m.mohaj

MY MBA DISSERTATION: ABSTRACT

2011-03-21T12:00:00.004+08:00

A STUDY ON OUTPATIENT’S WAITING TIMES AND ATTITUDE OF THE EMPLOYEES TOWARDS KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AT THE OPHTHALMOLOGY CLINIC, HOSPITAL TENGKU AMPUAN AFZAN, KUANTAN, PAHANG

Ophthalmology Clinic of Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan (HTAA), Kuantan is one of the government healthcare providers. As non-profit healthcare provider that provides services to every people, it was attended by immense number of patients. In past two years, it was attended by 18,908(2008) and 19,875(2009) patients respectively that sought treatment or consultation at Ophthalmology Clinic. This was caused to delay waiting time in getting treatment or consultation with doctor. KPIs were developed by Ministry of Health to overcome this problem. This study was done in order to examine the possible operational problems that might affect to the delay waiting time and to know whether KPIs are able to contribute solution to this problem. Findings were shown that there are five possible contributing factors that caused to long waiting time – mixing between follow-up and new patient, patient came too early from appointment time, because of difficult to get parking lot, too many patient at one time, lack of doctor and lack of registration staff.

Overall time spent by a patient at ophthalmology Clinic was 114 minutes meanwhile KPI target is 90 minutes or below. In year 2009, KPI achievement was 68% out of 19,875 outpatients attended Ophthalmology Clinic, HTAA. From the study done also, we found that this underperformed of Ophthalmology Clinic also due to negative employees’ attitudes towards KPIs. This situation was portrayed when we measuring KPIs’ performance, KPIs’ characteristics and advantages of KPIs for the organization. Since employees shown negative attitude towards KPIs, management need to converse this attitude by giving more training for them. Training will help them to understand the advantages of KPIs and finally it could result to increase of the employees’ performance as well as organization performance.

Supervisor: Nik Mohamad Naziman Bin Abdul Rahman, Associate Professor of Finance

HARI YANG MENYEDIHKAN

2011-02-14T15:11:00.003+08:00

TENSION...TENSION...TENSION...
Khamis@10 Februari @ 3-4pm, dalam bilik Boss: Moha!!!!!!! your paper work is not like what i wantttt... you are really @#*#@&*....@#%&^*.... by whatever way, tomorrow morning I want it on my table!
fuh, ayat yang begitu power menusuk lubang teliga ku. Mujur la masa tu aku dengan partner ku ditengking sebegitu (tapi aku yang teruk kerana aku dipertanggungjawabkan), kalu aku seorang, entah aku dah nangis kot...hahaaaaaaa, tapi aku tahu aku kuat semangat dan yang paling penting aku tahu, my boss is not expert in management. He lack in some management skills - because I strongly hold to this phrase - the ideal leader is a leader that has ability to influence others through his/her skills: technical, social and management style.
Tapi, lepas aku keluar bilik bos, aku feel very bad and it dragged 2-3 days after that. my working mood dropped tremendously event though after he scolded me, immediately he rung up me for apologize.
well, actually I notice that, there are two possible causes. First, ambiguous empowerment and second is communication problem. Pada mula-mula, we start working out untuk project ini, we did discussion formally tapi, biasa la perubahan pada cadangan asal akan berlaku dan perubahan ini la yang menjadi masalah. Communication on changes hanya berlaku bila aku coincidently bertemu dengan my boss seperti di staircase, so, I think, communication is not at the best masa tu. I also notice that my boss can't convey his massage properly to what in his mind!!!
By the way, I also like to follow japanese culture - kenapa sentiasa salahkan orang lain? Aku juga patut dipersalahkan. I also should get the details to what were ordered by my boss. I'm also suppose to understand what he need actually.
umph... apa boleh buat...kecuali you kerja sendiri dan jadi boss.

Kekasih gelap...

2010-05-19T15:53:00.005+08:00

Semua orang ada cerita tersendiri. Samada seronok atau tidak bukanlah masalah, yang penting cerita itu mungkin tidak dapat dilupai oleh orang tersebut atau orang yang terlibat dengan cerita itu. Persoalan di sini, adakah cerita itu melibatkan perasaan orang lain terutama orang yang dikatakan tersayang?

Yup, jika cerita itu melibatkan perasaan orang lain, sungguh menyedihkan...apakah cerita yang melibatkan perasaan orang lain itu? Well, sebagai contohnya ialah kekasih gelap. Apa itu kekasih gelap, huh? Kekasih gelap mengikut difinasi yang sumbernya boleh dibergantungkan (reliable, la tu) ialah, seseorang yang ada hubungan terlarang. Biasanya seseorang yang sudah berkahwin dan menjalinkan hubungan dengan orang lain dibelakang pasangan masing-masing. Well, seterusnya mari kita bincangkan secara details.

Daripada sumber-sumber bacaan yang sekarang ini terlalu senang untuk diaccess, kebanyakan daripada orang-orang yang ada kekasih gelap itu mengakui yang dia sebenarnya terlalu sayang dengan pasangan masing-masing dan juga tidak dapat melupakan anak-anak mereka, tetapi juga suka dengan menjalinkan hubungan dengan kekasih gelap tersebut. Kenapa ini terjadi? Satu persoalan yang sukar untuk ditemui jawapan hakiki...tetapi daripada kumpul-lan maklumat yang dibuat, kebanyakan daripada mereka memberi jawapan yang mereka sebenarnya cuba berseronok diluar rumah dan agak keterlaluan juga ada yang berkata saja untuk test market – walaupun sudah kahwin tetapi masih laku lol!

Juga, daripada pengakuan-pengakuan yang diberikan oleh pasangan yang tertangkap oleh badan penguatkuasaan, mereka menjalinkan hubungan kekasih gelap walaupun secara totalnya ciri-ciri idaman tidak ada langsung pada pasangan kekasih gelap itu, tetapi apa yang memuaskan mereka dalam menjalinkan hubungan itu adalah kerana merasakan diri terlalu bertuah kerana walaupun sudah ada pasangan tetapi masih dihargai oleh orang lain. Kekadang, mereka ini ada perasaan menyesal setelah melakukan perkara-perkara yang agak advance semasa berdating tetapi itulah keseronokan yang mereka cari...

Well, this is a current social problem trend facing by our community but yet the number is increasing...beware!

Umph...Itulah Kehidupan!

2010-04-26T00:53:00.004+08:00

Hidup ini terlalu sukar untuk mencapai semua yang dihajati... pengorbanan adalah sesuatu yang mesti untuk mengapai cita-cita tersebut. Pengorbanan adalah satu kos yang perlu dibayar oleh seseorang. Kos tidak semestinya dalam bentuk kewangan sahaja, tapi mungkin berupa dalam pelbagai keadaan seperti masa, kasih-sayang, perjalanan hidup normal, dan sebagainya. Hidup ini telah ditakdirkan bahawa tidak semua yang kita rancang akan berjalan dengan lancar, hanya insan yang mempunyai ‘extraordinary power’ (dengan kuasa Tuhan) akan sentiasa tersenyum dengan kejayaan yang dikecapi. Atau adakah kita ini tidak pernah cukup dalam kehidupan yang telah kita perolehi? (untuk membicarakan tentang persoalan ini adalah terlalu kompleks, kerana qada’ dan qadar tidak ada sesiapapun yang tahu).

Pengorbanan! Iya...ia adalah satu perkataan yang memberi berjuta pengertian yang berlainan kepada setiap insan. Tafsiran perkataan ini adalah berbeda antara insan dan ini juga mungkin disebabkan oleh pentafsir yang berada dalam keadaan persekitan yang juga berbeza. Walau dalam keadaan apa sekalipun, pengorbanan adalah sesuatu yang susah untuk dilaksanakan. Apatah lagi jika diri dibungkusi oleh keegoan yang mendalam! Pengorbanan memerlukan seseorang itu memberi sesuatu kepada orang lain walaupun mungkin sesuatu itu adalah haknya. Itulah yang menyebabkan pengorbanan (yang ikhlas) menjadi mulia di mata seseorang. Apatah lagi dalam al-quran menyatakan bahawa tangan yang memberi adalah lebih mulia daripada tangan yang menerima.

Iya, dalam usaha aku untuk mencapai cita-cita peribadi, aku juga terpaksa membayar kos yang terlalu tinggi dalam kehidupan ini... argh, terlalu susah untuk aku gambarkan betapa peritnya perjalanan hidup ini, namun aku tidak harus tunduk kepada desakan yang tidak ada asas pengadilan sebaliknya penuh dengan emosi. Prinsip pegangan hidup aku tidak lari dari ajaran al-quran. Oleh itu, aku akan redah keperitan hidup ini walaupun terpaksa menangis dalam diam...iya, tangisan itu adalah pembakar semangat untuk aku meneruskan usaha mengapai cita-cita.

Hidup harus diteruskan. Penilaian semula terhadap perjalanan hidup ini juga perlu. Adakah ianya selari dengan objektif hidup kita? Penilaian awal adalah terbaik kerana sebarang kepincangan yang dikesan adalah mudah untuk diambil tindakan pembetulan. Sebenarnya, pembelajaran yang diperolehi melalui kesilapan/pengalaman adalah terbaik bagi orang yang sentiasa ingin mempertingkatan kelemahan diri. Aku? Adakah aku tergolong dalam golongan ini? Aku berharap segala kos kehidupan yang telah aku belanja untuk mencapai cita-cita ini dapat memberi pulangan yang terbaik kepada semua orang yang menyayangi diri ini. Dan, kos pengorbanan yang dibayar oleh orang yang hidup disekeliling aku akan aku hargai hingga ke liang lahad walaupun pengorbanan itu ikhlas ataupun tidak. Keikhlasan seseorang itu hanyalah diketahui oleh orang itu sendiri selain daripada Allah. Tanyalah dada kerana diri sendiri tidak boleh ditipu.

Kehidupan dan pengorbanan tidak dapat dipisahkan. Selagi kita hidup, kita perlu berkorban tatapi janganlah sampai dikorbankan oleh kehidupan. Pengorbanan orang disekeliling kita mestilah dibayar dengan penuh kejujuran. Jangan pertikaikan keikhlasan pengorbanan mereka walaupun dari raut wajah mempamerkan pergolakan hati mereka. Biarlah Allah yang memberi penghukuman. Bagi ku, biarlah aku berkorban perasaan yang berceramuk dengan perjalan kehidupan harian ini untuk kepentingan orang disekeliling. Kekadang, hidup ini tidak boleh fokus kepada apa yang dibuat kerana memikirkan kepentingan orang lain! Umph...itulah kehidupan.

Huh...Dah Lama Rupanya Tak Up-date Blog ni...

2010-03-30T01:15:00.004+08:00

Umph...pejam celik pejam celik, rupa-rupanya dah hampir empat bulan tak menjengok kat blog ni. Entah kenapa masa agak tidak mencukupi. 24 jam sekarang ni terasa agak pendek. Mungkin juga kesibukan harian menjadi salah satu puncanya, tapi kenapa Allah menjadikan siang dan malam hanya mengambil masa 24 jam? Adakah Allah tidak adil kepada orang yang sibuk ini? Huh, itulah persoalan yang perlu direnung-renungkan oleh kita semua sebagai umatNya.

Adakah kita terlalu sibuk dengan menghayati seruanNya atau hanya sekadar mengejar kehidupan duniawi? Memang kita disuruh supaya mengejar kedunian seolah-olah kita akan hidup selama-lamanya DAN jangan lupa kita juga disuruh beribadah sepanjang malam seolah-olah kita akan mati ke-esokannya...

