Nor'Aini Yusof | Universiti Sains Malaysia (original) (raw)
Papers by Nor'Aini Yusof
Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, 2021
The influence of a client focus on innovation and companies’ performance remains inconclusive. Th... more The influence of a client focus on innovation and companies’ performance remains inconclusive. The paper investigates the mediating and moderating effects of a client focus on the relationship between innovation and financial performance. Survey data were collected from construction companies and analysed using partial least square structural equation modelling. The findings showed that the client focus partially mediates the relationship between innovation and financial performance, and this relationship is strong in companies with a low client focus. Practitioners need to balance innovation and a client focused strategy to improve the performance of construction companies and advance innovation in the industry.
This study investigates the moderating effects of environmental knowledge, environmental concern,... more This study investigates the moderating effects of environmental knowledge, environmental concern, and the direct and indirect environmental behaviours of tourists, on the relationship between the environmental practices of resorts and tourists’ loyalty. The respondents were 529 guests of lake and river resorts in Peninsular Malaysia. The data were analysed using the partial least squares technique. The findings indicate that the effect of resorts’ environmental practices on loyalty is greater among tourists who have a higher level of environmental concern and who behave directly or indirectly in a more environmentally friendly manner. However, environmental knowledge has no moderating effect. The study provides useful information for resort managers to improve their environmental practices and increase tourists’ environmental concern and behaviour.
Multi-storey housing projects are a new orientation in Gaza, Palestine resulting from the increas... more Multi-storey housing projects are a new orientation in Gaza, Palestine resulting from the increase of residents and limitation and life and to delay the need for new structure redevelopment. Five levels of participation are used in this study begin with a leader who defines objectives and tasks and ends with a nonparticipant resident. This paper aims to -storey housing projects in Gaza, Palestine. The data were obtained from random samples of an 80-resident pilot study. The result of the analysis shows a their satisfaction. Accordingly, recommendations for responsible authorities are to monitor and follow up on the ability of residents to acclimatize.
The potential of the construction industry to contribute toward environmental sustainability plac... more The potential of the construction industry to contribute toward environmental sustainability placed increased pressure on the need for pro-environmental practices
(PEP) in the sector. Research has indicated that environmental quality is associated with human behavior; thus, PEP in construction firms is imperative. Studies on the PEP of construction firms are limited. This study aims to explore the PEP dimensions in construction firms, specifically among architectural, engineering, and contracting (AEC) firms. Questionnaires were distributed to AEC firms in Penang, Malaysia; 375 useable responses were obtained. After data analysis, four factors emerged as the PEP dimensions of firms. These factors are energy efficiency, paper recycling, office waste recycling, and involvement in pro-environmental efforts. The findings provide valuable understanding on PEP that is available in construction firms.
The notion that the construction industry can contribute to environmental sustainability has incr... more The notion that the construction industry can contribute to environmental sustainability has increased the demand for environmental sustainability in the sector. Research has shown that environmental quality is associated with human behaviour. Therefore, minimising waste generation and energy consumption in construction projects is important. This study investigates the influence of the environmental
practice of construction firms on practitioners' environmental behaviour during project implementation. Data for the study are obtained from a sample of 375 architectural, engineering, and contracting firms in Malaysia. The partial least squares technique is used for data analysis. The results indicate that firms' energy efficiency and waste management practices have a positive effect on the
environmental behaviour of practitioners during project implementation. The results imply that when construction firms are engaged in energy efficiency or waste management activities, an increase in environmental behaviour will occur in the projects in which these practitioners are involved. This study is one of first attempts to investigate the relationship between the environmental practices of construction
firms and the environmental behaviour of professionals during project implementation within the construction industry. The findings are useful for construction practitioners in terms of exerting environmental behaviour in project implementation, which is essential for facilitating environmental sustainability in the construction sector.
Purpose – This study aims to assess the construction firm’s innovation orientation and to investi... more Purpose – This study aims to assess the construction firm’s innovation orientation and to investigate its relationship with firm characteristics.
Design/methodology/approach – A structured survey was conducted among 105 firms in the Malaysian construction industry. The results of the factor analysis revealed two underlying dimensions of innovation, namely, innovation creation and innovation adoption. For the cluster analysis, the firms were segmented into four subgroups according to four dimensions, namely, non-innovative, innovation-creator, imitator and innovative firms.
Findings – Firm’s business scale and age significantly affected the innovation orientation of construction firms.
Originality/value – This research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by adding a new firm characteristic, business scale, as a potential predictor of firms’ innovativeness. This study is the first to explore the effect of firm characteristics on the innovation orientation of firm
Proceedings of the 2nd Annual International Conference on Tourism and Hospitality Research (THoR 2013), 2013
The build-then-sell (BTS) versus sell-then-build (STB) approaches to housing has been a longstand... more The build-then-sell (BTS) versus sell-then-build (STB) approaches to housing has been a longstanding debate in Malaysia. Many have argued that housing developers are reluctant to implement the BTS concept. On the other hand, some authors claimed that the BTS concept can result in houses that are less or free from defects. But there is lack of empirical studies to prove these arguments. This chapter attempts to make an objective assessment of the issues.
