Employee Relations: The International Journal, 2021
PurposeDrawing from the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) framework and Conservation of Resources (COR... more PurposeDrawing from the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) framework and Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, the authors’ study examines the impact of high commitment HR management (HCHRM) practices and psychological capital (PsyCap) on job autonomy and job demands in predicting burnout in frontline food service employees.Design/methodology/approachA moderated mediation model was developed and tested on 257 Australian workers employed in the food service industry. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling.FindingsThere was support for the mediation effect of HCHRM on burnout, via two sequential mediators: job autonomy and job demands. PsyCap was found to buffer (moderation) the effect of job demands on burnout. Frontline employees also perceived HCHRM to be a “negative signal” that was implemented for the good of management.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors are aware of the potential of common method variance due to the cross-sectional research design. Futur...
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has seen a shift in remote work from being a discretionary fl... more Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has seen a shift in remote work from being a discretionary flexible work policy to a mandatory requirement for several workplaces. This ‘forced flexibility’ has meant that organisations and their employees have had to adapt swiftly to new requirements and arrangements for how work is done. Working remotely, often at home in ‘virtual workspaces’, has become commonplace for many employees across Australia and globally. Drawing on findings from two qualitative phases of research in an Australian resources company, we use conservation of resources theory to explore the factors influencing processes related to wellbeing and productivity for employees working remotely in the COVID-19 environment. We identify challenges associated with working remotely, as well as important resources for wellbeing and productivity. Practical implications are also discussed.
This study contributes to Hobfoll's Conservation of Resources theory by testing a moderated m... more This study contributes to Hobfoll's Conservation of Resources theory by testing a moderated mediation model of the relationship between participation in change and senior managers’ hedonic well‐being. Using data collected from 266 Australian senior managers employed in the Commonwealth and State public sector, we tested the interaction of participation in change and change information with job satisfaction, an example of hedonic well‐being at work. Findings from the path analysis produced two new insights. First, both participation in change and information about change are key resources that senior managers can deploy to protect and enhance their job satisfaction. Second, information about change has a buffering effect on the indirect relationship between participation in change and job satisfaction through job control. These two findings have practical implications indicating that it is important to train and equip senior managers in the adoption of effective strategies to acq...
Purpose Organisational learning is fundamental in establishing a fearless organisation, creating ... more Purpose Organisational learning is fundamental in establishing a fearless organisation, creating a competitive advantage and maintaining a sustained growth. While research suggests that leaders can influence organisational learning, there is currently no empirical evidence on how inclusive leadership fosters organisational learning behaviour. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between inclusive leadership and organisational learning behaviour. It also seeks to explore the mediating role of psychological safety and climate for initiatives in the mentioned relationship. Design/methodology/approach The study used a two-wave quantitative examination with 317 respondents. Online survey was used to collect data from randomly selected full-time Australian employees in two times. The data were then analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling to provide insights. Findings The study found empirical evidence on the positive associatio...
Purpose Building upon the attribution and brand resonance theories, this paper aims to investigat... more Purpose Building upon the attribution and brand resonance theories, this paper aims to investigate the effects of perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) in higher education institutions on brand reputation, trust, equity and loyalty. Design/methodology/approach The data for this study were collected from international students of one public and one private university in Malaysia. Partial least squares-structural equation modelling was applied to analyse the data. Findings The findings revealed very strong effects of perceived CSR on brand reputation and trust. Moreover, the results determined the positive effects of brand reputation and trust on brand equity and loyalty. Additionally, findings support the positive indirect effects of perceived CSR on brand equity and loyalty through brand reputation and trust. Originality/value This study provides unique theoretical and practical contributions which can inform countries how to attract international students, particularly in...
