S. Gulabdin, Toh Pei Sung, S. L. Sondoh Jr, Faerozh Madli
{"title":"THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL INFLUENCE AND INTERPERSONAL IDENTIFICATION ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERSONALITY AND PERFORMANCE OF AGENTS IN THE MULTILEVEL MARKETING (MLM) INDUSTRY","authors":"S. Gulabdin, Toh Pei Sung, S. L. Sondoh Jr, Faerozh Madli","doi":"10.26480/mecj.01.2022.44.53","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26480/mecj.01.2022.44.53","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose –The purpose of this paper is threefold: first, to examine whether there is a significant effect of interpersonal identification on the agent’s performance; second, to examine whether there is a significant mediating effect on the relationship between extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, openness to experience, and the agent’s performance; and third, to examine whether there is significant moderating effect of social influence on the relationship between interpersonal identification and the agent’s performance. Ultimately, the researchers want to provide the agent or upline to reach a higher awareness regarding their influence on interpersonal identification between personality and the agent’s performance. Design/methodology/approach – The quantitative method was applied, and 200 questionnaires were distributed. However, only 179 were used as the final sample. This study used PLS-SEM to test the causal interactions between constructs of the proposed model. Findings – Extraversion, conscientiousness, and emotional stability were found to have constructive associations with interpersonal identification. The agent’s performance is generally greatly impacted by interpersonal identification. Interpersonal identification indirectly has a considerable impact on the relationship between emotional stability and performance as well as on conscientiousness and performance. Practical implications – This study can be the MLM agent’s management aspirations in shaping the recruitment of MLM, which first focuses on the individual’s personality before involving in the MLM businesses. It will also contribute to sustaining and increasing their agent’s performance in the future and have a keen interest in the MLM industry. The relationships among agents will be improved in future. Nevertheless, they will contribute to people’s economy, specifically in Sabah. Originality/value – First, this study broadens external factors like interpersonal identification and personality traits that might influence contextual performance. Second, prior research has mostly focused on the connection between personality characteristics and sales performance. In contrast, the big five personality traits and interpersonal identification were used in this study to create relative measures of contextual performance for the agent. In Sabah, very few studies in this area have been conducted in such a setting, hence this study adds to the body of information for Sabahan academics and academicians for future study.","PeriodicalId":197061,"journal":{"name":"MALAYSIAN E COMMERCE JOURNAL","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128057915","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT FOR ONLINE PLATFORMS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: PRACTICES AND CHALLENGES","authors":"R. Vivek","doi":"10.26480/mecj.01.2022.29.35","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26480/mecj.01.2022.29.35","url":null,"abstract":"Purpose: This study aimed to identify the practices and challenges in sustainable strategic management in higher education on online platforms. Theoretical framework: Higher education through online platforms has become one of the crucial challenges of the twenty-first century with digital transformation in a digital era and the Covid-19 pandemic. For better implementation of online platforms for online higher education, universities created Sustainable Strategic Management (SSM) practices and adopted strategic planning accordingly. Design: The qualitative research is designed per the research objectives and questions. Thematic analysis is used to analyse collected data through interviews. Findings: The study finds that SSM practices are blended with SDGs to offer the best higher education for students. Furthermore, strategic management of these platforms is challenging even though they are collaborative and assertive tools for higher education. Understanding the needs and expectations of the stakeholders and implementing strategies for the effective operation of the online platform is the need of the hour. Research, Practical and Social implications: After analysing practices and challenges, the researcher recommends strategies and compilation with sustainability concepts for effective SSMs for online platforms in higher education. Originality/value: This study highlights that to derive SSM, higher education institutes must blend SDGs with strategic planning. Further, it reiterates that all steps for quality higher education through online platforms will contribute to sustainable economic growth in the country.","PeriodicalId":197061,"journal":{"name":"MALAYSIAN E COMMERCE JOURNAL","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"114667202","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"THE INFLUENCE OF REFERENCE GROUPS ON THE BUYING BEHAVIOUR OF SINGLETONS","authors":"R. Goldberg, Liani Groenewald","doi":"10.26480/mecj.02.2022.64.68","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26480/mecj.02.2022.64.68","url":null,"abstract":"Little research has been conducted on the growing Singletons segment in South Africa. Singletons have greater purchasing power and a high disposable income due to their lack of dependents. Organisations tend to overlook this segment. The buying behaviour of Singletons are different compared to those of family households. One of the primaries aims of marketing is to study consumer decision-making and factors that affect buying behaviour. Understanding these factors will allow marketers to adapt their product offering and marketing messages accordingly to reach their target markets more effectively. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of reference groups on the buying behaviour of Singletons. Non-probability, convenience sampling was used, and data was collected by using a self-administrated questionnaire. A sample size 207 respondents was realised. The results of the study indicate that reference groups have a moderately low level of influence on the buying behaviour of Singletons.","PeriodicalId":197061,"journal":{"name":"MALAYSIAN E COMMERCE JOURNAL","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127992687","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"EFFECTS OF SELECTED MACROECONOMIC VARIABLES ON STOCK MARKET PERFORMANCE IN NIGERIA","authors":"A. O. Jacob, Saviour S. Udo, Ferdinand. I. Odey","doi":"10.26480/mecj.02.2022.54.58","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.26480/mecj.02.2022.54.58","url":null,"abstract":"In spite of the vital role played by the stock exchange market in the overall national development, it is still performing below expectations in Nigeria owing to several macroeconomic factors. The main objective of this study is to investigate the effects of selected macroeconomic variables on stock market performance in Nigeria. The study employed time-series data obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria's statistical bulletin and World Development Indicators. Stock market performance was measured using the all-shares index while the identified macroeconomic variables included GDP growth, broad money supply, exchange rate, savings interest rate, and inflation rate. An Autoregressive Distributive Lag (ARDL) estimation technique was used to establish the long run relationship among the variables, and it was revealed that a long run relationship existed among the variables in the estimated model. The result shows that macroeconomic variables such as gross domestic product, broad money supply, exchange rate, and savings interest rate have a positive effect on stock market performance in Nigeria. On the other hand, the results showed that the inflation rate has a negative effect on stock market performance in Nigeria. Predicated on the result, the study recommended that policies to increase gross domestic product, exchange rate, interest rate, and money supply should be implemented because they can lead to an improvement in the performance of the stock market, while the inflation rate should be maintained at a single digit to prevent its negative effect on the performance of the stock market in Nigeria.","PeriodicalId":197061,"journal":{"name":"MALAYSIAN E COMMERCE JOURNAL","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"1900-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126708682","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}