Aduh!!! adakah kesibukan aku ini sekadar urusan duniawi? Ya Allah, berikanlah petunjuk Mu ke atas hamba Mu yang kerdil ini dan tunjukkanlah jalan yang benar sebenar-benarnya...Amien.

Begitulah kehidupan. Bila terasa tertindas baru mengingati Allah yang maha bersimpati ke atas hambaNya. Kehidupan ini jika tidak diasuh dengan keimanan akan terasa sentiasa tidak lengkap. Kita akan cuba sedaya upaya untuk melengkapkannya. Itu tidak salah sebenarnya tetapi adakah kita sentiasa bertanya kepada diri sendiri bahawa adakah aku sentiasa bersyukur denga apa yang telah dikurniakan olehNya?

Memang ada antara kita akan bersoal bahawa kita harus berusaha untuk mendapatkan sesuatu yang lebih. Memang. Itu tidak dinafikan. Jangan hanya berserah kepada Qada dan Qadar kerana kita tidak tahu ketentuanNya. Tetapi yang menjadi persoalan di sini ialah adakah kita mengingati Nya dengan apa yang telah kita perolehi? kerana segala-galanya di dunia ini hanyalah pinjaman dan amanah oleh Yang Maha Agong ...Allah Azawajala... Ya Allah, maafkanlah hambaMu ini kerana sibuk kepada sesuata yang bersifat keduniawi, sememangnya hamba mu ini adalah makluk yang lemah dan memerlukan bimbingan keimanan yang lebih syahdu dalam menghayati suruhan Mu. Insyaallah...

Five Ways in better controlling financial obligation during the financial crisis

2009-12-06T23:01:00.004+08:00

Adapted from Malaysia Institute of Management, Oct-Dec 2009, Vol. 44, No. 4, pp. 88-89.

Well, everybody feels the effects of world financial crisis which was triggered by the collapsed of US sub-prime mortgage market in year 2007. Thus, we are as individual need to evaluate our financial conditions to ensure that we can meet our monthly fixed financial commitment as well as our variable expenses.

Here, I would like to share on the simple and yet affordable ways since these are under our control. These extra and cautious measures need to be taken to make sure that our personal finance is in order. This also to be wise or be looks wise to manage our legacy in order to benefit the next generation.

1. Check your loans and liabilities exposure

In the tough economic times, you need to be sure about your loans and liabilities exposure. This needs to check with your banks or loan providers that you make periodic payments or also know as fixed financial obligations. The idea is to ensure that your monthly financial commitment is not burden you financial status. Thus if you feel that you are in difficulty to repay your loan, then in this situation you absolutely need to restructure your loan commitment before it gets worse later. What you need to do is make another loan with the amount that you already determined is able to cover the previous loan(s) with the maximum period of repayment. Making loan at lower interest rate will save you a bundle in the long run as well as will reduce your monthly financial obligation.

2. Restructure living expenses

Most of the times when money is easy, we tend to spend on extra things and also on luxury items which might be unnecessary. So, when we are facing financial crisis, we need to re-evaluate our monthly living expenses. It sounds simple but most of us do not know how to start. Below are the simple steps to follow:
• Find out how much you spend a month
• Elaborate further on what your money goes
• Finally, classify on those items whether they are really need or vice verse.
This frugal measure is for sure only for short term to be taken in order to counter of the financial crisis, and of course it’s better to practice for whole year as prudence expenses will ensure our stable financial status.

3. Create short-term cash flow

Well, it is a good practice to set aside some money as a monthly saving. It is better to be put in current account or short term fixed account. This step is actually to provide us with fast cash in the event that you need some cash to meet some unexpected needs or sudden drop in cash flow. Then the question is how much the minimum amount actually we need to hold the cash or cash equivalent? If you are an employee, you should have cash or cash equivalent equal to six month living expenses and if you are a retiree you should have cash or cash equivalent to the same as three year living expenses.

In finance, cash is king! Holding sufficient cash gives people strong holding power when they need to pay their current liability expenses. Some of us make mistake when do long term financial obligation to address our short term needs, or sometime we have to sell our investment even at loss just to pay our bills. This is actually not correct to practice. Then, setting cash flow is important to ensure our personal financial is not at distress status.

4. Reposition for investment

Of course if you have surplus cash you intend to put on any investment that meet to your risk profile, because in every crisis there are also opportunities. Your investment should give profit or return as expected and have opportunity to diversify to reduce the unexpected risk. If you are not sure how to review the investment opportunity then better to get advice from professional financial advisor(s).

Bear in mind, if you have more than enough cash in hand but do not invest it will deplete by inflation (one ringgit today is not equal to one ringgit tomorrow). Instead, by investing in any potential investment papers, it will help you to achieve financial goals more effectively.

5. Review your will and insurance nomination

Last but not least step is to ensure that every single ringgit of your money will go to your loved ones and dependents. Thus, you need to take another look at your will to make sure that it benefits your loved ones effectively. Well, this is because during money is easy to get, we may write our will to every person we think appropriate to get the portion. Even though it is not nice to talk about death and dying, a wise man will plan for the inevitable.

By using the five tips mentioned above, it is quite sure that you will have no problem to survive in the crisis. In fact, these tips give you clear picture to position your assets and investment well and as a result you may even thrive in the crisis.

MAINTAINING COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE THROUGH QUALITY

2009-11-20T14:52:00.005+08:00

Every organization will do everything to ensure competitiveness is belongs to him. Thus, to achieve this, that organization should have something valuable to offer to his customers. Valuable products or services should have certain criteria such as differentiation, cost effectiveness and able to respond to customers’ need quickly (Jay Heizer & Barry Render, 2009). These criteria will give competitive advantages to the organization.

One of the ways to obtain competitive advantage is through quality. Quality in general can be defined as able to meet customers expectation either stated or impliedly (Jay Heizer & Barry Render, 2009). However, to come to specific, many believe that quality is fall into several situations named as user based, product based and manufacturing based (Evans & Lindsay, 2008). Many famous quality philosophers such as Crosby, Deming, Juran, etc contribute to different parts of quality.

Implications of Quality

By focusing on quality, an organization’s operation can get several implications as mentioned below.

Company reputation and reliability

Firm should aware the level of quality demanded by customers. Top management must involve in determining this. It is easier once an organization knows what customers need. In order to get this effect, few tools are believed to be very helpful.

Quality product or service is produced by quality workforce. Quality workers can be developed through training. Training is a typical tool use by most organizations to ensure organizations become reliable. Training will increase employees’ skills and as a result will improve efficiency as well as quality. The better trained an employee is, the more he/she can understand organization objectives and principles and able to contribute to organization goodwill. The experts say that quality begins and ends with training (G.M Jaideep et. al, 1994). Therefore, the end product/service produced by well trained employees will give more satisfactions to customers. In addition, organizations are very sure in giving warranty of their product/service.

Quick respond to the customers demand also gives very significant effect to organization reputation. Quick respond also one of the important quality issues. Respond can be defined as attending to customers queries or fulfilling customers’ needs. Quick respond to what customers need also show that organization have quality in fulfilling market challenge. For instance, at Arnold Palmer Hospital, its managers follow patients questionnaire results daily where if anything is amiss, corrective action takes place immediately (Jay Heizer & Barry Render, 2009). Employee’s empowerment is a paramount factor to achieve this mission. Tops management must provide clear instructions to what they want employees do. In other words, delegation of the authority must be made clear to every level of employees. By stressing more quality in delegating processes will give significant to employees’ acceptance.

Cost leadership

Why Air Asia is better than MAS in term of financial management? With a slogan, everyone can fly; it shows that at Air Asia even an average citizen is affordable to have experience boarding on flight. Well, what is the secrete behind this? It is all about the cost. I’m very sure that everybody knows about cost of quality. Actually, every employee is contributing to the cost of the company. Do things right at the first time is a quality philosophy indeed.

Cost of quality will help an organization in reducing its costs. Cost of quality can be interpreted as the cost of non-conformance (Jay Heizer & Barry Render, 2009). It is classifying into four major categories namely prevention costs, appraisal costs, internal failure cost and external cost (Evans & Lindsay, 2008). Prevention cost is the cost related to reducing the potential for defective parts or services such as training, quality improvement programmes, etc. Appraisal cost is the cost associated with product evaluation, processes or services. For instance, testing, lab works, inspection are some example of appraisal costs. Internal cost is the cost incurred due to defective parts or services before delivery to customers. External cost is the cost that resulted from defective products or services which already delivered to customers. Rework, scrap and returned good are some example of those costs.

Product differentiation

Company should ensure that it offerings the right products or services. Thus to be sure, the company should survey its customers. Customers’ priorities and perceptions are change over time (M.H Marilyn, 1996). Therefore, survey results are very important in order to determine the customers’ need, and more importantly, this can influence product life cycle. Since the customers’ demands are changing at the very fast pace, this could shortening product life cycle. To overcome this situation, M.H Marilyn (1996) suggested that by focusing on quality it will increase product performance, durability and decrease maintaining cost which can be important and beneficial to all firm. These features furthermore give impressive perception to attract customers’ attention.

Hofer (1975) suggested that product life cycle was the most fundamental variable in determining an appropriate competitive strategy. This was supported by Poter (1980) where he said that at introductory stage, competition primarily revolves around technological innovation and price war at the maturity stage. Therefore, superior performance may thus be realised by aligning competitive strategies with the requirements imposed by the unique characteristics of each stage of the product life cycle (M.B Reginald et. al, 1999). This strategy can be implemented through continuous improvement. Continuous improvement means that company is always looking for innovative and creative product or service that able to distinguish from competitors.

In summary, quality can be used as an important tool for company survivor. By prioritize quality on products or services; it will create brand loyalty among the customers. The uniqueness produces through quality gives significant effects on customers’ perception towards the company products or services. Thus, customers’ mouth talks give more reliable information to ultimately influence other potential customers about company products or services.

References:
1. Evans and Lindsay – “The Management and Control of Quality”, 7Ed., 2008.
2. Hofer C.W – “Towards a Contingency Theory of Business Strategy”, Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 18, 1975, pp. 784-810
3. Jay Heizer and Barry Render – “Operation Management”, Flexible Edition, 2009.
4. Jaideep G. Motwani, Mary L. Frahm and Yunus Katwala – “Achieving a Competitive Advantage Through Quality Training”, Training for Quality, Vol. 2, No. 1, 1994, pp. 35-40
5. Marilyn M. Helms – “Perspectives on Quality and Productivity for Competitive Advantage”, The TQM Magazine, Vol.8, No.3, 1996, pp. 5-10
6. Porter M.E – “Competitive Strategy”, The Free Press, New York, NY., 1980.
7. Reginald M. Beal and Archie Lockamany III – “Quality Differentiation for Competitive Advantage: A Contingency Approach”, European Journal of Innovation Management, Vol. 2, No.2, 1999, pp. 71-81

BETULKAH SESEORANG YANG PERAMAH LEBIH DISUKAI?

2009-10-19T23:43:00.002+08:00

Extrovert ialah satu term yang mengambarkan karekter seseorang yang peramah dan bercakap banyak, senang bergaul dengan sesiapa dan yakin pada diri sendiri. Introvert adalah sifat yang berlawanan dengan extrovert tetapi, mengikut McShane dan Glinow (2005, pg. 59) itu tidak bermakna seorang yang introvert kurang kemahiran bersosial. Sebaliknya, seorang yang introvert lebih suka tidak menonjolkan minatnya dalam aktiviti sosial.

