Search results for: construction industry in Malaysia

Authors: Ifa Sirrhu Samsudin, Ramalinggam Rajamanickam, Rohaida Nordin

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The practice of chain remand would cause human rights violations if the application was granted without reasonable cause and reason. This chain remand problem was tried to be addressed in 2007, which was amongst the factors that led to the amendment of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) at that time due to the defilement of human liberty. In Malaysia, there are governmental and non-governmental bodies that are active in ensuring that the human rights of the entire community are protected from being violated. The issue of wrongful detention involving chain remand during an investigation is not a new issue. This issue is constantly highlighted and efforts to address it are often raised by the responsible parties. This study aims to analyse the roles of these bodies in dealing with chain remand complaints in Malaysia using a qualitative research approach by way of in-depth interviews, roundtable discussions and documents analysis. The study discovered that these bodies were able to investigate the complaints but did not have a role in taking any actions. Their role is only to provide recommendations to the complainants to take action. Therefore, this study suggested the function should be given to certain bodies to curb the problem based on solid evidence.

Keywords: liberty, complaints, chain remand, government

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Authors: Ali Mohammadi

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The construction of Embankment dams is considered one of the most challenging construction projects, for which several main reasons can be mentioned. Excavation and embankment must be done in a large area, and its design is based on preliminary studies, but at the time of construction, it is possible that excavation does not match with the stability or slope of the rock, or the design is incomplete, and corrections should be made in order to be able to carry out excavation and embankment. Also, the progress of the work depends on the main factors, the lack of each of which can slow down the construction of the dams, and lead to an increase in costs, and control of excavations and embankments and calculations of their volumes are done in this collection. In the following, we will investigate three Embankment dams in Iran that faced these challenges and how they overcame these challenges. KHODA AFARIN on the Aras River between the two countries of IRAN and AZARBAIJAN, SIAH BISHEH PUMPED STORAGE on CHALUS River and GOTVAND on KARUN River are among the most important dams built in Iran.

Keywords: section, data transfer, tunnel, free station

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Authors: Mateusz Frydrych

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The construction of diaphragm walls as excavation shoring as well as part of deep foundations is widely used in geotechnical engineering. Today's design challenges lie in the optimal dimensioning of the cross-section, which is demanded by technological considerations. Also in force is the issue of optimization and sustainable use of construction materials, including reduction of carbon footprint, which is currently a relevant challenge for the construction industry. The author presents the concept of an approach to achieving increased efficiency of diaphragm wall excavation shoring by using structural compression technology. The author proposes to implement prestressed tendons in a non-linear manner in the reinforcement cage. As a result bending moment is reduced, which translates into a reduction in the amount of steel needed in the section, a reduction in displacements, and a reduction in the scratching of the casing, including the achievement of better tightness. This task is rarely seen and has not yet been described in a scientific way in the literature. The author has developed a dynamic numerical model that allows the dimensioning of the cross-section of a prestressed shear wall, as well as the study of casing displacements and cross-sectional forces in any defined computational situation. Numerical software from the Sofistik - open source development environment - was used for the study, and models were validated in Plaxis software . This is an interesting idea that allows for optimizing the execution of construction works and reducing the required resources by using fewer materials and saving time. The author presents the possibilities of a prestressed diaphragm wall, among others, using. The example of a diaphragm wall working as a cantilever at the height of two underground floors without additional strutting or stability protection by using ground anchors. This makes the execution of the work more criminal for the contractor and, as a result, cheaper for the investor.

Keywords: prestressed diaphragm wall, Plaxis, Sofistik, innovation, FEM, optimisation

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Authors: Mustafa Dogru, Ruveyda Komurlu

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Companies and professionals in the construction sector face various risks in every project depending on the characteristics, size, complexity, the location of the projects and the techniques used. Some risks’ effects may increase as the project progresses whereas new risks may emerge. Because of the ever-changing nature of the risks, risk management is a cyclical process that needs to be repeated throughout the project. Since the risks threaten the success of the project, risk management is an important part of the entire project management process. The aims of this study are to emphasize the importance of risk management in construction projects, summarize the risk identification process, and introduce a number of methods for preventing risks such as alternative design, checklists, prototyping and test-analysis-correction technique etc. Following the literature review conducted to list the techniques for preventing risks, case studies has been performed to compare and evaluate the success of the techniques in a number of completed projects with the same typology, performed domestic and international. Findings of the study suggest that controlling and minimizing the level of the risks in construction projects, taking optimal precautions for different risks, and mitigating or eliminating the effects of risks are important in order to prevent additional costs for the project. Additionally, focusing on the risks that have highest impact is the most rational way to minimize the effects of the risks on projects.

