A. Shafiq, A. Haque, K. Abdullah and M.T. Jan
This paper aims to explore people’s beliefs towards Islamic advertising.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore people’s beliefs towards Islamic advertising.
Design/methodology/approach
Being exploratory in nature, this paper applies qualitative method of research by adapting thought elicitation technique of data collection. This method rests in the projective techniques of data collection and is also known as “word association technique”. It allows free thinking of respondents that helps in generating rich data which is most required in qualitative studies.
Findings
Various beliefs regarding Islamic advertising were extracted and categorized into different dimensions. These dimensions pertained to Islamic advertising’s possibility, nature, characteristics, real-time decisions and potential outcomes.
Research limitations/implications
Being an exploratory study, the data are collected from a small sample, hence raising generalization issues. Though, the same opens avenue for future research in that these dimensions should be subject to validation via large sample size.
Practical implications
This research will help in developing a scale to measure attitudes towards Islamic advertising, which the researchers can use to find justification for using Islamic advertising. Such application has great implications for businesses, as Islamic advertising concept stands contrary to the contemporary practices.
Social implications
With a growing concern for business ethics, this research is an attempt to bring Islamic ethics into advertising practice. This will not only eradicate the ill-effects of contemporary advertising but also provide sound evidence for revising advertising policies.
Originality/value
It adds to the developing field of Islamic marketing, by being the first attempt of its kind in paving the way for Islamic advertising.
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Kalthom Abdullah and Mohd. Ismail Ahmad
This research paper aims to explore the perceptions of Muslim consumers of the degree of compliance of Malaysian businesses to Islamic marketing practices and promotional…
Abstract
Purpose
This research paper aims to explore the perceptions of Muslim consumers of the degree of compliance of Malaysian businesses to Islamic marketing practices and promotional strategies.
Design/methodology/approach
The perceptions of the Muslim consumers were examined by distributing a self‐administered survey questionnaire to a sample of 450 Muslim respondents residing in the major towns in Peninsular Malaysia. Items used in the questionnaire were derived from the basic guidelines provided in the Quran and the Sunnah on the conduct of business practices, specifically on the general marketing and promotional practices used.
Findings
Findings suggest that though there is an awareness of these regulations and practices, not many businesses in Malaysia are perceived to be complying with them both with respect to general Islamic marketing principles and with recommended Islamic promotional practices. There was also a significant difference in opinions expressed by Muslim consumers due to the influence of their religious educational background and the states in which they resided.
Practical implications
There is a need towards more research on how Islamic guidelines could be applied in all aspects of marketing activities. This could create more awareness among businesses about the issues and obligations that are relevant in marketing practices.
Originality/value
This research is a rare attempt on the part of researchers and scholars in Malaysia to relate the Islamic injunctions and guidelines on a specific discipline such as marketing. Although there have been many studies on Islamic finance and economics, the area of Islamic marketing remains clearly under researched.
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Noor Hazilah Abd Manaf, Dinon Mohd and Kalthom Abdullah
Patient satisfaction of healthcare organisation is often used as a measure of organisational efficiency. However, there is a need for valid and reliable instruments to be used in…
Abstract
Purpose
Patient satisfaction of healthcare organisation is often used as a measure of organisational efficiency. However, there is a need for valid and reliable instruments to be used in order to ensure that the findings are accurate. This paper aims to explore the development and validation of an outpatient satisfaction instrument, with emphasis on the service of the attending physician.
Design/methodology/approach
Twenty‐six items on service of the attending physician and registration service were developed for the instrument based on earlier published research. The instrument was applied to a cross‐sectional study and data collected were factor analysed to ascertain construct validity, while reliability was established by assessing the internal consistency.
Findings
The instrument was found to establish excellent reliability with Cronbach's alpha 0.975, and two factors, “service of doctors” and “registration service”, were extracted from the factor analysis.
Research limitations/implications
A valid and reliable instrument on the service of the attending physician and the registration encounter prior to consultation was established. The instrument does not measure other outpatient services such as laboratory services, which could be considered for future research.
