Multimedia University

The purpose of this empirical study is to investigate the three elements of intellectual capital, i.e. human capital, structural capital, and customer capital, and their inter‐relationships within two industry sectors in Malaysia. The study was conducted using a psychometrically validated questionnaire which was originally administered in Canada. The main conclusions from this particular study are that: human capital is important regardless of industry type; human capital has a greater influence on how a business should be structured in non‐service industries compared to service industries; customer capital has a significant influence over structural capital irrespective of industry; and finally, the development of structural capital has a positive relationship with business performance regardless of industry. The final specified models in this study show a robust explanation of business performance variance within the Malaysian context which bodes well for future research in alternative contexts.

Electromyography (EMG) signals can be used for clinical/biomedical applications, Evolvable Hardware Chip (EHW) development, and modern human computer interaction. EMG signals acquired from muscles require advanced methods for detection, decomposition, processing, and classification. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the various methodologies and algorithms for EMG signal analysis to provide efficient and effective ways of understanding the signal and its nature. We further point up some of the hardware implementations using EMG focusing on applications related to prosthetic hand control, grasp recognition, and human computer interaction. A comparison study is also given to show performance of various EMG signal analysis methods. This paper provides researchers a good understanding of EMG signal and its analysis procedures. This knowledge will help them develop more powerful, flexible, and efficient applications.

Particle swarm optimization (PSO) is one of the most well-regarded swarm-based algorithms in the literature. Although the original PSO has shown good optimization performance, it still severely suffers from premature convergence. As a result, many researchers have been modifying it resulting in a large number of PSO variants with either slightly or significantly better performance. Mainly, the standard PSO has been modified by four main strategies: modification of the PSO controlling parameters, hybridizing PSO with other well-known meta-heuristic algorithms such as genetic algorithm (GA) and differential evolution (DE), cooperation and multi-swarm techniques. This paper attempts to provide a comprehensive review of PSO, including the basic concepts of PSO, binary PSO, neighborhood topologies in PSO, recent and historical PSO variants, remarkable engineering applications of PSO, and its drawbacks. Moreover, this paper reviews recent studies that utilize PSO to solve feature selection problems. Finally, eight potential research directions that can help researchers further enhance the performance of PSO are provided.

In addition to moving itself in a greener direction and leveraging other environmental initiatives, IT could help create green awareness among IT professionals, businesses, and the general public by assisting in building communities, engaging groups in participatory decisions, and supporting education and green advocacy campaigns. Along these lines, tools such as environmental Web portals, blogs, wikis, and interactive simulations of the environmental impact of an activity could offer assistance. Green IT is an economic, as well as an environmental, imperative. Greening IT is and will continue to be a necessity, not an option. Green IT represents a dramatic change in priority in the IT industry. So far, the industry has been focusing on IT equipment processing power and associated equipment spending. It's not been concerned with other requirements such as power, cooling, and data center space. However, going forward, the IT industry will need to deal with all of the infrastructure requirements and the environmental impact of IT and its use. The challenges of green IT are immense; however, recent developments indicate that the IT industry has the will and conviction to tackle our environmental issues head-on. The IT sector and users must develop a positive attitude toward addressing environmental concerns and adopt forward-looking, green-friendly policies and practices.

This paper introduces a new set of orthogonal moment functions based on the discrete Tchebichef polynomials. The Tchebichef moments can be effectively used as pattern features in the analysis of two-dimensional images. The implementation of the moments proposed in this paper does not involve any numerical approximation, since the basis set is orthogonal in the discrete domain of the image coordinate space. This property makes Tchebichef moments superior to the conventional orthogonal moments such as Legendre moments and Zernike moments, in terms of preserving the analytical properties needed to ensure information redundancy in a moment set. The paper also details the various computational aspects of Tchebichef moments and demonstrates their feature representation capability using the method of image reconstruction.

The current rapid growth in the economy and the patterns of consumers’ consumption and behavior worldwide are the main cause of environmental deterioration. As the environment continues to worsen, it has become a persistent public concern in the developed countries and has recently awakens developing countries to the green movement. This paper is essentially exploratory in nature and has two objectives. The first objective is to compare gender with attitudes towards the environment and green products. The second objective is to investigate the relationship between attitude towards the environment and green products. Result from the independent sample t-test shows that there were no significant differences between gender in their environmental attitudes and attitudes on green products. The rotated factor matrix validated the underlying dimensions of environmental attitudes into three major dimensions (environmental protection, government’s role, and personal norm). Results from the multiple linear regression analysis revealed that consumer attitudes on the government’s role and their personal norm towards the environment contributed significantly to their attitude on green product. Further investigation revealed that personal norm was the most important contributor to the attitude towards green product. However, environmental protection did not contribute significantly to consumers’ attitudes on green product.Keywords: Environmental attitude; green products; consumer behaviour; Malaysia

