Azimi Hamzah

Parenting, Community, and Religious Predictors of Positive and Negative Developmental Outcomes Among Muslim Adolescents:

Despite existing research on the contribution of social context and religiosity to adolescent behavioral outcomes, few studies have attempted to explore this topic among Muslim adolescents in non-Western settings, looking at both positive and negative outcomes. In response to this gap, the current study explored the effects of three dimensions of developmental assets (positive parenting, community support, and religiosity) on risk, prosocial, and thriving behaviors among Muslim adolescents (N = 895) from Malaysia. Hierarchical regression results revealed positive parenting as the greatest protective factor against risk behavior, religiosity as the most significant promotive factor of prosocial behaviors, and community support as the greatest contributor to adolescent thriving. In the final model, unique effects varied by outcome. The findings support the importance and universality of multiple levels of developmental assets for youth development, and highlight the need to better understand their interaction in non-Western cultural contexts.

Parenting and Community Engagement Factors as Predictors of Religiosity Among Muslim Adolescents From Malaysia

Despite the plethora of research on correlates of adolescent religiosity, few studies have examined the contribution of social context to religiosity among non-Western Muslim samples using multidimensional religiosity measures. To address this gap, the current study investigated the influence of community engagement and parenting factors on religiosity among 596 Malaysian Muslim secondary school students (M age = 16.10, SD = .29). After controlling for gender, family structure, family income, and social desirability, the results showed that parental monitoring, mosque involvement, and school engagement significantly predicted religious worldview, whereas parental religious socialization, parental monitoring, mosque involvement, school engagement, and youth organization involvement accounted for a significant amount of the variance in religious personality. Implications for further research on socialization influences on religious development among adolescents are discussed.

Youth hedonistic behaviour: moderating role of peer attachment on the effect of religiosity and worldview

This study was carried out on the moderating effect of peer attachment on the relationships between religiosity and worldview, and on how hedonistic behaviour among Malaysian undergraduate students is shaped by such influences. With regard to peer attachment, the study focused on the influences of communication, trust and alienation among youth. Bronfenbrenners theory of human ecology and Armsden and Greenbergs attachment model were used as the framework. Drawing on a quantitative survey of 394 Malaysian university students (M age = 21.0, SD = 0.40), structural equation modelling and path analysis revealed a significant relationship between worldview and hedonistic behaviour. Peer attachment moderated the relationships between religiosity and religious worldview. The results further showed that the unique moderating effect of the lower level of attachment with peers is positively related to the hedonistic behaviour. Implications from the findings are discussed.

Mapping the patterns and problems in using rural library services among rural youth in Malaysia

This study attempts to discover the pattern of rural library usage among rural youth in Malaysia and to determine the problems that are associated with such usage. The findings of this study provide an insight into youth usage of rural library services. The most obvious pattern that resulted from the findings is the connection between library usage and the availability of reading materials. Furthermore, it was found that some of the respondents raised their concern with regard to rural libraries being congested with children. A number of recommendations have been highlighted and it is expected that these can be used by concerned parties to further improve and develop rural library services.

Individual adaptive capacity of small-scale fishermen living in vulnerable areas towards the climate change in Malaysia

The present study attempts to identify the individual adaptive capacity of small-scale fishermen living in coastal areas that are vulnerable to the climate change in Malaysia. This study is quantitative in nature and involves a total of 240 respondents from four areas in Malaysia. It can be concluded that small-scale fishermen in Malaysia have adaptive strength in two aspects: namely formal and informal networks; and environmental awareness, values and attitudes. Although the fishermen were found to record a high mean score for three other adaptive aspects – local environmental knowledge; attachment to job; and attachment to place – this actually demonstrates their adaptive weaknesses. Employability is another area of concern, as it emerged as the fishermens weakest adaptive aspect. This study demonstrates the potential of alternative skills, managed retreat, accommodation and protection, information management, periodical assessment and access to credit to produce progressive adaptive capacity of small-scale fishermen in Malaysia.

Quality of life in rural communities: residents living near to Tembeling, Pahang and Muar Rivers, Malaysia

The main aim of this study is to identify the quality of life (QoL) among communities residing near the Tembeling, Pahang and Muar Rivers in Malaysia. This quantitative study used a constructed questionnaire as main tool to collect data on the QoL of river communities. A total of 240 villagers were selected as respondents. The results indicated that the dimensions of settlement, safety, involvement and social relationships, as well as education scored highest, while dimensions of physical environment, financial and job security yielded moderate scores. Dimensions of infrastructure facilities yielded a low mean score. Recommendations are provided, in the hope that our results may be useful for strategies that could enhance QoL of these river communities.