Keywords: construction projects, construction management, project management, risk management

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Authors: Siti Nor Amira Bt. Mohamad, Mohamad Yazis B. Ali Basah, Muhammad Ridhwan B. Ab. Aziz, Khairil Faizal B. Khairi, Mazlynda Bt. Md. Yusuf, Hisham B. Sabri

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The understanding of risk and the concept of it occurs associated in Islamic financing was well-known in the financial industry by the using of Profit-and-Loss Sharing (PLS). It was presently in any Islamic financial transactions in order to comply with shariah rules. However, the existence of risk in Murabahah contract of financing is an ability that the counterparty is unable to complete its obligations within the agreed terms. Therefore, it is called as credit or default risk. Credit risk occurs when the client fails to make timely payment after the bank makes complete delivery of assets. Thus, it affects the growth of the bank as the banking business is in no position to have appropriate measures to cover the risk. Therefore, the bank may impose penalty on the outstanding balance. This paper aims to highlight the credit risk determinant and issues surrounding in Islamic bank in Malaysia in terms of Murabahah financing and how to manage it by using the proper techniques. Finally, it explores the credit risk management concept that might solve the problems arise. The study found that the credit risk can be managed properly by improving the use of comprehensive reference checklist of business partners on their character and past performance as well as their comprehensive database. Besides that, prevention of credit risk can be done by using collateral as security against the risk and we also argue on the Shariah guidelines and procedures should be implement coherently by the banking business because so that the risk would be control by having an effective instrument for Islamic modes of financing.

Keywords: Islamic banking, credit risk, Murabahah financing, risk mitigation

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Authors: Daniel Y. Abebe, Jaehyouk Choi

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The design philosophy of building structure has been changing over time. The reason behind this is an increase in human interest regarding the improvements in building materials and technology that will affect how we live, the aim to speed up construction period, and the environmental effect which includes earthquakes and other natural disasters. One technique which takes into account the above case is using a prefabricable structural system, in which each and every structural element is designed and prefabricated and assembled on a site so that the construction speed is increased and the environmental impact is also enhanced. This system has immense advantages such as reduced construction cost, reusability, recyclability, faster construction period and less enviromental effect. In this study, some of the developed and evaluated structural elements of building structures are presented.

Keywords: eccentrically braced frame, natural disaster, prefabricable structural system, removable link, SGSS

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Authors: Nor Kalsum M. Isa, Mohd Yazid M. Yunos, Anuar Alias, Mazdi Marzuki, Kamarul Ismail, Mohd H. Ibrahim

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Green building is an emerging concept with the ultimate target to achieve sustainable development by integrating sustainability goals and principles into project development. Basically, a green building is a building that is designed, constructed and operated to boost environmental, economic, health and productivity performance over conventional buildings. The buildings have been proven to be successful in contributing towards sustainability and project success. The purpose of this study was to determine the benefits of sustainability application in building projects, looking towards project success from the perspective of Malaysian key project stakeholders. The study also aimed to explore the establishment of sustainability goals in the green building projects in Malaysia. The Triple Bottom Line (TBL) Concept of Sustainability was used as the foundation theoretical framework. Surveys, interviews and multiple case study methods were employed. A sample of 188 Malaysian building project stakeholders was selected for questionnaire surveys, and 15 stakeholders from three award-winning green building projects in Malaysia were involved in the interviews. The study found that the majority of the respondents were less aware that the sustainability integration in the building project can significantly affect cost reduction, schedule effectiveness and stakeholders’ satisfaction with the performance of buildings as at the same level as the quality performance. Of the four sustainability goals, the environmental aspect was given more priority than others in the development of the green building projects.

Keywords: green building, sustainability, project stakeholders, Malaysia

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Authors: Ion Robu, Claudiu Mazilu, Radu Deju

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Natural aggregates (gravel and crushed) are essential non-renewable resources which are used for infrastructure works and civil engineering. In European Union member states from Southeast Europe, it is estimated that the construction industry will grow by 4.2% thereafter complicating aggregate supply management. In addition, a significant additional problem that can be associated to the aggregates industry is wasting potential resources through waste dumping of inert waste, especially waste from construction and demolition activities. In 2012, in Romania, less than 10% of construction and demolition waste (including concrete) are valorized, while the European Union requires that by 2020 this proportion should be at least 70% (Directive 2008/98/EC on waste, transposed into Romanian legislation by Law 211/2011). Depending on the efficiency of waste processing and the quality of recycled aggregate concrete (RCA) obtained, poor quality aggregate can be used as foundation material for roads and at the high quality for new concrete on construction. To obtain good quality concrete using recycled aggregate is necessary to meet the minimum requirements defined by the rules for the manufacture of concrete with natural aggregate. Properties of recycled aggregate (density, granulosity, granule shape, water absorption, weight loss to Los Angeles test, attached mortar content etc.) are the basis for concrete quality; also establishing appropriate proportions between components and the concrete production methods are extremely important for its quality. This paper presents a study on the use of recycled aggregates, from a concrete of specified class, to acquire new cement concrete with different percentages of recycled aggregates. To achieve recycled aggregates several batches of concrete class C16/20, C25/30 and C35/45 were made, the compositions calculation being made according NE012/2007 CP012/2007. Tests for producing recycled aggregate was carried out using concrete samples of the established three classes after 28 days of storage under the above conditions. Cubes with 150mm side were crushed in a first stage with a jaw crusher Liebherr type set at 50 mm nominally. The resulting material was separated by sieving on granulometric sorts and 10-50 sort was used for preliminary tests of crushing in the second stage with a jaw crusher BB 200 Retsch model, respectively a hammer crusher Buffalo Shuttle WA-12-H model. It was highlighted the influence of the type of crusher used to obtain recycled aggregates on granulometry and granule shape and the influence of the attached mortar on the density, water absorption, behavior to the Los Angeles test etc. The proportion of attached mortar was determined and correlated with provenance concrete class of the recycled aggregates and their granulometric sort. The aim to characterize the recycled aggregates is their valorification in new concrete used in construction. In this regard have been made a series of concrete in which the recycled aggregate content was varied from 0 to 100%. The new concrete were characterized by point of view of the change in the density and compressive strength with the proportion of recycled aggregates. It has been shown that an increase in recycled aggregate content not necessarily mean a reduction in compressive strength, quality of the aggregate having a decisive role.

