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The purpose of this paper is to give a clear picture of the evidence for small and medium enterprises of what the key factors are affecting the performance of supply chain members (SCMs) and their impact.

The authors conducted a survey of small and medium automotive enterprises. After a comprehensive search of the literature on effective factors requirements of supply chain actors (supplier, manufacturer, inventory, distribution, and information flow) 23 factors were identified, and collected data were analysed using SPSS software.

The results show that among the 23 factors, the inventory level is the most significant factor for inventory with the highest percentage (91 per cent). This is followed by productivity to fill the order (88 per cent) and lead time of manufacturing (86 per cent) for manufacturer, and transportation flexibility (84 per cent) for distribution section.

Study limitation was that only the companies related to automotive sector were selected, and the number of usable questionnaires was fairly small.

The results can help further by introducing a much better perception of effective factors that result in optimizing the practices of supply chain management techniques in order to enhance business performance. The findings also help build a new initiative to be performed by top management when attempting to strengthen partnership and integration among members.

This research draws from institutional theory to contribute to the growing body of practical field and conceptual literature on supply chain integration and provides knowledge in assisting small- and medium-sized enterprises to clarify factors that affect SCMs in order to enhance and manage their operational processes.

Malaysia has shifted from a labor-intensive, agriculture-based economy since its independence in 1957 to a knowledge and innovation-based economy. Human capital development (HCD) is a key enabler for driving and sustaining Malaysia's socioeconomic growth. The education and training system is the main platform for HCD intervention. To sustain and achieve goals, long-term survival, competitive advantage, and sustainability, the workforce is optimized through comprehensive HCD interventions to provide the necessary knowledge, skills, and competencies needed to work effectively in a rapidly changing and complex environment. Numerous efforts have been made by the government to ensure that the education and training system has the capacity to enhance the quality and availability of intellectual and skilled human capital to support the transition toward knowledge-intensive activities, sustain economic growth, and compete in the global market. The country's development plans and policies as well as the economic development which lead toward a knowledge-based economy with a knowledge-based workforce have charted out clear transformation journeys for the development of the human capital ecosystem. This chapter presents an overview of the landscape of HCD in Malaysia. Relevant reports, plans, policies, and strategies to strengthen human capital through education and training is reviewed. Finally, a few issues and challenges that Malaysia experiences are discussed.