The aim in this chapter is to stretch the boundaries created by the currently dominant global ima... more The aim in this chapter is to stretch the boundaries created by the currently dominant global imaginaries about the internationalisation of higher education (HE). In so doing, this chapter pays particular attention to how (international) students’ adaptability to HE is understood in relation to languages education. Dominant global imaginaries about internationalisation continue to support a unidirectional system in which students from so-called ‘developing’ countries should aspire to be integrated into more ‘developed’ ones (cf. Andreotti, 2015). This unidirectional adaption is reflected, for example, in the unquestioned expectation that in – largely Western – higher education institutions’ (HEIs), internationalisation processes should concentrate their efforts on helping full-fee paying ‘international’ students ‘adapt’ by becoming proficient in English as a second language. This conceptualisation neglects to consider the potentially reciprocal adaptation approaches that may enhance the linguistic skills of all students – international and domestic – alike. Indeed, against this backdrop, HEIs have largely overlooked the role of languages education in preparing all graduates to reciprocally engage in transnational, translingual dialogues. The availability of national, government and supra-governmental reports from around the world as well as numerous scholarly publications concerning internationalisation and the state of languages education in HEIs provide ample data for international comparison. Critical appraisal of these sources through the lens of critical, decolonial perspectives provides a suitable starting point to begin articulating philosophical, onto-epistemological stumbling blocks standing in the way of imagining relationally reciprocal pedagogical approaches to (language) education. The chapter concludes by considering alternative imaginaries that may support a multidirectional understanding of inclusion for all.
Abstract This study aims to investigate the relationship between acculturation attitude (i.e. adj... more Abstract This study aims to investigate the relationship between acculturation attitude (i.e. adjustment and attachment attitudes) and individuals’ psychological adaptation (i.e. life satisfaction, depression and self-esteem). Additionally, the relationship between the dimensions of psychological adaptation with psychological well-being and their mediation effect are examined. Data were collected from 974 randomly selected international students pursuing their Master or Doctoral level studies in six Malaysian public universities using a structured questionnaire. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) technique was applied to examine the relationships in the research model. The results revealed that both adjustment and attachment attitudes are significantly related to life satisfaction and self-esteem while only adjustment attitude associates with depression. All the three dimensions of psychological adaptation are significantly related to psychological well-being. Moreover, the mediation effect of life satisfaction, self-esteem and depression are supported for the relationship between adjustment attitude and psychological well-being. Study implications and contributions are presented.
With the increase in international mobility in higher education especially in Asia, the issue of ... more With the increase in international mobility in higher education especially in Asia, the issue of cross-cultural adaptation becomes paramount since international students try to overcome challenges and flourish psychologically and socioculturally in a new environment. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify the factors influencing international postgraduate students' psychological and sociocultural adaptations in Malaysian public universities, an emerging education hub in the region. It also further examined importance-performance matrix analysis (IPMA) of the antecedents for psychological and sociocultural adaptations as the endogenous variables to provide managerial insights for the authorities in higher education. A quantitative research approach using questionnaire was applied to get response from randomly selected international postgraduate students (i.e. Master or PhD) from top five research universities in Malaysia. The findings revealed that among the identified factors in this study perceived stereotype image and adjustment attitude were significantly related to psychological and sociocultural adaptations of the international students in Malaysia. However, attachment attitude was not significantly associated with psychological and sociocultural adaptation; and English language proficiency was not related to psychological adaptation. Moreover, the results of IPMA in SmartPLS shed some light on perceived stereotype image and adjustment attitude as the factors with the highest priority with relatively lowest performance in relation with psychological and sociocultural adaptations. Based on the results, this study derives recommendations for education policymakers and academic administrators to ensure successful international postgraduate students' cross-cultural adaptation. An earlier version of this paper was presented in the 2nd international symposium on partial least squares path modelling-the conference for PLS users in Seville, Spain.
This study investigates the influence of length of stay in a foreign country on international stu... more This study investigates the influence of length of stay in a foreign country on international students’ adjustment and attachment attitude and examines the relationship between such acculturation attitude with psychological and sociocultural adaptations in a host country. Moreover, it investigates whether psychological and sociocultural adaptations could enhance international students’ psychological well-being in a culturally new environment. Using a sample of 1186 international postgraduate students from an emerging education hub (i.e. Malaysia), we analysed the proposed model using partial least-squares structural equation modelling. Findings reveal that longer length of stay in a foreign country away from the home country (out of sight) negatively influences attachment attitude to the home country (out of mind). Additionally, both adjustment and attachment attitude positively influence psychological adaptation while only adjustment attitude positively influences sociocultural adaptation. This study confirms the nexus between international students’ cross-cultural adaptation and psychological well-being in Malaysia. The study findings offer novel insights to policy-makers, authorities in higher education and university administrators to prioritise international students’ cross-cultural adaptation since it is directly related to psychological well-being.
