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The purpose of this paper is to gain insight on parental attitudes towards weaning practices and weaning foods for health in Malaysia using Q-methodology.

The study population was parents that had a child aged three years or less. A total of 47 parents were recruited to partake in a one-on-one activity which involved sorting 69 statements about weaning practices and weaning food products into a grid that was normally distributed ranging from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree”. Sorting was immediately followed by a short interview to understand the reasons behind the placement of particular statements.

Data analysis identified three statistically distinct participant attitudes towards weaning practices and foods for health that were then interpreted using the rich qualitative data from the post-sort interviews. The attitudes identified were “All Homemade and Natural”, “Commercial Convenience and Trust” and “Balance and Variety”.

This study identified the dominant sets of attitudes held by Malaysian parents towards weaning practices and weaning foods for health using Q-methodology. To authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper focussing on weaning foods for health, specifically on functional weaning food. This new understanding of shared attitudes will allow product developers, marketers and health communicators to more effectively design their products and their marketing mix to ensure that these messages resonate well with the target audience who want to provide the best weaning foods possible for their children.

Keberkesanan penyampaian sesuatu maklumat memerlukan individu, alat mahupun saluran yang unggul dan bersesuaian. Usaha ini haruslah dirancang dan dipertimbangkan dengan teliti oleh pihak tertentu agar setiap apa yang ingin disampaikan dan dilaksanakan itu dapat diberigakan dengan mudah dan berkesan. Dari itu, penggunaan bahasa retorik dilihat sebagai batu loncatan yang memberikan keyakinan dan tahap keberkesanan yang tinggi bagi sesebuah wacana yang disampaikan tersebut. Kewibawaan retorik sebagai seni yang mempengaruhi bukan sahaja berperanan untuk memperkukuhkan kekuasaan mahupun mempengaruhi fikiran dan emosi orang lain namun sebaliknya mampu menstimulasikan keseimbangan hubungan sosial yang terbentuk melalui sistem pemerintahan sesebuah negara. Melalui penyelidikan ini, setiap ciri khas retorik dapat diketengahkan dengan menghuraikan peranan dan fungsi-fungsi yang dimainkan oleh jenis-jenis retorik dalam penulisan sesebuah wacana. Hal ini khusus bagi mengilustrasikan idea, gagasan mahupun suatu fakta terhadap sesuatu pendekatan dengan cara yang kreatif dan terbaik. Di samping itu, keutamaan bagi penerapan bahasa retorik dalam perutusan kerajaan seharusnya dapat diperkasakan sewajarnya dengan menjadikannya sebagai anjakan paradigma ke arah perpaduan dan nilai kesaksamaan dalam masyarakat. Justeru, kajian ini memanfaatkan Teori Retorik Moden oleh Enos dan Brown (1993) sebagai landasan utama dalam menganalisis sejumlah 20 perutusan rasmi berkaitan jangkitan covid-19 di Negara Brunei Darussalam. Berdasarkan pemerhatian dan penganalisisan yang dijalankan, hanya empat jenis retorik yang diaplikasikan dalam wacana tersebut. Kesimpulan statistik merangkumi 34% teknik pendedahan, 30% teknik penerangan, 33% teknik pemujukan dan hanya 3% bagi teknik penghujahan. Dapatan penyelidikan ini membuktikan bahawa penggunaan bahasa retorik dalam perutusan rasmi kerajaan adalah amat penting dalam memperkukuhkan sistem pemerintahan negara serta mampu melestarikan cara hidup yang relevan dan berkualiti.

The effectiveness of delivering information requiresindividuals, tools or channels that are superior and appropriate. This effort must be planned and considered carefully so that everything that is to be conveyed and implemented can be conveyed easily and effectively. Therefore, the use of rhetorical language is regarded as a stepping stone that provides confidence and a higher level of effectiveness. `Rhetoric as an influential art not only plays a role in strengthening power or influencing the thoughts and emotions of others but also stimulate sthe balance of social relations. Through this research, each rhetorical feature is highlighted to discuss its role and functions in the discourse. Using Enos and Brown’s Modern Rhetorical Theory (1993), a total of 20 official conferences on the latest developments of the spread of covid-19 infection were discussed. Findings have shown that there were four main types of rhetoric, i.e. Statistical conclusions which include 34% of expository techniques, 30% of descriptive, 33% of persuasion and only 3% for argumentation techniques. This also implies that rhetoric language is very important in ensuring the dissemination of knowledge among the institution and people is effective and and transparent.

The world after the pandemic of Covid-19 is looking at a different environment in teaching and learning and primarily being influenced by general online learning readiness. Perception towards the measurement of online learning readiness would also need to change. This study seeks to determine whether Malaysian undergraduate students are ready to study online if the Movement Control Order (MCO) is reimposed.

