Cheng Ling Tan and Sook Fern Yeo
In recent years, the traditional pastries industry has gained popularity among tourists due to the advantage of the pastries location at UNESCO Heritage city, Penang. However, the…
Abstract
Purpose
In recent years, the traditional pastries industry has gained popularity among tourists due to the advantage of the pastries location at UNESCO Heritage city, Penang. However, the little research focussed on this particular industry, and there is lack of evidence of the tourists' experience with the traditional pastries and how these attributes affect their revisit decision.
Design/methodology/approach
The study utilizes a qualitative research design to gain in-depth understanding on tourists' thought and their repurchase decision. Secondary data were collected via TripAdvisor with 68 tourists who visited the most popular three pastries shops namely, Him Heang, Ghee Hiang and Min Xiang Tai, which are later analysed using qualitative content analysis.
Findings
The findings revealed that tourists generally concerned about the service quality, value, brand image and atmospherics that could affect their repurchasing decision. Particularly, the staff service quality has been viewed as the upmost important attribute to influence the tourists' decision. Therefore, the pastries shops shall ensure that the staff who serve the tourists shall be well trained to satisfy the tourists' enquiry.
Research limitations/implications
The limitation concerning the interpretation of the secondary data based on the feedbacks and comments of the tourists may derive the bias possibility. Future research might consider the large-scale primary data to extend the findings.
Originality/value
Limited research exists on the tourists' experience which affects the repurchasing decision in pastries industry. This study provides valuable information for pastries shops and researchers interested in this area.
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To help banks maintain competitive advantages, bank workers must develop superior financial products and services that meet customers’ needs and expectations, and developing…
Abstract
Purpose
To help banks maintain competitive advantages, bank workers must develop superior financial products and services that meet customers’ needs and expectations, and developing customer service quality also merits closer attention. Research emphasizes that developing customer service quality has direct associations with not only individual career growth and development but also customer satisfaction, loyalty, retention. Thus, this research aims to explore how bank workers develop their customer service quality by investigating side effects (stress and satisfaction) on work attitudes (organizational commitment and employee performance) along with work experience acting as moderators (1) between organizational commitment and customer service quality and (2) between employee performance and customer service quality.
Design/methodology/approach
Researchers collected data from 650 Cambodian bank workers via a survey questionnaire. A path analysis technique was used to analyze the data.
Findings
Results revealed that bank commitment was significantly influenced by stress and satisfaction. Next, employee performance was significantly influenced by bank commitment, stress and satisfaction. Meanwhile, customer service quality was significantly influenced by bank commitment and employee performance. Finally, work experience moderated both relationships (1) between bank commitment and customer service quality and (2) between employee performance and customer service quality.
Originality/value
Although significant side effects of stress and satisfaction on worker behavior in various industries, not my researchers have investigated how side effects of stress and satisfaction influence work attitudes (commitment and performance) which develop customer service quality in banking industry, along with work experience as a moderator.
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Sook Fern Yeo, Cheng Ling Tan, Irene Yoke Chu Leong, Dario Natale Palmucci and Yu Jian Then
This study aims to investigate the factors that influence young consumers' purchase intention towards dietary supplements (DS) in Malaysia.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the factors that influence young consumers' purchase intention towards dietary supplements (DS) in Malaysia.
Design/methodology/approach
The supplement industry in Malaysia has been growing rapidly recently due to a paradigm shift in healthcare management, from curative to prevention. Thus, it has sparked interest to conduct a study on the factors that influence young consumers' purchase intentions towards DS. With a response rate of 74.5%, a survey questionnaire was used to elicit data from 149 Gen-Y respondents who consume supplements on a regular basis.
Findings
The results revealed that the influencing factors towards purchase decisions among these Gen-Y respondents aged between 17 and 25 are based on product knowledge and product quality. The implications of these findings and directions for future research are outlined at the end of this paper.
Originality/value
This study offers empirical insights from the perspective of an emerging digital economy on the factors that influence young consumers' purchase intentions towards DS in Malaysia.