Keywords: recycled concrete aggregate, characteristics, recycled aggregate concrete, properties

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Authors: Rym Ghariani, Ghada Soltane, Younes Boujelbene

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Industry 4.0, a set of emerging smart and digital technologies, has been the main focus of operations management researchers and practitioners in recent years. The objective of this research paper is to study the impact of Industry 4.0 on the integration of the supply chain (SCI) in Tunisian industrial companies. A conceptual model to study the relationship between Industry 4.0 technologies and supply chain integration was designed. This model contains three explained variables (Big data, Internet of Things, and Robotics) and one variable to be explained (supply chain integration). In order to answer our research questions and investigate the research hypotheses, principal component analysis and discriminant analysis were used using SPSS26 software. The results reveal that there is a statistically positive impact significant impact of Industry 4.0 (Big data, Internet of Things and Robotics) on the integration of the supply chain. Interestingly, big data has a greater positive impact on supply chain integration than the Internet of Things and robotics.

Keywords: industry 4.0 (I4.0), big data, internet of things, robotics, supply chain integration

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Authors: Pei-Jun Xue, Ming-Yu Hsiao

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Language is the emblem of a culture, representing the extension of cultural life. In addition, it is also an important tool for communication and message transmission. It carries not only information but also covers the self-conscious of the information constructor as well as the situational experiences of users from different backgrounds. Moreover, design can be regarded as a language, a dynamic process of coding and decoding. With the designers’ experiences in everyday life, they bring them into the products’ experiences. Considered from the aspects of atmosphere and the five senses, a designer should consider and reconsider how to communicate the messages effectively to suit the users’ needs. In the process of language learning, we should understand the construction behind it and the rules of the compositions of language codes. Regarding the understanding of the design of works or the form of product construction, it is necessary for us to understand the coding system during the process of product construction. The form (signifiers) and meanings (signified) of Chinese characters are closely related. At the same time, it is also a process of simplifying the complicated to the simple. This study discusses the chinese characters that used in the cultural symbols construction, and analysis of existing products by Peirce's semiotic triangles. Through people's cognition of Chinese characters and constitute method, help to understand the way of construction product symbol.

Keywords: cultural-creative product design, cultural product, cultural symbols, linguistic symbols

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Authors: Qinghui Li, Lei Zhang

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In China, sport will play a more important role in the future development of the national economy, are facing greater challenges. Sports industry development in this background,innovative technology and cultural forces which will play an important role. Therefore, as a guide of sports culture, the development of science and technology, display the sports scientific and technological achievements, culture showed important - Sports Academic Journals sports technology platform of talent, but also innovation and value-added will through its value function,play an important role in the development of China's sports development and sports industry. At the same time, in the Chinese academic journals of social environment has undergone great changes,one aspect is the national news publishing system reform, change, development group of scientific publishing market has become the mainstream trend of development; on the other hand, digitalization, internationalization development speed of academic journal soon, in such a social background, how sports academic journal of development? How to serve for the development of sports? This research will be based on the sports academic journals in the past, the development status and characteristics and now plays in the history and context of modern academic value and social value, to explore the new era background, especially the development of the reform of the cultural system, marketization and the digital innovation situation of sports academic periodical show in sports, sports industry development and play a more important role in study.