Purpose The paper aims to empirically investigate the relationship between perceived service quality, satisfaction, trust, and loyalty in e‐commerce settings in two cultures – Malaysian and Qatari – at the level of construct dimensions. Design/methodology/approach A survey method approach was used in this study. To test the dimensionality of the perceived service quality, all 20 items were analyzed using oblique rotation and varimax rotation. The hypotheses were tested using the structural equations modeling and general linear model of univariate analysis of variance. Findings Perceived service quality was found to have a significant impact on customer satisfaction. In turn customer satisfaction was found to have a significant effect on trust. Both customer satisfaction and trust have significant effects on loyalty through word of mouth (WOM) while WOM is an antecedent of repeat visits or repurchase intentions. Interestingly, trust does not directly influence the latter. With the exception of the effect of satisfaction on trust, we found no significant difference between the effects of perceived service quality on satisfaction, satisfaction on loyalty, and trust on loyalty among the Qatari and Malaysian customers indicating that the relationships in the model did not hold across the two cultural groups because the respondents have similar cultural background. Research limitations/implications This study suffers from a limitation in that it uses a convenience sampling technique without a fully matched profile of the respondents. However, the satisfactory fit of the estimated model allows for the study to be a basis of a reliable comparison for future research. Practical implications In an e‐commerce setting companies can increase customer loyalty directly by improving the ease of use, the attractiveness, and the security of their website. Thus, marketers should tailor their marketing strategies to fit each marketing environment because overseas success of their business is very much a function of cultural adaptability. Originality/value The major contribution of this study is that it is the first attempt to investigate the impact of word of mouth on trust and intention.

The electroencephalogram (EEG) signal plays an important role in the diagnosis of epilepsy. The EEG recordings of the ambulatory recording systems generate very lengthy data and the detection of the epileptic activity requires a time-consuming analysis of the entire length of the EEG data by an expert. The traditional methods of analysis being tedious, many automated diagnostic systems for epilepsy have emerged in recent years. This paper proposes a neural-network-based automated epileptic EEG detection system that uses approximate entropy (ApEn) as the input feature. ApEn is a statistical parameter that measures the predictability of the current amplitude values of a physiological signal based on its previous amplitude values. It is known that the value of the ApEn drops sharply during an epileptic seizure and this fact is used in the proposed system. Two different types of neural networks, namely, Elman and probabilistic neural networks, are considered in this paper. ApEn is used for the first time in the proposed system for the detection of epilepsy using neural networks. It is shown that the overall accuracy values as high as 100% can be achieved by using the proposed system.

Purpose This study aims to empirically examine the factors that affect the consumer intention to use (IU) mobile commerce (m‐commerce) in Malaysia. The five factors examined in this study are perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease‐of‐use (PEOU), social influence (SI), perceived cost and trust. Design/methodology/approach The study sample consists of 222 respondents with a response rate of 84.09 per cent. Data were analyzed by employing correlation and multiple regression analysis. Findings The findings revealed that PU, SI, perceived financial cost and trust are positively associated with consumer IU m‐commerce in Malaysia. In addition, PEOU and trust were found to have an insignificant effect on consumer IU m‐commerce in Malaysia. Research limitations/implications The generalizability of the findings is limited as the study focuses only on Malaysia. Practical implications Based on the findings, companies involved in m‐commerce should focus on improving the usefulness of the system, trust (i.e. security and privacy protection) and reducing the cost of m‐commerce services to improve the adoption of m‐commerce. Originality/value The findings made a contribution in terms of allowing us to understand the factors that can contribute to the adoption of mobile commerce. This study successfully extend the TAM model in the context of mobile commerce by incorporating one trust‐based construct (trust), one behavioural control construct (perceived financial cost) and one subjective norm construct (SI). This extended TAM model provides a greater understanding of user acceptance of mobile commerce in Malaysia.

The principal component analysis (PCA) is a kind of algorithms in biometrics. It is a statistics technical and used orthogonal transformation to convert a set of observations of possibly correlated variables into a set of values of linearly uncorrelated variables. PCA also is a tool to reduce multidimensional data to lower dimensions while retaining most of the information. It covers standard deviation, covariance, and eigenvectors. This background knowledge is meant to make the PCA section very straightforward, but can be skipped if the concepts are already familiar.

