Journal of Emerging Economies and Islamic Research

Universalism values on sharing accommodation among domestic Gen Z tourists in China: The moderating effects of ICT use habit

2024-01-15T09:02:43+08:00

As part of a broader set of sharing economy practices, sharing accommodation has grown enormously in recent years. There is growing acceptance of sharing accommodation as a pathway for responsible tourism which is coincided with universalism value. Taking Gen Z adults as the research target, this study explored the effect of universalism personal value on tourists’ attitudes and behavior intentions regarding choice of sharing accommodation product in Chinese context. Additionally, moderating effects of habit of ICT use were tested to observe whether it strengthened the influence of universalism personal value on tourists’ attitudes. This is a quantitative research with online questionnaires were distributed to the respondents to obtain the information. To examine the relationship, the analysis was done using SPSS and AMOS for empirical analysis. The findings showed that for Chinese Gen Z adult tourists, universalism-concern personal value positively related to the tourists’ attitude to sharing accommodation, and the tourists’ attitude also has a significant effect on sharing accommodation choice behaviour intention compared with traditional hotel. However, the hypothesis of universalism-nature personal value will positively influence tourists’ attitude was not supported. Besides that, habit of ICT use strengthens the relationship between universalism-concern personal value and tourists’ attitude, but the hypothesis of the moderation role of habit of ICT use between universalism-nature and attitude was not supported in this study.

The significance of strategic transformation in influencing the future dynamics of islamic religious councils: An in-depth examination

2024-01-29T10:14:59+08:00

In the Islamic perspective, strategic transformation aims to shift the traditional approach of the religion toward a more digitized framework. Islamic Religious Councils (IRCs) struggle with challenges in aligning with this transformation, such as reconciling traditional Islamic principles with contemporary values, addressing the rise of extremism, navigating cultural and political disparities, making non-Muslim participants more involved, and establishing a vigorous organisational structure. This study endeavors to explore the roles of strategic transformation within the global context of IRCs. Employing Systematic Literature Review as the primary methodology, 17 relevant articles were identified, selected for in-depth review, and analysed thematically. Findings from the study findings revealed seven key roles of strategic transformation in IRCs, encompassing: 1) Digital Financial Services and Inclusion; 2) Strategic Financial Stability; 3) Organisational Adaptation and Flexibility; 4) Customer-centric Digital Transformation; 5) Islamic Awareness and Online Education; 6) Efficiency and Transparency in Religious Management; as well as 7) Media Influence and Communication Strategies. The study contributes to existing literature by identifying associated theories that have a potential for further development, as well as creating opportunities for scholars and practitioners to delve into research initiatives addressing practical issues related to this study.

A conceptual framework for enhancing brand resonance of specialty fashion brands

2024-01-26T22:25:26+08:00

In today's highly competitive marketplace, building strong brand resonance has become an essential aspect of brand management for companies operating in various industries. In the specialty fashion sector, where consumers have diverse choices, building brand resonance has become particularly crucial for firms seeking to differentiate themselves from their competitors. Specialty fashion brands offer unique and distinctive products that cater to specific consumer needs and preferences. As a result, building strong brand resonance is essential for these brands to succeed in the marketplace. However, little research has been conducted to examine the factors contributing to brand resonance for specialty fashion brands, particularly in the context of the Malaysian consumer market. In response to this gap, hypotheses and a conceptual framework were proposed in this paper with regard to the extent of external factors that impact brand resonance in the specialty fashion brand area. The literature review of the empirical study would establish the relationship between the postulated variables. Hence, this study provides several implications for further research.

Advocating women entrepreneurs’ success in a developing country: An explanatory analysis

2024-01-15T12:11:42+08:00

The study investigates the factors contributing to Malaysian women entrepreneurs' business success. The questionnaire was distributed online, and 100 women entrepreneurs participated in the study. The regression analysis results indicate that training is the most substantial predictor of women entrepreneurs’ business success, followed by social support and training. This study contributes to the literature on women entrepreneurship in developing countries and provides valuable insights for responsible institutions to design a more effective entrepreneurial ecosystem.

P2P lending approval and sectors segmentation: Investigating the Malaysia key factors

2024-02-05T07:31:57+08:00

The purpose of this research is to determine the long- and short-run factors influencing the probability of obtaining loan under the peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platform with the segmentation of wholesale and trade, manufacturing, and agriculture sectors. As the FinTech lending is a popular tool for business financing alternative among the Micro, Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), the effect of information asymmetry may be varied from one industry to another. The study was conducted using data provided by Securities Commissions and Central Bank of Malaysian samples and employed the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach. The results indicate that the interest rate on the platform has an insignificant impact on the success of P2P lending over time. On the other hand, factors such as loan tenure, investment size, Base Lending Rate (BLR), and inflation exhibit a significant influence in both the short and long term, depending on the segmentation of industrial sectors. This study is among the pioneering works that delve into P2P lending in Malaysia, considering that the concept has only been implemented since 2017. These research findings can be viewed as valuable insights for industrial borrowers, lenders, and platforms when engaging in economic activities through P2P lending, particularly in the Malaysian context.

Zakat collections and distributions within zakat institutions in Malaysia

2024-01-29T04:35:20+08:00

Zakat is one of the pillars of Islam. The obligation of zakat has been established in the al-Quran, and all Muslims are obliged to pay it. The use of zakat is limited to eight groups: are masakin (poor), al-fuqara (needy), al-gharimun (people in debt), ibn sabil (traveller or wayfarer), al-riqab (slave), muallaf (convert or return to Islam), fi-sabilillah (doing something for Islam’s cause), and amil (has the right to collect zakat). This study aims to assess the extent of information disclosure at zakat institutions in Malaysia as well as examine the collection and distribution of zakat before, during, and after the Covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia. The design of this research is quantitative, using websites and research papers as research instruments. The data collected in this research were analysed descriptively. The results of the study found that most states have reported the amount of collection and distribution of zakat on their websites. Apart from that, the collections and distributions of zakat during the COVID-19 pandemic have fluctuated. This research also provides recommendations for zakat institutions to have a more systematic reporting system to make it easier for the public to obtain detailed information related to zakat collection and distribution.

The impact of sensory cues and demographic characteristics on consumers' online food shopping behavior

2024-01-16T09:21:06+08:00

In Malaysia, meal delivery systems have proliferated after the COVID-19 outbreak. There is a growing trend among consumers to transition from purchasing food in-store at restaurants to placing orders online via food applications. Notwithstanding the surge in digital food sales, internet consumers continue to desire the tactile encounter offered by eateries. The transition from dining in restaurants to purchasing food online presents considerable challenges for food companies attempting to comprehend consumer behaviour about online food purchases. Thus, the effect of sensory cues on online food purchases is investigated in this study. Furthermore, this study explores the association between online food consumption and sensory cues, in addition to investigating the relationship between consumer behaviour and demographic variables such as age, gender, income, and employment status. A quantitative survey of 359 online food purchasers from the Klang Valley was undertaken. SPSS was employed to perform an empirical analysis of the correlations that were identified. Analysis using linear regression revealed that sensory cues impact the purchasing decisions of consumers. Additionally, age and wealth were found to have an impact on consumer purchasing behaviour, but gender and employment were found to have a negative influence. The insights derived from these studies have the potential to aid food producers in the formulation of effective marketing strategies that are tailored to individual customer profiles and sensory preferences. As a result, this could enable them to meet the evolving needs of online food consumers.