bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Employment of Repeated Narrative Writing by a Teacher in Coping with Social Rejection and Behavior Problems of One of Her Sixth-Grade Students
Authors: Tal Clodie , Meyma Hind
Published: April 2022

This study examined a teacher’s use of repeated narrative writing (RNW) based on Pennebaker’s expressive writing method to cope with emotionally loaded incidents related to social rejection and behavior problems of a sixth-grade student in Israel. An analysis of 28 narratives written by the homeroom teacher and an extended narrative written by the student herself at the end of the school year revealed that RNW helped the teacher overcome helplessness, regulate negative feelings toward the student, and form an emergent plan for coping with the student’s difficulties. The teacher’s plan included enhancement of the teacher’s relationships with the student, her peers, other teachers, the school principal, and the student’s parents. At the end of the school year, the student was better integrated in the class, learned to trust the teacher, and lean on her for support, and showed improved academic performance.
Hume’s “Third Way”: A Pareto Optimal Account of Convention
Authors: Prokic Uros ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: April 2022

This inquiry critically assesses previous research utilizing a game theory framework to understand Hume’s account of convention as the tangible expression of justice for the purpose of regulating possessions. In so doing, this research offers an alternative understanding of Humean convention that first clearly lays out the rules and main assumptions of the game, as presented in A Treatise of Human Nature, and then proceeds to analyze the implied optimal strategy and outcome. Rejecting commonly held views considering Humean convention in terms of the Nash equilibrium and pure contractarianism, this research offers a novel middle approach—a “Third Way” between self-interest and sympathy, between cooperation versus non-cooperation, and ultimately between contractarianism versus utilitarianism. This “Third Way”conceives of Hume’s account of convention as a cooperative game with binding threats that necessarily always rests on the Pareto optimal strategy, and seeks a resulting Pareto optimal outcome.
Craig Carter on Creatio ex Nihilo and Classical Theism
Authors: Hollingsworth Andrew , Steffaniak Jordan L. ,   Evangelical Philosophical Society
Published: April 2022

In several recent publications, Craig A. Carter argues that classical theism is the only model of God that can consistently affirm the Christian doctrine of creatio ex nihilo (that God creates from nothing). He claims that because competing models of God deny true transcendence of God they cannot affirm creatio ex nihilo. We argue that Carter’s claim is false and that his argument is both unclear and fallacious. We further argue that creatio ex nihilo is consistent with other models of God, and we argue this by demonstrating the coherence between the doctrine and two competing models of God: neoclassical theism and open theism.
Must God Create the Best Available Creatures?
Authors: Boone Mark J. ,   Evangelical Philosophical Society
Published: April 2022

Alvin Plantinga rightly challenged J. L. Mackie’s assumption that an omnipotent God can directly create just any possible world. However, Mackie also assumed that God, given the option, must create a person who would freely choose rightly rather than one who would freely choose wrongly. Instead of challenging this assumption, Plantinga suggests that every possible free creature would have sinned had God created them, an idea I consider highly improbable. More importantly, under Mackie’s assumption, for almost all conceivable arrangements of the counterfactuals of creaturely freedom, this assumption renders libertarian free will impossible for nearly every possible creature.
On Whether There Are Grounds for Worship
Authors: Lougheed Kirk ,   Evangelical Philosophical Society
Published: April 2022

I explore a novel defense of the duty to worship God based on the idea that it is what’s best for us. I argue that this should be understood as the claim that humans are required to do what’s best when (a) there is a best option available; (b) the best option is identifiable; and (c) the best option is feasible. One virtue of this account is that it can explain how a duty to worship God is defeasible. I show this by appealing to a recent concept developed by Chris Tucker called motivated submaximization.
Craig’s God Cannot Create a Temporal Universe
Authors: Wielenberg Erik J. ,   Evangelical Philosophical Society
Published: April 2022

William Lane Craig’s inuential kalam cosmological argument concludes that the universe has a cause of its beginning (the “first cause”). Craig provides some supplementary reasoning to suggest that the first cause is God—a God that exists timelessly without the universe and temporally with the universe. I argue that Craig’s hypothesis about the nature of the first cause is impossible. In particular, it cannot be the case that God timelessly wills to create the universe and the universe begins to exist.
God, Time, and Creation
Authors: Craig William Lane ,   Evangelical Philosophical Society
Published: April 2022

R. T. Mullins has questioned the tenability of a model of divine eternity according to which God exists timelessly sans creation and temporally since the moment of creation. His puzzlement about the model can be largely resolved by recognizing that two different understandings of causation may be applied to the origin of the universe, a medieval understanding of efficient causation by a causal agent and a modern understanding of causation as a relation between two events. Mullins’s more fundamental reservations about a relational theory of time can be resolved by allowing an event to occur at a moment or by defining “change” in such a way that a change need not occur over two moments of time. Finally, Mullins needs to do more to justify his own model involving an undifferentiated, successionless, precreation time.
Ralph Cudworth’s Divine Conceptualism and the Bootstrapping Objection
Authors: Akin Zachary Adam ,   Evangelical Philosophical Society
Published: April 2022