Using an online poll, this study analysed 299 undergraduate students from Malaysia's public and private universities. The collected data were then analysed using SmartPLS software to test the measurement model and structural equation modelling.

The findings of this study indicate that computer self-efficacy and self-directed learning have a substantially positive link with online learning preparedness among Malaysian undergraduate students.

Findings in this study indicate that universities should draw comprehensive plans to enhance students' readiness in terms of indicators such as technology usage, technology availability, computer and internet efficacy, self-directed learning and attitude. One of the aspects that require change is online communication self-efficacy. Thus, there is a need for improvement, or this would affect undergraduates adversely, especially in the event of future MCO.

The originality of this article lies in the time frame this study was conducted, where cases of coronavirus infection are seen to increase around the world and there is a possibility that movement restrictions will be re-enforced. The findings in this study are expected to give insight to the government in the effort of the national higher education plan. By not undervaluing previous research models, this research model should give a new perspective to the academic literature on online learning among undergraduate students.

The purpose of this paper is to explore innovation strategies that managers of small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) used to implement innovation in their organizations to meet performance goals.

The participants in this multiple case study research comprised randomly selected managers from SMEs operating in Dubai, United Arab Emirates with specialist expertise in successfully implementing innovation in their organizations. Individual interviews were undertaken with participants to gain both an insight and understanding regarding which innovation strategies are best suited to improve performance goal outcomes. A further analysis of workplace internal documents, policies, procedures, SMEs’ websites, review websites and press releases afforded additional insights related to the application of innovative workplace practices which supported productivity improvements in relation to performance goal outcomes.

The findings of this study identified that the role of the top management in cultivating an innovative culture, the identification of ideas as the starting point for innovation and the recognition of customers as resources for the company.

Implementing the findings from this study may support job creation, economy protection in downturns and contribution to economic growth, since thriving SMEs have a positive impact on community development through the generation of the employment. Furthermore, the results of this study can help in creating an increase in improving the productivity of Dubai SMEs in Dubai’s GDP, improvement in investment opportunities; better working conditions for employees and possibilities for expanding the operations of Dubai SMEs globally.

This study is of value because its findings may contribute to local and global economic growth. Exploring successful innovation implementation strategies in SMEs can result in useful guidelines that SME managers can use to reach the performance goals of their SMEs. Since governmental policies are critical to improving business performance, the Government of Dubai may benefit from this study by addressing key success factors for SMEs through policies and regulations. This study has particular value given the lack of studies that address the issue of innovation implementation in SMEs, especially for SMEs in emerging economies.

Blasting is an economical method for rock breakage in open-pit mines. Backbreak is an undesirable phenomenon induced by blasting operations and has several unsuitable effects such as equipment instability and decreased performance of the blasting. Therefore, accurate estimation of backbreak is required for minimizing the environmental problems. The primary purpose of this paper is to propose a novel predictive model for estimating the backbreak at Shur River Dam region, Iran, using particle swarm optimization (PSO).

For this work, a total of 84 blasting events were considered and five effective factors on backbreak including spacing, burden, stemming, rock mass rating and specific charge were measured. To evaluate the accuracy of the proposed PSO model, multiple regression (MR) model was also developed, and the results of two predictive models were compared with actual field data.

Based on two statistical metrics [i.e. coefficient of determination (R²) and root mean square error (RMSE)], it was found that the proposed PSO model (with R² = 0.960 and RMSE = 0.08) can predict backbreak better than MR (with R² = 0.873 and RMSE = 0.14).

The analysis indicated that the specific charge is the most effective parameter on backbreak among all independent parameters used in this study.

The purpose of this paper is to study the differences in fatwa amongst official fatwa institutions in Malaysia comprising the State Mufti’s Departments (SMDs), the National Fatwa Committee Muzakarah (NFCM) and the National Bank Shariah Advisory Council (NBSAC) regarding the conditional gift issue and to propose a uniformed fatwa by taking an approach of celebrating views of all the official fatwa institutions involved.

The methodology used for this study is qualitative; data was collectedthrough library research and field studies.[AQ1] The library research was accomplished by examining books, statutes and related circulars, while field studies were conducted through unstructured interviews with eight Shariah (Sharia) officers and two academicians from SMDs, NFCM, NBSAC and public universities.

The findings of the study found that the conditional hibah (ruqba and 'umra) is valid as far as gifting is concerned, while the conditions pertaining to it are null and void. The findings also found that the concept of mura’ah al-khilaf and ma’alat al-af’al can be practised by applying conditional hibah to maintain maslahah, as provided under the concept of maqasid al-Shariah. Hence, this study proposed that formal fatwa institutions consisting of SMDs, NFCM and NBSAC issue a comprehensive guideline in contracting conditional hibah by providing an explicit provision on the recognised and different opinions about the said hibah.