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Gu-Hong Lin, Cheng-An Chuang, Cheng Ling Tan, Sook Fern Yeo and Fan-Yi Wu
Refractory materials are now used in all major industries that demand high-temperature resistance, including petrochemicals, steel, cement and aviation. Businesses must decrease…
Abstract
Purpose
Refractory materials are now used in all major industries that demand high-temperature resistance, including petrochemicals, steel, cement and aviation. Businesses must decrease operating costs, enhance product technology, sell well and manage corporate risks in decision-making, notably supplier selection, to be more competitive. The study aims to determine the key criteria and factors of supplier selection and to evaluate the importance of the key factor of the supplier selection criteria for the refractory materials manufacturers in Taiwan.
Design/methodology/approach
Analytical hierarchy process (AHP) is used to rank these factors for the decision maker. The AHP method is suitable for verifying refractory supplier selection criteria and providing references. The weighted loss scores for each supplier are then determined using the relative importance as the weights. Supplier selection criteria are ranked using their aggregate weighted loss scores. The provider with the lowest loss score should be chosen.
Findings
Product quality is the most significant of the five criteria: product quality, production technology, logistics capacity, service capability and supplier background. Professionalism is the most significant aspect of product quality, whereas equipment and capacity are vital in manufacturing techniques. The studies also show that the delivery rate is essential for logistics and service capabilities.
Practical implications
This research has important implications for refractory suppliers in promptly fine-tuning the production and service to enhance customer satisfaction, which is key to business sustainability.
Originality/value
The application of an AHP technique to a real-world industrial issue is what makes this research unique. This research addressed one of the most critical topics in supply chain operations by offering better judgement for supplier selection via the use of suitable quantitative methodologies.
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Cheng Ling Tan, Zhongkai Tei, Sook Fern Yeo, Kee-Hung Lai, Ajay Kumar and Leanne Chung
Digital transformation (DT) in the semiconductor industry goes beyond traditional business operations and supply chain management (OSCM) to the digital world. Despite significant…
Abstract
Purpose
Digital transformation (DT) in the semiconductor industry goes beyond traditional business operations and supply chain management (OSCM) to the digital world. Despite significant developments in recent years, blockchain implementations for OSCM remain relatively underdeveloped in the semiconductor industry. Therefore, this research aims to examine the relationships between blockchain visibility, supply chain integration (SCI) and supply chain performance (SCP) in the era of DT in Malaysia's semiconductor industry to shed light on this emerging area.
Design/methodology/approach
A convenience sampling of 71 operations and supply chain managers attached to semiconductor manufacturing firms in Malaysia were invited to participate in a survey. In assessing blockchain visibility within the industry, key terms namely business intelligence gathering, information exchange, information technology (IT) and knowledge of asset status, were conceptualised from the literature review. The questionnaires developed to collect data were validated by industry and academic experts.
Findings
The results from the analysis confirmed that SCI mediates the link between blockchain visibility (information exchange, business intelligence gathering and knowledge asset status) and SCP. Likewise, the importance-performance matrix analysis (IPMA) outcomes revealed that IT played a minor role. The results suggested that semiconductor manufacturers should pay less attention to IT since this was identified as having the least priority towards improvement.
Practical implications
The outcomes from this research enable policymakers to strategise and integrate blockchain technology in the era of DT to ensure sustainable SCM in the semiconductor industry in Malaysia.
Originality/value
The research bridge the knowledge gap by revealing the value that blockchain visibility can facilitate SCP and explore SCI as the prevailing factor and demonstrates how Resource-Based Theory and Network Theory can be applied in this study.
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Lacking lecturers in higher education is an international issue where society faces insufficient educational services to enlighten one’s future, and lecturer work satisfaction…
Abstract
Purpose
Lacking lecturers in higher education is an international issue where society faces insufficient educational services to enlighten one’s future, and lecturer work satisfaction also merits higher attention. Work satisfaction is closely associated with turnover rates, lecturer retention, overall university cohesion, lecturers’ well-being, professional teaching improvement and research and publication performances. This study aims to explore how causes of actions (work–family conflict [WFC] and workload) influence consequences (stress and burnout) which affect the overall attitude (lecturer work satisfaction).
