Yet Mee Lim

Transformational leadership and job‐related learning

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine specifically the impacts of transformational leadership on job-related learning at the individual level. Design/methodology/approach – Aquestionnaire survey was conducted. The survey questionnaire contained measurements of job-related learning (JRL) and the five dimensions of transformational leadership: idealized influence attributed (IIA), idealized influence behavior (IIB), individualized consideration (CON), inspirational motivation (INSPIRE), intellectual stimulation (INTSTIM). Data were collected from 400 individuals of various organizations on a voluntary and anonymous basis. Findings – The research results showed that the dimensions of IIB and CON were two significant predictors to job-related learning. Research limitations/implications – All of the data collected in the present study are gathered from a single source through a common method (i.e. a Likert-scale questionnaire). Also, the use of a cross-sectional design in the present study restricts inferences being drawn regarding the causal relationships between transformational leadership and job-related learning. Practical implications – It seems that leaders are able to enhance job-related learning among the employees when they recognize the growth needs of their followers and provide them with personal guidance and goal-directed development. The findings imply that if a high learning orientation in an organisation is desired, transformational leadership would be the type of leadership needed in the organization. Originality/value – The present study does provide some evidence that some dimensions of transformational leadership are more influential on job-related learning than the others.

Determinants of knowledge management systems success in the banking industry

Purpose – This study aims to examine the impact from technical and social aspects on knowledge management system (KMS) success. Moreover, this study also attempts to examine the interrelationships between KMS success and user satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach – A questionnaire survey was used to collect data from the commercial bank officers to test the proposed KMS success model. All the measurement scales adopted in this study were adopted from the existing literature. The data collected in this study were analysed using both SPSS and structural equation modelling approach via AMOS. Findings – The research results indicate that both technical (knowledge quality, system quality and service quality) and social factors (user trust and management support) play a significant and positive role in system user satisfaction. The results also show that user satisfaction have a direct influence on the success of KMS and vice versa. Originality/value – This study is one of the few studies on KMS which inclu...

Determinants of ICT outsourcing among the locally-owned manufacturers in Malaysia

Purpose This paper aims to examine the level of information and communication technology (ICT) outsourcing and its determinants in the Malaysian locally owned manufacturing firms. Drawing on the transaction cost theory and the resource-based theory, four determinants – asset specificity, uncertainty, business skills and technical skills – were hypothesized to influence ICT outsourcing. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected using a questionnaire survey from 104 manufacturing firms listed on the Directory of Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers. Data were then analyzed using R package partial least squares path modeling. Findings The study reveals that slightly over two-thirds (68 per cent) of the surveyed manufacturers either fully or partially outsourced their ICT services. Asset specificity and uncertainty are found to be positively related to the level of ICT outsourcing, which contradict the prediction of the transaction cost theory. On the other hand, business skills and technical skills are not significantly related to the level of ICT outsourcing, which also conflict the resource-based arguments. Research limitations/implications The small sample size would not be able to make meaningful conclusion for the population; the small R2 value indicates that other important determinants of ICT outsourcing were not tested in this study, and the transaction cost theory and the resource-based theory do not adequately predict the level of ICT outsourcing in the Malaysian locally owned manufacturers. Originality/value The study serves as one of the first studies that tested the determinants of ICT outsourcing using the transaction cost theory and the resource-based theory in locally owned manufacturing firms of a developing country.

Antecedents of hospital brand image and the relationships with medical tourists’ behavioral intention

Medical tourism is growing rapidly in the recent years in various Asian countries. The success of the hospitals engaged in medical tourism largely depends on their abilities in maintaining the repeating customers and to attract new customers. Hence, the purpose of this study is to examine the impacts of word-of-mouth and social media on hospital brand image. It also attempts to examine the relationships between brand image, perceived service quality, patient satisfaction and behavioral intention.,A questionnaire survey was used to collect data from 386 medical tourists to test the proposed model. All the measurement scales adopted in this study were adapted from the existing literature. The data collected in this study were analyzed using both SPSS and structural equation modeling approach via AMOS.,The findings from the structural analysis indicated that both word-of-mouth and hospital-generated social media have a significant impact on brand image. Hospital brand image positively influences medical tourists’ perception of service quality, and their perceived service quality is significantly related to their satisfaction, which in turn, leads to their behavioral intention.,This study is one of the few studies that considers the importance of hospital’s brand image in influencing medical tourists’ perceptions on the quality of healthcare services that they experienced during their medical trips. This research study also raises the significance of word-of-mouth communication and social media that influence hospitals’ brand image, which has been neglected by many studies.

Factors influencing clothing interest and purchase intention: a study of Generation Y consumers in Malaysia

Abstract The purpose of this study is to examine the factors influencing clothing interest among Generation Y consumers in Malaysia. Brand image, word of mouth (WOM), self-concept, perceived quality, and need for uniqueness were hypothesized to be related with clothing interest, which in turn, was deemed to be related with purchase intention. The interaction effect of price consciousness on the relationship between clothing interest and purchase intention was also examined in this study. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data from a total of 300 respondents from Malaysia to test the hypothesized relationships. Results showed that need for uniqueness, self-concept, brand image, WOM, and perceived quality are significant predictors of clothing interest among the Generation Y consumers in Malaysia and price consciousness moderated the relationship between their clothing interests and purchase intention. The practical implications of the research findings were discussed.