scholarly journals CHINESE ENTREPRENEURIAL CAPABILITIES AND PRACTICES: CASE OF MALAYSIAN SME

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 15-29
Author(s):  
Lau Yeng Wai ◽  
Cheah Wei Keng ◽  
Asna Atqa Abdullah
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Life Long Learning ◽  
Interpretive Case Study ◽  
Self Sufficiency ◽  
The Face ◽  
Questionnaire Surveys ◽  
Character Building

Extant literature suggests that the influence of entrepreneurial capabilities and practices on business performance is inconclusive especially with the use of questionnaire surveys where the complexity of the contexts of study is overlooked. This study examines how Chinese SMEs’ entrepreneurial capabilities and practices are continuously developed in response to changing contextual circumstances in Malaysia. This study appraises the inextricable connection between the historical development of Malaysia and Chinese entrepreneurial capabilities and practices. An interpretive case study was conducted where interviews with the founder cum owner-manager, project managers, administrative and operational personnel shed light on how the case firm overcomes various challenges and captures opportunities in the process of developing entrepreneurial capabilities and practices for more than four decades. Chinese SMEs demonstrate a staunch desire for self-sufficiency and progress in the face of adversity. The case firm demonstrates constant upgrade in efficiency, effectiveness, and contributions to the value chain, which reflects the very essence of entrepreneurship, i.e. from rags to riches. The results of this study serve as a guide for aspiring entrepreneurs. As for policymakers, this study sheds light on the importance of initiatives aimed at character-building to promote life-long learning among SMEs rather than financial assistance, which does little to encourage the quest for self-sufficiency.

scholarly journals Value Chain Analysis on Pigmented Rice: A Case Study in Sleman Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta, Indonesia

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 315
Author(s):  
Kilana Putri Anindita ◽  
Dyah Ismoyowati ◽  
Endy Suwondo
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Business Performance ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Red Rice ◽  
Value Chain Analysis ◽  
End User ◽  
Black Rice ◽  
Pigmented Rice ◽  
Chain Analysis

White rice has become the main source of carbohydrates, but in the last few years, red and black rice are getting more popular. Red and black rice can be an alternative food for people who wish to reduce the risk of diabetics due to its low glycemic index. Pigmented rice demand in Yogyakarta is continuously increasing. However, farmers are reluctant to plant pigmented rice because of their lower yields. Value chain analysis on pigmented rice is performed to provide the condition of the business’ performance for farmers who are not willing to work on pigmented rice yet. The objective of this study was to identify the main activities and to measure the performance of the value chain. The value chain performance was measured by calculating profit, marketing margin, and farmer’s share. In the business of pigmented rice nowadays, there are 5 actors involved, i.e. farmer, farmers group, association of farmers groups, distributor, and retailer. These five actors formed 5 value chains for red rice and 4 value chains for black rice. The main activities were cultivating, cropping, milling, sorting out, packing, and selling. The performance of the pigmented rice was as follows: on the red rice value chain, farmers earned the highest profit in each chain, except on the chain where the association of farmers groups was involved. The largest marketing margin was found on the farmer – association of farmer groups – retailer – end-user consumer chain. On the black rice value chain, farmers earned the highest profit in each chain, except on the chain where the farmers group was involved. The largest marketing margin found on the farmer – farmers group – distributor – retailer – end-user consumer chain. For both the red and the black rice value chain, the farmer’s highest share was obtained on the farmers – distributor – end-user consumer chain.

scholarly journals Representations of Roman Catholic religious sisters’ responses to COVID-19 in the Zambian media

2022 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nelly Mwale
Keyword(s):  
Roman Catholic ◽  
Religious Women ◽  
Women's Narratives ◽  
Interpretive Case Study ◽  
Religious Sisters ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Media ◽  
Prophetic Mission ◽  
The Needy

Despite the growing visibility of religious women’s responses to COVID-19 in the media, the discourses of religion and the pandemic in emerging scholarship were preoccupied with the responses of churches to COVID-19, and neglected the contributions of religious women to the pandemic in Zambia. This article, therefore, explores the interface between religion and COVID-19 through the representations of the responses of Roman Catholic religious sisters to the pandemic, in the media in Zambia, from a religious health asset (RHA) perspective. The study drew on two objectives, namely, to describe the representations of Roman Catholic religious sisters’ responses to COVID-19 in the media; and to explain the nature of the Roman Catholic religious sisters’ responses to the pandemic as represented in the media with a focus on the utilisation of RHAs. It drew on an interpretive case study in which data were collected through content analysis. It shows that the responses of the religious sisters were covered more in Catholic related media. These responses ranged from providing key COVID-19 messages, integrating COVID-19 in the existing programmes to providing basic equipment and food to the needy communities as shaped by the utilisation of RHAs at their disposal, and as informed by their prophetic mission. The article argues that the Roman Catholic religious sisters’ responses to the pandemic affirmed women’s active roles in combating the pandemic.Contribution: The article’s contribution lies in adding the narratives of women’s contributions to the pandemic in the early stages of the outbreak of COVID-19 to women theologies scholarship in Africa. And also, extending the utilisation of RHAs to the new pandemic and the implications it draws on the need for engendering religious responses to the pandemic by capturing women’s narratives during a pandemic as part of constructing women theologies in the face of COVID-19.