Over the years, the issue of students’ learning has attracted many educational researchers’ atten... more Over the years, the issue of students’ learning has attracted many educational researchers’ attention to investigate various factors that contribute to it. Since students’ learning is related to their academic success or failure, the role of the teacher has been identified as the paramount factor in this regard (e.g., Rockoff, 2004; Hanushek, 2011; Aaronson et al., 2007).
Proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium on Partial Least Squares Path Modeling: The conference for PLS Users, 2015
With the increase in international mobility in higher education especially in Asia, the issue of ... more With the increase in international mobility in higher education especially in Asia, the issue of cross-cultural adaptation becomes paramount since international students try to overcome challenges and flourish psychologically and socioculturally in a new environment. Therefore, this study is conducted to identify the factors influencing international postgraduate students' psychological and sociocultural adaptations in Malaysian public universities, an emerging education hub in the region. It also further investigates importance-performance matrix analysis (IPMA) of the antecedents for psychological and sociocultural adaptations as the endogenous variables to provide insights and derive recommendations for education policymakers and academic administrators to ensure successful international postgraduate students' cross-cultural adaptation.
International Journal of Management in Education, 2016
This study was carried out to identify the outcomes of international postgraduate students' a... more This study was carried out to identify the outcomes of international postgraduate students' adaptation in a public university in Malaysia. A quantitative research approach was employed using online survey to get insights from international postgraduate students enrolled in a Master or PhD level program in a Malaysian public university. Simple random sampling procedure was applied to select the samples of the study. Overall, 206 international postgraduate students responded the questionnaire. The results confirmed the nexus among cross-cultural adaptation, academic satisfaction, and word of mouth in the context of international postgraduate students in Malaysia. Consequently, practical and managerial implications are presented.
Journal of Research in International Education, 2016
Based on Berry’s seminal work on the acculturation process, this study examines the pattern of ac... more Based on Berry’s seminal work on the acculturation process, this study examines the pattern of acculturation attitude among international postgraduate students in Malaysia, an emerging education hub in Asia. It also investigates the influence of several demographic factors (gender, geographical region, marital status, and education level) and predictors (English language proficiency, media usage, intention to stay in the host country after graduation, and perceived positive stereotype image) on international postgraduate students’ four acculturation attitudes integration, separation, assimilation, and marginalization. Our survey of a sample of 1186 international postgraduate students reveals that the most prevalent acculturation attitude chosen by the international postgraduate students is integration. The identified predictors are shown to positively influence integration attitude while the demographic factors have no significant effect on international postgraduate students’ accul...
Malaysian Journal of Library & Information Science, 2016
Weblogs represent a popular tool for sharing common knowledge and promoting learning among univer... more Weblogs represent a popular tool for sharing common knowledge and promoting learning among university students. Yet, little is known about what influences university students to stick to a blog. The current study develops a framework to investigate the role of several key factors on blog stickiness and retention among university students. Data for the study was collected from a sample of university students in Malaysia (n=725) and analysed using structural equation modelling. Results of the study revealed that social influence, content quality and perceived enjoyment were the most important predictors of blog stickiness, resulting in blog retention. More specifically, it was found that the need for cognition, perceived enjoyment and social influence also play a key role in predicting blog stickiness among student. Results of this study help to provide insights to the social, cognitive and physiological components that will encourage student to read and use blogs more frequently. Thi...
This study investigates the effects of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on brand reputation,... more This study investigates the effects of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on brand reputation, brand trust, and brand loyalty in the context of higher education. The direct effect of CSR on brand loyalty, and indirect effects through brand reputation and brand trust have been investigated. Data for this study were collected from 300 students attending a private university in Malaysia. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was applied to assess the measurement model and test the proposed hypotheses. Study findings support all hypotheses. The results confirm the positive direct effect of CSR on brand reputation and brand loyalty, as well as the indirect effects of CSR on brand loyalty through brand reputation and brand trust. This study makes a unique theoretical contribution to the literature through assessing and comparing the mediating role of brand reputation and brand trust between CSR and brand loyalty using the Hierarchy of Effects Model
International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 2018
This study was carried out to investigate the discrepancies that international students' geograph... more This study was carried out to investigate the discrepancies that international students' geographical region could create on the relationships of adjustment attitude, attachment attitude, and intention after graduation with psychological and sociocultural adaptations. As such, multi-group analysis was performed using partial least squares structural equation modelling to explore whether international students' geographical place of origin (i.e. Asia, Middle East, and Africa) could play an important role in creating differences among the three groups of international students. To ensure that the measurement operations yield measures of the same attribute across the three groups of respondents, a new approach for establishing measurement invariance in composite models was applied in SmartPLS. The data were randomly collected from 1186 international students enrolled in a Master or Doctoral programme in top six public universities in Malaysia. Findings confirmed the existence of full measurement invariance across the three models in this study. The results also revealed that there are some similarities and differences among the Asian, Middle Eastern, and African models providing further understanding on each group's cross-cultural adaptation. Practical and empirical implications of the study are discussed.