In this paper, I defend divine conceptualism against one prominent critique from William Lane Craig in his book God and Abstract Objects. Craig argues that the divine conceptualist’s only way out of the “bootstrapping objection” results in an unpalatable concession of defeat to the metaphysical anti-realist. Craig’s argument depends on an analysis whereby God is causally or logically prior to the divine concepts. As such, the conceptualist may resist it by adopting—following Ralph Cudworth—a version of divine conceptualism which does not construe the relationship between God and His thoughts as one of either causal or logical priority.
Catching Hold of Christ’s Humility
Authors: Blander Joshua ,   Evangelical Philosophical Society
Published: April 2022

The increased attention paid to the virtue of humility in recent years has revealed much interest in severing humility from its theological roots and commitments. In their recent books, Kent Dunnington and Michael Austin offer distinctively Christian approaches to, and accounts of, humility. Dunnington offers a strongly Augustinian proposal which focuses on recognizing our complete dependence on God, while Austin argues for a Christological account, rooted in the New Testament, that emphasizes other-directedness. Despite important differences between their projects, their Christian methodological convictions offer great value for future discussion of Christian humility.
Late Miocene Conidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of Crete (Greece). Part 2
Authors: Psarras Christos , Merle Didier , Koskeridou Efterpi
Published: April 2022

Late Miocene Conidae of Crete (Greece) have recently been evaluated for the genera Conilithes and Conus (Kalloconus). We continue this first inventory of the Miocene Conidae from Crete by discussing the genera Conus (Lautoconus), Conus (Stephanoconus), Conus (Plagioconus) and two species, not attributed to a subgenus of Conus. With the use of UV light, we recognized 17 species, of which five are new: Conus (Lautoconus) ictini sp. nov., Conus (Lautoconus) lauriatragei sp. nov., Conus (Lautoconus) damianakisi sp. nov., Conus (Stephanoconus) moissettei sp. nov. and Conus davolii sp. nov. Six species are first reported in the Late Miocene of Greece: Conus (Lautoconus) cf. baldichieri Borson, 1820, Conus (Stephanoconus) cf. taurinensis Bellardi & Michelotti, 1841, Conus fuscocingulatus Hörnes 1851, Conus (Plagioconus) elatus Michelotti, 1847 and Conus (Plagioconus) aquensis d’Orbigny, 1852. Six species are left in open nomenclature.
GPU Modeling of Ship Operations in Pack Ice
Authors: Daley Claude , Alawneh Shadi , Peters Dennis , Quinton Bruce , Colbourne Bruce
Published: April 2022

The paper explores the use of an event-mechanics approach to assess vessel performance in pack ice. The methodology is developed using massively parallel programming strategies on a GPU enabled workstation. A set of simulation domains, each containing hundreds of discrete and interacting ice floes is modeled. A simple vessel is modeled as it navigates through the domains. Each ship-ice collision is modeled, as is every ice-ice contact. Time histories of resistance, speed and position are presented along with the parametric sensitivities. The results are compared to published data from analytical, numerical and scale model tests. The work is part of a large research project at Memorial University called STePS2 (Sustainable Technology for Polar Ships and Structures).
An Algorithm to Estimate the Thickness of Broken Arctic Ice Using an Image
Authors: Nam Jong-Ho , Park Inha , Lee Ho-Jin , Seo Young Gyo , Choi Kyungsik
Published: April 2022

The thickness of ice is the major factor affecting the rapid and safe cruise of icebreaking vessels. Unfortunately, measuring the ice thickness has been known to be a difficult task. An approach to measure the ice thickness by analyzing the video clips of ice breaking is introduced. From a series of still shots, the broken section of the ice is identified using image processing techniques such as conversion of color space, edge detection, boundary motion, and various digital smoothing filters. The algorithm developed is verified by comparing the results with measured data.
Beaufort Sea Ice Drift Forecasting On-Board the CCGS Amundsen
Authors: Turnbull Ian D. , Pilkington Roger
Published: April 2022

In August 2011, five ice drift forecast models developed in-house were tested on-board the CCGS Amundsen in the southeastern Beaufort Sea west of Banks Island, Northwest Territories. A discussion of the model methodologies and the data inputs to the models are presented. Sample model drift plots from August 15-19, using one of the models, are presented, using both forecast and measured winds. Comparison of forecast versus measured winds for August 16-24 is given. Tables of model result errors compared with measured drift for August 16-24 are shown, using both measured and forecast winds.
Response of IACS URI Ship Structures to Real-time Full-scale Operational Ice Loads Bruce Quinton
Authors: Quinton Bruce W.T. , Daley Claude G. , Gagnon Robert E.
Published: April 2022

