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Rainfall–runoff relationship is one of the most complex hydrological phenomena. A conventional neural network (NN) with backpropagation algorithm has successfully modelled various non-linear hydrological processes in recent years. However, the convergence rate of the backpropagation NN is relatively slow, and solutions may trap at local minima. Therefore, a new metaheuristic algorithm named as cuckoo search optimisation was proposed to combine with the NN to model the daily rainfall–runoff relationship at Sungai Bedup Basin, Sarawak, Malaysia. Two-year rainfall–runoff data from 1997 to 1998 had been used for model training, while one-year data in 1999 was used for model validation. Input data used are current rainfall, antecedent rainfall and antecedent runoff, while the targeted output is current runoff. This novel NN model is evaluated with the coefficient of correlation (R) and the Nash–Sutcliffe coefficient (E²). Results show that cuckoo search optimisation neural network (CSONN) is able to yield R and E² to 0.99 and 0.94, respectively, for model validation with the optimal configuration of number of nests (n) = 20, initial discovery rate of alien eggs (painitial) = 0.6, hidden neuron (HN) = 100, iteration number (IN) = 1,000 and learning rate (LR) = 1 for CSONND4 model. The results revealed that the newly developed CSONN is able to simulate runoff accurately using only precipitation and runoff data.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a motivation framework that will enhance labour productivity for Iskandar Malaysia (IM) construction projects. The vision of IM development corridor is to become Southern Peninsular Malaysia’s most developed region by the year 2025. IM cannot realise this foresight without effective labour productivity. Previous studies have reported that the labour productivity of IM construction projects was six times lower than the labour productivity of Singapore construction projects, due to lack of motivation among IM labourers, and a shortage of local skilled labour. Therefore, there is a need to study how to motivate IM construction labourers, so as to increase their productivity.

A quantitative research method was used to collect data from IM construction skilled labourers and construction professionals, using two sets of questionnaire. The respondents were selected using a purposive sampling technique. In total, 40 skilled labourers and 50 construction professionals responded to the questionnaire survey, and the data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science software (version 22).

The analysis revealed the major factors that motivate labourers participating in IM construction projects. The factors were ranked hierarchically using Relative Importance Index (RII) and the outcome of the ranking indicated that effective management, viable construction practices, financial incentives, continuous training and development, and safe working environment were the most significant motivation strategies that positively influence IM construction labourers.

The study developed and validated a framework that can be used to boost the morale of IM construction labourers, so that their productivity can be increased. Implementation of the established motivation framework will also lead to career progression of IM construction labourers, based on the training elements in the framework. This career prospect will attract local skilled labourers to participate in IM construction projects.

This case study can be used for courses under marketing management, international marketing or public relations.

This case study may be suitable for courses which discuss decision-making and/or executive actions and execution, at both undergraduate and graduate levels. It could also be used in graduate classes as some open-ended questions are also included to illicit critical thoughts and fresh ideas.

Companies can be boycotted for many reasons; for example, a company may be associated with or engage in egregious acts which trigger a consumer boycott. However, it is unusual for racial and political elements to form the basis of a consumer boycott. This paper describes how a current leader in the packaged bread market, Gardenia Bakeries Sdn Bhd (GBKL), responded to one such online campaign. This case study highlights the importance of effective communications and marketing strategies for responding to sensitive issues involving racism and politics.

Students are introduced to the concept of consumer boycotts and how this may affect a business. Students are exposed to the development of appropriate public relation strategies and explore creative methods to combat bad publicity and/or a smear campaign. Students can learn to appreciate the sensitivity of allegations of racism in a multi-ethnic country and understand how multi-ethnic consumers respond to these types of issues. Students are exposed to the effects of political and socio-demographic influences on purchase behavior in a particular market or country. Students may explore the effects of consumer activism on a company's brand image.

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This paper aims to develop an integrated framework to demonstrate the individual and combined effects of intrinsic and extrinsic motivators on two forms of knowledge sharing behaviors – in-depth knowledge sharing and routinized knowledge sharing.

A range of work on the use of intrinsic and extrinsic motivators and the differential degrees of costs and risks involved in the two forms of knowledge sharing is being reviewed with the aim to locate gaps and problems arising from propositions of different scholars. An integrated framework is then proposed to connect different schools of thoughts into a single, unifying framework.

Knowledge sharing behaviors among employees are subject to both attractive and distractive forces. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivators might interact positively or negatively depending on the type of extrinsic motivator and the form of knowledge sharing. While enhancing the intrinsic enjoyment of employees along with outcome-based extrinsic motivators can promote in-depth knowledge sharing, the use of behavior-based extrinsic motivators is more appropriate for fostering routinized knowledge sharing.

This paper mainly focuses on the sharing of knowledge without examining the receiver side in knowledge sharing. Also, the use of punitive means by superiors in encouraging knowledge sharing is not discussed in the framework. Future research can also add into the authors’ integrated framework the effects of personal traits in knowledge sharing.

This paper narrows the gap between existing theories on the use of extrinsic and intrinsic motivators and offers an integrated theoretical framework for those interested in examining the inter-relationship among intrinsic motivators, extrinsic motivators and knowledge sharing behaviors.

This paper examines the relationship between the number of domestic banks that the firm engages with and firm value and how this relationship is moderated by ownership concentration at low and very high level on a sample of Malaysian family and non-family firms.