Practical implications
The patient satisfaction instrument can be used by healthcare organisations in other settings due to its strong psychometric properties.
Originality/value
Patient satisfaction studies are often used by healthcare organisations for service improvements and the instrument developed from this research will enable healthcare organisations to improve their service based on reliable and valid findings.
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Noor Hazilah Abd Manaf, Dinon Mohd and Kalthom Abdullah
The purpose of this paper is to assess satisfaction of Generation Y (Gen Y) patients in Malaysia.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess satisfaction of Generation Y (Gen Y) patients in Malaysia.
Design/methodology/approach
A patient satisfaction study was conducted on an outpatient clinic at the Health Centre of the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). The majority of students at the IIUM comprise undergraduates who are within the age group categorised as Gen Y. Patient satisfaction questionnaire was used as the main method of data collection. The survey was administered to patients over a two‐week period during regular semester session.
Findings
More than 85 per cent of the respondents are below 25 years of age, reflecting the Gen Y demography. Significant difference is found in the level of satisfaction on the service of doctors between the younger Gen Y undergraduate students and postgraduate students; as well as the Gen Y and the employees. Level of confidence in the clinic is also lower among those of the Gen Y age group, reflecting the higher expectation of service quality.
Originality/value
Patient satisfaction is an important measure of the quality of care provided by healthcare organisations. Understanding the needs of a target group of patients can be used for continuous improvement where their specific needs and expectations can be addressed. A study on patient satisfaction among the Gen Y has been rarely explored. The study is an early attempt in filling the void.
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Muhammad Tahir Jan and Kalthom Abdullah
– The purpose of this paper is to identify and test technology-related critical success factors (CSFs) and its impact on trust and customer satisfaction.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify and test technology-related critical success factors (CSFs) and its impact on trust and customer satisfaction.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper analyses the causal relationship that exists between technology CSFs and customer satisfaction. It also investigates the mediating role of trust between these two. For this purpose data were collected quantitatively from 349 employees working in different banks, through self-administered questionnaire. The data analysis was conducted using SPSS and AMOS software. Factor analysis was performed to extract and decide on the number of factors underlying the measured variables of interest. Structural equation modelling was then used to examine the variables and the fitness of proposed model.
Findings
The result revealed that technology CSFs positively affect customer satisfaction. Also, trust partially mediates the relationship between technology CSFs and customer satisfaction. A significant positive impact of technology CSFs on trust, and trust on customer satisfaction have also been obtained.
Practical implications
The significant influence that technology CSFs have on customer satisfaction and trust shows that technology-related CSFs are inevitable for the success of customer relationship management (CRM) in financial services industry, particularly banks. Policy makers of service industry in general and financial service industry in particular may benefit from the findings of this study.
Originality/value
Despite the plethora of research on CSFs for CRM, very limited attention has been given to testing and validating the identified CSFs. Negligible research has been conducted to investigate trust as a mediating variable in the relationship between technology CSFs and customer satisfaction. This paper, therefore, offers valuable insight into technology-related CSFs and trust with their impact on customer satisfaction.
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Shivee Ranjanee Kaliappan, Rokiah Alavi, Kalthom Abdullah and Muhammad Arif Zakaullah
Since the mid‐1990s, there has been a rapid expansion of large‐scale foreign retailers in many countries across Southeast Asia, Central Europe and Latin America. This emerging…
Abstract
Purpose
Since the mid‐1990s, there has been a rapid expansion of large‐scale foreign retailers in many countries across Southeast Asia, Central Europe and Latin America. This emerging trend has triggered a number of research interests on the issue of retail globalization. The research aims to consider the entry of foreign hypermarkets in Malaysia and their impact on the development and growth of domestic suppliers and manufacturers.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses both primary and secondary data. Secondary data were drawn from industry sources which included government departments, economic reports, retailing magazines and companies, web sites. Meanwhile, primary data are collected using mail survey questionnaire and face‐to‐face interviews.