Moving ice loads can incite significantly different structural responses in a steel grillage structure than can stationary ice loads. This is significant because the accepted standard for the design and analysis of ice-classed ship structures is to assume a stationary ice load (IACS URI I2.3.1). The following work utilizes the 4D Pressure Method ((Quinton, Daley, and Gagnon 2012)) to apply thirty-five of the most significant ice loads recorded during the USCGC Polar Sea trials (1982-86), to fourteen IACS URI PC1-7 classed grillages; using explicit finite element analyses. Two grillage variations for each of the seven PC classes were examined: grillages with "built T" framing and grillages with "flatbar" framing. In short, the following simulations directly employ real-time/real-space measured full-scale ice loads, and thus provide insight into the structural capabilities of the various IACS URI polar classes when subject to actual (moving) ice loads.
Load Transmission to Foundation of GBS – Dynamic Loading
Authors: Masterson D. M.
Published: April 2022

When calculating the effects of dynamic or time varying ice loads applied to an offshore structure such as a bottom founded gravity base structure (GBS), it is of prime interest to know what percentage of the ice load applied at the waterline is transmitted to the foundation. The inertia and damping of the GBS will result in attenuation of the applied load and only some fraction of it may “reach” the foundation. This paper addresses this issue in a preliminary manner using stiffness and mass parameters appropriate for the Molikpaq as it was installed at Amauligak in 1986.
“Del folklorismo musical” de Alejo Carpentier: sobre el ensayo y sus grietas
Authors: Garí Barceló Bernat
Published: April 2022

La reflexión que sigue trata de visibilizar uno de los ensayos musicales menos conocidos de Alejo Carpentier: “Del folklorismo musical”, publicado junto a otros escritos en el volumen Tientos y diferencias en 1966. Se trata de un texto breve, de apenas quince páginas, que logra, sin embargo, definir de manera nítida las coordenadas en las que se tensiona la propuesta teórica del autor. Por su concisión y por su poder de penetración el ensayo consigue sintetizar las claves de lectura de otros textos menos accesibles, como La música en Cuba, más aún, revela las limitaciones y aporías que Carpentier dejó sin resolver en su intento de redirigir la antropología de Fernando Ortiz y las teorías musicales de Sánchez de Fuentes hacia una musicología menos esencialista. A lo largo de mi recorrido rastrearé este proceso para mostrar que el camino tomado por Carpentier era irremediablemente aporético, acaso porque asumió inconscientemente el registro de sus precursores o, tal vez, porque, en el fondo, no llegó a desembarazarse de los presupuestos sobre la cubanía que aterrizan en el seno del Grupo Minorista cubano a finales de los años veinte.
Assessment of resilience in codes, standards, regulations, and best practices for buildings and infrastructure systems
Authors: McAllister Therese P , Walker Richard F Jr , Baker Amy
Published: April 2022

A high-level review was conducted of design criteria in the United States for major components of the built environment for selected design and construction codes, reference standards, and best practices. The intent of the review is to gauge the expected performance of current building and infrastructure design from a community resilience perspective for natural hazard events. Design criteria that support community resilience were evaluated, including design hazard characterization, expected performance, recovery of function, interdependency issues, and emerging methods. The impact of changing environmental conditions on infrastructure design and performance was also examined, and areas needing improvement are identified. The review focused on design criteria related to flood, wind, and seismic hazards. Likewise, the systems of the built environment reviewed include buildings, water and wastewater systems, electrical power systems, and transportation systems. Although community resilience depends on the performance of existing buildings and infrastructure, this report focuses on design criteria for new construction to inform future codes, standards, regulations, and best practices. Technical topics to improve the performance and recovery of the built environment for a range of hazard types and to advance the methods and tools available to support resilient systems and communities for stakeholders are identified. The target audience of this report includes industry associations, design professionals, community building code officials, community and city planners, and researchers.
Keynes’ Consumption Theory: A Reevaluation According to the Islamic Perspective
Authors:   Islamic Development Management Study Center (ISDEV), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Hainnur Aqma Rahim  , Zakaria Bahari  ,   Islamic Development Management Study Center (ISDEV), Universiti Sains Malaysia
Published: April 2022

Keynes Consumption Theory assumes that the household will increase its consumption if the income is increased and some of the income is saved. Although increased consumption will increase the household demand that can then contribute to economic growth, uncontrollable consumption increase spurred by increased income will lead to various negative implications, such as poverty, imbalanced income gap and deficit. The question is, does the household increase in consumption necessarily correlate with the increase in income? Next is, how does this theory square with the perspective of Islam particularly in terms of unused income? This paper carries two purposes. The first is that, it looks into Keynes’ consumption theory and the function of the household consumption based on Islam. Secondly, it analyzes the difference between Keynes’ consumption theory and the function of the Islamic consumption. The research for this paper relied on the qualitative approach using secondary data. The data were then analyzed using content analysis. The research outcome indicates that an increase in income does not automatically lead to an increase in consumption just as increase in consumption is not the direct result of income increase. Secondly, income increase provides for the opportunity to save and an opportunity to contribute to charity in the path of God rather than an increase in consumption. This is especially true for Muslim households.
“Not Just a House to Honour God”: Mosques in the Malay World as Cosmopolitan Spaces
Authors:   Georgetown University, Khairudin Aljunied
Published: April 2022