Dalam keadaan apa sekali pun, sesuatu kejadian akan memberi dua kesan langsung, iaitu samada negatif ataupun positif. Seseorang yang peramah (tidak kira wanita atau lelaki) secara positifnya amat disenangi oleh kebanyakkan orang sekelilingnya. Sebaliknya seseorang yang introvert tidak semestinya dibenci oleh kebanyakkan orang tetapi penampilan sifat introvertnya itu menyebabkan dirinya berasa terpinggir dalam sesuatu acara sosial.

Persoalan yang saya ingin kongsikan di sini ialah, karekter manakah yang diperlukan oleh seseorang – extrovert atau introvert?

Sebagai seorang rakyat Malaysia yang berbudayakan ketimuran, nilai-nilai terpuji seperti malu, menghormati kebebasan diri, menjaga maruah keluarga dan banyak lagi perlu dipertahankan dan diamalkan untuk selamanya walaupun suatu hari nanti kemajuan kehidupan yang dikecapi melangkaui kecemerlangan ketamadunan Eropah. Oleh itu sifat-sifat extrovert dan introvert perlu dibudayakan dengan sesuai dalam kehidupan kita. Sebagai contoh, seseorang yang telah berkahwin (terutamanya perempuan) tidak perlu terlalu extrovert dalam kehidupannya. Ini adalah untuk menutup pintu fitnah yang boleh dicetuskan daripada sikap extrovertnya itu. Ini bermakna dia perlu menyelikkan sedikit sifat introvert dalam dirinya walaupun sebelum itu dia seorang yang extrovert.

Dengan mengetahui tanggungjawab diri dengan nilai-nilai murni kehidupan sebagai seorang isteri/suami atau individu, seseorang itu akan dipandang tinggi dalam masyarakat kerana dapat menyesuaikan diri dalam kehidupan sosial dalam kolompot komunitinya. Sifat extrovert yang ditunjukkan kepada seseorang yang tidak sepatutnya mungkin boleh mencetuskan masalah sosial dalam komuniti kita, apatah lagi dalam komuniti yang menganuti agama islam. Ini kerana pergaulan antara muhram dan bukan muhram perlu dijaga sebaik mungkin.

Sebagai kesimpulannya, sifat peramah seseorang perlulah bersesuaian dengan keadaan diri seseorang itu, kerana ia mungkin menarik minat orang yang mungkin berniat tidak elok untuk mengambil kesempatan. Oleh itu, sifat-sifat extrovert dan introvert perlulah diamalkan secara selektif dalam kehidupan harian kita, tetapi bolehkah dua personality ini diamalkan serentak oleh seseorang? Kita diberikan akal untuk berlajar dan berfikir. Oleh itu, setelah mengetahui apa yang baik dan apa yang tidak elok, kita perlulah membuat keputusan yang dipilih oleh kebanyakkan orang dan yang penting selari dengan suruhan agama kita.

Loyalty doesn’t pay off…How are HRM deals with this?

2009-10-03T00:01:00.013+08:00

According to Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman (2003), loyalty is the quality of remaining faithful. Well, laterally means that we have to stick onto something forever! Well, is that the meaning for employment? OK, let check from few studies done by researchers about employment loyalty…

What’s loyalty?

Loyalty will give many meanings subject to the situations someone is encountering. In employment perspective, it cannot be defined as its word. This is because in employment, employee’s career goal is difference. For example, if someone begins her career with a company which only has executive position as highest position in her field, but hers career goal is to be at managerial, then her decision to leave that company is cannot be regarded as disloyal. Sometimes, payment is not the important factor for someone but career advancement is the paramount influencer.

But, in the above situation, an argument still exists! Someone will say that employee only concern about her achievement and not to accomplish organization’s objectives? Then, how to come out at win-win situation in this phenomenon? Well, this means loyalty perception in corporate world is still ambiguous, and it depends on each individual to translate what is loyalty. Even though, on basic understanding loyalty means a long term commitment to work with an employer and receive wage as agreed.

Effects of loyalty

There are two direct effects: 1). effect towards company, and, 2). effect towards employee. Once employee shows her loyalty, company will benefit of employee’s full engagement. As a result, company reaps much profit as of increase in productivity. Other than that, company spends less cost on trainings as well as on recruiting process due to low employees turn-over. On the other side, does the firm really advantages from loyalty? Do you sometime thinking that decision making done by loyal employee could be stereotype and prevent innovative thinking, since this employee feels comfort at her position?

What is the effect towards employee? Most of the researchers agreed that most of loyal employees received under payment. This is the great reason for the best employees to use as when leaving the company. Why this happened? The very acceptable reason for this is most loyal employees are valued at average by most of the companies either they know the employees contributions or just make don’t know by denying them from sharing the profit made by these employees.

How are HRM deals with this

Other than that best employees are eyeing by larger firms to be paid with better payment. Thus, best employees need to be treated specially by HR department. Employees’ satisfaction need to be fulfilled at maximum level to ensure their retention. Satisfaction not necessarily refers to higher payment alone but need to look as a package that includes many factors such as career satisfaction, employees’ social responsibility as well as other perks. These are needed not to be given to every firm’s workers but base on their contribution and performance level assesses during performance appraisal annually or bi-annually depends on company policies.

Therefore, HR manager plays an important role when setting-up performance appraisal procedure and ensuring the appraisal is carrying out at the best level of professionalism. This is to avoid bias or any other matters that prevent performance appraisal be marked as just and fair view. Appraiser as human being must put aside self conflicts between appraisee and, gives appraisal value without any prejudice thought.

Remember that employees are the assets to the company. Accountancy principle acknowledge that assets are use to derive return for the company. Therefore, best employees need to be paid proportionately to their contributions towards company achievement. Otherwise, company will lose the best assets that bring much profit and this gives competitor at the highest level of accomplishment in vying to retain in the business world.

AYAT-AYAT CINTA

2009-08-16T01:00:00.005+08:00

Aku bukanlah peminat filem atau cerita-cerita di TV, tapi semalam, desak-desus yang aku dengar berkenaan dengan cerita Ayat-Ayat Cinta(AAC) telah menjadikan aku melekat di depan kaca TV. Sebenarnya, aku suka kepada cerita atau filam aksi. Fast and Furious, filem-filem lakonan Sly dan Arnord adalah jenis filem/cerita kegemaran ku tapi tidaklah sehingga sanggup beratur panjang kerana tiket!

Berbalik kepada cerita AAC, mesej yang ingin disampaikan oleh penulis cerita adalah jelas. Alangkah beruntungnya dunia ini jika semua wanita berperwatakan dan berfikiran seperti Aisha dan Maria! Satu perkataan yang betul-betul melekat difikiran ku ialah “ayat-ayat cinta tidak sama dengan perasaan ingin memiliki”. Mungkin anda diluar sana men-interpretasi dialog itu berlainan daripada saya..terpulanglah. Tapi, keseluruhan cerita AAC begitu memberi makna kepada kehidupan ku. Entahlah kenapa dan apa related-nya AAC dalam hidup ku?

Sebenarnya entry ini adalah untuk memenuhi objektif blog aku – sekurang-kurangnya satu entry sebulan. Kebelakangan ini, aku terlalu sibuk untuk menulis entry yang agak berat – ilmiah, sepertimana yang biasa aku tulis. Aku ada banyak tajuk seperti Loyalty doesn’t payoffs – How HRM deals with it, Are you planning to shift profession, etc. tapi aku perlu banyak pembacaan artikal berkaitan...masalahnya, subjek MBA aku terlalu tough sem ini.

Biasanya aku mengambil kesempatan masa break between two subjects untuk menulis atau men-update blog ini, tapi ini tidak dapat aku langsaikan memandangkan aku terpaksa melengkapkan diri untuk peperiksaan MIA bulan September ini...

FUNCTIONAL ENDOSCOPIC SINUSITIS SURGERY

2009-07-03T22:28:00.006+08:00

Thanks God. Everything is gone well. On June 24, I was undergone FESS to correct my chronic sinusitis which I’m suffering for almost 10 years. My condition becomes worse when I’m facing acute episode attacks; sneezing, itchy, eye redness and sometime I feel my face swollen! The surgery took about three and half hour to finish. More article about sinusitis at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinusitis.

As a token of appreciation I would like to thank you very much to the surgery team lead by Dr Rosmaliza, Anaesthetic team lead by Dr Azhar and to all male first class ward of Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan as well for treating me with high professional attitude.

IS IT WORTHWHILE REGISTERING ON AN MBA COURSE?

2009-06-27T23:39:00.004+08:00

Study is never ending. Our Prophet said; belajarlah dari buaian hingga ke liang lahat (learn from the cradle until end of life). And, I think I’m the fortunate one because I’m not stopped at first degree. I’d been given an opportunity to study MBA. Is it worthwhile doing MBA?

Learning MBA is more fun than first degree. It gives flexible learning time. Well, actually learning MBA is to improve managerial and strategic skills. These cannot be obtained at first degree level since at that stage we are taught more on technical skills. But to be a good top managerial manager, managerial and strategic skills, also known as conceptual ability should be at finger tips. Conceptual ability means a manager can see an organization as a whole in implementing any plan.

Do you agree with me if I said MBA is able to develop managerial and strategic skills? Well, to complete MBA course, you need to write lots of assignments, presenting lots of case studies, do business research, mixing with other peers who come from all walk of lives, etc. These give MBA students lots of experiences especially during discussion sessions either during presentations or group discussions. On top of that, subjects in MBA teach us more on how to come out with a better and relevant decision making. Even though MBA does not teach student everything about organization’s functions but it does provide sufficient knowledge to make the holders better understand the various facets of an organization, and thus able to formulate successful strategies.

Currently, an MBA is a very popular postgraduate degree among business people. This is due to value of professional expertise shows among MBA graduates cannot be underestimating its quality in strategizing business plans. This was recognized by Randi Bussin, Founder and President of Aspire, who was graduated from France’s MBA programmed, when commented on MBA’s benefits to business environment. He also stressed that multi-cultural students would give maximum benefits since current business is happen cross boarder without the owner goes outside for promotion-it all can be done by online promotions and strategies.

In UK, currently about 22,000 pursuing for MBA, meanwhile in US over more than 90,000 graduate with MBA each year. This shows that MBA is most valuable postgraduate degree for many organizations especially those involve in businesses and government agencies as well. In US, most of the employees often change their job at every three to five year period which reflects that those with MBA are treated well by employers. This situation also influence by expensive in house training incurred by employer to get best talent, and as best alternative and shortcut process, MBA holders are seen more practical and worthiness for the organization.

When you thinking to pursue MBA, it is better if the programmed is not only run by coursework, instead combination of project (business research) or thesis would give maximum outcome for the students. This argument comes from my opinion since MBA is focus to provide the candidates more understanding in making decision. By applying understood theory during coursework in business research (case study), this will make an MBA’s candidate thoroughly able to run business in smarter ways.

MANAGING CAREER: HOW TO FAST-TRACK PROMOTION?

2009-05-22T23:45:00.012+08:00

Every working person has an ambition to be at top of a profession. To achieve this, a person has to plan his career path wisely. Career improvement is not just happen naturally. You need to manage it – just as you would manage anything else which is important.
Career management brings a meaning that you are taking control of your career development. In practice, careers are interactive processes between individuals and their employers and it can be difficult to feel in control of your destiny. The better of your knowledge and understanding about your career, the more able you are to take the lead. Thus, to manage your career successful, you need to understand few factors:-
1. Understanding yourself and your needs from your life.
Evaluate yourself – competences and achievement. Do you achieve your bottom line target? Compare your competency and achievement with others. Do you able to beat them? Do these competencies and achievements are your dream from the beginning?