Keywords: sports academin journals, strong sporting nation, innovation, China

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Authors: Hazlin Kadir Shahar, Razaleigh Muhamat Kawangit, Badlihisham Mohd Nasir, Rosmawati Mohamad Rasit

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Stigma and discrimination have become the main topic of discussion when dealing with HIV/AIDS issues. They affect the daily life of People Living With HIV(PLHIV), families, friends and people around them indirectly. This paper discusses the potential measurement in helping to reduce stigma and discrimination existence among Islamic Religious Officers towards PLHIV in Malaysia. These people have been trained with special programmes to tackle the HIV/AIDS issues by using a manual, namely as ‘The Manual of Islam and HIV/AIDS’, specifically designed by the Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (JAKIM). The objectives of the training programmes are to give the accurate information about HIV/AIDS and to suggest ways on how to handle the PLHIV issues in Islamic perspective. This research used quantitative methodology by survey. A pilot test had been done over thirty (30) trained Islamic Religious Officers in Malaysia. The findings have shown that the trainings have given a positive impact for them as they managed to acquire the knowledge of HIV/AIDS from both primer and authorized sources such as medical practitioners, Muslim chaplains and social workers. The knowledge they have acquired from the trainings has guided them in changing their perception, thus helping to reduce their own stigma and discrimination towards PLHIV. The training programmes have given them opportunities to practice what they have learned through several outreach sessions as they have had the opportunities to approach PLHIV directly.

Keywords: Islamic religious officers, people with HIV, stigma and discrimination, training programmes

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Authors: Farah Fazlinda Binti Mohamad, Ahmad Saifizul Abdullah, Mohamed Rehan Karim , Jamilah Mohamad, Siti Hikmah Musthar

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Road safety is an important issue in Malaysia. It become important as it is discussed widely throughout printed and electronic media. Most of the news portrays on road accident and fatalities have increased the concern of everyone. This issue affects everyone's life as everyone shares the roads. The most vulnerable victims are the road user who uses the roads every day. It is appalling when World Health Organization (WHO) reported that in every 100,000 of population in Malaysia, 23 fatalities recorded due to road accident alone. This figure is quite alarming and requires serious attention. Furthermore, research by Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research concluded that that speeding has contributed to 60% of all road accident in the country. Therefore, this study aims to elucidate the factors that influence road users’ speeding behaviour on selected roads in Peninsular Malaysia. To achieve this, set of questionnaires has distributed to 500 respondents on selected roads in Peninsular Malaysia. The respondents came from various demographic backgrounds in order to have a fair opinion on the issue. Using descriptive analysis, the results have indicated that psychological factors such as emotion and attitude of road user are the prominent factors that influence the road user’s speeding behaviour. Furthermore, the results have shown that male road users were dominant in speeding compared to female, which led to increased vulnerability to road injuries and fatalities. These findings are very useful in order for us to understand road users’ driving behaviour. Relevant authorities should also revise the existing countermeasures and find ways to reduce road accident. Engineers and road experts could cooperate in designing new road specifications for the road user. Nevertheless, it is important to comprehend this speeding issue and factors associated with it. Each road user should take this matter seriously and responsibly as road safety is a responsibility of all.

Keywords: countermeasures, psychological, road safety, speeding

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Authors: Rabiul Islam

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The study was in order to assess soil erosion at plot scale Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) erosion model and Geographic Information System (GIS) technique have been used for the study 8 plots in Guthrie Corridor Expressway, Selangor, Malaysia. The USLE model estimates an average soil loss soil integrating several factors such as rainfall erosivity factor(R ), Soil erodibility factor (K), slope length and steepness factor (LS), vegetation cover factor as well as conservation practice factor (C &P) and Results shows that the four plots have very low rates of soil loss, i.e. NLDNM, NDNM, PLDM, and NDM having an average soil loss of 0.059, 0.106, 0.386 and 0.372 ton/ha/ year, respectively. The NBNM, PLDNM and NLDM plots had a relatively higher rate of soil loss, with an average of 0.678, 0.757 and 0.493ton/ha/year. Whereas, the NBM is one of the highest rate of soil loss from 0.842 ton/ha/year to maximum 16.466 ton/ha/year. The NBM plot was located at bare the land; hence the magnitude of C factor(C=0.15) was the highest one.

Keywords: USLE model, GIS, Guthrie Corridor Expressway (GCE), Malaysia

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Authors: Saiada Fuadi Fancy, Fahim Ahmed, Shofiq Ahmed, Raquib Ahsan

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The worldwide use of reinforced concrete construction stems from the wide availability of reinforcing steel as well as concrete ingredients. However, concrete construction requires a certain level of technology, expertise, and workmanship, particularly, in the field during construction. As a supporting technology for a concrete column or wall construction, kicker is cast as part of the slab or foundation to provide a convenient starting point for a wall or column ensuring integrity at this important junction. For that reason, a comprehensive study was carried out here to investigate the behavior of reinforced concrete frame with different kicker parameters. To achieve this objective, six half-scale specimens of portal reinforced concrete frame with kickers and one portal frame without kicker were constructed according to common practice in the industry and subjected to cyclic incremental horizontal loading with sustained gravity load. In this study, the experimental data, obtained in four deflections controlled cycle, were used to evaluate the behavior of kickers. Load-displacement characteristics were obtained; maximum loads and deflections were measured and assessed. Finally, the test results of frames constructed with three different types of kicker thickness were compared with the kickerless frame. Similar crack patterns were observed for all the specimens. From this investigation, specimens with kicker thickness 3″ were shown better results than specimens with kicker thickness 1.5″, which was specified by maximum load, stiffness, initiation of first crack and residual displacement. Despite of better performance, it could not be firmly concluded that 4.5″ kicker thickness is the most appropriate one. Because, during the test of that specimen, separation of dial gauge was needed. Finally, comparing with kickerless specimen, it was observed that performance of kickerless specimen was relatively better than kicker specimens.