This article argues that mosques are not just devotional places but also projections of the cosmopolitan temperaments of Muslims in the Malay world. This is evidenced, first, in the aesthetics and architecture of the mosques that draw upon so many religious and cultural traditions. I then show how the close proximity between mosques and other places of worship and the sharing of sacred spaces have ensured the continued vitality of cosmopolitanism among Muslims and non-Muslims in the Malay World. For many generations, mosques have functioned as sites that sustain the spirit of mutual tolerance and cooperation between Muslims and adherents of other faiths to ensure the safety and welfare of their communities. In his study of mosques in Europe, Roemer van Toorn noted that a mosque ‘is not just a house to honour God, but a place to come together, a collective space for the community. In short, a mosque as a space can provide a counterweight to the “public” space of the individualized and consuming human being (2009, p.112). I would extend this illuminating reflection further to argue that mosques in the Malay World are also places that enable different faiths, persuasions, ideologies and temperaments to interact, collaborate, amalgamate and appreciate the beauty of the Muslim belief, giving rise to a dynamic and peaceful environment. To demonstrate this point, I will first dissect the aesthetics of the mosque. This is followed by an examination of the tolerance and cooperation between the worshippers at these mosques and devotees of other faiths at nearby religious sites. I delve into the inclusive nature of mosques, allowing non-Muslims to utilise the space for their own purposes. Before making the case for us to begin to view mosques as cosmopolitan spaces, I recount, in very broad strokes, the evolution of mosque building in the Malay World. The wide scope of the topic would not allow me (or anyone) to discuss in vivid detail the history of all mosques in the Malay World. What I hope to provide here is a sketch for reflection, a macroscopic view that would encourage us to see the forest apart from the trees, so to speak, in the path to cement the point that mosques are indeed reflections, expressions, manifestations, representations and symbols of cosmopolitanism.
The Smuggling Activity and Irregular Migration to Malaysia: A Case Study of the Muslim Rohingya from Myanmar
Authors:   Universiti Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Institute of Marine Engineering Technology (UniKL MIMET), Aizat Khairi  , Andika Abdul Wahab  ,   Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Published: April 2022

This study describes the smuggling activity and irregular migration to Malaysia performed by the Muslim Rohingyas from Myanmar. The Rohingyas become refugees due to a long history of systematic persecution and discrimination in their place of origin, particularly the Rakhine State. Their irregular migration from Myanmar to Malaysia has been made possible by the presence of smuggling networks whose appearances are not well understood given their clandestine and complex nature of activities. The quantitative research method was used to collect secondary and primary data. Secondary data was collected from various sources including library study, newspapers and websites. Meanwhile, primary data were collected using the method of survey. The respondents have been chosen randomly of 48 Rohingya refugees in the area of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. As result, the smuggling activity and irregular migration of the Rohingya refugees to Malaysia were influenced by the smuggler called Dalal. The Dalal has played five major roles as a recruiter, creditor, travel assistance, interpreter, and broker in their smuggling business activities. This study suggests that the Malaysian government should address the irregular migration and migrant smuggling in terms of the people-centered approach that favors not only the state’s security but also the well-being, dignity, and freedom of the people at large.
Dinar dan Dirham: Satu Kajian Terhadap Piawai Ukur Nilai Barangan dan Perkhidmatan pada Zaman Nabi Muhammad S.A.W.
Authors:   Fakulti Keusahawanan dan Perniagaan, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Khaulah Hilaluddin  , Mohd Nazri, M.  ,   Fakulti Keusahawanan dan Perniagaan, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan
Published: April 2022

Kajian ini membincangkan tentang kesesuaian dinar emas dan dirham perak sebagai alat ukur nilai semua jenis barangan dan perkhidmatan. Menurut sejarah Islam, logam ini diperakui fungsinya sebagai alat ukur nilai sejak dahulu lagi. Jadi, persoalan kajian di sini ialah bagaimana kedua-dua logam ini diaplikasikan sebagai alat ukur nilai pada zaman Nabi Muhammad S.A.W. Kajian ini menggunakan teknik pengumpulan data secara kualitatif dengan menganalisis hadis Baginda S.A.W. Akhirnya, dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa dua logam tersebut adalah dijamin nilainya (kalis inflasi) dan sesuai dijadikan sebagai piawai ukur nilai barangan dan perkhidmatan sepanjang zaman untuk kebajikan dan kesejahteraan semua manusia.
Pengaplikasian Etika Kerja Islam oleh Pengamal Perhubungan Awam di Organisasi Berteraskan Islam di Malaysia
Authors:   Pusat Pengajian Komunikasi, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Nur Nasliza Arina, M.N.  , Jamilah, A.  ,   Pusat Pengajian Komunikasi, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Published: April 2022

