concept is somewhat vague. Thus knowledge-based and networking strategies are some basic features to understand in the relationships. EO, k...

Drawing a sample of 350 Malaysian medical doctors, we studied the relationship between work values fit and organizational commitment. Using polynomial regression and response surface methodology, we found that the higher the work values fit, the greater the organizational commitment of doctors. Implications and directions for future research are di...

We examined the role of organizational frustration as a linking mechanism between the perception of organizational injustice and fight (political influence behavior)/flight (turnover intentions) responses. The participants were 201 middle-level managers drawn from manufacturing and logistic companies in northern Malaysia. Data were collected by mea...

The study proposes entrepreneurial orientation as the determinant for objective performance among SMEs in Malaysia. However, some of the relationships were not direct since some perceived environmental factors were influential to certain extent. Furthermore, the study clarified discrepancies and inconsistent findings in relationships between EO and...

An Overview Despite the centuries of armchair speculations and decades of empirical investigations, the issue of effective leadership still persists for professional experts in organizational behavior and industrial/organizational psychology. The fundamental debate centers round the universal versus specific nature of leadership. Recent researchers...

The study suggests organization structure and strategy making process (SMP) are the determinants of entrepreneurial orientation (EO). Environment does not moderate the relationship between structure-SMP and EO. The factor analysis produces three factors for EO, one factor for structure and three factors for SMP.

This article reports on a study of the effects of the implementation of two competency based human resource practices (career development and performance management) on service quality in 300 Malaysian public organizations. Results provide clear evidence of significant and positive relationship between competency based career development practice a...