OIDA International Journal of Sustainable Development
Open access peer-reviewed journal
Impact of Emotions on Employee’s Job Performance: An Evidence From Organizations of Pakistan
Ali Perveza
aCOMSATS Institute of Information Technology Wah Cantt, Pakistan
Volume 01, Issue 05, Pg. 11-16, 2010
Abstract: Emotions are pure human psychological phenomena. An employee is critically affected by their behaviors in the workplace. An employee’s emotions and overall temperament have a significant impact on his job performance, decision making skills, team spirit, and leadership and turnover. What employees feel and how they express their emotions affects their performance. Emotions directly influence decision making, creativity and interpersonal relations. This research study analyzes the effects of emotions on employees’ job performance and investigates the relationship between anger, interest, and trust of an individual in the work place with job performance. Results showed that emotions in the workplace were considered important in relation to employees’ well being and job satisfaction only. Anger often leads to aggressions towards colleagues while sadness leads to dissatisfaction with the job. An emotion like anger, interest trust is not instantaneous, nor is it prolonged like a mood; rather emotion is a brief episode of synchronized changes in mind and body which directly effects the employee’s performance.
Keywords: Emotions, human behavior, job performance.
Quality Research Supervision in some Malaysian Pubic Universities: Supervisees’ Expectations and Challenges
Ismail Hussein Amzata, Muhammed Yusufa, Kazeem Bakare Kayodea
aInternational University College of Technology TWINTECH. Center for Language & Malaysian
Volume 01, Issue 05, Pg. 17-24, 2010
Abstract: Malaysian government has newly embarked on upgrading the higher educational system by changing the universities direction towards research and innovation. In 2009, 23% of national budget was allocated for education and more funds were given to five public universities, making them frontiers Malaysian research universities. This quest of government aligned with the national goals of producing high profile human capital. For the public and research universities to achieve this surmountable task, the universities opted for more postgraduate research students locally and internationally to uplift the university standard in research and development. However, some of these postgraduate students (local and international) find difficulty in adjusting to a less deferential working arrangement with their supervisors and less structure in research direction. This research is therefore aims at examining the best practices relevant to quality supervision of postgraduate research students in some Malaysia public universities. The research tends to investigate supervisees’ expectations towards supervision, the problems and challenges faced by supervisees in their research. The results of this study highlight the relationship between quality supervision and students’ expectations. Quality research supervision was measured according to the following aspects: availability of supervisor; Research interest comment and feedback; Research development; Relationship and Motivation. This study adopts quantitative research approach respondents (both local and international) from public Malaysia universities participated in this study and the data were gathered through self-administered questionnaire. The study employs various statistical tools such as Rasch model to validate the instrument and Confirmatory Factor analysis to test the model-fit of the research. ANOVA will be employed to examine differences in respondents’ perceptions amongst selected universities.
Keywords: Supervision, Supervisor, Supervisee, Relationships.
Analyzing the Policy Cycle Phases in the Malaysian Education System: A Case of Smart School
Simin Ghavifekr; S. Hussin
aDepartment of Educational Management, Planning and Policy, Faculty of Education, University of Malaya, Malaysia.\
Volume 01, Issue 05, Pg. 25-36, 2010
Abstract: The Smart School Policy initiative in 1999 was in line with the Malaysian Government’s goals for technology utilization in the teaching-learning processes. The Malaysian policy was designed to ensure that the education system is set up for the citizens in the future as knowledge workers for the Information Age. It was also aimed at preparing Malaysians to be able to attain the country’s vision of becoming an entirely developed nation by 2020. Establishment of the Smart School Policy can be considered as an effective policy for implementing change in the Malaysian Education System. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the four phases of the “policy cycle” including formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation in terms of the Malaysian Smart School Policy. Through analyzing the policy cycle, this paper also aims to evaluate the achievement status of the smart school policy in the Malaysian education system. The findings of this study showed that the major changes from formulating smart school policy was for the teachers and students in terms of ICT awareness and technology literacy. It also revealed that formulation of smart school policy in Malaysia is able to help the country not only to achieve its goals in producing human capital with ICT skills but also to prepare for the skilled knowledge-based society in the near future.