Pengamal perhubungan awam merupakan perantara atau mediator di antara organisasi dengan publik. Dengan itu etika merupakan di antara elemen terpenting untuk dititikberatkan oleh pengamal perhubungan awam dalam menjalankan tugasnya. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji pengaplikasian Etika Kerja Islam (EKI) oleh pengamal perhubungan awam serta bagaimanakah EKI boleh membantu dan mempengaruhi pengamal perhubungan awam menjalankan tugas secara beretika. Kajian ini menggunakan kaedah penyelidikan kualitatif melalui temu bual mendalam secara bersemuka beserta penelitian dokumen untuk tujuan tringulasi. Bagi temu bual mendalam secara bersemuka, responden yang terlibat merupakan 10 orang pengamal perhubungan awam yang bertugas di organisasi berteraskan Islam di Malaysia. Manakala, penelitian dokumen pula melibatkan penelitian ke atas laman web rasmi organisasi serta laporan tahunan dan buletin bulanan organisasi yang bertujuan mengesahkan dapatan kajian yang diperolehi melalui temu bual mendalam. Hasil kajian mendapati, pengaplikasian EKI oleh pengamal perhubungan awam adalah bertepatan dengan konsep dan idea EKI yang dibincangkan oleh para tokoh dan sarjana terkemuka EKI. Hasil kajian juga mendapati, EKI memberikan pengaruh positif dalam amalan perhubungan awam dari sudut profesionalisma, motivasi diri, kualiti kerja serta integriti diri pengamal perhubungan awam itu sendiri.
Indonesian Muslim Women: Jihad, Radicalism, Terrorism
Authors:   Faculty of Social and Political Sciences Hasanuddin University, Makassar, South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia, Seniwati
Published: April 2022

This study aimed to explore the understanding of Indonesian Muslim women regarding jihad, radicalism, and terrorism. The study found that women have an understanding that terrorism is all forms of adverse action, carried out in a structured and grouped manner. They understand that all forms of terrorism activities usually have goals to be achieved and are based on religious or ideological understandings that are considered correct according to terrorist groups. Muslim women try to minimize this Islamophobia through improving understanding for themselves, their family, and community. The involvement of Muslim women in supporting counter-terrorism can be one of the strategies to create an atmosphere of peace in the community. Muslim women realize that the perpetrators of acts of terror in carrying out their actions sometimes act in the name of religion, even though there is no religion, including Islam, that legalizes the killing of fellow human beings and actions that cause damage to the environment. Therefore, one way to counter-terrorism according to Muslim women is by improving the mindset starting from themselves and their family. A person's actions originate from the mindset, which is why the mindset must be fixed first, before preventing the doctrines of misguided notions.
Integrating Qur’anic Stories Into English Language Teaching: Voices From Indonesia
Authors:   English Education Department, State Islamic Institute of (IAIN) Metro, Indonesia, Dedi Irwansyah  , Yuniarti  ,   English Education Department, State Islamic Institute of (IAIN) Metro, Indonesia
Published: April 2022

The Qur’an, which includes Qur’anic stories, has been a primary reading text for Muslim learners. Within the growing concern of contextual learning materials, discussion on how Qur’anic stories may have contributed to the English language teaching (ELT) area is still under research. This interdisciplinary study investigates the voices of English practitioners and experts in Islamic education and Qur’anic studies about the usability of Qur’anic stories in ELT. Their voices were used as the basis for designing a learning material prototype. Seventeen English practitioners from three cities in Indonesia, one expert in the field of Islamic education, and two experts in the field of Qur’anic studies were involved in this developmental research. The findings of the research show that Qur’anic stories deserve a place in ELT when they are equipped with reflective thinking activities, appropriate language level, proper assessment system, self-generated illustration, and proper transliteration of Islamic terms. It is recommended that Qur’anic stories be taught within the approach of teaching literature as a resource stressing the morality aspect of the stories.
Modern Age Piracy in the Arabian Gulf:Rereading Narrative of Hegemony
Authors:   College of Humanities and Social Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, De Man, A.
Published: April 2022

A spur for this text was the rereading of a seminal work, written by ruler of the emirate of Sharjah, on the British accusations of piracy by the Qawasim during the modern period. The book represents an important advance in historiography, challenging a narrative according to which the East India Company had needed assistance against the aggression of supposed pirates in the Gulf area, during the transition from the 18th to the 19th century. This also recalls a number of similar allegations that were used since Antiquity, in many previous occurrences, expressing standard forms of propaganda, usually in order to argue for the swift deployment of military assets. It might be useful to provide an overview of comparable historical situations, in which claims of piracy functioned as a political spin in larger attempts for hegemony.
Hope at the Height of Covid-19 Crisis in Hendrick’s Poem: A Pragmatic Study
Authors:   Department of English, College of Education, Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq, Fareed Hameed Al-Hindawi  , Walaꞌa Hashim Mohammed  ,   Department of English, College of Education for Humanities, Babylon University, Hillah, Iraq
Published: April 2022