The current study endeavours to find out whether there is a relationship between university acade... more The current study endeavours to find out whether there is a relationship between university academics' competence and their customer-based brand equity from the perspective of students. It also seeks to investigate the mechanism of the proposed relationship through trust, likability, and commitment. Data were collected from 384 postgraduate students in Malaysian universities using a structured questionnaire. Results of analysis using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) revealed there is a significant relationship (total effect) between academics' competence and customer-based brand equity. We found that the path from competence to brand equity goes through trust, likability, and commitment. Given the growing popularity of higher education in the new millennium and important role of academics in leading students to success, findings of the present study can enhance our understanding of academics' branding and universities' overall image. The implications and contributions of the study to university administrators and academics are discussed.
Employee Relations: The International Journal, 2021
PurposeDrawing from the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) framework and Conservation of Resources (COR... more PurposeDrawing from the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) framework and Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, the authors’ study examines the impact of high commitment HR management (HCHRM) practices and psychological capital (PsyCap) on job autonomy and job demands in predicting burnout in frontline food service employees.Design/methodology/approachA moderated mediation model was developed and tested on 257 Australian workers employed in the food service industry. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling.FindingsThere was support for the mediation effect of HCHRM on burnout, via two sequential mediators: job autonomy and job demands. PsyCap was found to buffer (moderation) the effect of job demands on burnout. Frontline employees also perceived HCHRM to be a “negative signal” that was implemented for the good of management.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors are aware of the potential of common method variance due to the cross-sectional research design. Futur...
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has seen a shift in remote work from being a discretionary fl... more Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has seen a shift in remote work from being a discretionary flexible work policy to a mandatory requirement for several workplaces. This ‘forced flexibility’ has meant that organisations and their employees have had to adapt swiftly to new requirements and arrangements for how work is done. Working remotely, often at home in ‘virtual workspaces’, has become commonplace for many employees across Australia and globally. Drawing on findings from two qualitative phases of research in an Australian resources company, we use conservation of resources theory to explore the factors influencing processes related to wellbeing and productivity for employees working remotely in the COVID-19 environment. We identify challenges associated with working remotely, as well as important resources for wellbeing and productivity. Practical implications are also discussed.
This study contributes to Hobfoll's Conservation of Resources theory by testing a moderated m... more This study contributes to Hobfoll's Conservation of Resources theory by testing a moderated mediation model of the relationship between participation in change and senior managers’ hedonic well‐being. Using data collected from 266 Australian senior managers employed in the Commonwealth and State public sector, we tested the interaction of participation in change and change information with job satisfaction, an example of hedonic well‐being at work. Findings from the path analysis produced two new insights. First, both participation in change and information about change are key resources that senior managers can deploy to protect and enhance their job satisfaction. Second, information about change has a buffering effect on the indirect relationship between participation in change and job satisfaction through job control. These two findings have practical implications indicating that it is important to train and equip senior managers in the adoption of effective strategies to acq...
Purpose Organisational learning is fundamental in establishing a fearless organisation, creating ... more Purpose Organisational learning is fundamental in establishing a fearless organisation, creating a competitive advantage and maintaining a sustained growth. While research suggests that leaders can influence organisational learning, there is currently no empirical evidence on how inclusive leadership fosters organisational learning behaviour. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between inclusive leadership and organisational learning behaviour. It also seeks to explore the mediating role of psychological safety and climate for initiatives in the mentioned relationship. Design/methodology/approach The study used a two-wave quantitative examination with 317 respondents. Online survey was used to collect data from randomly selected full-time Australian employees in two times. The data were then analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling to provide insights. Findings The study found empirical evidence on the positive associatio...