Emerging Issues in the Natural and Applied Sciences, 2012
International Journal of Academic Research, 2014
Industrial training is an important strategy used to expose students to the real working environm... more Industrial training is an important strategy used to expose students to the real working environment and to equip them with the necessary skills so that they will be work- ready when they graduate. The objective of this study is to investigate the performance of built environment students in one public university in Malaysia during industrial training. Data were collected based on employers’ evaluations of the performance of 186 students who underwent 12 weeks industrial training. The performance attributes were built upon the respective faculty’s programme outcomes and centred around three main dimensions; personal qualities, core skills and process skills. The results indicate a satisfactory level of students’ performance during the industrial training and most employers would be willing to recruit the students in the future
ABSTRACT The main objective of this paper is to investigate tourists’ opinion with regard to sust... more ABSTRACT The main objective of this paper is to investigate tourists’ opinion with regard to sustainable attributes provided in an ecotourism area. Specifically, investigations were conducted by surveying the tourists’ expectations and experiences from their visit to a selected ecotourism area, Kenyir Lake, Malaysia. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted with tourists who had stayed for at least one night at any of the nine resorts at Kenyir Lake, Malaysia. Out of 245 registered tourists at Lake Kenyir resorts at the time the survey was conducted, 157 tourists responded, yielding 127 usable responses. The results showed that, in general, tourists are dissatisfied, in the sense that their expectations exceed their experiences. The study concludes that natural attractions, integration with the local environment, recycling issues and the impact on the local environment are the most important factors that influence tourist expectation and experience.
Housing developers, just like firms from other industries, are facing competition and pressure to... more Housing developers, just like firms from other industries, are facing competition and pressure to provide better quality products and services to improve speed in the market, organizational agility and innovation. Trade liberalization and rapid fall in communication costs, global communications, technological and scientific understanding, and the increasing knowledge and demand from clients are some of the reasons why innovation is even more urgent today. Innovation has been recognized as a prerequisite for better satisfaction of consumer needs, to stay ahead of the competitors, explore new markets, and is vital for firm survival and growth. This recognition has spurred numerous studies in many disciplines such as marketing, sociology, psychology, management and economics. The capacity of the firm to innovate has also brought about other research interests. Subsequently, there is diverse understanding of these two constructs by scholars in various fields, resulting in various definitions and inconsistent terminologies. The lack of consistent terminology has resulted in interchangeable uses of the constructs of innovation and innovativeness. This conceptual paper seeks to discuss the difference between innovation and innovativeness, and it also suggests the antecedent relationship between the two constructs.
Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, 2021
The influence of a client focus on innovation and companies’ performance remains inconclusive. Th... more The influence of a client focus on innovation and companies’ performance remains inconclusive. The paper investigates the mediating and moderating effects of a client focus on the relationship between innovation and financial performance. Survey data were collected from construction companies and analysed using partial least square structural equation modelling. The findings showed that the client focus partially mediates the relationship between innovation and financial performance, and this relationship is strong in companies with a low client focus. Practitioners need to balance innovation and a client focused strategy to improve the performance of construction companies and advance innovation in the industry.
This study investigates the moderating effects of environmental knowledge, environmental concern,... more This study investigates the moderating effects of environmental knowledge, environmental concern, and the direct and indirect environmental behaviours of tourists, on the relationship between the environmental practices of resorts and tourists’ loyalty. The respondents were 529 guests of lake and river resorts in Peninsular Malaysia. The data were analysed using the partial least squares technique. The findings indicate that the effect of resorts’ environmental practices on loyalty is greater among tourists who have a higher level of environmental concern and who behave directly or indirectly in a more environmentally friendly manner. However, environmental knowledge has no moderating effect. The study provides useful information for resort managers to improve their environmental practices and increase tourists’ environmental concern and behaviour.
Multi-storey housing projects are a new orientation in Gaza, Palestine resulting from the increas... more Multi-storey housing projects are a new orientation in Gaza, Palestine resulting from the increase of residents and limitation and life and to delay the need for new structure redevelopment. Five levels of participation are used in this study begin with a leader who defines objectives and tasks and ends with a nonparticipant resident. This paper aims to -storey housing projects in Gaza, Palestine. The data were obtained from random samples of an 80-resident pilot study. The result of the analysis shows a their satisfaction. Accordingly, recommendations for responsible authorities are to monitor and follow up on the ability of residents to acclimatize.
The potential of the construction industry to contribute toward environmental sustainability plac... more The potential of the construction industry to contribute toward environmental sustainability placed increased pressure on the need for pro-environmental practices
(PEP) in the sector. Research has indicated that environmental quality is associated with human behavior; thus, PEP in construction firms is imperative. Studies on the PEP of construction firms are limited. This study aims to explore the PEP dimensions in construction firms, specifically among architectural, engineering, and contracting (AEC) firms. Questionnaires were distributed to AEC firms in Penang, Malaysia; 375 useable responses were obtained. After data analysis, four factors emerged as the PEP dimensions of firms. These factors are energy efficiency, paper recycling, office waste recycling, and involvement in pro-environmental efforts. The findings provide valuable understanding on PEP that is available in construction firms.