Keywords: crack, cyclic, kicker, load-displacement

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Authors: Mohd Afif Md Nasir, Faizal Amin Nur Yunus, Jamaluddin Hashim, Abd Samad Hassan Basari, A. Halim Sahelan

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The aim of this study is to identify the suitability of Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) in welding simulator application towards Computer-Based Training (CBT) in developing skills upon new students at the Advanced Technology Training Center (ADTEC), Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia and GIATMARA, Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia. The purpose of the study is to create a computer-based skills development approach in welding technology among new students in ADTEC and GIATMARA, as well as cultivating the elements of general skills among them. This study is also important in elevating the number of individual knowledge workers (K-workers) working in manufacturing industry in order to achieve a national vision which is to be an industrial nation in the year of 2020. The design of the study is a survey type of research which uses questionnaires as the instruments and 136 students from ADTEC and GIATMARA were interviewed. Descriptive analysis is used to identify the frequency and mean values. The findings of the study shows that the welding technology skills have developed in the students as a result of the application of VLE simulator at a high level and the respondents agreed that the skills could be embedded through the application of the VLE simulator. In summary, the VLE simulator is suitable in welding skills development training in terms of exposing new students with the relevant characteristics of welding skills and at the same time spurring the students’ interest towards learning more about the skills.

Keywords: computer-based training (CBT), knowledge workers (K-workers), virtual learning environment, welding simulator, welding technology

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Authors: Arshad Ali

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This study aims to highlight the comparative patterns of social construction of gender among bureaucrats and non-bureaucrats. For the purpose of this study purposive sample of 8 respondents, including both male and female bureaucrats and non-bureaucrats, was collected from Gujranwala and Lahore. The measures for collecting data included an indigenous demographic information sheet and interview protocol related to gender roles, social construction of gender and managerial performance. The collected data was analyzed through the Nvivo version 11 and analysis reveals that there are diverse perceptions regarding male and female stereotyping among bureaucrats and non-bureaucrats, as different kinds of social environments lead to the modification of stereotypes. The research contributes to gender studies, specifically in the context of Pakistani society. There are very few studies available, and empirical data about Gender construction is scanty, so the study provides an impetus for future research. It is suggested that future research explore the phenomenon at a larger scale, including more respondents and another dimension, by keeping in view the socio-economic factors and policies of the government regarding the elimination of gender discrimination in Pakistan.

Keywords: social construction, gender, bureaucrats, gender perception

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Authors: Marius Nygaard, Ona Flindall

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The Palisaden student housing project was completed in August 2013 and was, with its eight floors, Norway’s tallest timber building at the time of completion. It was the first time cross-laminated-timber (CLT) was utilized at this scale in Norway. The project was the result of a concerted effort by a newly formed management company to establish CLT as a sustainable and financially competitive alternative to conventional steel and concrete systems. The introduction of CLT onto the student housing market proved so successful that by 2017 more than 4000 individual student residences will have been built using the same model of development and construction. The aim of this paper is to identify the key factors that enabled this breakthrough for CLT. It is based on an in-depth study of a series of housing projects and the role of the management company who both instigated and enabled this shift of CLT from the margin to the mainstream. Specifically, it will look at how a new building system was integrated into a marketing strategy that identified a market potential within the existing structure of the construction industry and within the economic restrictions inherent to student housing in Norway. It will show how a key player established a project model that changed both the patterns of cooperation and the information basis for decisions. Based on qualitative semi-structured interviews with managers, contractors and the interdisciplinary teams of consultants (architects, structural engineers, acoustical experts etc.) this paper will trace the introduction, expansion and evolution of CLT-based building systems in the student housing market. It will show how the project management firm’s position in the value chain enabled them to function both as a liaison between contractor and client, and between contractor and producer. A position that allowed them to improve the flow of information. This ensured that CLT was handled on equal terms to other structural solutions in the project specifications, enabling realistic pricing and risk evaluation. Secondly, this paper will describe and discuss how the project management firm established and interacted with a growing network of contractors, architects and engineers to pool expertise and broaden the knowledge base across Norway’s regional markets. Finally, it will examine the role of the client, the building typology, and the industrial and technological factors in achieving this breakthrough for CLT in the construction industry. This paper gives an in-depth view of the progression of a single case rather than a broad description of the state of the art of large-scale timber building in Norway. However, this type of study may offer insights that are important to the understanding not only of specific markets but also of how new technologies should be introduced in big and well-established industries.

