EDITORIAL
Volume 17, Issue 5, 2022
1. Enterprises and the Economy
-Allan Sensicle
All enterprises need to be managed, whether charities, profit-earning, or bureaucracies such as governments. They exist in an overall economy, which may be free market, where outsiders have little influence and rules and regulations are scant. The main motivation is wealth creation through providing goods or services that are in demand. This increases choice for consumers, if they can afford to buy. A downside is a possible temptation to increase profit by skimping on wages and/or quality. In contrast, command economies have the authorities in control, which means regulations can prevent abuses. However, this may lead to burdensome restrictions that are not beneficial. The economy as a whole can be divided into sectors at different levels of society, from basic food production to top-level decisions in sophisticated economies.
2. Biography and Life Story Book (BLSB) for Aged Care Settings: A Literature Review
- Guna D
The proportion of aged people in society is increasing, which can create problems in caring for people as they get less able themselves. This study looks at the specific technique of helping individuals to create a biography and life story book of their own. This focuses on the individual's view of the significance of certain events and how they interpret it for themselves. This can give a feeling of autonomy when physical deterioration is taking some freedoms away. It involves no medication, and could reduce the need for medication for other troubles. Depression is a common condition when independence declines, and being the centre of one's life story can bring a semblance of abilities and making their own life decisions. It also brings social contact and encourages feelings of self-worth from past achievements and memories. Despair can be replaced by feelings of integrity, despite being in the final stages of life.
3. Excellence in Execution of Digital Strategy: Story of DBS (World's Best Bank)
-Robin Speculand, Chen Jin & KC Chan
The pandemic has brought many changes, one of which is to make digital omnipresence even more important than before. Yet this transition is far from complete. This study cites three vital principles that need to be embraced for full digital success. One is to become digital to the core - all systems, throughout the organisation, need to be suitably designed. The second is to travel the customer journey to check all is customer friendly. The third is to think like a start-up, not just dabble with the edges of what already exists. The paper gives a further three tips - creating a common language across the whole organisation, making sure this language will be fully understood, and changing the way people think, work, and behave. The example organisation is DBS Bank, which has had a thorough transformation, and invests $750 million per annum in technology.
4. The Relationship Between Hybrid Working Arrangement Determinants and Knowledge Workers' Job Performance in the Malaysian Steel Manufacturing Industry
- Fanny Tan Boon Sim
Working from home has been a rare practice, with many not believing that it could work. The pandemic forced a rethink. Attitudes are still varied, but many companies are trying out hybrid working arrangements. This study looks at several factors that affect the outcome. One is work-life balance, which is clearly easier to achieve if time is saved by not commuting. However, there has to be trust that the work will be done to the same quality out of the office. Support is needed for any problems that arise, such as loss of face-to-face discussion, or difficulties removing oneself from family matters if still at home. Technological communication can work extremely well, but the systems have to support this. Additional resources may be required at home, at some expense. Perhaps most important of all is the strong belief on all sides that work will be done, and work relationships will be good.
5. An Empirical Analysis of the Open Learning Model Adoption Perception among Students and its Competitive Marketing Advantage in Malaysian Private Higher Education
- Yeow Tze Tet
Open learning is a form of collaboration whereby students share learning resources, discuss their work together, and have more control over how they learn than in traditional teaching. Technology is a great enabler for developing skills and knowledge, and for communication with others who could be far away. There is still sometimes reluctance to accept technology. This study looks at some theories about acceptance. For example, social cognitive theory links acceptance to self-efficacy. People have to believe themselves capable of learning new technology and putting it to effective use. Motivation theory looks at intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Fear of failure can block learning, which corroborates the relationship between acceptance and self-efficacy. This study looks at seven established theories in the context of open learning and the stages of acceptance, including before the learning starts. Expectations and intent can have as much impact as actual learning courses, and so is an important area of research.
ARTICLE TOOLS
Editor's Message
- The International Professional Managers Review has been created to provide academics and practitioners a platform and a Journal for their exploration of new ideas, concepts, techniques and practice.
Our Journal aims to provide steady information about the latest theories and practices, right across the world. Recent issues have ranged from individual employability to global operations strategy, and having contributors from four continents.
Our aim is to achieve a high quality of contribution in the areas of management and business. However, we cannot be complacent. The world is changing, and there is always a need to assess and reassess, to try out new ideas, to discuss the results, and then assess again. For this we need to hear from people who are active in professional management, and in research. Theory and practice are interconnected, and we want to join up the gaps.
We are aiming for a mix of approach, including, interviews, case studies, research with conclusions, exploratory ideas, and student papers. Sometimes we will have a special edition, where different authors explore the same topic from different angles, testing different theories, views from different countries, and so on. This should lead to in-depth discussion, more thought, more research, more articles, and further advance in theory and practice.
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- The International Professional Managers Review has been created to provide academics and practitioners a platform and a Journal for their exploration of new ideas, concepts, techniques and practice.