Purpose Building upon the attribution and brand resonance theories, this paper aims to investigat... more Purpose Building upon the attribution and brand resonance theories, this paper aims to investigate the effects of perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) in higher education institutions on brand reputation, trust, equity and loyalty. Design/methodology/approach The data for this study were collected from international students of one public and one private university in Malaysia. Partial least squares-structural equation modelling was applied to analyse the data. Findings The findings revealed very strong effects of perceived CSR on brand reputation and trust. Moreover, the results determined the positive effects of brand reputation and trust on brand equity and loyalty. Additionally, findings support the positive indirect effects of perceived CSR on brand equity and loyalty through brand reputation and trust. Originality/value This study provides unique theoretical and practical contributions which can inform countries how to attract international students, particularly in...
The aim in this chapter is to stretch the boundaries created by the currently dominant global ima... more The aim in this chapter is to stretch the boundaries created by the currently dominant global imaginaries about the internationalisation of higher education (HE). In so doing, this chapter pays particular attention to how (international) students’ adaptability to HE is understood in relation to languages education. Dominant global imaginaries about internationalisation continue to support a unidirectional system in which students from so-called ‘developing’ countries should aspire to be integrated into more ‘developed’ ones (cf. Andreotti, 2015). This unidirectional adaption is reflected, for example, in the unquestioned expectation that in – largely Western – higher education institutions’ (HEIs), internationalisation processes should concentrate their efforts on helping full-fee paying ‘international’ students ‘adapt’ by becoming proficient in English as a second language. This conceptualisation neglects to consider the potentially reciprocal adaptation approaches that may enhance the linguistic skills of all students – international and domestic – alike. Indeed, against this backdrop, HEIs have largely overlooked the role of languages education in preparing all graduates to reciprocally engage in transnational, translingual dialogues. The availability of national, government and supra-governmental reports from around the world as well as numerous scholarly publications concerning internationalisation and the state of languages education in HEIs provide ample data for international comparison. Critical appraisal of these sources through the lens of critical, decolonial perspectives provides a suitable starting point to begin articulating philosophical, onto-epistemological stumbling blocks standing in the way of imagining relationally reciprocal pedagogical approaches to (language) education. The chapter concludes by considering alternative imaginaries that may support a multidirectional understanding of inclusion for all.
Abstract This study aims to investigate the relationship between acculturation attitude (i.e. adj... more Abstract This study aims to investigate the relationship between acculturation attitude (i.e. adjustment and attachment attitudes) and individuals’ psychological adaptation (i.e. life satisfaction, depression and self-esteem). Additionally, the relationship between the dimensions of psychological adaptation with psychological well-being and their mediation effect are examined. Data were collected from 974 randomly selected international students pursuing their Master or Doctoral level studies in six Malaysian public universities using a structured questionnaire. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) technique was applied to examine the relationships in the research model. The results revealed that both adjustment and attachment attitudes are significantly related to life satisfaction and self-esteem while only adjustment attitude associates with depression. All the three dimensions of psychological adaptation are significantly related to psychological well-being. Moreover, the mediation effect of life satisfaction, self-esteem and depression are supported for the relationship between adjustment attitude and psychological well-being. Study implications and contributions are presented.
With the increase in international mobility in higher education especially in Asia, the issue of ... more With the increase in international mobility in higher education especially in Asia, the issue of cross-cultural adaptation becomes paramount since international students try to overcome challenges and flourish psychologically and socioculturally in a new environment. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify the factors influencing international postgraduate students' psychological and sociocultural adaptations in Malaysian public universities, an emerging education hub in the region. It also further examined importance-performance matrix analysis (IPMA) of the antecedents for psychological and sociocultural adaptations as the endogenous variables to provide managerial insights for the authorities in higher education. A quantitative research approach using questionnaire was applied to get response from randomly selected international postgraduate students (i.e. Master or PhD) from top five research universities in Malaysia. The findings revealed that among the identified factors in this study perceived stereotype image and adjustment attitude were significantly related to psychological and sociocultural adaptations of the international students in Malaysia. However, attachment attitude was not significantly associated with psychological and sociocultural adaptation; and English language proficiency was not related to psychological adaptation. Moreover, the results of IPMA in SmartPLS shed some light on perceived stereotype image and adjustment attitude as the factors with the highest priority with relatively lowest performance in relation with psychological and sociocultural adaptations. Based on the results, this study derives recommendations for education policymakers and academic administrators to ensure successful international postgraduate students' cross-cultural adaptation. An earlier version of this paper was presented in the 2nd international symposium on partial least squares path modelling-the conference for PLS users in Seville, Spain.