Keywords: cross-laminated-timber (CLT), industry breakthrough, student housing, timber market

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Authors: Nur A. Azmi, Suseela D. Chandran, Fadilah Puteh, Azizan Zainuddin

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Medical tourism has been associated as a global phenomenon in developed and developing countries in the 21st century. Medical tourism is defined as an activity in which individuals who travel from one country to another country to seek or receive medical healthcare. Based on the global trend, the number of medical tourists is increasing annually, especially in the Southeast Asia (SEA) region. Since the establishment of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1967, the SEA nations have worked towards regional integration in medical tourism. The medical tourism in the SEA has become the third-largest sector that contributes towards economic development. Previous research has demonstrated several factors that affect the development of medical tourism. However, despite the already published literature on SEA's medical tourism in the last ten years there continues to be a scarcity of research on niche areas each of the SEA countries. Hence, this paper is significant in enriching the literature in the field of medical tourism particularly in showcasing the niche market of medical tourism among the SEA best players namely Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. This paper also contributes in offering a comparative analysis between the said nations whether they are complementing or competing with each other in the medical tourism sector. This then, will increase the availability of information in SEA region on medical tourism. The data was collected through an in-depth interview with various stakeholders and private hospitals. The data was then analyzed using two approaches namely thematic analysis (interview data) and document analysis (secondary data). The paper concludes by arguing that the ASEAN countries have specific niche market to promote their medical tourism industry. This paper also concludes that these key nations complement each other in the industry. In addition, the medical tourism sector in SEA region offers greater prospects for market development and expansion that witnessed the emerging of new key players from other nations.

Keywords: healthcare services, medical tourism, medical tourists, SEA region, comparative analysis

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Authors: Azadeh Shahbazi

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This study tries to find out the determinants of capital structure in hotel industry in 7 important hotel chains in USA within the period of 12 years of 2000 to 2012. The study is used a panel pooled regression to realize the relation among different variables. Results show that the variables which could make changes in the capital structure of firms are Non-Debt Tax Shield and Tangibility.

Keywords: capital structure, service industry, hospitality, finance

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Authors: Siti Nur Aida Mario, Farah Hafifee Ahmad, Rudy Tawie

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Soil Stabilization has been widely implemented in the construction industry nowadays. Peat soil is well known as one of the most problematic soil among the engineers. The procedures need to take into account both physical and engineering properties of the stabilized peat soil. This paper presents a result of plasticity index and hardening of treated peat soil with various dosage of additives. In order to determine plasticity of the treated peat soil, atterberg limit test which comprises plastic limit and liquid limit test has been conducted. Determination of liquid limit in this experimental study is by using cone penetrometer. Vicat testing apparatus has been used in the hardening test which the penetration of the plunger is recorded every one hour for 24 hours. The results show that the plasticity index of peat soil stabilized with 80% FAAC and 20% OPC has the lowest plasticity index and recorded the fastest initial setting time. The significant of this study is to promote greener solution for future soil stabilization industry.

Keywords: additives, hardening, peat soil, plasticity index, soil stabilization

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Authors: Hussain Ali Bekhet, Endang Jati Mat Sahid

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For the past few decades, the Malaysian economy has expanded at an impressive pace, whilst, the Malaysian population has registered a relatively high growth rate. These factors had driven the growth of final energy demand. The ballooning energy demand coupled with the country’s limited indigenous energy resources have resulted in an increased of the country’s net import. Therefore, acknowledging the precarious position of the country’s energy self-sufficiency, this study has identified three main concerns regarding energy security, namely; over-dependence on fossil fuel, increasing energy import dependency, and increasing energy consumption per capita. This paper discusses the recent energy demand and supply trends, highlights the policies that are affecting energy security in Malaysia and suggests strategic options towards achieving energy security. The paper suggested that diversifying energy sources, reducing carbon content of energy, efficient utilization of energy and facilitating low-carbon industries could further enhance the effectiveness of the measures as the introduction of policies and initiatives will be more holistic.

Keywords: electricity, energy policy, energy security, Malaysia

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Authors: Q. R. Cheah, Y. F. Tan