Purpose This paper measured the intellectual capital performance of commercial banks in Malaysia for the period 2001 to 2003, using efficiency coefficient called VAIC™ developed by Ante Pulic. Design/methodology/approach Data required to calculate human capital, structural capital and capital employed efficiencies were obtained from annual reports. Findings As a whole, all banks have relatively higher human capital efficiency than structural and capital efficiencies. Domestic banks were generally less efficient compared to foreign banks. Hong Leong Bank, Public Bank and Southern Bank were the top three efficient domestic banks based on VAIC TM assessment, while Scotia Bank is the most efficient foreign bank. Public Bank and EON Bank have consistently showed improvement in efficiency in the three years. There were significant differences between rankings of bank according to efficiency and traditional accounting measures. In view of the findings that seven out of ten domestic banks did not show improvement in efficiency following the consolidation exercise requires an urgent attention and remedial actions. Research limitations/implications This study failed to study all foreign banks operating in Malaysia. Future study should therefore further improve on the aspect of coverage. Practical implications The findings allowed banks to benchmark themselves based on the level of efficiency rankings, to establish priorities and develop strategic plans, which will in turn enhance their future performance. The findings also could help stakeholders and investors assess the value creating potential of banks; and policy makers to formulate and implement policies for establishment of a resilient banking sector. Originality/value This study is the first study on Malaysian banks' intellectual capital performance.

This paper presents a new approach for power quality analysis using a modified wavelet transform known as the S-transform. The local spectral information of the wavelet transform can, with slight modification, be used to perform local cross spectral analysis with very good time resolution. The "phase correction" absolutely references the phase of the wavelet transform to the zero time point, thus assuring that the amplitude peaks are regions of stationary phase. The excellent time-frequency resolution characteristic of the S-transform makes it an attractive candidate for analysis of power system disturbance signals. Several power quality problems are analyzed using both the S-transform and discrete wavelet transform, showing clearly the advantage of the S-transform in detecting, localizing, and classifying the power quality problems.

Biometric analysis for identity verification is becoming a widespread reality. Such implementations necessitate large-scale capture and storage of biometric data, which raises serious issues in terms of data privacy and (if such data is compromised) identity theft. These problems stem from the essential permanence of biometric data, which (unlike secret passwords or physical tokens) cannot be refreshed or reissued if compromised. Our previously presented biometric-hash framework prescribes the integration of external (password or token-derived) randomness with user-specific biometrics, resulting in bitstring outputs with security characteristics (i.e., noninvertibility) comparable to cryptographic ciphers or hashes. The resultant BioHashes are hence cancellable, i.e., straightforwardly revoked and reissued (via refreshed password or reissued token) if compromised. BioHashing furthermore enhances recognition effectiveness, which is explained in this paper as arising from the Random Multispace Quantization (RMQ) of biometric and external random inputs.

This paper presents a new approach via hybrid particle swarm optimization (HPSO) scheme to solve the unit commitment (UC) problem. HPSO proposed in this paper is a blend of binary particle swarm optimization (BPSO) and real coded particle swarm optimization (RCPSO). The UC problem is handled by BPSO, while RCPSO solves the economic load dispatch problem. Both algorithms are run simultaneously, adjusting their solutions in search of a better solution. Problem formulation of the UC takes into consideration the minimum up and down time constraints, start-up cost, and spinning reserve and is defined as the minimization of the total objective function while satisfying all the associated constraints. Problem formulation, representation, and the simulation results for a ten generator-scheduling problem are presented. Results clearly show that HPSO is very competent in solving the UC problem in comparison to other existing methods.

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the determinants of users' adoption momentum of e-banking in Malaysia.
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\nDesign/methodology/approach - A questionnaire with four-point Likert scale is applied to 324 usable responses. Ten attributes are tested, namely convenience of usage, accessibility, features availability, bank management and image, security, privacy, design, content, speed, and fees and charges.
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\nFindings - Results indicate that all elements for ten identified factors are significant with respect to the users' adoption of e-banking services. Privacy and security are the major sources of dissatisfaction, which have momentously impacted users' satisfaction. Meanwhile, accessibility, convenience, design and content are sources of satisfaction. Besides, the speed, product features availability, and reasonable service fees and charges, as well as the bank's operations management factor are critical to the success of the e-banks. WAP, GPRS and 3G features from mobile devices are of no significance or influence in the adoption of e-banking services in this study. Results also reveal that privacy, security and convenience factors play an important role in determining the users' acceptance of e-banking services with respect to different segmentation of age group, education level and income level.
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\nResearch limitations/implications - The use of convenience sampling in this study weakens research objectivity. This study excludes the voice of non-users and non-users' views should be taken into account in future study.
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\nPractical implications - The results are expected to provide a practical contribution in the area of retail banking and in understanding consumer behavior in the Malaysian business-to-business financial services industry.
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\nOriginality/value - This paper is the extension of an earlier study by Suganthi et X which identified seven factors affecting the adoption of internet banking, with 17 elements, This study examines a wider scope of factors that consist of ten attributes with 78 elements based on the extant literature.

