scholarly journals An Empirical Evidence of Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) Microcredit Programme Participants’ Quality of Life

Author(s):  
Zuraidah Mohamed Isa

Since the inception of microcredit programmes, various studies have been carried out to assess their impacts. Earlier studies seemed to highlight this on the participants’ income and consequently poverty. However, recent impact studies of microcredit programmes have been looking into participants’ quality of life. Thus, this study attempted to investigate the impact of Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia’s microcredit programme on the participants’ quality of life and analyse the differences between the new and old participants. This study took on a different perspective by examining aspects of personal attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control, as well as entrepreneurial intention and behaviour. In selecting the samples, a probability sampling (disproportionate stratified) technique was employed. The hypotheses were tested using cross-sectional data of 638 Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia participants. The findings of the study showed that all the hypotheses were significant and supported, where there was significant influence between participants’ personal attitude and entrepreneurial intention, participants’ subjective norm and entrepreneurial intention, participants’ perceived behavioural control and entrepreneurial intention, participants’ perceived behavioural control and entrepreneurial behaviour, participants’ entrepreneurial intention and entrepreneurial behaviour, including participants’ entrepreneurial behaviour and participants’ quality of life. On the contrary, the findings of the study revealed no difference in the quality of life between new participants and old participants. This study may contribute to the policy implications of Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia’s microcredit programme, especially in improving training and guidance.

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 2
Author(s):  
Zuraidah Mohamed Isa ◽  
Roslan Abdul Hakim ◽  
Russayani Ismail

ABSTRACT  Microcredit programs may have an impact on participants’ entrepreneurial behavior. Thus, an understanding of personal attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control as suggested by Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior (TPB) may enhance the understanding of the impact of microcredit on participants’ entrepreneurial behavior. Thus, by taking into account the participants’ personal attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control in ways that leads to the enhancement of participants’ entrepreneurial behavior, microcredit programs have not only made small loans available to the poor but also helped to enhance entrepreneurial behavior.   Keywords: Microcredit programs, participants’ entrepreneurial intention, participants’ entrepreneurial behavior theory of planned behavior (TPB)


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Ebong Ebewo ◽  
◽  
Alufheli Edgar Nesamvuni

The primary purpose of the study was to develop a model for measuring entrepreneurship intentions among university art students. Therefore, the study investigated and attempted to answer the following question: To what extent does entrepreneurial environment affect the antecedents of entrepreneurial intention (Attitude towards entrepreneurship, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control? A sample of 150 graduates from the Arts and Design programme took part in the study and data collected was analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The results provide evidence that subjective norm is an insignificant predictor of entrepreneurial intention compared to attitudes towards entrepreneurial behaviour and entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Perceived environment support was observed to directly relate to future Entrepreneurial Intentions and it also mediates the relationship between Perceived University Environment, Perceived Entrepreneurial Abilities and immediate Entrepreneurial Intentions. It is recommended that policymakers should consider the development of a coherent national policy framework that addresses entrepreneurship for the art/creative industries sector. Future research is recommended to fully evaluate the effectiveness of the impact that subject components in Entrepreneurship Education have on students’ attitudes towards entrepreneurship, perceived entrepreneurial abilities, and Entrepreneurial Intentions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 313-335
Author(s):  
C Nieuwenhuizen

The purpose of this research was to determine the relevance of the constructs of the Liñán and Chen (2009) Entrepreneurial Intention Questionnaire for Master of Business students in two efficiency-driven economies, and to test the empirical validity of an entrepreneurial intention model. After the number of factors and the related items of each had been determined by exploratory factor analysis (EFA), a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to verify the factor structure and to enable testing of the hypotheses regarding the existence of relationships between observed variables and their underlying latent constructs. The CFA confirmed the entrepreneurial intention (EI), personal attitude (PA), perceived behavioural control (PBC), entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE), social valuation (SV), closer valuation (CV) and entrepreneurial Competence (EC) variables as a preliminary step for the structural equation model (SEM) analysis. The comparative fi t index and the root means square error of approximation (RMSEA) indicated that the proposed model had an acceptable fi t. The model parameters of all the components of the model were then determined to test the hypotheses relating to the model. Significant relationships between personal attitude and entrepreneurial intention and perceived behavioural control and entrepreneurial intention were proven. No other significant relationships between variables were identified.


Urban Studies ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (9) ◽  
pp. 2020-2039 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianxi Feng ◽  
Shuangshuang Tang ◽  
Xiaowei Chuai

The connections between the built environment and quality of life are major concerns in the fields of geography and urban planning. Given that some developing countries, such as China, have a rapidly aging society, elderly people have become a social group that attracts growing interest among scholars and policy makers. However, the relationship between neighbourhood environments and the quality of life of the elderly has scarcely been referenced in previous literature. Based on a recent survey in Nanjing, China, this article investigates such connections through structural equations models. It notes that population density exerts an insignificant influence on the life satisfaction of the elderly, whereas built year has the largest impact, indicating the importance of interior environment to subjective wellbeing for the elderly in China. The other built environment factors (informal space and danwei) that have Chinese features are negatively related to the quality of life of older people. Among life domains, the effects of health conditions, residential environments and transportation are stronger than those of social interaction, meaning that the elderly in China place greater emphasis on their basic needs than on higher life needs. This article has some policy implications for policy makers, including on urban form, informal spaces and style of residential communities. Relevant policies need to be carried out to promote the life satisfaction of elderly people in urban China.


2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 2097-2108
Author(s):  
Robyn L. Croft ◽  
Courtney T. Byrd

Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify levels of self-compassion in adults who do and do not stutter and to determine whether self-compassion predicts the impact of stuttering on quality of life in adults who stutter. Method Participants included 140 adults who do and do not stutter matched for age and gender. All participants completed the Self-Compassion Scale. Adults who stutter also completed the Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering. Data were analyzed for self-compassion differences between and within adults who do and do not stutter and to predict self-compassion on quality of life in adults who stutter. Results Adults who do and do not stutter exhibited no significant differences in total self-compassion, regardless of participant gender. A simple linear regression of the total self-compassion score and total Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering score showed a significant, negative linear relationship of self-compassion predicting the impact of stuttering on quality of life. Conclusions Data suggest that higher levels of self-kindness, mindfulness, and social connectedness (i.e., self-compassion) are related to reduced negative reactions to stuttering, an increased participation in daily communication situations, and an improved overall quality of life. Future research should replicate current findings and identify moderators of the self-compassion–quality of life relationship.


2004 ◽  
Vol 171 (4S) ◽  
pp. 42-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin P. Weinfurt ◽  
Liana D. Castel ◽  
Yun Li ◽  
Fred Saad ◽  
Justin W. Timbie ◽  
...  

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer S. Fabritius ◽  
Lisa S. Doane ◽  
Aileen M. Echiverri ◽  
Shoshana Y. Kahana ◽  
Joshua D. McDavid ◽  
...  
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