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In modern times, the push for a low carbon footprint entails achieving carbon neutrality as a goal for future generations. One possible step towards carbon footprint reduction is the use of more durable materials with longer lifespans, for example, silicone data cableswhich show at least double the lifespan of similar plastic products. By having greater durability and longer lifespans, silicone data cables can reduce the amount of trash produced as compared to plastics. Furthermore, silicone products don’t produce micro contamination harmful to the ocean. Every year the electronics industry produces an estimated 5 billion data cables for USB type C and lightning data cables for tablets and mobile phone devices. Material usage for outer jacketing is 6 to 12 grams per meter. Tests show that the product lifespan of a silicone data cable over plastic can be doubled due to greater durability. This can save at least 40,000 tonnes of material a year just on the outer jacketing of the data cable. The facility in this study specialises in compounding of liquid silicone rubber (LSR) material for the extrusion process in jacketing for the silicone data cable. This study analyses the carbon emissions from the facility, which is presently capable of producing more than 1,000 tonnes of LSR annually. This study uses guidelines from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and World Resources Institute (WRI) to define the boundaries of the scope. The scope of emissions is defined as 1. Emissions from operations owned or controlled by the reporting company, 2. Emissions from the generation of purchased or acquired energy such as electricity, steam, heating, or cooling consumed by the reporting company, and 3. All other indirect emissions occurring in the value chain of the reporting company, including both upstream and downstream emissions. As the study is limited to the compounding facility, the system boundaries definition according to GHG protocol is cradle-to-gate instead of cradle-to-grave exercises. Malaysia’s present electricity generation scenario was also used, where natural gas and coal constitute the bulk of emissions. Calculations show the LSR produced for the silicone data cable with high fire retardant capability has scope 1 emissions of 0.82kg CO2/kg, scope 2 emissions of 0.87kg CO2/kg, and scope 3 emissions of 2.76kg CO2/kg, with a total product carbon footprint of 4.45kg CO2/kg. This total product carbon footprint (Cradle-to-gate) is comparable to the industry and to plastic materials per tonne of material. Although per tonne emission is comparable to plastic material, due to greater durability and longer lifespan, there can be significantly reduced use of LSR material. Suggestions to reduce the calculated product carbon footprint in the scope of emissions involve 1. Incorporating the recycling of factory silicone waste into operations, 2. Using green renewable energy for external electricity sources and 3. Sourcing eco-friendly raw materials with low GHG emissions.

Keywords: carbon footprint, liquid silicone rubber, silicone data cable, Malaysia facility

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Authors: Khalifa Al Baloushi, Hongwei Zhang, Terrence Perera

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Over the last few decades, the government of the UAE has been taking actions to consolidate defense manufacturing entities with the view to build a coherent and modern defense manufacturing base. Whilst these actions have significantly improved the overall capabilities of defense manufacturing; further opportunities exist to radically transform the sector. A comprehensive literature review and data collected from a survey identified three potential areas of improvements, (a) integration of Industry 4.0 technologies and other smart technologies, (b) stronger engagement of small and Medium-sized defense manufacturing companies and (c) Enhancing the national defense policies by embedding best practices from other nations. This research paper presents the design and development of a conceptual framework for the UAE defense industrial ecosystem.

Keywords: industry 4.0, defense manufacturing, eco-systems, integration

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Authors: Samart Homthong, Wutthipong Moungnoi

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Critical success factors (CSFs) and the criteria to measure project success have received much attention over the decades and are among the most widely researched topics in the context of project management. However, although there have been extensive studies on the subject by different researchers, to date, there has been little agreement on the CSFs. The aim of this study is to identify the CSFs that influence the performance of construction projects, and determine their relative importance for different objectives across five stages in the project life cycle. A considerable literature review was conducted that resulted in the identification of 179 individual factors. These factors were then grouped into nine major categories. A questionnaire survey was used to collect data from three groups of respondents: client representatives, consultants, and contractors. Out of 164 questionnaires distributed, 93 were returned, yielding a response rate of 56.7%. Using the mean score, relative importance index, and weighted average method, the top 10 critical factors for each category were identified. The agreement of survey respondents on those categorised factors were analysed using Spearman’s rank correlation. A one-way analysis of variance was then performed to determine whether the mean scores among the various groups of respondents were statistically significant. The findings indicate the most CSFs in each category in procurement phase are: proper procurement programming of materials (time), stability in the price of materials (cost), and determining quality in the construction (quality). They are then followed by safety equipment acquisition and maintenance (health and safety), budgeting allowed in a contractual arrangement for implementing environmental management activities (environment), completeness of drawing documents (productivity), accurate measurement and pricing of bill of quantities (risk management), adequate communication among the project team (human resource), and adequate cost control measures (client satisfaction). An understanding of CSFs would help all interested parties in the construction industry to improve project performance. Furthermore, the results of this study would help construction professionals and practitioners take proactive measures for effective project management.

Keywords: critical success factors, procurement phase, project life cycle, project performance

Procedia PDF Downloads 183

Authors: F. Ben Abdelghani, W. Maherezi

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Dredging operations generate, each year, a great quantity of marine sediments. These raw materials can not be used in road construction without a specific treatment process. Sediments suitability tests has shown that most of studied sediments are not suitable to be used in road construction. In order to improve their compacity and their mechanical performance, addition of a granular material is recommended. The use of a dredged sand, to improve the granular mixture containing sediments, allows a better management of the two types of dredge materials (sand and sediment). In this study, a new road material containing dredged marine sediments and dredged sand is formulated and treated by adding various binders. Mechanical performance investigation of different mixtures by measuring Proctor-IPI values and simple compressive strengths is realized.