The notion that the construction industry can contribute to environmental sustainability has incr... more The notion that the construction industry can contribute to environmental sustainability has increased the demand for environmental sustainability in the sector. Research has shown that environmental quality is associated with human behaviour. Therefore, minimising waste generation and energy consumption in construction projects is important. This study investigates the influence of the environmental
practice of construction firms on practitioners' environmental behaviour during project implementation. Data for the study are obtained from a sample of 375 architectural, engineering, and contracting firms in Malaysia. The partial least squares technique is used for data analysis. The results indicate that firms' energy efficiency and waste management practices have a positive effect on the
environmental behaviour of practitioners during project implementation. The results imply that when construction firms are engaged in energy efficiency or waste management activities, an increase in environmental behaviour will occur in the projects in which these practitioners are involved. This study is one of first attempts to investigate the relationship between the environmental practices of construction
firms and the environmental behaviour of professionals during project implementation within the construction industry. The findings are useful for construction practitioners in terms of exerting environmental behaviour in project implementation, which is essential for facilitating environmental sustainability in the construction sector.
Purpose – This study aims to assess the construction firm’s innovation orientation and to investi... more Purpose – This study aims to assess the construction firm’s innovation orientation and to investigate its relationship with firm characteristics.
Design/methodology/approach – A structured survey was conducted among 105 firms in the Malaysian construction industry. The results of the factor analysis revealed two underlying dimensions of innovation, namely, innovation creation and innovation adoption. For the cluster analysis, the firms were segmented into four subgroups according to four dimensions, namely, non-innovative, innovation-creator, imitator and innovative firms.
Findings – Firm’s business scale and age significantly affected the innovation orientation of construction firms.
Originality/value – This research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by adding a new firm characteristic, business scale, as a potential predictor of firms’ innovativeness. This study is the first to explore the effect of firm characteristics on the innovation orientation of firm
Proceedings of the 2nd Annual International Conference on Tourism and Hospitality Research (THoR 2013), 2013
The build-then-sell (BTS) versus sell-then-build (STB) approaches to housing has been a longstand... more The build-then-sell (BTS) versus sell-then-build (STB) approaches to housing has been a longstanding debate in Malaysia. Many have argued that housing developers are reluctant to implement the BTS concept. On the other hand, some authors claimed that the BTS concept can result in houses that are less or free from defects. But there is lack of empirical studies to prove these arguments. This chapter attempts to make an objective assessment of the issues.
Emerging Issues in the Natural and Applied Sciences, 2012
International Journal of Academic Research, 2014
Industrial training is an important strategy used to expose students to the real working environm... more Industrial training is an important strategy used to expose students to the real working environment and to equip them with the necessary skills so that they will be work- ready when they graduate. The objective of this study is to investigate the performance of built environment students in one public university in Malaysia during industrial training. Data were collected based on employers’ evaluations of the performance of 186 students who underwent 12 weeks industrial training. The performance attributes were built upon the respective faculty’s programme outcomes and centred around three main dimensions; personal qualities, core skills and process skills. The results indicate a satisfactory level of students’ performance during the industrial training and most employers would be willing to recruit the students in the future
ABSTRACT The main objective of this paper is to investigate tourists’ opinion with regard to sust... more ABSTRACT The main objective of this paper is to investigate tourists’ opinion with regard to sustainable attributes provided in an ecotourism area. Specifically, investigations were conducted by surveying the tourists’ expectations and experiences from their visit to a selected ecotourism area, Kenyir Lake, Malaysia. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted with tourists who had stayed for at least one night at any of the nine resorts at Kenyir Lake, Malaysia. Out of 245 registered tourists at Lake Kenyir resorts at the time the survey was conducted, 157 tourists responded, yielding 127 usable responses. The results showed that, in general, tourists are dissatisfied, in the sense that their expectations exceed their experiences. The study concludes that natural attractions, integration with the local environment, recycling issues and the impact on the local environment are the most important factors that influence tourist expectation and experience.
Housing developers, just like firms from other industries, are facing competition and pressure to... more Housing developers, just like firms from other industries, are facing competition and pressure to provide better quality products and services to improve speed in the market, organizational agility and innovation. Trade liberalization and rapid fall in communication costs, global communications, technological and scientific understanding, and the increasing knowledge and demand from clients are some of the reasons why innovation is even more urgent today. Innovation has been recognized as a prerequisite for better satisfaction of consumer needs, to stay ahead of the competitors, explore new markets, and is vital for firm survival and growth. This recognition has spurred numerous studies in many disciplines such as marketing, sociology, psychology, management and economics. The capacity of the firm to innovate has also brought about other research interests. Subsequently, there is diverse understanding of these two constructs by scholars in various fields, resulting in various definitions and inconsistent terminologies. The lack of consistent terminology has resulted in interchangeable uses of the constructs of innovation and innovativeness. This conceptual paper seeks to discuss the difference between innovation and innovativeness, and it also suggests the antecedent relationship between the two constructs.