Abstract Computing and communication technology has had a significant impact on the engineering education system. This technology has improved online and collaborative learning. Besides that, it improves the students learning experiences. One of the distinguishing elements of engineering education is the laboratory requirement. In this paper, we discuss the current trends and key issues in virtual laboratories‐simulation environment laboratories and remote laboratories via the Internet. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 17: 108–118, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com); DOI 10.1002/cae20186

Purpose – The purpose of the study is to investigate the impact of perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU) and trust on mobile website satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 302 valid questionnaires were collected to empirically test the research model. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the measurement model and structural models. Findings – The results show that there is a positive relationship between PEOU, PU and mobile users’ satisfaction. PU is positively related to trust and mobile users’ satisfaction. Moreover, trust positively influences mobile users’ satisfaction. Practical implications – Drawing on the technology acceptance model and trust theory, this study develops and empirically examines a model for consumers’ satisfaction to use mobile services. This study contributes new insights concerning the marketing literature by examining the impact of PU, PEOU and trust on mobile users’ satisfaction. Originality/value – The contribution of the study is significant for both mobile marketers and academicians in the era of the third-generation environment. This study is among the first few attempts to integrate the TAM with trust to determine mobile user satisfaction.

The covid-19 pandemic revolutionises digital financial services, and hence digital financial inclusion is essential to ensure everyone can access digital financial services and thus promote sustainable economic growth. The development and activities promoting digital financial inclusion must align and help attain 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While the pandemic is anticipated to increase the usage of digital financial services, it has also created challenges for certain countries. Hence, a systematic literature review explores digital financial inclusion across countries. This research finds that developing countries, mainly Asian countries, embrace and improve digital financial inclusion to help reduce poverty. However, the results indicate that in developing countries, a persistent divide exists between gender, the wealthy and the poor, and urban and rural areas regarding access to and usage of digital financial services. At the end of the study, we propose a few recommendations, focusing on improving digital infrastructure, simplifying the complicated banking procedures, and stressing the importance of financial education, enabling the smooth implication of digital financial inclusion across countries.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the innovative characteristics, benefits, and barriers influencing internet‐based information and communications technology (ICT) adoption among the small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire‐based survey was used to collect data from 406 managers or owners of SMEs in the southern region of Malaysia. Findings The results suggest that internet‐based ICT adoption provides a low cost yet effective communication tool for customers. However, security continues to be a major barrier. Finding on cost as a barrier is mixed. The inferential statistics reveal that relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, observability, and security are significant factors influencing internet‐based ICT adoption. Research limitations/implications The study focuses only on the SMEs in the southern region of Malaysia. Practical implications The findings offer valuable insights to policy makers in general and to the SMEs in particular on the significance of the measured characteristics and the associated benefits and barriers of internet‐based ICT adoption. Originality/value The study is perhaps one of the first to comprehensively address internet‐based ICT adoption among the SMEs through the use of a wide range of variables.

The need for technical support for data handling and visualization solutions has increased in tandem with the complexity of today's data and information, that is of multiple sources, huge in size and of different formats. This study focuses on handling and analyzing text-based data. Despite many available text analysis tools, there is a high demand among researchers for easy- to-use tools yet scalable and with incomparable visualization features. Of recent, there has been a significant focus on utilizing VOSviewer, an open-source software for bibliometric analysis. This software is able to analyze a significant amount of data and provide excellent network data mapping. However, there is a lack of existing work in evaluating this sophisticated tool for text analysis. Thus, this article explores the capability of VOSviewer and presents evidence-based implementation of this software for text analysis. Specifically, this study demonstrates the usage of VOSviewer to analyze text based on YouTube interviews related to ChatGPT. Hence, this study significantly contributes by processing textual data and producing visualization network maps that are different from bibliometric data. The study recognizes VOSviewer as a powerful tool for data visualization in mapping text data and illustrates the potential of this software for analyzing text networks in various fields. •The study illustrates how text analysis and visualization can be realized using VOSviewer, an open-source software mostly used for biblio- metric analysis.•The study presents the workflow indicating how the dataset can be prepared as input for VOSviewer for text analysis.•The study proves that VOSviewer is a powerful tool for data visualization and network mapping for any type of network data including transcripts from social media.