This study investigates the influence of length of stay in a foreign country on international stu... more This study investigates the influence of length of stay in a foreign country on international students’ adjustment and attachment attitude and examines the relationship between such acculturation attitude with psychological and sociocultural adaptations in a host country. Moreover, it investigates whether psychological and sociocultural adaptations could enhance international students’ psychological well-being in a culturally new environment. Using a sample of 1186 international postgraduate students from an emerging education hub (i.e. Malaysia), we analysed the proposed model using partial least-squares structural equation modelling. Findings reveal that longer length of stay in a foreign country away from the home country (out of sight) negatively influences attachment attitude to the home country (out of mind). Additionally, both adjustment and attachment attitude positively influence psychological adaptation while only adjustment attitude positively influences sociocultural adaptation. This study confirms the nexus between international students’ cross-cultural adaptation and psychological well-being in Malaysia. The study findings offer novel insights to policy-makers, authorities in higher education and university administrators to prioritise international students’ cross-cultural adaptation since it is directly related to psychological well-being.
Over the years, the issue of students’ learning has attracted many educational researchers’ atten... more Over the years, the issue of students’ learning has attracted many educational researchers’ attention to investigate various factors that contribute to it. Since students’ learning is related to their academic success or failure, the role of the teacher has been identified as the paramount factor in this regard (e.g., Rockoff, 2004; Hanushek, 2011; Aaronson et al., 2007).
Proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium on Partial Least Squares Path Modeling: The conference for PLS Users, 2015
With the increase in international mobility in higher education especially in Asia, the issue of ... more With the increase in international mobility in higher education especially in Asia, the issue of cross-cultural adaptation becomes paramount since international students try to overcome challenges and flourish psychologically and socioculturally in a new environment. Therefore, this study is conducted to identify the factors influencing international postgraduate students' psychological and sociocultural adaptations in Malaysian public universities, an emerging education hub in the region. It also further investigates importance-performance matrix analysis (IPMA) of the antecedents for psychological and sociocultural adaptations as the endogenous variables to provide insights and derive recommendations for education policymakers and academic administrators to ensure successful international postgraduate students' cross-cultural adaptation.
International Journal of Management in Education, 2016
This study was carried out to identify the outcomes of international postgraduate students' a... more This study was carried out to identify the outcomes of international postgraduate students' adaptation in a public university in Malaysia. A quantitative research approach was employed using online survey to get insights from international postgraduate students enrolled in a Master or PhD level program in a Malaysian public university. Simple random sampling procedure was applied to select the samples of the study. Overall, 206 international postgraduate students responded the questionnaire. The results confirmed the nexus among cross-cultural adaptation, academic satisfaction, and word of mouth in the context of international postgraduate students in Malaysia. Consequently, practical and managerial implications are presented.
Journal of Research in International Education, 2016
Based on Berry’s seminal work on the acculturation process, this study examines the pattern of ac... more Based on Berry’s seminal work on the acculturation process, this study examines the pattern of acculturation attitude among international postgraduate students in Malaysia, an emerging education hub in Asia. It also investigates the influence of several demographic factors (gender, geographical region, marital status, and education level) and predictors (English language proficiency, media usage, intention to stay in the host country after graduation, and perceived positive stereotype image) on international postgraduate students’ four acculturation attitudes integration, separation, assimilation, and marginalization. Our survey of a sample of 1186 international postgraduate students reveals that the most prevalent acculturation attitude chosen by the international postgraduate students is integration. The identified predictors are shown to positively influence integration attitude while the demographic factors have no significant effect on international postgraduate students’ accul...
Malaysian Journal of Library & Information Science, 2016
Weblogs represent a popular tool for sharing common knowledge and promoting learning among univer... more Weblogs represent a popular tool for sharing common knowledge and promoting learning among university students. Yet, little is known about what influences university students to stick to a blog. The current study develops a framework to investigate the role of several key factors on blog stickiness and retention among university students. Data for the study was collected from a sample of university students in Malaysia (n=725) and analysed using structural equation modelling. Results of the study revealed that social influence, content quality and perceived enjoyment were the most important predictors of blog stickiness, resulting in blog retention. More specifically, it was found that the need for cognition, perceived enjoyment and social influence also play a key role in predicting blog stickiness among student. Results of this study help to provide insights to the social, cognitive and physiological components that will encourage student to read and use blogs more frequently. Thi...