Though defining literariness is problematic, literary works are definitely known for making special use of language. Their main aim is to convey certain messages. In relation to pragmatics, the implied messages in literary works are shaped and interpreted by the collaborative utilization of pragmatic notions, such as relevance theory and others, by both writers and readers. Concerning poems, literary devices play a central role in the processes of their writing and interpreting. Hendrick , a priest and a poet, has had a message of hope to convey by a piece of literature, his “lockdown” poem. The intended message for him is to give hope on the current issue of COVID-19. COVID-19 is one of the highly effective global disasters of the age. It has made people depressed and hopeless. For its unprecedented fame and influence on people, the poem is chosen for investigation. Also, though it is possible that readers generally may fail in interpreting literary works, it seems that people could reach the intentions of the poet successfully and, thus, react deeply to it. The study, therefore, aims at showing the poetic effect of Hendrick’s poem and how the audience could reach the intended meaning. It investigates how the pragmatic theory of relevance contributes in shaping messages and directing people to grasp them. The study also tries to raise the awareness of people on the different literary devices that convey implied meaning and contribute in guiding readers to grasp the optimal relevant interpretation of literary works.
Negotiating Halal Crimes: The Use of Block-Chain Technology
Authors:   Research Centre for Quran and Sunnah, Faculty of Islamic Studies Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Mohd Farhan Md Ariffin  , Mohammad Fahmi Abdul Hamid  ,   Academy of Contemporary Islamic Studies Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Melaka, Malaysia
Published: April 2022

For Muslim societies, the issues of halal and non-halal products are of very sensitive nature. Unfortunately, there has been a worrying increase in halal crimes in recent years and there appears to be no end in sight to this issue. For this reason, the application of block-chain technology may be useful for dealing with this issue in Malaysia. The objective of this research is to examine the practicality of leveraging block-chain technology to prevent halal crimes. A systematic review on relevant research publication on this issue was conducted and results from the review indicate that there is a huge potential in leveraging block-chain technology to benefit the halal industry as well as preventing halal crimes at grass root level.
Kesan Modul Literasi Awal Terhadap Pencapaian Kemahiran Literasi Awal Bagi Kanak-Kanak Taska
Authors:   Fakulti Pembangunan Manusia, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Zainiah Mohamed Isa  , Juppri Bacotang  ,   Fakulti Psikologi dan Pendidikan, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Mazlina Che Mustafa  ,   Fakulti Pembangunan Manusia, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris
Published: April 2022

Kajian ini dijalankan untuk mengenal pasti kesan Modul Literasi Awal (Modul Lit-A) terhadap pencapaian kemahiran literasi awal bagi kanak-kanak TASKA yang berumur 2+ dan 3+ tahun. Kajian ini berbentuk kuantitatif yang menggunakan kaedah kuasi eksperimen, iaitu Reka Bentuk Ujian Pra-Pasca bagi Kumpulan-kumpulan Tidak Seimbang. Kajian ini melibatkan sampel kanak-kanak berumur 2+ dan 3+ tahun yang berjumlah 95 orang kanak-kanak. Kanak-kanak dibahagikan kepada dua kumpulan, iaitu kumpulan rawatan seramai 45 kanak-kanak yang menggunakan Modul Lit-A, dan kumpulan kawalan seramai 50 kanak-kanak yang menggunakan pembelajaran biasa. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan Modul Lit-A dapat meningkatkan kemahiran literasi awal secara keseluruhan bagi kanak-kanak berumur 2+ tahun secara signifikan, tetapi tidak signifikan bagi kanak-kanak berumur 3+ tahun. Namun begitu, dapatan mengikut komponen kemahiran literasi awal menunjukkan Modul Lit-A memberi kesan yang signifikan berbeza mengikut umur kanak-kanak. Bagi kanak-kanak berumur 2+ tahun, Modul Lit-A dapat meningkatkan komponen bahasa dan komunikasi, konsep cetakan dan cetakan persekitaran, dan fonemik dan fonetik secara signifikan, manakala bagi kanak-kanak berumur 3+ tahun Modul Lit-A dapat meningkatkan komponen fonemik dan fonetik, dan tulisan awal secara signifikan. Implikasi kajian menunjukkan peringkat perkembangan literasi awal berbeza mengikut umur kanak-kanak kerana kanak-kanak berumur 2+ tahun berfokus kepada perkembangan bahasa dan pemunculan literasi, sementara kanak-kanak berumur 3+ tahun berfokus kepada peringkat perkembangan pemunculan literasi dan literasi awal. Kajian ini mencadangkan supaya bahasa dan komunikasi, bacaan dan kefahaman naratif, dan koloborasi teknologi maklumat dan komunikasi diberikan perhatian dalam pembelajaran kemahiran literasi awal kanak-kanak bagi penyediaan modal insan ke arah abad ke-21.
Impact of Audit Firm Characteristics on Audit Quality: A Study of Business Sustainability Strategy
Authors:   Faculty of Industrial Management, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Muhammad Shabir Shaharudin  , Anwar Allah Pitchay  ,   School of Management, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Yuvaraj Ganesan  ,   Graduate School of Business, University Sains Malaysia
Published: April 2022