Motivating Growth in Low-tech Manufacturing Industries

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Naomi HERTZ
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Sustainable Competitive Advantage ◽  
Manufacturing Plants ◽  
Footwear Industry ◽  
Technological Platform ◽  
Qualitative Methodologies ◽  
Developed World ◽  
Depth Interviews

Intensive manual labor enterprises in the developed world face challenges competing with products imported from countries where manufacturing costs are low. This reduces the volume of domestic production and leads to rapid loss of knowledge and experience in production processes. This study focuses on the Israeli footwear industry as a case study. Qualitative methodologies were applied, including in-depth interviews and field observations. A literature review on previous research, and contemporary trends was conducted. The field research examines challenges along the value chain in small factories. It finds that mass production paradigms impose a decentralized process between designers and manufacturers and therefore do not leverage local potential into a sustainable competitive advantage for small factories. The proposed solution is a digital and technological platform for small manufacturing plants. The platform mediates and designs the connections between production, technology, and design and enables the creation of a joint R&D system.

KELOMPOK MUSIK REJUNG PESIRAH: STRATEGI ADAPTASI PADA MASYARAKAT PALEMBANG

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 27-37
Author(s):  
Dwi Putri Agustini
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Anthropology ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Traditional Music ◽  
Adaptation Strategy ◽  
The People ◽  
Musical Arrangements ◽  
The Face ◽  
Cultural Modification ◽  
Traditional Arts

The present phenomenon has clearly brought a change and the influence of the development of traditional music in Palembang society, if this is not carefully addressed, it will experience a shift, alienation and even lose its supporters. The rejung pesirah music group is one of the music groups that still maintains traditional arts in the people of Palembang. This study examines how the adaptation strategy of the rejung pesirah music group in dealing with changes and developments in Palembang society. For this reason, the approach used is cultural anthropology with qualitative case study research methods in Palembang. Data collection is done through observation, interviews and document studies that use triangulation techniques as the validation of the data, while for data analysis through content analysis and interactive models. The results showed that the adaptation strategy undertaken by the rejung pesirah music group was an act and creative ability and had a positive mindset, understanding in responding to changes and needs as an impulse to develop in the face of environmental change and development through learning processes and cultural modification, which resulted a creativity that is the creation of songs, musical arrangements, and musical instruments in the rejung pesirah music group.

scholarly journals The Effects of Open Space on Reducing Workplace Stress: Case Study of Business Park in the Post-Socialist Urban Setting

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 336
Author(s):  
Jelena Maric ◽  
Djukic Aleksandra ◽  
Branislav Antonic ◽  
Danilo Furundzic ◽  
Vladimir Parezanin
Keyword(s):  
Business Performance ◽  
Open Space ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Workplace Stress ◽  
Urban Setting ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Stress Levels

Working people spend around 54% of their waking hours at a workplace, according to recent statistics. Work-related stress is unavoidable, and it can damage the health of employees and affect business performance. In this paper, we argue that open space inside the workplace environment can have a positive influence on reducing overall stress levels in all the categories of users. To our knowledge, there is a significant lack of research considering specific business districts and the gated complexes called business parks, especially in post-socialist Eastern European cities, where there they are still a novelty. Empirical research in this study is on the single case study of Business Park “Airport city” in Belgrade, Serbia. Its main focus is on the survey conducted with 235 participants based on a questionnaire, which examines the relation between workplace stress and workplace environments. The findings from the questionnaire show that the frequency, duration, and activity of open space usage influence the stress levels of employees in this specific workplace, while it is not visible relating to their age and gender. Additionally, final implications suggest that improved open space, such as well-expected greenery, but also the urban design non-associative to workspace and the socialization and exercise amenities customized for frequent and short work breaks, can facilitate the overall well-being of employees. They are innovative elements in relatively underdeveloped research on stress measures with open space usage characteristics in the specific (gated) workplace setting.

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