2. Understanding careers such as types of work, recruitment methods, career structures and what support, training and development is available.
To excel in career, workers shall be in the right profession which is consequences from what they need from their life! Once a worker knows his/her aim, he/she should develop his/her career in a linear manner. This needs thorough understanding about that career. However, if a worker feels him/she in the wrong profession, doesn’t just dreaming the world will get better! Prepare yourself to grab opportunity once it comes. This also put you at a risky situation especially at an early transition but it is worthy if you plan careful.

3. Understanding the wider economic, political, social, and technological climate.
Keep looking around yourself. Do you equip yourself with current economic, political, social, and technological climate? Remember, the better of your knowledge and understanding about your career and general knowledge, the more able you are to take the lead.

On top of those factors, you also need to prepare a short term and long term target. Short term target could be attending courses, getting credential in your career, prepare yourself with higher qualifications, etc. Meanwhile, long term target should be your contributions to the organization. You must show that you are the right employee they are hired. Contribution is too subjective to everybody, but most important is you know how to be seen by employer. This also means you should ensure that your existence is notice by your boss!

You already known that key factors to success in career are known your career in dept, and give significant value to the organization as well. Well, to successfully perform these objectives, you need to prepare yourself with above average other workers’ knowledge and capability.

Well, there are two ways on how to get promotion – within organization or jump to other organization which offers better position. Remember, most of the organization is prefer to appoint internal employee to hold higher post. Current development in human resource management provides much data about managing talent within organization. However, you must think that higher post is holding by your boss (superior) and it is quite impossible for you to get that if your boss still there! So in this case, second choice should be considered.

Jobs do not last forever. Once you already got promotion, you may eye for further levels. This, what we call career management cycle which has several stages:-

1. Where are you now? A self-awareness review. Think about your career priorities and values. Evaluate your current skills and abilities, experience, work-life balance, family commitments and constraints.

2. Where do you want to be? Explore your options – anything from improving as a researcher to a complete change of career and life pattern.

3. How will you get there? Make plans. Decide how to achieve the desired career outcome. Set manageable objectives and be prepared to revise these plans if things change.

4. Getting there. Take actions to fulfil your plan.

5. What have you learned? Achieve your goal – celebrate! Begin the new cycle with a review and record of your completed activity: evidence of what you did and what you learned to use in the future.

Sometimes, you find it is too hard to get promotion. Why? Well, most of the organization structure is pyramid form. Higher position is not many. Every colleague is competing for the post. Thus, who is showing extraordinary performance will lead others. Then, think how to get a step ahead from your colleagues.

References:
1. http://www.vitea.ac.uk/1333/managing-your-career.html
2. http://www.mbaprograms.org/mbacareer/managingyourcareer.asp
3. http://ilearn.senecac.on.ca/careers/succeed/managing.html
4. Managing Succession Plans and Career Paths by Shelly Heiden (www.clomedia.com)
5. Jobstreet.com/careerenhancers.

Talent Management: Is it New Challenge in HR Functions?

2009-04-11T10:38:00.005+08:00

Human Resource (HR) is evolving as time change. Current HR practices seem more challenging than previous one – talent management (TM); is this new perspective in HR functions? According to Chris Ashton et al. (2005), TM is more than a new language for old work that HR practitioners and managers to get involved in.1 Now, TM is become big issue in HR since most of organizations view it as strategic imperative.

Talent Management (TM)

What is TM all about? None of the HR researchers are able to define accurately what TM is. However, Shaik Roslinah Bux et al. (2009) define TM is a strategic subset of human capital management that incorporates how companies drive performance at the individual level.2 This can be interpreted into two perspectives: individual with high-worth talent which is able to think beyond the operational system and individual with general talent which usually follow instruction to meet organization’s objectives. Chidozie Obasi (2009) interpreted talent as encompasses employees’ skills, knowledge, cognitive abilities, potentials, value and work habits among others.3 TM also viewed by Roshan Thiran (2009) as essential business process that enables your talent to achieve their full potential.3

Why TM is so important in today business world? Since TM is seeing as able to give competitive advantage to organization, then investment in this should become a large portion in organization budget. The question here is, is’t true TM can generate more profit to organization? Study done by First Data Corporation (FDC) shown that it can sustain revenue growth, business expansion and excellence in flawlessly executing millions of transactions a week for past three consecutive years was highly correlated with its strategic planned which focus on aligned TM with business goals and strategies.1 Therefore, cost of managing talent shall be looked by organization as opportunity cost, if an organization want to success in future.

Managing Talent

How to manage talent successfully? HR department shall treat managing talent as a supply chain. Strong perception on silo should be reduced, and as manager needs to look at an organization as a whole. Silo occurs when an organization is focusing on the interests of one part of the organization rather than the whole4 and, this is the main culprit in failure to manage talent successfully. Manager (HR only?) should have several insights when dealing with talent such as employee engagement and workforce competitiveness, training and development and brain gain.

Employee engagement is the main factor to be considered when managing talent. This is a concept that holds the degree to which an employee is emotionally bonded to his organization and passionate about his work that really matters.2 Talented employees shall be highly engage with their work since this can be related to employee’s job satisfaction and job contribution. By doing so, employees feel their existence are seen by management and hoping that their career can be upgrade in future. Otherwise, in highly workforce competitiveness, indeed talented employee will find other way to satisfy his/her needs. This situation will cause an organization a bit lost in term of monetary as well as competitive advantage.

Workforce competitiveness also should be seen by organization as opportunity to bring in talented prospect by providing competitive perks. Today, many organizations put tremendous effort into attracting employees to their company but spend little time into retaining and developing talent.5 Thus, to retain and develop talent, organization shall look at employee’s perspective needs either current policies are able to meet those needs. Managing and defining competitive salaries is one of important elements to satisfy employee’s needs. According to Minister of Human Resource, Datuk Dr. S. Subramaniam, 400,000 Malaysians, which constitute the largest volume of talent migration working in Singapore due to better salaries.6

Training and development (T&D) also play an important factor in managing talent. Employee who can see his/her clear career path will try to achieve it. To help this type of employee, line manager has to maximize his/her capability in recognizing subordinate’s weakness and strength. Research done by Matthew Guthridge et al. (2006) found that fifty-two percent of the respondents identified an insufficient commitment to developing talent on the part of line managers as a critical barrier.4 T&D will polish talent and thus leveraging employee self-interest towards organization. As a result, bond and passionate employee will give full commitment to achieve organization’s goals with hope organization will give his/her career satisfaction as return.

The simplest way to develop talent is through mentoring. This means brain gain is occurring between mentor and mentee. If an organization able to attract talent and executing brain gain programme, developing talent within organization become fast and this in return will provide strategic advantage to compete with other competitors. Mentoring can be used as a mechanism to develop a critical mass of talented knowledge workers to support organization growth.2 Since our country is at early developing stage, we are at shortage of expertise in certain fields. Thus, government has to come out with certain plan that able to attract foreign talent and exchange the talent to local.

Good talent management could give positive impact to organization. Organization with bad talent management will find hard to survive in today business environment. Talented employees will do best for organization as well as to themselves. Therefore, they will find way to develop their talent at highest level and only good organization can retain the talented employees. Thus to avoid this brain drain and maintain competitive advantage through people, management shall have strategic plan that define clearly the course of action to be implemented in attracting and maintaining talent.

References:
1. Chris Ashton and Lynne Morton: Managing Talent for Competitive Advantage. Strategic HR Review, volume 4 issue 5 July/August 2005
2. Shaik Rosinah Bux and Ong Lin Dan: Talent Crunch and Workforce Competitiveness in Malaysia. Management, Vol. 44 No. 1 issue Jan-Mar 2009
3. HR Asia, Issue 2, 2009: Talent Management
4. Mathew Guthridge, Asmus B. Komm and Emily Lawson: The People Problem in Talent Management. The McKinsey Quarterly 2006 Number 2
5. Wikipedia, retrieved on Apr. 1, 2009
6. Management, Vol. 44 No. 1 issue Jan-Mar 2009, page 6-10

TAMADUN CHINA

2009-03-04T00:02:00.008+08:00

PENGERTIAN TAMADUN

Perkataan tamadun berasal dari perkataan Arab. Bagaimanapun perkataan ini tidak asing lagi pada masa ini. Perkataan yang sama erti dengan tamadun ialah peradaban atau dalam bahasa Inggeris ialah Civilisation . Walaupun semua istilah di atas adalah berbeza tetapi secara umumnya bererti maju atau mencapai kemajuan.
Para Sarjana ilmu ketamadunan mengemukakan pengertian tamadun kepada empat aspek iaitu:-
1. Aspek pertama tamadun adalah suatu tingkat pencapaian atau kemajuan hidup manusia dari cara hidup nomad kepada kehidupan hidupan kota atau Bandar.
2. Aspek Kedua tamadun dianggap sebagai proses untuk mencapai kemajuan atau kebaikan di dalam kehidupan.
3. Aspek ketiga, tamadun diberikan makna kombinasi kepada kemajuan aspek pemikiran rohani dan jasmani atau material manusia.
4. Aspek keempat tamadun adalah keadaan kemajuan manusia yang diasaskan kepada ketinggian akhlak atau budi pekerti, tidak hanya setakat hidup di kota atau di Bandar atau mencapai kemajuan material.

LATARBELAKANG TAMADUN CINA

Tamadun Cina dipercayai bermula kira-kira pada milenium ke-6 Sebelum Masihi (SM) dan merupakan salah satu tamadun yang tertua di muka bumi selain daripada Tamadun Mesir (Lembah Sungai Nil), Mesopotamia atau Sumeria (Lembah Sungai Tigris dan Sungai Euphrates), India (Lembah Sungai Indus) dan Tamadun Yunani (Eropah). Sifat keterbukaannya dalam berinteraksi dengan tamadun-tamadun lain, integratif dan dinamik menyebabkanya menjadi lebih mampan walaupun pernah dicabar oleh tamadun-tamadun lain. Walaupun mengalami perubahan-perubahan dalam proses perkembangan yang panjang, namun identitinya dikekalkan sebagai satu tamadun berkesinambungan dan kekal pada keseluruhannya.

Walaubagaimanapun, berdasarkan bukti-bukti penemuan arkeologi antara kebudayaan-kebudayaan Neolitik ( Zaman batu baru) di Yangshoa di provinsi Shaanxi menunjukkan, Kebudayaan Yangshao telah wujud pada milenium ke-5. Tapak tradisi kebudayaan Yangshoa ini dijumpai di teres-teres berhampiran cawangan-cawangan Sungai Wei dan Huanghe (The Yellow River), kerana kawasan ini mempunyai tanah yang subur, lembap dan mudah untuk dikerjakan sebagai kawasan pertanain dan penempatan. Kegiatan awal bangsa Yangshoa ialah pertanian, penternakan babi dan mengukir tembikar (painted pottery). Adalah dipercayai, bijirin (milet) adalah makanan asasi atau rugi bangsa Yangshoa. Perkembangan peradaban bangsa Yangshoa di bahagian tengah dan utara negara Cina menelan masa kira-kira 6 milenium iaitu lebih kurang 5000 tahun sebelum diambilalih oleh kebudayaan Longshan.