The aim of this paper is to investigate the impact of audit characteristics such as, audit firm size, audit fees, non-audit fees and audit firm age on Audit Quality (AQ) of the Malaysian Listed Companies. The research design of this study is quantitative analysis based on the secondary data and the unit of analysis is the organizational level. This study employs a cross‐sectional regression analysis of 201 firms listed on Bursa Malaysia. Smart-PLS were used to estimate the relationships proposed in the hypothesis. Overall, the finding shows that, audit fee, non-audit fee and audit firm size does have a positive significant with AQ. Unexpectedly, the audit firm age has a negative effect on AQ. This research contributes to audit literature by growing the academic ‘s knowledge. Further, the study fill-up the gap in literature by provides empirical evidence on the seldom-used audit firm age as one of the audit firm characteristics. This study could be benefits policymakers, especially the Malaysia Institute of Accountants (MIA) to come up with more policies that can enhance the AQ. Moreover, this study also could help the shareholder and management as a guide on which audit characteristics that they need to focus on a better understanding of financial reporting quality.
Purchasing Behavior: Mediating Roles of Brand Personality and Religiosity in the Purchase of Halal Cosmetics
Authors:   Graduate School of Business, University Sains Malaysia, Nurafni Rubiyanti  , Zurina Mohaidin  ,   Graduate School of Business, University Sains Malaysia, Mohsen Ali Murshid  ,   Graduate School of Business, University Sains Malaysia
Published: April 2022

The purpose of this paper is to add to the body of knowledge about brand personality and consumer behaviour to purchase Halal cosmetic products. This study examines the effect of brand personality on the actual purchase of Halal cosmetics products, as well as the moderating effect of religiosity on this relationship. In this study, the population includes Muslim women in Indonesia who have purchased halal cosmetic. The population are represented by 6 big islands in Indonesia and involves 500 respondents. This study was conducted by sending the target population an email invitation to complete an online survey and using social networking using snowball sampling. The data analysis method used is the SEM-PLS approach which is based on the SmartPLS version of 3.2.7. The study found that brand personality has a significant influence on consumers’ actual purchase behaviour. Another finding from this study is that religiosity does not have a moderating effect on the relationship between brand personality and actual purchases. Future research can continue the research of brand personality to other similar industries in other countries and not just the halal cosmetics industry in Indonesia.
Consuming Halal Products: The Dynamics of Trustworthiness, Self-Efficacy and Purchase Intention
Authors:   Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Zairina Bahjam  , Shaizatulaqma Kamalul Ariffin  ,   Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Nabsiah Abdul Wahid  ,   Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Published: April 2022

This study aims to investigate the factors that affect the purchasing intention of halal products among Malaysian Muslim consumers in East Malaysia. In specific, this study will examine the relationship between trustworthiness, self- efficacy, attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavior control, and purchase intention. Data of this study were collected from 142 consumers from East Malaysia who consume Halal products by using an online questionnaire survey. The data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) technique. This study found that the intention to purchase halal products was inﬂuenced by attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. Besides, it was found that determinants such as self-efﬁcacy, and trustworthiness have a signiﬁcant positive impact on attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. This study helps marketers and producer to understand the factors that influence East Malaysia consumers to purchase Halal products. Hence, the findings will enhance the marketing strategy on any promotional material that relates to Halal products according to appropriate Halal guidelines.
Development of Entrepreneurial Competencies and Business Performance in SMEs: Between Government Support and Empowerment of Malaysian Women Entrepreneurs
Authors:   Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Joanne Chian  , Haniruzila Hanifah  ,   Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Ali Vafaei-Zadeh  ,   Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Published: April 2022

The important aspect of business performance among women-owned SMEs in Malaysia is scarce and still underperformed. Hence, Malaysian SMEs needs to empower the entrepreneurial competencies among women-owned entrepreneurs and the support of Malaysian government. In this study, the questionnaire survey has been selected as the data collection method for this research. A total of 116 responses from the women-owned entrepreneur in Malaysia were obtained and analysis was carried out using Smart PLS software to generate findings. The results reveal that strategic competencies, opportunity competencies and conceptual competencies have significantly impacted the business performance of women-owned entrepreneurs among SMEs in Malaysia. The moderating effect of government support on the relationship between strategic competencies, opportunity competencies and business performance proved to be significant. Surprisingly, the interaction of government support between conceptual competencies and business performance is not supported in the findings. Hence, the current paper will further provide a women-owned SME with substantial information to focus on fostering entrepreneurial competencies within their respective companies to ensure peak business performance. Findings from this study anticipated being extremely useful to the Malaysian government, in specific Policy Makers. With these results, authorities will be better informed when implementing new strategies and programmes to enhance the skills of entrepreneurs, which will result in better business performance.
Corporate Social Responsibility and Customer Loyalty: Exploring the Roles of Customer Satisfaction and Brand Image of Company
Authors:   Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Salmi Mohd Isa  , Khusza’eran Mohamed  ,   Turnaround Office, Generation Division, Tenaga Nasional Berhad
Published: April 2022