Key words: Policy cycle, Smart school policy, Malaysian education system
THE ROLE OF GOOD GOVERNANCE IN IMPROVING WOMEN’S ACCESS RIGHT TO LAND
Rita Esinu Sewornu
International Masters in Land Management and Land Tenure Program, Technical University of Munich, Germany.
Volume 01, Issue 05, Pg. 37-54, 2010
Abstract: In Ghana like elsewhere within the sub-Sahara Africa region, many people asserts right to land through customary mechanisms. There is however grave gender inequalities with regard to land access and security of tenure thereof within the customary land sectors. Women’s weak access rights to customary lands in Ghana are due largely to local custom and practices. These customs and practices emanated from traditional ideologies such as priority of continuation of lineages and the fear of losing lineage land to other lineages upon the marriage. In recent times the gap has been further widened and entrenched by weak land governance such as male predominance in leadership and decision-making, break down of the trusteeship ethos resulting in unaccountability and lack of transparency. Even though the country’s Constitution and other statutory provisions guaranteed equal rights to land for both men and women, their effectiveness in protecting women’s land right has been elusive in practice. Customary institutions and processes regulating access to land appear stronger than the state laws. The study thus concludes that the causes of women’s weak access rights to land within the customary sector are a complex challenge deeply rooted in the socio-cultural, economic and political systems.To ensure and sustain women’s equal access right to land therefore calls for a holistic approach from different perspectives. The paper in an agreement with current international developments in land management argues that the incorporation of good governance principles into customary land sector is key to improving women’s access right to land within the sector. It also emphasized the importance of women’s empowerment and creating of enabling environment of a working customary land tenure and land administration system.
Keywords: customary land sector, good governance, land access, women and Ghana
MALAYSIAN CORPORATE GOVERNANCE REGULATION: BEFORE AND AFTER THE ASIAN FINANCIAL CRISIS
Kooi Guan Cheaha
aUniversiti Tun Abdul Razak, Malaysia.
Volume 01, Issue 05, Pg. 55-60, 2010
Abstract: This paper discusses the development of corporate governance regulation in Malaysia, with particular attention being paid to the period before and after the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997-98. It attempts to show that while regulatory oversight of corporate governance was introduced soon after the country’s independence, the pace of regulatory reforms, such as on takeover and mergers, board composition and functions, and other disclosure reporting accelerated from the middle of the 1980s to mid 1990s. It was, however, the Asian Financial Crisis that prompted more resolute reforms. The paper concludes by drawing several observations from the discussion, and opined that the corporate governance regulatory reforms that were introduced immediately before and after the Asian Financial Crisis have contributed to the resilience of the Malaysian corporate sector.
Key words: Asian Financial Crisis, corporate governance, Malaysian reforms, regulation.
Re-use and Remodeling of Old Buildings at Allama Iqbal Open University Pakistan, Using Sustainable Design Principles
Attaullah Shaha, Salimullah Khanb and Irfanullah Janc
aAllama Iqbal Open University bHazara University c National Centre of Excellence of Geology
Volume 01, Issue 05, Pg. 61-66, 2010
Abstract: Environmentally sustainable design and construction of built environment requires resource conservation and re-defining the use of old buildings. The construction of new building and infrastructure exploits the natural resources. The life cycle costs of these new facilities are increasing with time. The demolition of old buildings and construction of new facilities in its places is an easy option for designer and architects, but these new buildings are creating a huge burden on depleting natural resources. Hence the reusing and remodeling of the old buildings appears to be a sustainable option in many cases. In this paper a review of the renovation and remodeling of the old buildings of Allama Iqbal Open University Pakistan has been presented and the direct and indirect benefits of re-using of these buildings have been discussed on the basis of Adoptive Reuse Potential.
Keywords: built environment, construction, design, sustainable
Violation of Human Rights of Disadvantaged and Vulnerable Refugees Victims of Xenophobic attacks in South Africa
Theodore Kamwimbi a, Klara Banaszak b, Shanaz Khan b, Jennifer Morgan c, Attila Nadori c, and Andrew Ives c
a, b, c Projects Abroad Human Rights Office, Cape Town, South Africa
Volume 01, Issue 05, Pg. 67-84, 2010
Abstract: This paper discusses violations of the civil and political, social and economic, and cultural rights of refugees and asylum seekers in South Africa during and after the xenophobic violence of May 2008 and analyzes the response of the South African government in light of its obligations under national and international law. This paper focuses primarily on the impact of the violence and its aftermath on refugees and asylum seekers in and around Cape Town, particularly those housed in the Youngsfield and Blue Waters safety sites established in response to the xenophobic attacks and finally evacuated in April and May 2010.