Kebudayaan Longshan bermula sejak pertengahan kurun ke-2 dan zaman Gangsa Awal (Bronze Age) lewat milenium ke-2 atau milenium pertama. Pertemuan arkeologi menunjukkan peradaban ini terletak di Lembah Sungai Yangzi di provinsi Jiangxi dan juga di Sanxingdui,di provinsi Suchuan. Peradaban ini lebih maju berbanding ketamadunan Yangshoa,di mana tembikar yang dijumpai menunjukkan berkualiti, kerana dipercayai menggunakan mesin peroda tembikar (potter’s wheel) dalam pengeluarannya.

Dalam tahun 1766SM – 1122SM, gangsa dinilai sebagai simbol elit oleh Dinasti Shang dan tukang-tukang gangsa dihormati sebagai ahli masyarakat yang penting semasa pemerintahannya. Zaman Dinasti Shang memperlihatkan perkembangan tamadun yang lebih komplek dengan pembentukan negara-kota, penggunaan sistem tulisan, peningkatan pengkhususan pekerjaan dan wujudnya sistem masyarakat yang berlapis. Peradaban Shang berpusat di bahagian utara He’nan di mana dua tapak arkeologi di Zhengzhou dan Anyang menunjukkan sejarah ketamadunan Dinasti Shang.

FAKTOR-FAKTOR YANG MEMPENGARUHI TAMADUN CINA
1. Alam Sekitar
Tempoh Neolitik di negara Cina mempunyai kedudukan yang unggul dalam sejarah perkembangan peradaban China. Peradaban Yangshoa yang menjadikan bijirin (milet) sebagai makanan asasi telah menggalakan perkembangan dalam kegiatan pertanian. Tapak peradaban Yangshoa yang terletak di kawasan di mana tanah pasirnya telah dimendapkan oleh angin selama berkurun-kurun lamanya menjadikan kawasan ini subur dan sesuai untuk kegiatan pertanian. Penemuan benih padi di Lembah Yangzi, di Selatan Teluk Hangzhou, provinsi Zhejiang menunjukkan penanaman padi telah dilakukan secara meluas.

Geografi Negara China yang luas, menyebabkan keadaan cuaca yang berbeza dan ini telah mempertembungkan dua kebudayaan iaitu Kebudayaan Milet (Bijirin) dan kebudayaan Sawah Padi, yang wujud secara berasingan di bahagian Utara dan Selatan China.

Pada asasnya, bahagian timur China menghadap lautan, bahagain barat-laut direntangi oleh gurun yang luas dan bahagian barat-daya adalah dataran tinggi Qinghai-Tibet, dataran yang terluas di dunia dengan ketinggian 4000-5000 meter secara purata. Keadaan ini menyebabkan kebanyakan sungai mengalir ke arah kawasan Selatan atau Timur dan seterusnya menggalakkan pergerakkan penduduk, terutamnya para petani untuk menetap di bahagian Selatan China. Hasil dari pola pergerakkan ini, perkembangan kebudayaan juga turut beralih ke Selatan China.

2. Bahasa dan sistem tulisan cina
Bahasa cina telah digunakan dengan meluas di zaman silam dan ia masih digunakan sekarang berbanding dengan bahas-bahasa kuno lain. Ini adalah kerana, walaupun mempunyai pelbagai sebutan dialek, tetapi hanya satu tulisan bercirikan karektar digunapakai oleh semua rakyat cina. Ini merupakan faktor penting dalam menyatupadukan rakyat cina dan perkembangan tamadunnya.

Karektar yang digunapakai dalam tulisan cina biasanya berdasarkan kepada lambang bergambar (xiang xing) dan dikenali sabagai Hanzi (tulisan Han), lambang petunjuk (zhishi), lambang petunjuk fikiran (huiyi), dan gabungan bentuk bunyi (xing sheng), bersamaan dua kaedah yang berfungsi memperluaskan erti atau penggunaan sesuatu huruf cina, iaitu ‘mutual semantik transfer’ (zhuanzhu) dan ‘loan character’ (jiajie). Keedah-kaedah tersebut digolongkan sebagai ‘six principles of writing’ (liushu).

Perkembangan tulisan cina telah mempengaruhi bangsa-bangsa lain terutamanya si Asia Timur seperti Jepun, Korea dan juga Vietman, yang telah mengadaptasi karekter tulisan cina ke dalam bahasa mereka, walaupun mereka mempunyai bahasa sendiri.

3. Pembentukan bangsa Tionghoa
China merupakan satu negara yang luas dan besar. Penduduknya terdiri daripada pelbagai bangsa yang pada zaman Neolitik dan zaman batu menduduki tiga kawasan utama, iaitu Utara, Tengah dan Selatan.
Menurut para sarjana Cina, terdapat tiga kumpulan bangsa yang terbesar iaitu kumpulan Yan-Huang yang diwakili oleh kaum Yang Di dan Huang, kumpulan Feng-Yang dan kumpulan Miao-Man yang terdiri dari suku kuam bagsa di Selatan China.

Proses peredaran zaman yang panjang telah membentuk kerjasama antara bangsa tersebut. Peperangan, berinteraksi, berkahwin campur dan tiru-meniru budaya dikalangan bangsa ini telah mewujudkan satu bangsa yang kuat yang dikenali sebagai bangsa Tionghoa (Zhonghua minzu).

4. Pandangan semesta dan kepercayaan
Pandangan animisme merupakan pegangan dan kepercayaan penduduk primitif cina di mana pemujaan binatang, tanaman, matahari, bintang, sungai serta kuasa-kuasa lain yang dipercayai wujud pada zaman neolitik dengan bangsa Yangshao dan Longshan lagi. Selain daripada kepercayaan animisme ini, konsep Tian iaitu langit sebagai makluk unggul (supreme being) yang menguasai nasib seseorang telah wujud sejak zaman dinasti Zhou (kk 1123 SM-221SM).

Tian dalam kontek kepercayaan konfusianisme bermakna prinsip tertinggi dalam alam semesta. Konfusianisme merupakan doktrin kenegaraan yang merangkumi aspek falsafah, keagamaan dan sosiopolitik. Asas utama dalam pengajaran konfusianisme adalah nilai dan sifat moral yang mulia, terutamanya mengenai perikemanusian (ren), kesusilaan (li) dan ketaatan kepada ibu-bapa (xiao). Pujangga agung konfusianisme, Mencius (372 SM –289 SM), berpendapat semasa dilahirkan manusia mempunyai empat sifat yang baik iaitu perikemanusiaan (ren), kewajaran (yu), kesusilaan (li) dan kearifan (zhi).

Dong Zhongshu (179 SM – 104 SM), seorang lagi pujangga konfusianisma di zaman dinasti Han mencipta satu falsafah Yin-Yang yang menceritakan bahawa insan merupakan sebahagian daripada Tian. Oleh itu wujud satu pertalian di antara insan dengan Tian. Kesalahan yang dilakukan oleh kerajaan duniawi akan menyebabkan kemarahan oleh Tian dengan mencipta keadaan luar biasa sebagai menifestasi amarannya.

Konsep Tian juga wujud dalam kepercayaan Daoisme. Kitap Daoisme dan Yijing menceritakan bahawa Tian adalah segala-galanya. Kelahiran sesuatu hayat juga dipercayai akan berakhir dan kembali kepada akhir hayat mereka iaitu Dao.

5. Sistem politik dan pemerintahan
Perkembangan pesat pemikiran politik di China bermula pada zaman pemerintahan dinasti Qin (221 SM – 209 SM). Antara aliran pemikiran politik yang penting ialah Konfusianisme, Daoisme, Legalisme dan Moisme. Walaubagaimanapun, Legalisme bermula sebelum dinasti Qin, di mana teori dan pelaksanaan konsep Legalisme telah berjaya membawa pembaharuan dalam sistem pemerintahan dengan menggantikan sistem pemerintahan feudal yang bercirikan pelbagai negeri dan jajahan (multistate) kepada sistem pentadbiran commendaries dan counties (junxian zhi) iaitu kerajaan birokratik berpusat (centralized bureaucractic government). Sistem in telah menyumbangkan kepada pengekalan pentadbiran dan kestabilan politik di sepanjang sejarah ketamadunan cina.

Pemikiran politik berasaskan Daoisme bertentangan dengan apa yang diterapkan oleh pemikiran Konfusianisme. Daoisme berpendapat bahawa pemerintah tidak perlu menguatkuasa sebarang usaha yang keras (wuwei) dan meneruskan kehidupan secara primitif yang menghormati diri dengan alam semesta.
Manakala pemikiran politik Moisme pula menegaskan penyelarasan peraturan dan pembentukan kuasa pusat (shangtong) tidak bersesuaian dengan pihak pemerintah. Ini adalah kerana ajarannya yang menitikberat kepada jimat-cermat (jieyong) dan pelantikan pegawai kerajaan berdasarkan kepada kelayakan dan kemampuan (xuan xian yu neng) sukar untuk dilaksanakan.

6. Kemasukan Islam di Cina
Peluasan kawasan Islam itu berlaku ketika di zaman khalifah AL-Walid bin Abdul Malik. Panglima Islam yang bertanggungjawab menyebarkan Islam ke Timur hingga ke sempadan negara China adalah Qutaibah bin Muslim. Akibat daripada penguasaan Islam ke timur dan kekalahan tentera China di sungai Talas maka ini telah menghalang kerajaan China pada ketika di bawah Dinasti Tang daripada mengekalkan kuasa di Asia Tengah.

Berikut terdapat beberapa keadaan bagaimana Islam tersebar ke negara China:
i. Berdasarkan sumber dari China, Maharaja Tang II telah menghantar utusan kepada Nabi Muhammad SAW untuk menghantar pendakwah ke negara tersebut. Nabi telah menyambut baik dengan menghantar tiga orang pendakwah. Dua daripada pendakwah itu meninggal dunia semasa perjalanan yang amat jauh, dan hanya seorang sahaja yang selamat sampai ke China. Maharaja tersebut telah membina sebuah masjid untuknya. Bermula dari itu beliau mula menyebarkan Islam di negeri China. (Jameel Abdullah, present Islamic world, part 2, p.in Saudi Arabia, page. 495, in Arabic) .

ii. Semasa di zaman Khalifah Al-Rashidin yang ketiga iaitu Uthman bin Affan, baginda telah menghantar Saad bin Abi Waqqas melawat negeri China pada tahun 651 M (29Hijrah) untuk menyampaikan dakwah kepada Maharaja China. Hasil daripada lawatan tersebut, maharaja China telah mengarahkan pembinaan Masjid yang besar dan indah di Bandar Canton atau kini dikenali sebagai Guangzhou. (Abdur- Rauf, 1994).

iii. Tentera Islam dibawah Qutaibah bin Muslim menjalankan penaklukan ke atas Bandar Kashgar ibu kota Turkestan Timur pada tahun 714 M dan menyeru Maharaja China memeluk Islam. (Turkestan Timur adalah sebuah negara merdeka sehingga ditakluk oleh kerajaan Manchu tahun 1759. Pada tahun 1876 ia memberontak dan merdeka dari kerajaan Manchu dan pada tahun 1949 ia di kuasai oleh kerajaan komunis China).

iv. Dalam tahun 757 M. (138 Hijrah) Jeneral Lien Chen memberontak menentang Maharaja Su Tsung. Atas permintaan Maharaja Khalifah Abbasiyah iaitu Khalifah Al-Mansor telah mengirimkan 4000 orang tentera yang terdiri daripada orang Islam berbangsa Turki ke China. Tentera Islam yang dikirimkan berjaya dalam misi tersebut. Namun begitu tentera tersebut terus tinggal di negeri China dan berkahwin dengan wanita tempatan. Ini membantu dalam penyebaran Islam di China. (Abdur-Rauf, 1994).

v. Sesetengah pendakwah ke China melalui laut bersama pedagang dan menyebarkan Islam di Bandar-bandar seperti Shanghai, Guangzhou, dan sebagainya (Abdullah, 1994).

vi. Dalam kurun ke 4 Masehi (10Hijrah), Raja Turkestan Timur memeluk Islam. Ini memudahkan lagi penyebaran Islam di Turkestan Timur dan China (Muhyiddin Hasan, 1987).

vii. Bila masyarakat berbangsa Uyghur yang tinggal di Turkestan Timur memeluk Islam, maka mereka mula menyebarkan Islam di Turkestan Timur dan China.( Abdur-Rauf, 1994).

viii. Bila Maharaja China mula tertarik dengan kebaikan agama Islam maka beliau telah menjemput beberapa pendakwah Islam secara rasmi. Pendakwah tersebut dapat menyebarkan Islam dengan bebas dan selesa. (Jameel Abdullah).

