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The purpose of this paper is to ascertain the effect of a physical activity intervention using a combination of Facebook and standing banners on improvements in metabolic syndrome.

In all, 120 (82.8 per cent) government employees with metabolic syndrome completed the programme. A Lifecorder e-STEP accelerometer (Suzuken Company Limited, Nagoya, Japan) was utilized to quantify physical activity. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to “Harmonized” definition at baseline, post-intervention and follow-up.

There were significantly higher step counts in the intervention group as compared to the control group over time. There were significant within-group differences in the step count at the baseline, post-intervention and follow-up assessments (p < 0.001) in both the intervention and control groups. The step count of the intervention group increased by 4,522 steps in the post-intervention assessment compared to the assessment at baseline. The step count of the intervention group in the follow-up assessment was lower than in the post-intervention assessment, but it was still 2,126 steps higher than at baseline. For control group, the difference between the post-intervention assessment and the assessment at baseline was 520 steps per day, while the difference between the follow-up assessment and assessment at baseline was 379 steps per day. The greatest decrease in the percentage of metabolic syndrome was observed in the intervention group, with a reduction of 88.6 per cent in the post-intervention assessment as compared to that at baseline.

Future studies should incorporate measures which will be of interest to employers. Greater understanding and assessment of desirable employer-related outcomes are warranted, such as decreased job stress, turnover, absenteeism and improved job satisfaction, productivity and exploration of how these associated with physical activity.

The findings show that delivering information on physical activity through an easily implemented and low-cost physical activity intervention via a combination of Facebook and standing banners was successful in improving step counts and metabolic parameters among individuals with metabolic syndrome.

The findings draw on supporting evidence for advocacy, which is about influencing the larger environment of public policy, and raising awareness of a single programme is insufficient to create lasting social change. Public policy must be shaped in a way that will sustain change across institutions.

Despite the well-documented health benefits of physical activity, a growing number of people not achieving the recommended levels of physical activity necessary for good health. Importantly, the study provides a new insight on lifestyle-based physical activity interventions capable of improving step counts and metabolic parameters.

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the literature on management of waqf institutions by developing a contingency framework and outlining approaches that can be followed to instigate a comprehensive performance measurement system (PMS).

It conducts a thorough and critical review of the literature on relevant performance measurement literature of third sector organizations and waqf institutions.

The findings suggest that an effective PMS is undoubtedly significant in promoting good governance and ethical management of waqf institutions. However, the current practice of performance measurement in waqf institutions is less standardized and does not cover its entire aspects of performance as a religious as well as a voluntary organization. It is also found that most waqf institutions’ management and researchers primarily rely on financial reporting and economic indicators to report to the stakeholders about the performance of waqf institutions.

The contributions of this paper are twofold. First, the authors develop a contingency framework for assessing performance of waqf institutions. Second, the authors outline eight necessary steps that can serve as guidelines for waqf institutions in designing their own comprehensive PMS.

The novelty of this paper lies in highlighting the feasibility of adopting qualitative approaches by waqf institutions. This study hopes to shed light on a standard measurement system that can be adopted by the waqf institutions to ensure efficiency and sustainability of the waqf institutions, not just in Malaysia but in the Muslim world.

The purpose of this study is to propose a contemporary human resource management (HRM) framework by zakat institutions, which collect and manage religious alms, both obligatory (zakat) and voluntary (ṣadaqah), in Malaysia.

In doing so, discussions pertaining to the key elements of zakat institutions’ HRM including recruitment, selection, performance appraisal, training and development and compensation are gathered from the existing literature and other sources of information such as zakat institutions’ websites and publications. In addition, zakat officers’ insight on how HRM is practiced at their institutions is gathered through a series of semi-structured interviews and incorporated in the findings of this study.

The paper finds that the state government, by virtue of the State Islamic Religious Council (SIRC), which is the sole trustee of all waqf properties in Malaysia, may have significant influence in formulating the human resource strategies and policies in zakat institutions.

The proposed HRM model can be a useful reference for SIRC in enhancing the current human resource practice in its respective zakat institutions.

The novelty of this study lies in the proposed HRM model applicable to zakat institutions. The model emphasizes the alignment between the zakat institutions’ HRM practice and their zakat collection and distribution goals, as well as zakat management objectives in general.