Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 105 in total

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  1. Simha P, Barton MA, Perez-Mercado LF, McConville JR, Lalander C, Magri ME, et al.
    Sci Total Environ, 2021 Apr 15;765:144438.
    PMID: 33418332 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144438
    Source-separating sanitation systems offer the possibility of recycling nutrients present in wastewater as crop fertilisers. Thereby, they can reduce agriculture's impacts on global sources, sinks, and cycles for nitrogen and phosphorous, as well as their associated environmental costs. However, it has been broadly assumed that people would be reluctant to perform the new sanitation behaviours that are necessary for implementing such systems in practice. Yet, few studies have tried to systematically gather evidence in support of this assumption. To address this gap, we surveyed 3763 people at 20 universities in 16 countries using a standardised questionnaire. We identified and systematically assessed cross-cultural and country-level explanatory factors that were strongly associated with people's willingness to consume food grown using human urine as fertiliser. Overall, 68% of the respondents favoured recycling human urine, 59% stated a willingness to eat urine-fertilised food, and only 11% believed that urine posed health risks that could not be mitigated by treatment. Most people did not expect to pay less for urine-fertilised food, but only 15% were willing to pay a price premium. Consumer perceptions were found to differ greatly by country and the strongest predictive factors for acceptance overall were cognitive factors (perceptions of risks and benefits) and social norms. Increasing awareness and building trust among consumers about the effectiveness of new sanitation systems via cognitive and normative messaging can help increase acceptance. Based on our findings, we believe that in many countries, acceptance by food consumers will not be the major social barrier to closing the loop on human urine. That a potential market exists for urine-fertilised food, however, needs to be communicated to other stakeholders in the sanitation service chain.
    Matched MeSH terms: Consumer Behavior
  2. Liu Y, Gan Y, Song Y, Liu J
    Sensors (Basel), 2021 Mar 13;21(6).
    PMID: 33805702 DOI: 10.3390/s21062037
    Contemporarily, almost all the global IT giants have aimed at the smart home industry and made an active strategic business layout. As the early-stage and entry-level product of the voice-enabled smart home industry, the smart speakers have been going through rapid development and rising fierce market competition globally in recent years. China, one of the most populous and largest markets in the world, has tremendous business potential in the smart home industry. The market sales of smart speakers in China have gone through rapid growth in the past three years. However, the market penetration rate of related smart home devices and equipment still stays extremely low and far from mass adoption. Moreover, the market sales of smart speakers have also entered a significant slowdown and adjustment period since 2020. Chinese consumers have moved from early impulsive consumption to a rational consumption phase about this early-stage smart home product. Trust in the marketing field is considered an indispensable component of all business transactions, which plays a crucial role in adopting new technologies. This study explores the influencing factors of Chinese users' perceived trust in the voice-enabled smart home systems, uses structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze the interaction mechanism between different variables, and establishes a perceived trust model through 475 valid samples. The model includes six variables: system quality, familiarity, subjective norm, technology optimism, perceived enjoyment, and perceived trust. The result shows that system quality is the essential influence factor that impacts all other variables and could significantly affect the perceived trust. Perceived enjoyment is the most direct influence variable affected by system quality, subjective norm, and technology optimism, and it positively affects the perceived trust in the end. The subjective norm is one of the most distinguishing variables for Chinese users, since China has a collectivist consumption culture. People always expect their behavior to meet social expectations and standards to avoid criticism and acquire social integration. Therefore, policy guidance, authoritative opinions, and people with important reference roles will significantly affect consumers' perceived trust and purchase intention. Familiarity and technology optimism are important influential factors that will have an indirect impact on the perceived trust. The related results of this study can help designers, practitioners, and researchers of the smart home industry produce products and services with higher perceived trust to improve consumers' adoption and acceptance so that the market penetration rate of related products and enterprises could be increased, and the maturity and development of the voice-enabled smart home industry could be promoted.
    Matched MeSH terms: Consumer Behavior
  3. Shrestha R, Alias H, Wong LP, Altice FL, Lim SH
    BMC Public Health, 2020 Nov 25;20(1):1777.
    PMID: 33238941 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-020-09832-w
    BACKGROUND: HIV self-testing (HIVST) has the potential to improve HIV testing uptake and frequency for key populations like MSM who experience multiple barriers accessing clinic-based HIV testing. In the absence of HIVST in Malaysia, there is no guidance to inform HIVST delivery. This study investigated the acceptability of HIVST and preferences about the HIVST service delivery approaches using a standardized stated preference method.

    METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey conducted between January and April 2019 assessed the interest in HIVST in 544 MSM in Malaysia. Participants ranked eight hypothetical HIVST service delivery program elements with varied combinations of six, two-level HIVST service delivery program attributes (cost, privacy, accuracy, kit collection site, kit type, and testing support). SPSS conjoint procedure was used to estimate the relative importance of each attribute and preference across eight possible HIVST service delivery programs.

    RESULTS: Overall, 70.4% had previously tested for HIV, and of those, 64.0% had done so in the past 6 months (45.0% of all participants). Of all the participants, 25.2% reported having used HIVST previously. The acceptability for HIVST service delivery models ranged from 44.9 to 77.1%, with mean acceptability of 56.2% across the eight hypothetical HIVST distribution scenarios. The HIVST service delivery scenario with the highest acceptability had the following attributes: no cost (free), anonymity (name not required), 99-100% accuracy, home-delivered, fingerstick, and testing support using telephone hotline or texting. HIVST cost was the most important attribute (relative importance score: RIS = 19.30) associated with acceptability, followed by anonymity (RIS = 18.41), accuracy (RIS = 17.33), kit delivery (RIS = 16.99), fingerstick kit (RIS = 15.86), and support (RIS = 12.08).

    CONCLUSIONS: Acceptability for HIVST in Malaysian MSM was high but differed markedly by a number of HIVST delivery scenarios and attributes. These findings could be relevant as the Malaysian Ministry of Health is in the process of developing a regulatory framework for ensuring the quality of kits, as well as policies supporting safe use while broader implementation under national AIDS programs.

    Matched MeSH terms: Consumer Behavior/statistics & numerical data*
  4. Najmi A, Kanapathy K, Aziz AA
    Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2021 Mar;28(12):14782-14796.
    PMID: 33219501 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-11675-2
    For environmental management, the role of consumers is extremely important in the settings of reverse logistics. Though it is a manufacturer's extended responsibility to handle the waste however by becoming the supplier of the end of life products, consumers' participation needed to be encouraged and hence require proper attention. For the said purpose, the present study is conducted whereby crucial determinants of consumer reversing behavior were identified and analyzed by the help of a unique two-staged methodology of partial least square-structural equation modeling and artificial neural network. The data comprised of 746 collected by the survey from ICT users whereby the findings reported to have significant relationships of return intention and reversing behavior with their determinants. Moreover, the aforementioned unique methodology helps in generating more robust results as findings from ANN reported to have moral norm as most important variable which according to PLS-SEM was second most significant construct, whereas attitude was found to be second most important as per ANN which according to PLS-SEM is the most significant construct. Nevertheless, the study offers insights which contributes in the literature of environmental management, reverse logistics, and consumer behavior. Lastly, based on the findings, the managerial implications and recommendations are accordingly discussed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Consumer Behavior
  5. Rubayah Yakob, Zulkornain Yusop, Alias Radam, Noriszura Ismail
    Sains Malaysiana, 2014;43:1439-1450.
    The objective of this study was to identify the exogenous variables of risk and investment management efficiency by using a two-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) method. The first stage involves obtaining the efficiency scores of risk and investment management via DEA that requires only the traditional inputs and outputs. In the second stage, the Tobit regression analysis is conducted in which the efficiency score obtained from the first stage is treated as a dependent variable, while the exogenous factors are considered to be independent variables. The exogenous factors consist of operating systems, organizational form, consumer preference and size. The results showed that the mutual company as well as the takaful system demonstrate better risk management performance than their stock and conventional system counterparts. In addition, size is also a significant indicator for risk management efficiency in which the larger insurer/takaful operator exhibits better risk management performance than the smaller one. However, consumer preference is found to be insignificantly correlated with the efficiency of risk management. In contrast, with risk management, organizational form, operating system and size are not indicators of the investment management efficiency, but consumer preference is significantly and positively associated with investment management efficiency.
    Matched MeSH terms: Consumer Behavior
  6. Zun AB, Ibrahim MI, Mokhtar AM, Halim AS, Wan Mansor WNA
    PMID: 31185665 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16112054
    BACKGROUND: Patient feedback is an important tool in assessing health system quality. The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) was developed in 2006 as a standardized instrument to assess patient perceptions in the United States of America. This study aimed to translate and validate the HCAHPS questionnaire into the Malay language in order to assess patient perceptions of health services in Malaysia.

    METHODS: The original HCAPHS in English was translated into Malay based on the established guideline. The content validation involved an expert panel of 10 members, including patients. The face validation pilot testing of the HCAHPS-Malay version was conducted among 10 discharged patients. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) used principal axis factor, and varimax rotation was established based on a cross-sectional study conducted among 200 discharged patients from Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (Hospital USM).