Impact of Islamic Values on the Leadership Style of Muslim Women Academics in Malaysia

The Problem The religious background of Muslim women academic leaders in Malaysia guides them in performing demanding roles in managing multiple responsibilities. To date, little is known about the impact of Islamic values on Muslim women leaders in institutions of higher learning, even though Islam is the official religion in Malaysia. In addition, the field of human resource development has done little to explore the leadership style of Muslim women. The Solution This paper presents findings and recommendations of a research conducted for the purpose of exploring, understanding, and presenting the impact of Islamic values on the leadership style of Muslim women academics in Malaysia. This inquiry is significant because it’s open the new sight for HRD scholar and practitioners to explore HRD in a leadership, women leadership, religious, and the role of Muslim faith in women academic leaders. It is hoped that the findings of this research will encourage HRD scholars and practitioners to consider integrated dimension to their scholarly thought and practice related to leadership style. The Stakeholders The outcomes of this research will be of interest to those women who are currently in leadership roles in academia, as well as those women interested in moving into these roles. It should also be of interest to higher education administrators and, particularly, those within higher education charged with developing leaders. Human resource development scholars and practitioners will also benefit from the contributions of this article to our general understanding of women in leadership roles.

Challenges in Sustaining the Malay Traditional Kuih among Youth

The purpose of the article is to disclose the challenges in sustaining the Malay traditional kuih with differing levels of acceptance among youth in East Coast Peninsular Malaysia. Malay kuih also known as Malay dessert that referring to a product which uses specific raw ingredients; methods; processes; techniques; materials and utensils; and the recipes have been passed down from one generation to other generations. It is part of Malaysian culture, identity and heritage that should be sustained by all generations especially youth. Throughout observation and interviews with youth, age of 18 to 25 years old who are completed their secondary school and basically come from different family backgrounds, the trend of buying pattern among youth towards Malay traditional kuih were influenced by the family, friends and occasions. Six main themes that have been identified are including family, value, knowledge, motivation, way of life and pecuniary. Although all themes were emphasized by youth during the interviews, a closer look revealed that the themes evaluated quite differently based on their age and background. The exhibited divergences are found to be underpinned by different way of life dispositions, which are extremely important and affecting in shaping and influencing values amongst the youth. The results are promising meaningful understanding of the challenges to sustain the Malay traditional kuih among youth, which are reinforced by its complex culture diversities and globalization.

The Coastal Community Perception on the Socio-Economic Impacts of Agro-Tourism Activities in Coastal Villages in Malaysia

This paper is concerned with the socio-economic impacts of agro-tourism activities in coastal villages listed as Desa Wawasan Nelayan (DWN) in Malaysia. The paper discussed the impacts of the two major components of socio-economics dynamics, namely social and economic activities. This account highlights a number of discussions with specific reference to DWN in Malaysia. It identifies the similarities and differences with regard to socio-economic impact, and it is expected that these points will be of practical use for other agro-tourism areas around the globe, and help to increase interest in agro-tourism activities.

Effectiveness of the use of spiritual intelligence in women academic leadership practice

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the effectiveness of the use of spiritual intelligence into women academic leadership practices. The study designed to provide a clear understanding of the effectiveness of the use of spiritual intelligence practices within women academic leadership practices. In addition, the study will be an ideal for women in academic environment, considering that more women will have the opportunities to hold leadership positions in higher learning institutions. Understanding the unique skills and attributes of spiritual intelligence could increase their confidence towards taking on leadership positions in future. This study will also provide greater clarification on how spiritual intelligence when translated through leadership practice will contribute to a more balanced and harmonious working environment. Design/methodology/approach The study assimilated a qualitative approach guided by phenomenological inquiry to explore the effectiveness of the use of spiritual intelligence practices among the women leaders. Phenomenology best fit the researchers’ assumptions that it is possible to know, define and categorize women academic leader’s experiences in a more structured manner. It is by entering into their field of perception that the researcher pursues to understand spiritual intelligence as the leaders saw it. Findings The finding established three main effectiveness of integrating spiritual intelligence into leadership practices: employees inspired by vision; increase credibility and long-term sustainability of institution; and heightened moral values and reduces ethical issues. The authors conclude that bringing the attributions of spiritual intelligence will transform the workplace into a more meaningful and purposeful atmosphere by constructing balanced and harmonious relationship within employees. Research limitations/implications The study rely profoundly on women academic leaders as a primary source of data. Due to their higher position, there may be some elements of their works which are similar to each other or different compared with other women leaders who may not have reached the higher position. The responses was mainly based on the self-perception of women academic leaders grounded on their insight of leadership and experience. This experiences probably could not be verified by others to see if their perceptions of leadership were in line with how others perceive them. The study also limited in terms of generalizability as the sample was purposively selected. Practical implications The study will be applicable for human resource personnel to develop policies and procedures that are needed to improve the holistic strategies of leading not only in public university but also throughout all the other higher educational institutions. The study assist researcher and the practitioner in the Human Resource Development (HRD) field to understand the issues related to leadership practice in current era. Hence, the information in this study could be used to aid them in advocating employee training programs and formulating HRD intervention remedial programs input for designing and facilitating of intervention for professional academic leaders, academicians and change agent to understand and analyse the characteristics of personal and organizational situation in order to contribute to the long run survival of the higher educational learning institutions. Originality/value This paper has provided unique evidence of women leadership particularly in Malaysian higher educational context on their experiences of spiritual intelligence and its effectiveness into their leadership practices.