Zizah Che Senik

A Case Study of Balanced Scorecard Implementation in a Malaysian Company

ABSTRACT The balanced scorecard (BSC) has attracted considerable interest among organizations seeking to improve the implementation of their strategy. Nevertheless, the success of BSC initiatives is far from certain. Some researchers argue that the BSC has its theoretical roots in management by objective (MBO). Others argue that the BSC was probably inspired by the Tableau De Bord that has been used by French companies since the 1930s. All these techniques seek to provide organizations with a basis for aligning activities and objectives. Some researchers are beginning to raise questions about BSCs effectiveness. Basing their argument on the failure of MBO and performance management programs, they argue that the BSC may also encounter similar problems. Among other things, it is argued that the effective implementation of the BSC requires the presence of human relations norms. Studies on Malaysian culture indicate that this may be more difficult to develop in Malaysian organizations. Certain characteristics of Malaysian culture may impede the development of human relations norms. Other researchers argue that there are inherent weaknesses in the BSC concept itself. These weaknesses will limit the usefulness of the BSC. This study presents the findings of a study on BSC implementation in a Malaysian telecommunication company. The findings provide some support for the concerns raised about the problems and limitations of the BSC.

Propensity to trust as a moderator of the relationship between perceived organizational support and job satisfaction

This study examined the relationship between perceived organizational support and job satisfaction as well as the moderating effect of propensity to trust on this relationship. White-collar bank employees (N=108) were surveyed. The results of multiple regression analyses on the data collected showed that perceived organizational support was positively related to job satisfaction. The relationship between perceived organizational support and job satisfaction, however, was stronger among employees with a low propensity to trust than among those with a high propensity to trust. Implications of the findings and directions for future research are discussed

The potentials of internalising social banking among the Malaysian Islamic banks

Islamic banking has established for the last 40xa0years, yet only recently researchers acknowledge social failures of Islamic banking and finance. This has led to a proposition of forming new forms of banking and non-banking institutions that include social banking. It is argued that in considering the developmentalist needs of the Muslim societies in Malaysia, there is a need to go back to fundamentals of Islamic finance in realising the aspirational Islamic moral economy that emphasises on the social good, capacity development at the individual and social levels. This paper aims to explore the concept of social banking and search for the possibilities for internalisation in Malaysian Islamic banking. To gain understanding on this pertinent issue, an empirical investigation was conducted at 17 Islamic banks in Malaysia. A mixed method was employed. For the primary data collection, 477 respondents of Islamic banks clients and employees participated in a self-administrated survey, and 11 respondents from the executive and managerial level of eight Islamic banks involved in a semi-structured interview survey. The integrated analysis implies that Islamic banking significantly contributes to socio-economic development. On the contrary, financial and economic practices in everyday life do not reflect the social economic justice. The result further illustrates that the Islamic banks lack social contributions as they prone to practice efficiency-oriented institutions. Hence, a social banking model is needed to solve the lack of socio-economic development issue in the current practice of Islamic bank.

KPJ Healthcare: service internationalization

Subject area n n n n nInternational business, international marketing, and strategic management. n n n n nStudy level/applicability n n n n nAdvanced undergraduate and MBA students taking courses in international business, international marketing, and strategic management. n n n n nCase overview n n n n nKPJ Healthcare Group started its operations in 1979. By the end of 2012, the Group operated 22 hospitals in Malaysia, two in Indonesia, one in Thailand, and one retirement resort in Australia. Its internationalization efforts began in mid-1990s with the provision of hospital management service in Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Saudi Arabia. Since 2010, the Group had pursued international acquisition projects in Australia, Indonesia and Thailand. In early 2013, the Groups newly appointed CEO and his management team had to decide on the strategies to ensure the success of these international acquisition projects. This case stimulates discussion on international strategies of a large healthcare group, operating in a highly competitive, high-growth industry in an emerging economy. n n n n nExpected learning outcomes n n n n nUnderstanding of approaches to service internationalization (incremental versus rapid), strategies in service internationalization, forms of service internationalization ventures will enable case analysts to apply and consider these concepts in many business situations involving internationalization process and business growth in general. n n n n nSupplementary materials n n n n nTeaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