    RESULTS: The overall content validity index was 0.87, and the universal face validity index was 0.82. From the EFA, the factor loading value ranged from 0.652 to 0.961 within nine domains. The internal consistency reliability with Cronbach's alpha was 0.844.

    CONCLUSION: The HCAHPS-Malay is a reliable and valid tool to determine patients' perception of healthcare services among inpatients in Hospital USM based on the content and face validation result together with a good construct validity and excellent absolute reliability. Further testing on HCAHPS-Malay version in other settings in Malaysia needs to be done for cross-validation.

    Matched MeSH terms: Consumer Behavior*
  7. Chung, B. H., Tan, J. R.
    MyJurnal
    The own price, income and price of a substitute are the determinants of demand in the classical theory of consumer behavior. We used the theory to analyze the demand for local rice in Malaysia by using time series variables. We examined whether there is a long run relationship among the variables by using the unit root and cointegration tests. We then conducted the Granger causality, variance decomposition and impulse response function tests to examine their directions of causality as well as short term dynamics. The results show that there is a long run relationship among the variables and a unidirectional causality from price and income to demand. There are also lagged and short term dynamics among the variables.
    Matched MeSH terms: Consumer Behavior
  8. Loganathan R, Tarmizi AHA, Vethakkan SR, Teng KT
    J Oleo Sci, 2020 Jul 02;69(7):671-676.
    PMID: 32522941 DOI: 10.5650/jos.ess19253
    The study was designed to evaluate the nutritive value, thermal stability and consumer acceptance of cupcakes baked with red palm olein compared to palm olein. Thermal stability was evaluated for acidity, peroxide, p-anisidine and total oxidation value (cumulative between peroxide and p-anisidine values), as well as fatty acid composition. The concentrations of phytonutrients including tocopherols and tocotrienols, alpha- and beta-carotene after baking were also determined. Acceptance of the cupcakes was assessed using a structured hedonic scale of five points by 29 panelists. As compared to initial test oil (red palm olein), acidity (red palm olein, 0.07±0.01% vs cupcakes containing red palm olein, 0.09±0.01%; P=0.0232), peroxide value (red palm olein, 0.33±0.05 meq O2 kg-1 vs cupcakes containing red palm olein 0.73±0.06 meq O2 kg-1; P=0.0011) and total oxidation value (red palm olein, 2.24±0.13 unit vs cupcakes containing red palm olein, 3.09±0.17 unit; P=0.0012) were found to be higher in cupcakes containing red palm olein, which is within the acceptable rancidity range (peroxide value < 7.5 meq O2 kg-1) for snack food category. No changes were found on oxidative parameters (acidity, peroxide, p-anisidine values and total oxidation value) in cupcakes containing palm olein. Cupcakes made with red palm olein retained nearly 100% of alpha- and beta-carotenes upon baking. Tocopherol homologues were stable in both comparisons, with 95% retention as compared to tocotrienol homologues (~85%). Cupcakes made from red palm olein received higher score (mean=3.29) in sensory evaluation as compared to cupcakes containing palm olein (mean=3.07). The study, therefore, encourages the inclusion of red palm olein in the formulation of bakery products.
    Matched MeSH terms: Consumer Behavior*
  9. Rafidah Kamarudin, Azura Abd Jamil @ Kamarudzzaman, Albakri Mohammad, Norlis Osman, Zaidatulhusna Mohd Isnani
    Jurnal Inovasi Malaysia, 2020;3(2):26-41.
    MyJurnal
    Hari Bertemu Pelanggan (HBP) is an essential event of the Port Dickson Municipal Council (MPPD) which is held twice a year for staff to review their Personal Files. The problem faced by the staff at the Human Resource Department (JPSM) MPPD is to handle staff Personal Files from the file room to the HBP location during the event. Risks such as loss and damage of Personal Files and the high cost in transferring staff Personal Files lead to the development of innovation known as dgDocSPACE. The implementation of the innovation has successfully reduced the operating cost, increased productivity, shortened time for reviewing Personal Files and increased customer satisfaction.
    Matched MeSH terms: Consumer Behavior
  10. Sudha R, Thiagarajan AS, Seetharaman A
    Pak J Biol Sci, 2007 Jan 01;10(1):102-6.
    PMID: 19069993
    The existing literatures highlights that the security is the primary factor which determines the adoption of Internet banking technology. The secondary information on Internet banking development in Malaysia shows a very slow growth rate. Hence, this study aims to study the banking customers perception towards security concern and Internet banking adoption through the information collected from 150 sample respondents. The data analysis reveals that the customers have much concern about security and privacy issue in adoption of Internet banking, whether the customers are adopted Internet banking or not. Hence, it infers that to popularize Internet banking system there is a need for improvement in security and privacy issue among the banking customers.
    Matched MeSH terms: Consumer Behavior
  11. MyJurnal
    The study investigated socio-demographic factors and product attributes affecting purchase decision of special rice by Malaysian consumer. The primary data were analyzed by using binary logit model.
    Demographic factors and consumer preference for special rice (with reference to basmati rice) attributes were identified to affect purchasing behavior for special rice. Size of household, marital status, number of children, household income and gender of consumers are the main socio-demographic factors that significantly influence households’ choices of special rice for home consumption in the Klang Valley area. The findings also suggest that product attributes such as flavor and aroma, availability, brand name and quality also influence the frequent purchasing of Basmati rice among the Malaysian consumers. However price and easy preparation are not significant in influencing the frequent purchasing of Basmati rice since most consumers are aware that special rice such as Basmati is expensive and all rice has to be prepared in a usual way.
    Matched MeSH terms: Consumer Behavior
  12. Ibrahim IR, Ibrahim MI, Al-Haddad MS
    Int J Clin Pharm, 2012 Oct;34(5):728-32.
    PMID: 22744843 DOI: 10.1007/s11096-012-9667-6
    BACKGROUND: Beyond the direct pharmacological effect of medicines, preferences and perceptions toward a particular oral solid dosage form (OSDF) play a crucial role in recovery and may reduce adherence to the prescribed treatment.