Keywords: Blue Waters, human rights, refugees, South Africa, xenophobia, Youngsfield
Rethinking the HDI: A More Theoretically Consistent Alternative
Seth Omondi Gor a and Ciliaka Millicent Wanjiru Gitau a
a University of Nairobi, Kenya
Volume 01, Issue 05, Pg. 85-92, 2010
Abstract: HDI has been roundly faulted on many different accounts. Of very notable interest to us is the mathematical treatment of the variables used. The Average Lack Indicator (ALI) used to construct the HDI is a simple arithmetic mean which gives the same weight to all the variables used. In response to the many flaws detected, considerable effort has been directed at formulating alternatives to the HDI. To the best of our knowledge no alternative has adequately resolved the problem of arbitrary and atheoretical weighting of the variables used in HDI, as well as in the other multi-dimensional measures of wellbeing. This paper responds to this challenge. Using under-five child survivorship to proxy household welfare, we use a probit model to estimate parameters of an abbreviated social welfare function. IV probit is then used to estimate an underlying response variable which is also the probit index. The result is a subjective welfare index that a household attaches to child survival. The parameters are weights to each of the arguments of the welfare function that indicate the contribution of the various factors to household welfare. These weights are optimal since they maximize wellbeing of the household given its environment. They are also consistent and non-arbitrary because they reflect a household’s preference orderings over the arguments of the welfare function.
Keywords: Abbreviated Social Welfare Index, Average Lack Indicator, Human Development Index, Instrumental Variable Probit, and Leontief Preference.
Ethnicity Perception on Self-Efficacy, Self-Efficacy Encouragement, Achievement Motivation and Self-Learning Strategies
Muhammed Yusuf a
a Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (National University of Malaysia), Malaysia.
Volume 01, Issue 05, Pg. 91-98, 2010
Abstract: This paper examines ethnicity perception on self-efficacy, self-efficacy encouragement, achievement motivation, and learning strategies of UKM undergraduate students. The Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis were used to validate all instruments and to establish model fit of the research. At the same time, ANOVA was used to answer the following research Question: Is there any significant difference between the self-efficacy beliefs, self-efficacy encouragement, achievement motivation, and self learning strategies according to ethnicity of the UKM undergraduate students? The PCA results show that the research instruments were statistically established. The results of CFA’s fit indices suggested that the collected data persistently fits the separated hypothesized models of self-efficacy, self-efficacy encouragement, achievement motivation, and learning strategies of UKM undergraduate students. The combined hypothesized model was significantly correlated. Additionally, the result of ANOVA shows that there were significant differences between ethnicity of respondents and their self-efficacy beliefs, self-efficacy encouragement, the achievement motivation, and the self learning strategies.
Keywords: achievement motivation, ethnicity, self-efficacy beliefs, self-efficacy encouragement, self learning strategies
The Relationship Between Social Capital and Quality of Life among Rural Households in Terengganu, Malaysia
Roslan Abdul-Hakim a, Russayani Ismail a & Nor Azam Abdul-Razak a
a Universiti Utara, Malaysia
Volume 01, Issue 05, Pg. 99-106, 2010
Abstract: Social capital has been widely recognised in the recent development literature to have positive consequences on societal well being. However, most studies examine the impact of social capital on some narrow indicators of well being such as income, poverty, education and health. While these indicators do measure and represent the standard of living of the society, and are important development objectives, they focus only on the material aspect of well being. Therefore, it does not really shed light on whether social capital is associated with quality of life which is the subjective aspect of well being. This gives rise to the question on whether social capital also leads to better quality of life. This paper attempts to fill this gap by extending the analysis not only on the impact of social capital on income, but also on quality of life. Empirical evidence on the links between social capital and quality of life is provided by performing regression analysis. The analysis is carried out using primary data obtained from a survey of 2500 rural households in Terengganu, Malaysia. The results show that social capital has a significant impact not only on household income but also on quality of life. These results imply that investment in social capital is crucial to achieve development objectives.
Keywords: Malaysia, quality of life, social capital
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