The study analyses the differences of opinions of the official fatwa on conditional hibah issued by SMDs, NFCM and NBSAC based on the discipline of usul al-fiqh. It is found that conditional hibah is not allowed in Islamic law. It also found that conditional hibah granted by the NBSAC is not in adherence to the strict permission granted by Islamic law. Therefore, taking into consideration all the fatwas issued by the fatwa bodies, the researchers proposed to celebrate all official fatwas using the method of mura'ah al-khilaf and ma’alat al-af'al.

This paper aims to analyse the Sharīʿah premises of waqf (Islamic endowment), followed by dilating on the nature of argumentation among the classical jurists on its rules and principles. The paper critically analyses the edifice of the applied juristic analogy of different early jurists in deriving various waqf doctrines. The objective of analysing the jurisprudential framework of waqf in its classical mould is to conceptualise the methods, mechanism and nature of juristic analogies in deriving the waqf principles. This analysis is critical to understand the scope of jurisprudential flexibility in modern awqāf.

The paper is an outcome of a library-based research. It uses the classical jurisprudential treatises of waqf with an aim to analyse the Sharīʿah basis of the institution, the premises of its key principles and the applied juristic analogy to derive the same. The paper covers the classical waqf books and treatises from the four Sunni schools of jurisprudence and uses a textual analysis method.

The paper finds that in its initial phase, the conceptual framework of waqf was not unanimously agreed by all jurists, rather its Sharīʿah permissibility remained critically disputed among them for a while. Though, the opinion of those jurists who approved the Sharīʿah-validity of waqf was to prevail in the later stage, disagreement persisted with reference to its necessary features and defining criteria. It is found that in the classical waqf literature, two most disputed aspects of waqf jurisprudence constituted the requirements for completion of a waqf and its ownership status.

This study neither covers the historical contribution of waqf among the Muslim societies nor touches on the empirical aspects of modern waqf. Rather, the focus of the study is limited to analysing the classical jurisprudential discourse of waqf and distillation process of its rulings.

The objective of analysing the classical juristic discourse of waqf is to underline the premises of classical juristic analogy in determining the framework of fiqh al-awqāf (jurisprudence of waqf) in its classical permutations and to learn how to adopt a similar approach for deduction of new waqf rulings.

This paper adds original value to the body of waqf literature for analysing the classical waqf rulings distillation process along with examining the methods and mechanism of juristic analogy.

This study aims to examine the challenges facing the construction industry practitioners toward adopting digital construction technologies in the Jordanian construction industry.

Quantitative methods were used by reviewing the related literature to include 16 challenges that face the Jordanian construction industry in adopting digital construction. A questionnaire was used to achieve the desired study objectives for 373 respondents from various institutions and companies. The questionnaire was analyzed with SPSS using statistical tests such as mean score, Kruskal–Wallis H test and factor analysis.

After collecting the quantitative data, the study showed that the most challenges facing construction industry practitioners toward adopting digital construction techniques are lack of qualified workers, high requirement for computing equipment’s, high initial cost of bringing these technologies to the market and construction firms low investment in research and development. These challenges faced by respondents were divided into three main factors, namely, construction’s nature, financial constraints and poor management support.

This study provides information and statistics on the challenges that face individuals or companies toward adopting digital construction techniques in Jordan. It proposes recommendations and proper practical implantation strategies to overcome the challenges.

The provision of meals has long been regarded as an essential part of treatment of hospitalized patients complementing medical procedures and nursing management. Today, despite changes in the health-care landscape, which focused on improving the quality and efficiency of hospital care, malnutrition among inpatient was still a common worldwide concern.

This was a multi-centre, randomized study conducted in 21 study sites comprising 21 state and specialist government hospitals under the Ministry of Health, Malaysia. The sample size for this study was calculated with purposive sampling method, followed by proportionate sampling to determine the random sample size of each of the study sites. The total sample size required for this study was 2,759 subjects. A validated data collection form was used in the study.

Only 32.2 % and 37.6 % of subjects achieved adequate energy and protein intake, respectively, during their admission to medical ward. The study result showed that the overall mean energy and protein intake was 794.6 ± 487.8 kcal and 35.2 ± 24.3 g, respectively. The estimated energy (p = 0.001) and protein (p = 0.001) intake of all study sites was significantly lower compared to the adequacy value.

The adequacy intake in this study was only carried out in medical wards, thus reproducible result among other wards in different study sites could not be confirmed. Besides, this study assumed that the portion eaten by subjects during lunch and dinner was the same, and therefore, either one was recorded together with breakfast and either lunch or dinner to represent a subject’s daily intake.

This was the first nationwide study to report the adequacy of energy and protein intake of patients receiving therapeutic diets in the government hospital setting in Malaysia.