    OBJECTIVES: This study conducted to investigate the most preferred OSDF and the degree to which swallowing solid medication is an issue, to assess perceptions of the therapeutic benefits of the OSDF, and to find predictors of the most preferred OSDF.

    METHOD: A cross-sectional study, through convenience sample method, was conducted to survey consumers visiting community pharmacies in Baghdad, Iraq. Data was collected by self-administered and pre-piloted questionnaires, and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science. Multiple logistic regression analysis and Chi-square tests were used at alpha level = 0.05.

    RESULTS: A total of 1,000 questionnaire were included in the analysis. Of all respondents, 52.9 % preferred capsule among other OSDF and this preference varied significantly with a number of socio-demographic factors. Ease of swallowing solid medication was the main issue which resulted in preferences for a particular form. A negative perception of the therapeutic benefits of the OSDF was found among 89.1 % of the consumers. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that gender, ease of swallowing, and perceptions of the therapeutic benefits of the OSDF were significant predictors of capsule preferences.

    CONCLUSIONS: Given the fact that consumers are the end users of medicines and their preferences may influence response to the treatment, efforts are worthwhile by the prescribers and medicines' manufactures to understand consumers' preferences of a particular dosage form in order to achieve successful therapy outcomes.

    Matched MeSH terms: Consumer Behavior*
  13. Yap SL, Tan XB, Tan CS
    Previous studies have found that luminance contrast may enhance attention and attention is positively correlated with memory. However, little attention has been given to understand the impact of luminance contrast on memory. The present study attempts to address this gap by examining the effect of luminance contrast on attention and memory. A total of 159 undergraduates were randomly assigned to three luminance contrast conditions (high vs. moderate vs. low) and were administered a modified d2 test and modified words memory test. Multivariate analysis of variance showed significant effect of luminance contrast on memory performance. Participants in the high and moderate luminance contrast groups recalled more words than counterparts in the low contrast group. However, the effect of luminance contrast on attention was not significant, though planned comparison found that high contrast group scored higher than low contrast group. The findings not only shed light on improvement of memory but also have implication for design and marketing and consumer behaviours study.
    Matched MeSH terms: Consumer Behavior
  14. Frantz JM, Bezuidenhout J, Burch VC, Mthembu S, Rowe M, Tan C, et al.
    BMC Med Educ, 2015;15:28.
    PMID: 25879491 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-015-0320-7
    In 2008 the sub-Saharan FAIMER Regional Institute launched a faculty development programme aimed at enhancing the academic and research capacity of health professions educators working in sub-Saharan Africa. This two-year programme, a combination of residential and distance learning activities, focuses on developing the leadership, project management and programme evaluation skills of participants as well as teaching the key principles of health professions education-curriculum design, teaching and learning and assessment. Participants also gain first-hand research experience by designing and conducting an education innovation project in their home institutions. This study was conducted to determine the perceptions of participants regarding the personal and professional impact of the SAFRI programme.
    Matched MeSH terms: Consumer Behavior
  15. Lai N, Nalliah S, Jutti RC, Hla Y, Lim VK
    Educ Health (Abingdon), 2009 Aug;22(2):148.
    PMID: 20029744
    The educational environment is widely considered to be a major factor affecting students' motivation and learning outcomes. Although students' perceptions of their educational environment are often reported, we are unaware of any published reports that relate this information to students' clinical competence, either self-perceived or objectively measured.
    Matched MeSH terms: Consumer Behavior/statistics & numerical data
  16. Salah OH, Yusof ZM, Mohamed H
    PLoS One, 2021;16(3):e0243355.
    PMID: 33662987 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243355