For hypotheses testing, panel data analysis using the fixed effects model (FEM) is used because the FEM can address any endogeneity problems effectively (Chi, 2005). The panel data regression is conducted on both family firms and non-family firms.

We find that there is a significant negative relationship between the number of domestic banks engaged by family firms, operating in industries where these firms do not have absolute monopoly, and firm value. However, there is no evidence that this significant negative firm value effect is stronger in family firms compared to non-family firms. Furthermore, the significant positive moderating effect of ownership concentration on this relationship within family firms in such industries is evident only at low level of ownership concentration. Interestingly, at very high level of ownership concentration, this significant positive moderating effect becomes negative. There is no evidence that these significant moderating effects are stronger in family firms compared to non-family firms.

This research has focused only on family and non-family firms.

An implication of this research is that there is a need for the capital market regulators to introduce appropriate policies to deter family firms from having a close relationship with domestic banks as well as monitor the number of domestic banks engaged by such firms. There may be policy implications for consideration by the Central Bank of Malaysia as well.

This research provides some insights to both academia and industry regarding the consequences of domestic banking relationship and different levels of concentrated ownership in family firms in an emerging market. These insights can help improve the corporate governance as well as ownership structure of Malaysian public-listed family firms which dominate the capital market. Our findings refute the argument by Peng and Jiang (2010) by demonstrating that corporate reputational effects may be a substitute for institutional deficiencies.

This paper aims to examine the environmental awareness, initiatives and performance in the Macau hotel industry.

A mixed research method was adopted involving quantitative surveys with 31 hotels in Macau and 11 face-to-face interviews with the hotel managers, facilities managers and engineers.

Response from surveys and interviews with 31 hoteliers show that hotels in Macau have a high level of environmental awareness. Most hoteliers actively introduce initiatives that contribute to cost savings. Initiatives including using energy conservation light bulbs, having an active system to detect/repair leaking facilities and installing water conserving fixtures are widely implemented, while programs involving using solar lawn light, recycling leftover food and reusing wastewater are not. Major barriers for going green include the lack of government regulations on environmental management (EM), financial constraints, the lack of employees to handle EM and the fear that environmental initiatives may negatively impact the guest’s experience, especially those VIP and hardcore gamblers and customers who expect enjoying the luxuries services in Macau hotels. Lower star hotels experience more difficulties in adopting green approaches.

This paper presents a single case study of Macau; therefore, the results in this research may have limited generalizability.

This paper is one of the very few attempts that investigate EM in Macau – a renowned world tourism and gambling destination, where the vast majority of hotels have their casino facilities. Results show that apart from the financial consideration and the lack of government enforcement to adopt green measures similar to hotels in other destinations, EM practices of Macau’s hotels are also constrained by its customer base and the acute shortage of human resources that is caused by the tourism boom.

The Asian paradigm is more than just a demonstration of visually impactful behaviors and practices by hospitality establishments that can be explained by their different Asian cultural backgrounds and reinforced by training; it is focused on the customer, leveraging of the commercial environment while highlighting, not hiding, cultural and destination differences to give people more reasons to visit and repeatedly use their properties. This chapter examines to evaluate transferability of Asian paradigm in hospitality management concepts to non-Asian countries; what and how Asian paradigm in hospitality management can be transferred. For the detailed level on examination and discussion of transferability of Asian concepts, the chapter includes case of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts for operators’ point of view.

This paper aims to deal with the problem of the global stabilization for a class of tension leg platform (TLP) nonlinear control systems.

It is well-known that, in general, the global asymptotic stability of the TLP subsystems does not imply the global asymptotic stability of the composite closed-loop system.

An effective approach is proposed to control chaos via the combination of fuzzy controllers, fuzzy observers and dithers.

If a fuzzy controller and a fuzzy observer cannot stabilize the chaotic system, a dither, as an auxiliary of the controller and the observer, is simultaneously introduced to asymptotically stabilize the chaotic system.

Thus, the behavior of the closed-loop dithered chaotic system can be rigorously predicted by establishing that of the closed-loop fuzzy relaxed system.

This paper aims to examine the mediating role of job satisfaction in the relationship between psychological empowerment and employee engagement. There is also an investigation of the moderating effect of religiosity on psychological empowerment and job satisfaction as well as job satisfaction and employee engagement.

Data were obtained from 265 employees working in the service industry in Nigeria. The hypotheses were tested and analysed using structural equation modelling and bootstrapping procedure.

The results show that the direct relationship between psychological empowerment and employee engagement was partially mediated by job satisfaction. Intrinsic religiosity (IR) was found to have a moderating effect on job satisfaction and employee engagement. IR and extrinsic religiosity (ER) does not moderate the impact of psychological empowerment on job satisfaction and employee engagement. ER was found to have a negative insignificant moderating effect on job satisfaction and employee engagement.

A cross-sectional study reveals the relationship between variables at one point in a time. As such this study may not precisely predict the dominant pattern of the association over time. Future research can use longitudinal study to establish a dominant pattern of relationships.

This study informs human resource practitioners and scholars by demonstrating that religiosity and job satisfaction are important factors that should be considered in managing and keeping employees engaged.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first atte`mpts to enrich the literature in the fields of psychological empowerment and employee engagement by highlighting organisational mechanisms that amplify the relationship.