Berikut adalah zaman gemilang Islam di China pada peringkat awal.
1- Zaman Tang berakhir 907 Masehi
2- Zaman Sung dari 907-1279 Masehi
3- Zaman Yunnan 1280-1368 Masehi
4- Zaman Ming 1368-1644. Masehi

Pada empat zaman ini jumlah penduduk Islam bertambah dari semasa ke semasa dan maju dari segi pendidikan, politik, ekonomi dan sosial. (Muhyiddin Hasan, 1987).

SUMBANGAN TAMADUN CINA

1. Kesusasteraan dan Kesenian
Sejarah kesusasteraan cina bermula seawal kurun ke-14 SM dan diteruskan perkembnagannya sehingga lebih 300 tahun. Bahasa cina dapat dikekalkan identitinya walaupun negara China pernah ditalukki oleh orang asing seperti mongol (dinasti Yuan, 1279 –1368) dan orang Manchu (dinasti Qing, 1644 – 1911). Ini adalah kerana tulisan cina tidak bersifat fonetik sebaliknya berbentuk grafik. Sifat yang berbentuk grafik ini telah meninggalkan kesan terhadap kesusasteraan cina dan penyebarannya.

Terdapat pelbagai gengre sastera cina klasik seperti puisi, prosa, drama dan juga fiksyen. Antologi puisi cina yang terawal ialah Shi jing yang mengandungi 305 buah nyanyian kuil, nyanyian istana dan rakyat yang wujud dalam tempoh antara zaman Zhou Barat (kurun ke 11 SM –771 SM) hingga zaman Musim Bunga Musim Luruh (770 SM – 476 SM). Antologi ini dikumpul pada masa konfusius (551 SM – 479 SM) di kawasan Lembah Huanghe. Secara amnya, puisi cina berhubung rapat dengan muzik dan ia bersifat padat dan singkat. Puisinya juga lebih naratif atua diskriptif yang mempunyai fungsi sosial dan politik.

Perbezaan prosa dan puisi adalah kurang jelas. Prosa dikategorikan kepada beberapa jenis iaitu prosa bercampur puisi (poetic prose), prosa berirama (rhyme prose), rapsody (rhapsody),dan puisi bersifat prosa (poetry prose). Prosa klasik atau dikenali guwen adalah dominan dalam sastera klasik cina dan ia mempunyai fungsi sosial dan politik.

Drama cina berkembang agak lewat kerana penaklukan dinasti Yuan (1279 –1368). Walaubagaimanapun, drama cina dari jenis zaju – drama berbentuk puisi yang digubah mengikut kesesuaian muzik sangat bersemarak pada zaman dinasti Yuan. Drama digunakan oleh penulis sebagai saluran untuk meluahkan ketidakpuasan perasaan dan mengkritik kerajaan pemerintah seperti drama Dou’er Yuan (ketidakadilan Yuan).

Menjelang lewat kurun ke-18, drama rakyat dari pelbagai daerah mula berkembang dan dipentaskan kepada umum. Dari sini, lahirlah opera cina yang menjadi salah satu kegemaran rakyat cina dalam drama. Drama juga digunakan oleh konfusius untuk menerapkan nilai-nilai moral dan etika.

Tamadun cina juga tidak ketinggalan dalam mencipta keseniannya. Muzik klasik, kaligrafi, seni lukis dan seni pembinaan merupakan kesenian yang terawal dalam tamadun cina. Sistem melodi muzik klasik cina adalah kompleks di mana alat-alat yang digunakan dikategorikan mengikut bahan akustik dan cara sesuatu alat itu dimainkan. Muzik bagi tamadun cina adalah sesuatu yang berharmoni dengan alam semesta dan di letakkan pada satu kedudukan penting pada fahaman konfusius. Pada abab ke-8, kemasukkan muzik dari tamadun lain telah memeriahkan lagi suasana muzik di cina terutamanya dengan kemasukkan tamadun India dan Asia Tengah.

Kaligrafi merupakan salah satu kesenian yang paling tinggi diberi penghormatan dalam tamadun cina. Kaligrafi ditulis dengan menggunakan dakwat, berus, kertas dan kadang-kadang sutera. Perkembangan kaligrafi telah menghasil pelbagai bentuk tulisan cina. Kaligrafi dikatakan mempunyai hubungan yang rapat dengan seni lukis dan puisi. Su Dongpo (1037 – 1101) pada zaman dinasti Song merupakan seorang pelukis dan juga seorang pakar kaligrafi. Seni lukisan cina pada dasarnya terbahagi kepada dua kategori iaitu xieyi (freehand) dan juga gongbi (menggunakan garis halus).

2. Sains dan teknologi

Kajian arkeologi menunjukkan sain dan teknologi Cina telah wujud pada kurun ke-15 sehingga kurun ke-11 SM. Pada awalnya teknologi kejuruteraan digunakan dan dikembangkan kerana untuk mengawal banjir Sungai Kuning. Antara lain-lain teknologi adalah dalam bidang astronomi, perubatan, optik dan kimia. Di zaman dinasti Zhou dalam kurun ke11 hingga ke 3 SM, orang cina telah mampu menyediakan maklumat berkaitan dengan bintang dengan terciptanya peralatan astronomi.

Sampoa digunakan pertama kalinya oleh ahli matematik cina iaitu Xu Yue dalam kurun ke2 SM. Buku jiuzhang suanshu (sembilan bab matemetik) yang ditulis oleh Zhang Cang pada kurun ke-2 menunjukkan penemuan mengenai kuantiti negatif, sistem pecahan dan perpuluhan.

Perkembangan perubatan cina bermula dari sistem perubatan cina tradisional yang terdiri dari teori kosmik dualistik yin dan yang, teori lima elemen, dan juga teori jing dan luo. Teori yin dan yang menyatakan keseimbangan kedua-dua kuasa ini mempengaruhi kesihatan manusia. Teori lima elemen menganggap bahawa tubuh manusia yang terdiri dari organ luaran dan dalaman adalah berpadanan dengan lima elemen dalam alam semesta. Teori jing dan luo merupakan asas kepada rawatan terapeutik seperti moxisbustion (membakar daun moxa) dan akupuntur. Teori ini berpendapat bahawa, organ dalaman, tangan dan kaki adalah berkaitan dan dihubungkan oleh saluran dimana darah dan qi (tenaga dinamik) beredar. Gangguan pada sistem ini akan menyebabkan seseorang tidak sihat. Buku-buku perubatan cina seperti Huangdi neijing dan Bencao gangmu dipercayai sebagai pemangkin kepada perkembangan perubatan modem oleh barat.

Terdapat empat ciptaan agung dalam tamadun cina iaitu teknik membuat kertas, pencetakan, bahan letupan dan kompas. Cai Lun telah berjaya membuat kertas dengan menggunakan fiber tumbuh-tumbuhan pada tahun 105. Teknologi pencetakkan telah mula diperkenalkan semasa pemerintahan dinasti Tang (618 –906) di mana buku jingang jing dipercayai buku yang terawal dicetak iaitu pada 11 Mei 868. Bahan letupan telah dihasilkan oleh ahli kimia cina pada kurun ke-7 apabila ahli-ahli kimia Daois berjaya mencampurkan saltpetre dengan sulfur dn karbon. Pada zaman dinasti Tang, pihak militari telah menggunakannya dalam peperangan. Pada zaman pemerintahan dinasti Han (206 –220 SM) sifat-sifat magnet telah ditemui di cina. Penemuan tentang gejala magnet aruhan (induced magnetism) dalam kurun ke-6, pengherotan (declination) dan juga kekutuban magnet (polarity) pada kurun ke-8 dan ke-9, telah membuahkan penghasilan kompas oleh orang cina dan digunakan semasa pelayaran.

RELEVANSI TAMADUN CINA DENGAN TAMADUN LAIN

1. Pengenalan

Tamadun Cina yang telah lama bertapak mula berinteraksi dengan tamadun luar apabila orang-orang Cina mula berhijrah ke tempat luar. Sistem politik yang berwibawa, kuat dan stabil telah menggalakkan penghijrahan orang Cina ke luar samada untuk melakukan aktiviti ekonomi ataupun mencari penempatan baru. Penggabungan etnik-etnik cina yang kemudiannya dikenali sebagai orang Han atau Cina telah membentuk tamadun yang besar dan berpengaruh. Interaksi tamadun Cina dengan tamadun luar boleh dibahagikan kepada dua bahagian iaitu interaksi budaya Cina dengan kawasan bulatan budaya dan juga interaksi budaya Cina dengan kawasan luar lingkaran bulatan budaya.

2. Interaksi dengan kawasan bulatan budaya – Korea, Jepun dan Vietnam

Pada zaman dinasti Shang (kurun ke-16 hingga ke 11 SM) orang Cina telah mengenali Korea sebagai satu entiti kawasannya tersendiri. Orang-orang Cina telah berhijrah ke Korea untuk mengelakkan peperangan dan seksaan politik. Dipercayai pada kurun ke-2 SM, Wiman, iaitu seorang pelarian Cina telah memerintah sebuah wilayah Korea iaitu Chosan. Pada tahun 108 SM, empayar Han berjaya diperluaskan ke kawasan orang-orang Korea termasuk kawasan yang diperintah oleh Wiman. Semasa pemerintahan Han, orang Korea telah dipaksa supaya mengamalkan kebudayaan Cina. Proses perkembangan kebudayaan Cina mencapai kemuncaknya apabila Korea muncul sebagai sebuah negara berfahaman Konfusianisme semasa pemerintahan dinasti Li (1392 – 1910).

Antara unsur-unsur kebudayaan Cina yang amat berpengaruh di Korea ialah konfisianisme dan Buddhisme. Pengaruh konfusianisme dan buddhisme pada Korea sangan kuat sehingga kerajaan Korea menubuhkan institusi pendidikan untuk mengkaji konfusianisme dan buddhisme disamping menjadikan fahaman ini sebagai bahan pengajaran. Tidak cukup dengan itu, demi mengukuhkan lagi fahaman ini, kerajaan menghantar beratus-ratus pelajar ke China untuk mempelajari konfusianisme dan memahami sistem pentadbiran China. Oleh itu, setiap perkembangan dan konsep konfusianisme telah diamalkan sepenuhnya oleh Korea.

Selain daripada kepercayaan, bahasa dan tulisan Cina juga mempengaruhi Korea. Pada kurun ke-15, pemerintah dinasti Li Korea telah mencipta sistem tulisan Korea berpandukan kepada grafik tulisan Cina. Kebanyakan perbendaharaan kata bahasa Korea berasal dari istilah-istilah tulisan atau bahasa Cina. Pengaruh Cina mula terhakis apabila Jepun menakluki Korea pada tahun 1910.