Findings
The findings of this study indicate that foreign hypermarkets play a very important role in the development and growth of the domestic suppliers via backward linkages. The main forms of linkages are product supply, informational linkages, assistance with inventory management, technical support and quality assurance and procurement systems. A majority of the firms indicated that they benefited substantially from the presence of foreign hypermarkets; however, they also face several challenges brought about by imposition of several unfair terms and procurement policy.
Originality/value
The findings are largely derived from the experience encountered by domestic firms who participated in the survey. Thus, it is believed that their views could definitely help all the parties including the policymakers and researchers to better understand the impact of foreign hypermarkets on local businesses and take appropriate policy measures.
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Md Shamim Hossain, Sofri Bin Yahya and Shaian Kiumarsi
The purpose of this study is to examine the link between research and practice within the context of Islamic marketing (IM), an issue which is controversial in the literature. It…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the link between research and practice within the context of Islamic marketing (IM), an issue which is controversial in the literature. It offers reasonable answers that bridge the gap between research and practice, as well as the way to mitigate it.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a critical approach to analytically review the literature on IM, and relates it to research and practice.
Findings
The study finds that the advancement of knowledge on IM necessitates research and practice. There is a gap between research and practice which evolved from decades of objectivity between researchers and practitioners in the field of IM. It is necessary to search for some practicable solutions that can narrow the gap between theory and practice.
Research limitations/implications
The basic limitation of this study is that IM has not yet emerged as a distinct discipline. Hence, there is limited study on IM issues in the context of research and practice.
Originality/value
This study makes essential contributions to the chastisement by research and practice, a theoretically new field of IM subject.
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This article examines the experiences of women leaders and their challenges in Brunei Darussalam. Globally, women are underrepresented in leadership positions. Though the Brunei…
Abstract
This article examines the experiences of women leaders and their challenges in Brunei Darussalam. Globally, women are underrepresented in leadership positions. Though the Brunei government does not discriminate against any gender in delivering free education, medical facilities and healthcare, women in leadership positions are as well underrepresented. I try to understand the factors that challenge as well as motivate women to become leaders in Brunei. For this research, I conducted qualitative interviews with some respondents selected purposively. The study results show that women leaders in Brunei face challenges in obtaining financial support and accessing resources. Despite the challenges, there are some women who have been assuming and excelling in their leadership roles. The study identified that personal strengths have also been critical in contributing to their successful leadership.
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Shaizatulaqma Kamalul Ariffin, Ishak Ismail and Khairul Anuar Mohammad Shah
This paper aims to view the role of religiosity in moderating the relationship between ego-defensive function of Muslim consumers’ and attitude toward advertising of controversial…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to view the role of religiosity in moderating the relationship between ego-defensive function of Muslim consumers’ and attitude toward advertising of controversial product. There is a rising concern among Muslim consumers’ with regards to the halal status of many food outlets in Malaysia. This came out because many food operators do not understand what halal really means. Many of them are from Kopitiams food and beverages industry.
Design/methodology/approach
Survey method was used for the purpose of data collection in April 2014, and quantitative approach has been used as well. This study applied functional theory of attitudes to support this framework. Respondents consisted of 375 Muslim consumers’ in Malaysia.
Findings
The paper provides empirical insights about how religiosity moderates the relationship between ego-defensive function and consumer attitude toward advertising. Consumers with a high level of religiosity are more likely to respond less favorably toward the advertising, while consumers who have a low level of religiosity are more likely to respond more favorably toward the advertisement. In addition, it can be postulated that religiosity reduces negative effects of ego-defensive function.
Practical implications
The fact that religious groups are more organized, equipped and motivated to register their concern, demands better understanding of such groups by marketers. To avoid any controversies, or potential business loss, a better understanding of what could ignite their reaction seems to be an appropriate preventive strategy.
Originality/value
Only a few studies directly examined the influence of religion on marketing communication. The effects of religion on the advertising of controversial products remain largely unstudied to date. Therefore, this paper fills the gap in the research area.