This study investigates the effects of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on brand reputation,... more This study investigates the effects of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on brand reputation, brand trust, and brand loyalty in the context of higher education. The direct effect of CSR on brand loyalty, and indirect effects through brand reputation and brand trust have been investigated. Data for this study were collected from 300 students attending a private university in Malaysia. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was applied to assess the measurement model and test the proposed hypotheses. Study findings support all hypotheses. The results confirm the positive direct effect of CSR on brand reputation and brand loyalty, as well as the indirect effects of CSR on brand loyalty through brand reputation and brand trust. This study makes a unique theoretical contribution to the literature through assessing and comparing the mediating role of brand reputation and brand trust between CSR and brand loyalty using the Hierarchy of Effects Model
International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 2018
This study was carried out to investigate the discrepancies that international students' geograph... more This study was carried out to investigate the discrepancies that international students' geographical region could create on the relationships of adjustment attitude, attachment attitude, and intention after graduation with psychological and sociocultural adaptations. As such, multi-group analysis was performed using partial least squares structural equation modelling to explore whether international students' geographical place of origin (i.e. Asia, Middle East, and Africa) could play an important role in creating differences among the three groups of international students. To ensure that the measurement operations yield measures of the same attribute across the three groups of respondents, a new approach for establishing measurement invariance in composite models was applied in SmartPLS. The data were randomly collected from 1186 international students enrolled in a Master or Doctoral programme in top six public universities in Malaysia. Findings confirmed the existence of full measurement invariance across the three models in this study. The results also revealed that there are some similarities and differences among the Asian, Middle Eastern, and African models providing further understanding on each group's cross-cultural adaptation. Practical and empirical implications of the study are discussed.
The current study endeavours to find out whether there is a relationship between university acade... more The current study endeavours to find out whether there is a relationship between university academics' competence and their customer-based brand equity from the perspective of students. It also seeks to investigate the mechanism of the proposed relationship through trust, likability, and commitment. Data were collected from 384 postgraduate students in Malaysian universities using a structured questionnaire. Results of analysis using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) revealed there is a significant relationship (total effect) between academics' competence and customer-based brand equity. We found that the path from competence to brand equity goes through trust, likability, and commitment. Given the growing popularity of higher education in the new millennium and important role of academics in leading students to success, findings of the present study can enhance our understanding of academics' branding and universities' overall image. The implications and contributions of the study to university administrators and academics are discussed.
Universities worldwide strive to nurture socially responsible graduates to create a better societ... more Universities worldwide strive to nurture socially responsible graduates to create a better society. Since ethical behavior of role models can stimulate followers' professional standards and ethical values, it is crucial to focus on an appropriate path through which ethical values can be conveyed and learned by individuals. The current study seeks to examine if this objective can be facilitated through the positive role played by academic supervisors at higher education level. Owing to the very close leader-follower relationship, this study empirically investigated if ethical supervisors could stimulate prosocial behavior among students under their supervision. Data was collected from 240 postgraduate university students and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings of this study revealed that students demonstrated greater anonymous, emotional, and compliant prosocial behavior when they perceived stronger ethical supervision. Study implications and limitations have been discussed.
This study aims to specify and assess friendship quality as a third-order formative construct and... more This study aims to specify and assess friendship quality as a third-order formative construct and provide empirical support for its measurement model. This study employed a quantitative research approach using a survey questionnaire to collect data from 415 Malaysian secondary school students. Partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach using WarpPLS 5.0 software was utilised to analyse the data. The findings confirmed the convergent and discriminant validity of eight reflective first-order constructs establishing validity and reliability of five formative second-order constructs. The analysis of third-order formative friendship quality construct revealed that Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) was found lower than five and the outer weights were significant at the level of .05. This study extends the knowledge in friendship quality literature by proposing a third-order formative friendship quality construct including four formative second-order constructs. Moreover, applying new algorithms of PLS-SEM for assessing and establishing measurement model of the thirdorder friendship quality construct offers methodological contribution of the study.
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