Muhammad Iqmal Hisham Kamaruddin, Azuan Ahmad, Mohd Asri Husain and Saffa Nasuha Abd Hamid
This study presents an effort to identify and understand the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the graduate employability (GE) of Universiti Sains…
Abstract
Purpose
This study presents an effort to identify and understand the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the graduate employability (GE) of Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM) final year students. It examines the readiness of USIM's final year students to the internship during the lockdown period, the readiness to join GE programs and also employment prospects in the future.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire survey was employed, and 1,445 USIM final year students participated in this study.
Findings
The findings reveal that USIM final year students are ready to perform their internship even during the lockdown period. Besides, the students are also ready to join GE programs conducted by USIM, even while COVID-19 pandemic still currently occurs. Meanwhile, for the employment prospects in the future, results show that they believed that the employment prospects in the future after COVID-19 is low. In addition, academic background and internship areas exacerbate COVID-19's impact on the perceptions of USIM final year students on the employment prospects in the future.
Originality/value
This study is believed to be a pioneering study in identifying the impact of COVID-19 on the GE. It also contributes by identifying students' readiness to perform their internship during lockdown period via work from home (WFH) approach as well as their perceptions on the employment prospects in the future.
Details
Keywords
Mohamed Asmy Bin Mohd Thas Thaker, Mustafa Omar Mohammed, Jarita Duasa and Moha Asri Abdullah
This paper aims to attempt to offer a viable alternative model of source of financing which is known as integrated cash waqf micro enterprises investment (ICWME-I) model for micro…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to attempt to offer a viable alternative model of source of financing which is known as integrated cash waqf micro enterprises investment (ICWME-I) model for micro enterprises in Malaysia.
Design/methodology/approach
The literature on the issues of accessing to finance faced by micro enterprises and cash waqf are reviewed critically and used in the attempt of proposing an alternative model.
Findings
The paper has developed ICWME-I model as a source of financing for micro enterprises. This model is expected to provide financial services by using cash waqf fund and involved the participatory contract between non-profit organization and micro enterprises. In addition, with the proposed model, there will be no collateral requirement, interest rate and other stringent requirements which usually imposed by existing conventional financial institutions.
Research limitations/implications
The paper is based on conceptual explorations of literature in the area of micro enterprises and cash waqf. This is a conceptual paper, so it did not use any empirical analysis.
Practical implications
The findings of this paper will provide micro enterprises with an alternative source of financing to start-up or expand their business by using cash waqf fund. The present study also has implications for government and policy makers. With the involvement of non-profit organization that is proposed in this model, it helps the government to reduce its expenses for the development of micro enterprises.
Originality/value
This paper offers an additional literature on cash waqf especially from the Malaysian context. Furthermore, this paper adds to the literature on waqf and cash waqf. The paper proposes a viable alternative model for micro enterprises as a source of financing by using cash waqf fund. This model incorporates Musharakah Mutanaqisah (diminishing partnership) as a financial arrangement between non-profit organization and micro enterprises.