Keywords: dredged sediments, suitability tests, road construction, hydraulic binder, mechanical performance

Procedia PDF Downloads 362

Authors: Chu Shi Wei

Abstract:

Supported employment in Malaysia is in the early stages of development. The development of supported employment in Malaysia is an important step towards the inclusion of individuals with disabilities who have previously lacked the necessary support for employment in the open labour market as they were confined to sheltered workshops. There is a paradigm shift from sheltered to supported employment as the sheltered workshop is based on the medical model of disability, which focuses on the disability of the individual and segregated training institutions. The paradigm shift revolves around the social model of disability, which emphasizes the abilities of the individual and the removal of the barriers in the environment by the provision of support. This study explores the development of supported employment by utilizing a mixed methods approach which consists of collecting quantitative data through a survey and interviewing participants to collect qualitative data. Job coaches from six employment sectors participated in the survey and interview. The findings of the study indicate that the role of job coaches is integral to the development of supported employment. The role of job coaches includes job matching, on-the-job training, and developing natural supports to foster greater diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Keywords: supported employment, disabilities, diversity, development

Procedia PDF Downloads 68

Authors: Chee Fei Chang, May Yee Ng

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As a result of its geographical location, flood is a natural disaster that happens regularly in Malaysia. Every year, heavy rainfall is brought by the cyclical monsoon to the East coast of Peninsular Malaysia. In recent years, the occurrence of unexpected heavy downpour somehow connected to climate-change phenomena is also on the increasing trend. Ironically, despite that Malaysians have suffered significant monetary losses as a result of the recurring floods in past many decades, little has been done by the government from the perspective of taxation. Perhaps due to political reason or as a populist measure, the federal and local government are more inclined to offer small cash handout then rolling out long-term tax policy or measure in relieving the financial and tax burden of the victims and affected business entities. Except for the one-off tax break granted to affected businesses in 2007, the authors have not found any income tax exemption or deduction order gazetted with regard to flood disaster. Hence, it is imperative for this study to explore the need and challenges of implementing flood inflicted disaster tax relief or credit in Malaysia. This research consists of two major parts. First, the assessment of relevant tax policies/ measures with regard to non-government organisations and other affected parties. Content and thematic analyses will be applied on current tax legislations and orders issued for this part. Second, a comparative analysis will be conducted benchmarking various disaster tax reliefs and credits implemented in developed countries. Resulting from the increasing climate change-related disasters in Malaysia, the findings of this study will shed light on the importance of introducing disaster tax relief measures to assist individual victims as well as the affected businesses.

Keywords: climate-changed related disaster, disaster tax credits, tax relief for victims, tax measures for disaster recovery

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Authors: Jirarat Teeravaraprug, Usawadee Inklay

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This paper gave an attempt in prioritizing information technologies that organizations should give concentration. The case study was organizations in the automotive assembly industry in Thailand. Data were first collected to gather all information technologies known and used in the automotive assembly industry in Thailand. Five experts from the industries were surveyed based on the concept of fuzzy DEMATEL. The information technologies were categorized into six groups, which were communication, transaction, planning, organization management, warehouse management, and transportation. The cause groups of information technologies for each group were analysed and presented. Moreover, the relationship between the used and the significant information technologies was given. Discussions based on the used information technologies and the research results are given.

Keywords: information technology, automotive assembly industry, fuzzy DEMATEL

Procedia PDF Downloads 346

Authors: Rebecca Bach, Evgenia Kanli, Nihat Kiziltoprak, Linda Hildebrand, Ulrich Knaack, Jens Schneider

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The building industry has a high demand for resources and at the same time is responsible for a significant amount of waste created worldwide. Today's building components need to contribute to the protection of natural resources without creating waste. This is defined in the product development phase and impacts the product’s degree of being cycle-oriented. Paper-based materials show advantage due to their renewable origin and their ability to incorporate different functions. Besides the ecological aspects like renewable origin and recyclability the main advantages of paper materials are its light-weight but stiff structure, the optimized production processes and good insulation values. The main deficits from building technology’s perspective are the material's vulnerability to humidity and water as well as inflammability. On material level, those problems can be solved by coatings or through material modification. On construction level intelligent setup and layering of a building component can improve and also solve these issues. The target of the present work is to provide an overview of developed building components and construction typologies mainly made from paper materials. The research is structured in four parts: (1) functions and requirements, (2) preselection of paper-based materials, (3) development of building components and (4) evaluation. As part of the research methodology at first the needs of the building sector are analyzed with the aim to define the main areas of application and consequently the requirements. Various paper materials are tested in order to identify to what extent the requirements are satisfied and determine potential optimizations or modifications, also in combination with other construction materials. By making use of the material’s potentials and solving the deficits on material and on construction level, building components and construction typologies are developed. The evaluation and the calculation of the structural mechanics and structural principals will show that different construction typologies can be derived. Profiles like paper tubes can be used at best for skeleton constructions. Massive structures on the other hand can be formed by plate-shaped elements like solid board or honeycomb. For insulation purposes corrugated cardboard or cellulose flakes have the best properties, while layered solid board can be applied to prevent inner condensation. Enhancing these properties by material combinations for instance with mineral coatings functional constructions mainly out of paper materials were developed. In summary paper materials offer a huge variety of possible applications in the building sector. By these studies a general base of knowledge about how to build with paper was developed and is to be reinforced by further research.

Keywords: construction typologies, cycle-oriented construction, innovative building material, paper materials, renewable resources

Procedia PDF Downloads 279