Design/methodology/approach
Researchers collected data from 450 Thai lecturers from different universities via survey questionnaires. Furthermore, a structural equation model method was used to analyze the data.
Findings
Results showed that lecturer stress was significantly influenced by WFC and workload. Next, stress, workload and WFC were the main predictors of lecturer burnout. Then, lecturer work satisfaction was significantly influenced by burnout, except stress. Finally, a relationship between lecturer stress and work satisfaction was mediated by burnout.
Originality/value
This research proposes a theoretical mechanism to analyze how causes of actions (WFC and workload) influence consequences (stress and burnout) which lead to a development of lecturer attitude (work satisfaction) in higher education.
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Sook Fern Yeo, Cheng Ling Tan and Yen-Nee Goh
This study aims to investigate the link of functional service quality (hospital’s reputation, administrative procedures, trustworthiness, patient-care provider relationship and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the link of functional service quality (hospital’s reputation, administrative procedures, trustworthiness, patient-care provider relationship and waiting time), satisfaction and patient loyalty on the obstetrics services in private health-care in Malaysia.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 419 mothers who had obtained obstetrics services had participated in this study in a continuous and coordinated manner. The study was conducted in 10 private hospitals in Malaysia throughout April 2018.
Findings
Results show that providing excellent service had increased the level of patient satisfaction and achieved patient loyalty. Patients tend to switch to other obstetricians if they are unhappy with the current services that are being offered. The findings showed that patient satisfaction was found to be mediating the relationship between hospital reputation and patient loyalty; trustworthiness and patient loyalty; patient care relationship and patient loyalty; and waiting time and patient loyalty. However, this study also found that administrative procedures do not influence patient satisfaction significantly.
Practical implications
The outcome of this study able to assist the management of the private hospitals to have more operational and practical strategies that would enhance their service quality for the betterment in their services for their patients in this competitive industry.
Originality/value
This paper provides patients’ perception of their loyalty towards obstetrics services offered by private hospitals in Malaysia.
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Sook Fern Yeo, Cheng Ling Tan, Ming-Lang Tseng, Steven Tam and Weng Kuan San
In recent years, consumers today recognise organic foods as high-quality products which can benefit them in various aspects. The tendency to switch consumption behaviours from…
Abstract
Purpose
In recent years, consumers today recognise organic foods as high-quality products which can benefit them in various aspects. The tendency to switch consumption behaviours from conventional to ecological food products or organic food has largely been due to the claims that organic crops are grown in eco-friendly and sustainable environments. Thus, the study highlighted unique results on young consumers' purchasing intentions from a new perspective. The paper aims to investigate the factors influencing consumers' purchase decision towards organic food, particularly amongst Generation Y consumers.
Design/methodology/approach
The underlying fuzzy set theory is employed to handle the fuzziness of consumers' perceptions since the attributes are usually expressed in linguistic preferences. Overall, the study focussed on five important aspects – health consciousness, environmental concern, social influencing and ethical concern – that also include twenty criteria that had been identified and introduced after a thorough review of related literature.
Findings
The results reveal that the most important criteria in the selected firm are environment protection, chemical instrument, buying attitude and animal testing. In comparison, the cause group includes criteria such as environment protection, natural food and support for training programmes, whilst the effect group includes production practices, monitoring protections and ethically produced food.
Research limitations/implications
The sample collection from the study focussed on Generation Y consumers who consume organic food in Malaysia. This could lead to the limitation towards external generalisability. The study will provide numerous advantages to the communities. The policy maker should develop a proper marketing strategy to promote organic food as food that is healthier, better in nutrition and safer for society.
Originality/value
Utilising fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) in analysing the fuzziness of consumers' perceptions towards consumers' purchase decision can be expected to expand the breadth of knowledge to both academic and practical.