In light of escalating global environmental deterioration, studies on pro-environmental intention and behaviour with the ultimate goal of identifying contributing factors to minimise environmental issues are common. Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) is widely used to study environmental intentions and behaviours. However, how quality of life (QoL) influences these intentions and interactions among TPB’s own variables within a single research framework has not been thoroughly explored. Therefore, this study extends TPB by incorporating the four dimensions of QoL, as measured by the Control, Autonomy, Self-Realisation, and Pleasure (CASP-19) scale, to understand pro-environmental intentions from Malaysian viewpoints. In this study, quantitative approach was applied, and the data were collected from Malaysians aged 18 and above (N = 182) in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), a two-step approach was employed to assess the measurement and structural models. The findings confirmed Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) is a robust model for environmental studies showing that subjective norm and perceived behavioural control significantly influence attitudes toward pro-environmental behaviour, ultimately leading to pro-environmental intention. Interestingly, this study found no relationship between QoL dimensions and pro-environmental intention. Lastly, both theoretical and managerial implications were discussed, and research limitations and suggestions for future research directions were put forward.
A successful economic integration is meant to assist the backward member states to catch-up with the more advanced members in terms of development. As a result, the backward member states have their economy shifted from an agriculture-dominant economy towards industrial (with higher labour productivity) and then the service-dominant economy in order to maintain sustainability. With the catching-up in terms of the dominance of production, their economic structure shall become more similar with the more advanced members over time and hence experiencing structural convergence. Therefore, income convergence is expected when these backward member states have their income per capita increased alongside with the structural convergence. Evidences of income convergence within ASEAN are lacking and not much of the studies focused on the convergence in terms of the development stages within ASEAN. Since the dominance of production is always being used to refer to stage of development, therefore this paper would like to investigate on the production structure among ASEAN member states using the Krugman Index. Our results revealed an increasing structural convergence within ASEAN. The newer members of ASEAN namely Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Viet Nam (i.e., CLMV) had been catching-up with the more advanced members in their development. Though, the mining and utilities sector turned to be the sector that impedes further structural convergence for all. On the other hand, big share of agriculture sector among the CLMV countries become their main factor to slow down the structural convergence.
8 December 2018 in GATR Journal of Finance and Banking Review
Objective - The formation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) without the United States has raised many concerns in terms of the possibility of its success. The economic growth of the remaining 11 partner countries is important for the success of the formation of the TPP. Although economic performance depends on certain crucial indicators including debt, the effect of debt on the economic performance among the TPP partner countries remains ambiguous. Methodology/Technique - As a result, this study investigates the nonlinear effect of debt on the economic performance of these partner countries (excluding Brunei and Vietnam) as a whole. In addition, the optimal level of debt is proposed as a means to control the level of debt for sustainable economic growth. Unbalanced panel data of the annual public debt-to-Gross Domestic Product ratio (measured as a percentage of GDP) and real GDP per capita from 1984 to 2015 was collected. Through panel analysis, this study reports an inverted U-shaped relationship between debt and economic performance. Findings - The threshold debt level was identified at 58.02% of GDP. This non-linear relationship means that increasing debt has a positive impact on economic performance before reaching 58.02% of GDP, and an inverse impact on economic performance occurs after this threshold debt level. However, the average debt reveals that the partnership as a whole experiences the reverse effect of debt on growth during this period. Novelty – This study highlights the need for prudent indebtedness policies to ensure continuing trade integration. Type of Paper - Empirical. Keywords: Debt; Growth; Nonlinear; Threshold; TPP Countries. JEL Classification: G10, G11, G19.
Adolescents in international secondary schools develop their social lives across culturally diverse campuses and digitally connected peer networks. Although friendship quality, social media use, and adolescent well-being have each received substantial attention, the mechanisms through which offline and online social experiences jointly relate to social well-being remain conceptually fragmented. This structured conceptual review develops an integrated framework for international secondary school students in Malaysia. The framework is informed by the relatedness branch of Self-Determination Theory and the resource-exchange logic of Social Exchange Theory and proposes that peer relationship quality and meaningful social media use relate to social well-being via relatedness need satisfaction, perceived social support, and psychological resilience. Gender and cultural identity are conceptualised as contextual moderators rather than universal determinants. The review employs a transparent, purposive search and synthesis process, and differentiates the framework from previous reviews on friendship quality, social media use, or Self-Determination Theory as isolated constructs. This paper contributes by integrating offline and online social contexts, elucidating complementary motivational, resource and adaptive pathways, and situating these relationships within Malaysian international schools, where foreign curricula, English medium instruction, mixed nationalities, student mobility and cultural identity negotiation may shift the salience and strength of otherwise general adolescent mechanisms. The propositions are untested and are therefore offered as theoretically grounded expectations rather than empirical conclusions. The framework offers a focused agenda for longitudinal, multilevel, cross-cultural and intervention research and offers cautious guidance for school-based belonging, peer-support, resilience and digital citizenship initiatives.