    CRM adoption can provide innumerable benefits to the SMEs performance, including solving customer problems in a timely manner, enhancing customer satisfaction by appointing an expert to solve issues and queries, and the like. This study aims to examine the moderating effects of the firm size in the adoption of CRM in the Palestinian SMEs. A quantitative approach was used to investigate the relationships between the variables, which are compatibility, IT infrastructure, complexity, relative advantage, security, top management support, customer pressure, and competitive pressure. A questionnaire was designed to collect data from 420 SMEs in Palestine. A total of 331 respondents completed and returned the survey. The Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) approach was used to assess both the measurement and structural models. The Diffusion of Innovation Theory (DOI) and Technology, Organization, and Environment Framework (TOE) framework were employed to identify the determinant factors from the technological, organizational, and environmental perspectives. The findings and conclusions of this study provide show that the moderating effect of firm size has significant effect compatibility, top management support, customer pressure, and IT infrastructure factors.
    Matched MeSH terms: Consumer Behavior
  17. Shammakh M, Ali RT, Shaari T
    J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo), 2020;66(Supplement):S222-S225.
    PMID: 33612599 DOI: 10.3177/jnsv.66.S222
    Consumers nowadays have more awareness for healthy foods and demanded healthier food choices to avoid health-related problems; therefore, industries had included health and nutrition claims on their products. Health and nutrition claims usually influence consumers' food choice decision. Products with health claim resulted in higher perception of healthiness and nutritional value of the product, even if the product was not considered as a healthy choice. The aim of this study was to assess whether the health and nutrition claims had led to a healthier perception or better evaluation of the product among consumers.

    METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using an online questionnaire on 385 respondents collected through convenience sampling. The survey consisted of four parts: socio-demographic background, health awareness, understanding and usage of health and nutrition claims, and purchase intention measured through the use of a mock packaging. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS version 22.

    RESULTS: Most of the respondents aged 18-30 (81.0%) and almost half of them were Malay (45.7%) with bachelor/master or PhD qualification (60.0%). The distribution of household income for all categories was almost similar (18.2-20.8%). There was a significant statistical relationship between health awareness and purchase intention among respondents (r=0.391, p<0.01).

    CONCLUSIONS: Health and nutrition claims influenced consumer's perceptions and purchase intention, especially for those who were more concerned about their health, thus, more focus on policy regarding claims is needed.

    Matched MeSH terms: Consumer Behavior
  18. Schaefer A, Buratto LG, Goto N, Brotherhood EV
    PLoS One, 2016 09 22;11(9):e0163150.
    PMID: 27658301 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0163150
    A large body of evidence shows that buying behaviour is strongly determined by consumers' price expectations and the extent to which real prices violate these expectations. Despite the importance of this phenomenon, little is known regarding its neural mechanisms. Here we show that two patterns of electrical brain activity known to index prediction errors-the Feedback-Related Negativity (FRN) and the feedback-related P300 -were sensitive to price offers that were cheaper than participants' expectations. In addition, we also found that FRN amplitude time-locked to price offers predicted whether a product would be subsequently purchased or not, and further analyses suggest that this result was driven by the sensitivity of the FRN to positive price expectation violations. This finding strongly suggests that ensembles of neurons coding positive prediction errors play a critical role in real-life consumer behaviour. Further, these findings indicate that theoretical models based on the notion of prediction error, such as the Reinforcement Learning Theory, can provide a neurobiologically grounded account of consumer behavior.
    Matched MeSH terms: Consumer Behavior
  19. MyJurnal
    Keropok Lekor or frankfurter-like snack has long existed in Malaysia and has been sold in commercial retail shops as well as on the streets. The aims of this study were to analyze consumer’s perception and attitude towards keropok lekor and to determine consumer’s behavior on the product. Survey questionnaire was employed as a data collection tool. A total of 212 respondents from a university participated in this study. Results showed that more than 70% of the respondents chose to eat keropok lekor because of the taste. Half of the respondents chose black pepper as an innovative supplementary flavor of keropok lekor. This study also explores and analyses preliminary consumer behavior about keropok lekor such as satisfaction level, factors that drive consumption, product’s image from consumer perspectives and etc.
    Matched MeSH terms: Consumer Behavior
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