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become an important part of organisations from various industries. Besides producing quality goods and services, and carrying out just the usual roles, companies are also now expected to be more sociably responsible. Recently, the electricity provider in Malaysia has come under spotlight due to looming regulatory changes. Contestable market or liberalisation in the local utility sector is vital as it provides customers alternate solutions with additional choices and flexibility when buying electricity. However, with the news of possible liberalisation that will occur, it is necessary for the company to know if customers will stay loyal when new competitors arrive. The aim paper is to study how CSR impact customer loyalty in electricity company. This cross-sectional study is conducted through a self-administered questionnaire. The partial least squares–structural equation model is also used to examine how the company brand image and satisfaction mediates customer responses to CSR dimensions. The research has proven that CSR has significant impact on customer loyalty. In this regard, the findings will encourage electricity industry players to consider CSR as part of their business strategy to improve their customer satisfaction and brand image respectively towards sustainable business development.
Obstetrics Patient Loyalty: A Study of Malaysian Private Hospitals
Authors:   Faculty of Business, Multimedia University, Sook Fern Yeo  , Cheng Ling Tan  ,   Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Yen Nee Goh  ,   Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Published: April 2022

The purpose of this study is to examine the path of obstetrics service quality and patient loyalty. The service quality encompasses doctors’ knowledge, nurse professionalism, diagnostic procedures, perceived price and healthscape. This study is found to be of interest because there have been limited studies conducted in Malaysia concerning patient loyalty for obstetrics services in private hospitals. The sample size comprises 419 patients from ten private hospitals in five states of Peninsular Malaysia. Data were collected and analysed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results indicate that diagnostic procedures, doctor’s knowledge and perceived price, have a significant positive relationship with patient loyalty. In contrast, nurses’ professionalism and healthscape had no significant impact on patient loyalty. Further, the Importance-Performance Matrix Analysis (IPMA) results contribute as an insight for the management to overcome and improve on identified areas with low performance. The findings of this study are endorsed by the IPMA that the importance and performance of diagnostic procedures are high in contributing to patient loyalty for the obstetrics service in Malaysia.
The Covid-19 Pandemic Response: A Study of Teleworking During the Malaysian MCO: What Penang Employees Had to Say
Authors:   Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Rosly Othman  , Teoh Ai Ping  ,   Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Published: April 2022

One of the main effects of the Covid-19 pandemic is the working arrangement of many employees to work from home across occupations. It is understood that when unplanned change needs to be implemented, employees from some employment groups who had very little experience with working from home have to embrace the new arrangement while employees across employment who preferred to work from home, are now able to jump into such working arrangements. Consequently, the blanket arrangement to work from home may affect the employees differently. Determining the conditions that positively support teleworking will ensure companies to be more prepared if the needs arise in the future or even to continuously implement such arrangement in relation to the current situation. A descriptive qualitative study was conducted in Penang and a total of sixteen employees were approached for the study. The participants in the study were purposively selected to ensure best contribution to the issues highlighted in the study. In general, many of the participants have mixed feelings towards teleworking and some of them had no intention of continuing with teleworking in the future. Based on the thematic analysis, results showed that three themes emerged from the data and they are: conflict of commitment, context, and proficiencies.
Motives Behind Active Facebook, Instagram and Other Social Media Users
Authors:   Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Nabsiah Abdul Wahid  , Zebedeus Henry Bakim  ,   Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Shaizatulaqma Kamalul Ariffin  ,   Graduate School of Business, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Published: April 2022

Social media (SM) is ‘the’ place individuals use to socialize, connect and share up-to-date information with other parties. According to The Uses and Gratification theory (U>), individuals have needs to satisfy to feel gratified; they use SM to satisfy these personal needs to achieve self-gratification. Gratifications differ for individuals depending on their background and types of SM medium used. Question is, what are the motives behind SM user’s activeness behaviour in their medium of choice in Malaysia’s scenario? Seven common motives, namely, watching, impressing, acting, surveillance, documentation, coolness and creativity were hypothesized to have significant influences over SM users’ activeness behaviour. The study disseminated online surveys to targeted and willing active SM users in the research; it resulted in 397 useable data for analysis. Overall, the study managed to identify four motives, namely, watching, impressing, documentation and coolness as the drivers behind activeness behaviour of SM users in Malaysia. The study also identifies FB as the most popular SM, followed by IG. Further segmentation analysis on each FB-active (n=125), IG-active (n=100) and other SM-active (n=82) found that the main motive for FB users was to impress (impressing) others; for IG users, the main reason was to watch others (watching). As for other SM-active, three motives emerged, i.e. watching, surveillance and documentation. The findings imply the usefulness of U> in explaining individual’s motives for being active SM user as well as importance of motives behind activeness of SM user’s behaviour for different types of SMs.