GranuLab (C): internationalizing GranuMaS

Title – GranuLab (C): internationalizing GranuMaS.Subject area – The area of focus is on internationalization strategies, specifically on developing suitable strategies to support an internationalization initiative of a new medical device company.Study level/applicability – This case is designed for final year undergraduate and MBA students. It is suitable for courses of organizational management, organization theory and design, strategic management, and international business as well as international marketing.Case overview – GranuLab, a medical device company that produced the synthetic bone graft substitute GranuMaS, aspired to be a high‐growth company. To achieve this aspiration the company had made plans for internationalization, which include penetrating the ASEAN, Middle East, Latin American, and African markets within the next five years. By December 2010, GranuLab had completed the construction of its new manufacturing facility in Shah Alam, about 30u2009km from Malaysias capital city of Kuala Lumpu...

Intelligence Creation and Born-Global Patterns of Small Engineering Firms in Emerging Markets

In the process of firm internationalization, intelligence on foreign markets is required. Intelligence can be illustrated as ‘individuals’ abilities to understand complex ideas, to adapt effectively to the world around them, to learn from experience, to engage in various forms of reasoning and to overcome a wide range of obstacles’ (Baron and Shane 2008, p. 80). Regarding the internationalization process of small and medium-sized firms, one study described the internationalization intelligence process as how information and knowledge on international opportunities is identified, gathered, organized, and assessed (Che Senik and Md Sham 2011). Thus, in this chapter, we define internationalization intelligence as relevant cross-border information gathered by firms in support of their internationalization process.

The role of competitive strategies on export market selection by SMEs in an emerging economy

The study examines the relationship between competitive strategies and export market selection by small and medium-sized exporters in an emerging economy. Drawing from the literature on comparative advantages of exporters from developing countries and demand characteristics in export markets, hypotheses are constructed on how cost leadership, differentiation and focus strategies are associated with exports to developed and developing countries. Survey data from 214 manufacturing SME exporters in Malaysia is used to empirically examine the relationships using ordinary least squares regression. The results suggest that cost strategies are positively associated with exports to developed countries but not developing countries. Differentiation strategies show the opposite effect, cost strategies and focus strategies are negatively associated with exports to both types of markets. This study contributes by demonstrating that competitive strategies act as a firm-level factor influencing export market selection. Implications and limitations of the study are presented.

KPJ Healthcare: the first 30 years

Subject area n n n n nThe area of focus is on organization strategies, specifically in developing appropriate strategies for business expansion in a situation of high economic uncertainties. n n n n nStudy level/applicability n n n n nThis case is designed for advanced undergraduate in the business and management programs and students in the MBA programs. It is suitable for courses of organizational management, organization theory and design, strategic management, and managerial economics. n n n n nCase overview n n n n nAt the end of 2009, Kumpulan Perubatan Johor Healthcare Group was the largest public-listed healthcare service provider in Malaysia, with revenues of RM1.5 billion (approximately USD0.5 billion) and a net profit after tax of RM115 million (approximately USD38 million). The country was experiencing economic downturn, which affected demands of the affluent as well as medical tourism segments, which were the targeted market of the company. Datin Paduka Siti Sadiah Sheikh Bakir, the groups CEO and her management team realized that the company needed to seek a new growth strategy. The case stimulates a discussion on the future strategy of a high-growth healthcare company that aspired to be the leading healthcare player in the region. n n n n nExpected learning outcomes n n n n nUnderstanding the process of analyzing an industry, as well as formulating strategies, enables case analysts to extend the practice of making strategic decisions to many business situations. n n n n nSupplementary materials n n n n nTeaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

UMW Holdings: sustaining a centennial corporation

Subject area n n n n nStrategic Management and Organization Theory and Design. n n n n nStudy level/applicability n n n n nAdvanced undergraduate and MBA students taking courses in Strategic Management and Organization Theory and Design. n n n n nCase overview n n n n nBy the end of 2011, five years short of its centennial anniversary, UMW Holdings was one of the biggest corporations in Malaysia, registering revenues of RM13.5 billion (US

GranuLab: positioning GranuMaS in the bone graft substitute industry

4.5 billion), and net profit after tax of RMI billion (US