Hubungan Cina dengan Jepun bermula seawal kurun ke-2 SM iaitu di zaman dinasti Qin (221-206SM). Perpindahan teknologi telah berlaku di mana teknologi pertanian, pemeliharaan ulat sutera dan perbuatan perkakas besi dan gangsa dibawa masuk ke Jepun oleh pedagang Cina. Pengaruh kebudayaan Cina berkembang denga pesatnya pada zaman Nara hingga zaman Kesyogunan Tokugawa (664-1867) di mana bahasa, sejarah, falsafah, agama, kesenian, sistem politik dan sebagainya dipelajari oleh pelajar-pelajar Jepun yang dihantar ke China.
Sistem tulisan Jepun, Kana dicipta berasaskan kepada sistem tulisan Cina iaitu Kanji. Buku sejarah terawal Jepun iaitu Nihongi ditulis menggunakan bahasa Cina. Falsafah konfusianisme Cina yang bersendikan Dao begitu terpengaruh dalam sistem pembelajaran, politik dan tatasusila orang-orang Jepun. Perkembangan falsafah konfusianisme di jepun boleh dibahagikan kepada tiga fasa iaitu fasa pertama pada kurun ke-5 hingga kurun ke-12, fasa kedua pada kurun ke-12 hingga kurun ke-17 dan fasa ketiga bermula pada kurun ke-17 iaitu zaman pemerintahan Edo atau Kesyogunan Tokugawa (1603-1867).

Vietnam merupakan negara Asia Tenggara yang paling kuat dipengaruhi oleh kebudayaan Cina. Ini adalah kerana Vietnam merupakan negara yang terdekat dengan China dan pernah menjadi sebahagian daripada empayar China untuk jangka masa yang panjang (111-939). Penaklukan ini meniggalkan kesan yang mendalam kepada pembentukan kebudayaan tempatan. Bahasa, pemikiran, adat resam dan nilai-nilai kehidupan penduduk Vietnam banyak dipengaruhi oleh kebudayaan Cina. Bahasa Cina merupakan bahasa yang digunakan dalam pentadbiran, pendidikan, kesusateraan dan sebagainya sebelum Vietnam ditalukki oleh kuasa Perancis.

Klasik konfusisnisme yang diasaskan oleh ahli falsafah Cina merupakan pegangan dan pedoman hidup masyarakat Vietnam. Ajaran konfusius juga dijadikan panduan dan rujukan bagi golongan pemerintah dalam pengetahuan politik, ekonomi ddan juga perancangan pendidikan. Selain daripada itu, terdapat juga aspek-aspek harian lain seperti pakaian, seni binaan dan juga budaya hidup orang-orang Vietnam seolah-olah mencerminkan kehidupan orang-orang Cina.

3. Interaksi dengan kawasan luar budaya – Asia Tenggara, India, Dunia Islam dan Barat

Hubungan tamadun Cina dengan Asia Barat dan Eropah agak lambat. Ini adalah kerana kedudukan geografi yang agak jauh dan dipisahkan oleh permukaan bumi yang bergunung ganang serta padang gurun. Negara-negara Asia Tenggara, yang kedudukannya agak dekat dapat berinteraksi dengan kebudayaan Cina seawal zaman pemerintahan dinasti Han (206-220TM). Kerajaan Dinasti Han telah menghantar utusan ke Funan (Kampuchea) dan negara-negara Asia Tenggara lain dalam usaha mencari jalan untuk menembusi Tamadun Rom dan Parsi.

Penghijrahan orang Cina ke Negara-negara Asia Tenggara secara tidak langsung juga menyumbang kepada interaksi antara budaya. Dalam kurun ke-19, kemasukkan beramai-ramai orang Cina dan India oleh penjajah Barat dalam usaha mereka untuk memenuhi permintaan tenaga buruh telah mewujudkan satu kolompok masyarakat Cina dan India di Negara-negara Asia Tenggara. Budaya dan pegangan kehidupan pendatang ini telah mempengaruhi kehidupan penduduk tempatan.

Hubungan Malaysia dengan China dipercayai telah bermula sebelum kegemilangan kerajaan Parameswara Melaka, tetapi hubungan ini bertambah baik apabila Laksaman Ho Chi Ming, yang di hantar Maharaja China untuk berdagang dengan kerajaan Melaka diterima baik oleh sultan Melaka. Asalnya hubungan perdagangan ini telah bertukar kepada hubungan perkahwinan apabila Puteri Hang Li Po berkahwin dengan Sulatan Melaka.

Tamadun Cina dan tamadun India dikatakan bertembung di Asia Tenggara. Kedua-dua tamadun ini mempunyai keagungan masing-masing. Interaksi antara dua tamadun ini, telah membuka lembaran baru dalam konsep kepercayaan buddha. Ajaran buddha yang konsepnya hampir menyerupai konsep Daoisme senang diterima masyarakat Cina, sehinggakan dalam tempoh yang singkat, orang-orang Cina telah berjaya menyusun doktrin buddha dalam satu koleksi yang dinamakan Tripikata yang terdiri dari kandungan kitab Mahayana dan Hinayana.
Perpindahan dua hala kebudayaan China dan India ini terus berlaku bukan sahaja dalam kontek pegangan kehidupan tetapi kepada hampir keseluruhan corak kehidupan kedua-dua tamadun ini. Perpindahan teknologi telah berlaku di mana teknologi pembuatan kertas dari China telah dibawa masuk ke India dan teknologi membuat gula dari India telah dibawa masuk ke China.

Walaupun interaksi dengan tamadun Barat agak lewat, pertembungan dua tamadun ini banyak memberi kesan positif kepada kecemerlangan tamadun dunia hari ini. Tamadun Barat yang terkenal dengan kemajuan sains, telah menggunakan kesempatan ini sepenuhnya apabila mengkaji secara lebih mendalam empat penemuan agung tamadun Cina. Tamadun Cina yang mengutamakan etika dalam pengurusan masyarakat dan negara dianggap oleh para intelektual cina sebagai penghalang kepada kemajuan sains dan teknologi. Pertembungan tamadun ini telah menyedarkan para intelektual cina supaya melancarkan satu revolusi yang dikenali sebagai Gerakan Kebudayaan Baru dalam usaha untuk memajukan negara China.

Penutup

Tamadun Cina merupakan satu tamadun yang kuat pengaruhnya. Perkembangan tamadun Cina sehingga ke dunia Barat menunjukkan tamadun cina berupaya bersaing dengan tamadun-tamadun lain. Tamadun Cina telah memberi pandangan baru kepada tamadun lain. Pegangan konfusianisme telah memberi idea kepada sesebuah negara agar beretika dalam penubuhan sesebuah kerajaan. Konsep konfusianisme yang mementingkan humanisme, humanitaarianisme, intelektualisme dan rasionalisme adalah bersesuaian untuk diamalkan dalam kehidupan harian manusia.
i.
Kebolehan tamadun Cina dalam teknologi dengan menyumbangkan empat ciptaan agung kepada dunia menunjukkan tamadun Cina telah awal lebih maju berbanding dengan tamadun lain. Walaupun pada zaman pemerintahan Yong Zheng (1723-1735), dasar isolation telah diperkenalkan, ini tidak memundurkan masyarakat cina. Namun sedikit sebanyak memberi impak kepada kemajuan secara global. Kebangkitan para intelektual Cina setelah China kalah beberapa kali dalam peperangan telah memberi kesan positif kepada pembangunan China.
Revolusi Gerakan Kebudayaan Baru yang dilancarkan oleh para intelektual Cina telah menyedarkan kerajaan China bahawa pembaharuan perlu dilakukan untuk memajukan tamadunnya sendiri. Pegangan kosnfusianisme semakin terhakis apabila ramai rakyat China diberi pendidikan sekularisme Barat.

Rujukan:
1. Tamadun Islam dan Tamadun Asia Terbitan Universiti Malaya
2. Tamadun Islam dan Tamadun Asia Terbitan Universiti Teknologi Mara
3. Tamadun Melayu, India, China & Jepun By Esa Khalid & Mohd Azhar Abd. Hamid
4. http://www.fstc.co.uk
5. http://www.muslimheritage.com
6. http://www.wikipedia.com/civilization

LEADERSHIP VS MANAGEMENT

2009-02-12T21:40:00.007+08:00

Many of us are always thinking what are differences between leadership and management? Leadership occurs any time one attempts to influence the behavior of an individual or group, regardless of the reason. Management is a kind of leadership in which the achievement of organizational goals is paramount.

Abraham Zaleznik (1977), for example, delineated differences between leadership and management. He saw leaders as inspiring visionaries, concerned about substance; while managers he views as planners who have concerns with process. Warren Bennis (1989) further explicated a dichotomy between managers and leaders. He drew twelve distinctions between the two groups:

Leaders VS Managers
• Leader involves power by influence, manager involves power by position
• Leaders are innovate persons, managers are administer
• Leaders ask what and why, managers ask how and when
• Leaders focus on people, managers focus on systems
• Leaders do the right things, managers do things right
• Leaders develop new things, managers maintain existing things
• Leaders inspire trust, managers rely on control
• Leaders have a longer-term perspective, managers have a short-term perspective
• Leaders challenge the status-quo, managers accept the status-quo
• Leaders have an eye on the horizon, managers have an eye on the bottom line
• Leaders are originate, managers are imitate
• Leaders are their own person, managers are emulate the classic good soldier
• Leaders show originality, managers copy from others

Source: Wikipedia

WHAT ARE GOOD LEADERSHIP STYLES

2009-02-02T23:41:00.008+08:00

Success of an organization is totally depending on a person who helms the organization, regardless of level of management. But, the big questionable is what type of management that person is practising – a manager or a leader. A leader is a person who can influence others (subordinate) and has managerial authority (Robbins & Coulter: 2002). Leadership skills are very paramount for a leader in order to smoothly carry-out his responsibilities, and, thus achieve organization’s objectives.

Is a leader being born or trained? This is a very big issue debating today. For me, it is both. This is based on many theories emerged about leadership such as trait theory, behavioural and style theory, situational contingency theory, functional theory, transactional and transformational theory, etc. For example, our prophet Nabi Muhammad S.A.W was born to be a leader. His leadership characters were traceable during his teenager time. This can’t be questionable by us. And, also some of the world leaders such as Bill Gates, ...academically are not fitted. However, I believe that most of the leaders are trained.

Here, I want to focus on situational contingency theories and transactional and transformational theories which I think are more related in today management environment.

Situational Contingency Theories

Fiedler’s Contingency Theory proposed that effective group performance depended on the proper match between the leader’s style of interacting with his or her followers and the degree to which the situation allowed the leader to control and influence (Robbins & Coulter:2002). To measure this situational control, an instrument called least preferred co-worker scale (LPC) which is contained 16 pairs of contrasting adjectives was created. This instrument will rate a leader whether having high or low LPC. Leaders with high LPC have a relationship-motivated style, whereas low LPC leaders have a task-motivated style (Schermerhorn, Hunt & Osborn: 2008). Task-motivated style leader is having greater group effectiveness under high and low situational control, and relationship-motivated style leader is having a more effective group in those in-between situations (Schermerhorn, Hunt & Osborn: 2008).

Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Theory suggests that effective leaders vary their style with the “readiness” or maturity of followers (McShane & Von Glinow: 2005). Readiness is defined by Hersey and Blanchard as to the extent of ability and willingness of the followers to complete specific task (Robbins & Coulter: 2002). This means that a leader has to know his behaviour pattern as well as the followers’ characteristic level of readiness before making any decision. According to Schermerhorn, Hunt & Osborn: 2008, there are four level of readiness – telling (directing), selling (coaching), participating and delegating.

Transactional and Transformational Theories

According to Burns (1978), the difference between transformational and transactional leadership is what leaders and followers offer one another. Transformational leadership is a leadership perspective that explains how leaders change teams or organizations by creating, communicating and modelling a vision for the organization or work unit, and inspiring employees to strive for that vision (McShane & Von Glinow: 2005). This means that transformational leaders are not using their power to ensure subordinate achieves the organization’s objectives. Power bestows to him is not linked as counterweight but as mutual support for common purposes (Wikipedia). Indeed, as a transformational leader, he provides visionary and inspiring directions to be done by subordinates. However, subordinates are free to do in whatever way that is suitable to the subordinates’ skills and competencies as well as the organization’s goals are met. Transformational leaders have four dimensions, that are idealized influence (or charisma), inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individual consideration.

Meanwhile, transactional leaders are more on task-oriented but subordinate is fairly rewarded upon completion of a task with expected outcome, and punished if fail to perform as needed. According to McShane & Von Glinow (2005), transactional leaders are help organizations achieve their current objective more efficiently, such as linking job performance to valued rewards and ensuring that employees have the resources that needed to get the job done. This can be translated that the manager has opportunity to lead the group and the group agrees to follow his lead to accomplish a predetermined goal in exchange for something else (Wikipedia). These exchanges involve four dimensions – contingent rewards, active management by exception, passive management by exception and laissez-faire.

Well, from the discussion above, what type of leadership is good? Many scholars assume that there was no single leadership theory best for every situation of leadership (Wikipedia). This brought a meaning that; good leaders must have knowledge in many leadership theories in order to adapt it at different situations. Once a leader knows which theory is best to complete a given task, it is easier to influence subordinate to do a given task as expected outcome.

References:
Schermorhorn, Hunt & Osborn: Organization Behaviour 10th Ed.(2008)
McShane & Von Glinow: Organization Behaviour 3rd Ed. (2005)
Robbins & Coulter: Management 7th Ed. (2002)
http://en.wikipedia.org

NEW SEM JUST BEGIN

2009-01-04T22:24:00.008+08:00

halooo....all, how are you?

First two classes just finished...even for today class quite early, but assignments given quite challenging. Economic analysis! huh, this is scaring subject since doing diploma (for those who did diploma in accountancy). But, when listening to lecturer's explanation, it looks quite easier...huhuhuuuu....one good advice from lecturer is make learning economic as fun...how huh?

Two tasks need to submit next week. Works at office coming without stopping! Arghhh...this's the challenge I've to face, when doing master and at the same time working for life!

Anyhow, study group members helping much. Thanks a lot friends...even though, eco subject is not new to me, but it quite tough to understand. I myself actually like figures and calculation, but eco subject has it own unique feature..heheeee. Understand Theory is important to get clear picture of economic situation, then, you will able to play around the formulas. Well, accounting subject quite difference....

Note: this article was written when I just reached Kuantan from Kota Bharu...stopping for dinner at one of the restaurant that provides WiFi...heheheee

YEAR END HOLIDAY

2008-12-15T16:04:00.011+08:00

After a tired and tough school and fardu ain activities for my children and as well to my wife and myself, we decided to go to Penang for holiday this year. Actually this is our second time to be in Pulau Mutiara. Our first time were sometime in year 2003. Maybe, within these interval times, Penang has changed a lot.

Well, what are things actually can be said able to attract tourists (domestic or international?) to visit Penang? I also not sure...one thing I very sure is mywife doesn't like nasi kandar. My children - they do not matter, as well as they can enjoy themselve - window shopping and walking around leisurely, they feel happy doing together with their parents. Being togetherness with our family at unfamiliar place is able to create more loving and caring among us...

Going holiday is become annual event for us, because I believe this would instill positive impacts onto my family members. We were visited Pulau Langkawi, JB, PD, Cameron Highland, Genting Highland and many other interesting places in Malaysia (affordable only in Malaysia...hehehee).

May be, on the way back from Penang, we'll stay overnight at Cameron Highland, to get fresh air! there. And also to make surprise to my friend there, who is always jokingly invite me for breakfast, so the time is come to make the invitation become real! hahahaaa...wait for me there...

Cameron Highland?hmmm...very good place for veggies...lots of fresh vegetables. We were there many times and I think I can't stay more than two days - nothing to do there. One day is Ok, able to visit every interesting place, also plucking fresh strawbery at farm...

Usually, we'll spend about four to five days for year end holiday. I think it's more than enough to relax and make our mind fresh before spending new year eve in Kuala Lumpur or worse at kampung..heheeee...depends to budget ar...huhuhuuuu

SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDIL ADHA

2008-12-05T01:01:00.009+08:00

Eid al-Adha

Eid al-Adha or the Festival of Sacrifice is a religious festival celebrated by Muslims in commemoration of the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to Allah’s instruction. It celebrations is begin with a short prayer followed by a sermon (khuṭbah).

Eid al-Adha annually falls on the 10th day of the month of Dhul Hijja of the lunar Islamic calendar. The festivities last for two to three days or more depending on the country. Eid al-Adha occurs the day after the pilgrims conducting Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. It happens to be approximately 70 days after the end of the month of Ramadan.

Men, women, and children are expected to dress in their finest clothing to perform Eid prayer in any mosque. Usually, the prayer is start early compared to Eid El-fitr. This is to give more time for those who can afford to do so sacrifice their domestic animal which is also know as qurbani. Nowadays, qurbani is practice by our people through buying a part of a cow, which is usually divided into seven parts.

Dalil tentang ibadah Qurban

Firman Allah s.w.t. yang bermaksud:
"Dan telah Kami jadikan unta-unta itu sebahagian daripada syi'ar Allah, kamu memperolehi kebaikan yang banyak daripadanya, maka sebutlah nama Allah ketika kamu menyembelihnya dalam keadaan berdiri (dan telah diikat). Kemudian apabila telah roboh (mati), maka makanlah sebahagiannya dan beri makanlah orang yang rela dengan apa yang ada padanya (yang tidak meminta-minta) dan orang yang meminta. Demikianlah Kami telah menundukkan unta-unta itu kepada kamu, mudah-mudahan kamu bersyukur."

(surah al-Haj:36)

Daripada Aisyah r.a Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. telah bersabda yang bermaksud:

"Tiada suatu amalan yang dilakukan oleh manusia pada Hari Raya Qurban, yang lebih dicintai Allah selain daripada menyembelih haiwan qurban. Sesungguhnya haiwan qurban itu pada hari kiamat kelak akan datang berserta dengan tanduk-tanduknya, bulu-bulunya dan kuku-kukunya, dan sesungguhnya sebelum darah qurban itu menyentuh tanah, ia (pahalanya) telah diterima disisi Allah, maka beruntunglah kamu semua dengan (pahala) qurban itu."

(Riwayat al-Tarmuzi, Ibnu Majah dan al-Hakim)

Qurbani has lots of fadhilat (privileges):

· To continuous sunnah Nabi Ibrahim a.s when he was instructed to sacrifice his son, but later was replace with animal (camel).
· To teach and instill our soul to be nearest and more taqwa to Allah s.w.t
· To reduce greedy feeling instead instill mercy feeling in expanding our money towards the ways approved by Allah s.w.t
· To clean us from sins we had done and hoping to get bless from Allah s.w.t
· To instill caring and loving among muslims especially those who rich to poor
· Hoping that we can get something to ride to cross over al-Sirat al-Mustaqim bridge

Sabda Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. yang bermaksud:

"Muliakanlah qurban kamu kerana ia menjadi tunggangan kamu dititian pada hari kiamat."

What to do with qurbani meat? Qurbani meat can be taken by people who were done to such sacrifice but proportion is only one third. The rest shall be given away to other muslims and it is better not cook. However, if you do qurbani ‘wajib/nazar’, the meat can’t be taken even a piece because it is haram to be eaten by those who are doing intended qurbani (qurban wajib/nazar).

Reference:
Wikipedia
Jakim Website
http://www.ustazmelaka.net/
http://www.irm.org.my/

GCP Course

2008-11-29T22:48:00.003+08:00

Just finished organised GCP course...fuh....tired betul organised this course. Very strict, has to follow standard guideline...nak kene dapatkan kelulusan DG bro...so, more protocols nak kene ikut...ayooo...

anyway, this course teached me lots...everythings ah...very worthy to develop my career. This national level course was attracted more than expected participants...(kene marah dengan perticipant pun ada juga)...itu yang seronok tu, walaupun rasa sedih masa tu..huhuhu...but i took it as positive, where i consoled myself by telling this is your experience that will improve yourself in future.

Anyway, thanks a lot for those who are helping me to realize this course...my KPI ma! Your help may be blessed by Allah (God) once you see Him later. Insyaallah...

Break Sem Begin

2008-11-18T22:12:00.006+08:00

Wow....arghhhhhhhhh............Lega rasanya after had a very long and tough weekend...Last Sunday was our last class for subject HRM...dan exam yang begitu panjang masanya. It took about 5 Hours -peer review, group discourse, commentary, assay and short presentation mock...

Anyhow, it's worthy for our study, and the sad thing is we will do our own business and might not see each others for six weeks. But, I do hope that we will able to arrange some events such as futsal, bowling, tea 'supper' - as planned, to ensure we can meet and exchange ideas.

Myself! as usual, after 5 o'clock back from work and fetch children from nursery then, what else - surfing le...heheheeee... we've to wisely use the technology, get more latest info, provide us with useful knowledge - it's not necessarily attend formal class to get useful knowledge! more than that you can get from internet.

Now, my wife is in Bangkok attending on-job training for a month, to get close to each others we use VOIP. Jimat ma! you can chat for hours....bil handset dah mencecah 200+ only for one week! Fuh...pokai ma cam nie...so the best way to reduce controllable expenses is find the alternative...but VOIP only able to get online at nite jer..huhuhuuuu..

SELAMAT BERCUTI TO ALL MEMBERS OF MBA (UiTM)(KUANTAN)

Attending Course In UK

2008-11-03T15:03:00.007+08:00

Well, attending course at oversea quite different from local. This could be due to the culture. There is no dress code. You can even wear jeans..huhuhuhuuuu.....

At the first day, I wore very formal dress - coat, tie and of course long sleeve but when I entering into course room, I the only one who look weird...hahahahaaa, but not for the next days.

Did MBAs Contribute to the Credit Crisis?

2008-10-29T09:09:00.002+08:00

by Jo Owen

As the financial crisis finger-pointing continues, eyes are turning to the business schools. What part did they play in the meltdown? And is now the time to re-think their own assumptions? As Simon Caulkin observes, it’s not just the economics-dominated MBA that’s now seen as unsustainable.

Business schools have become sausage machines — they all preach the same orthodoxies. Years later, greed and groupthink has come back to haunt us.

This is the first global crisis to have been created at leading business schools. Several of the meltdown’s major players, from Merrill Lynch’s Stan O’Neill to Hank Paulson to Andy Hornby of HBOS, are Harvard graduates. Dick Fuld, who ran Lehman Brothers, went to Columbia Business School (perhaps that’s why his bank wasn’t bailed out).

The bankers were advised by the brightest brains at McKinsey and other consulting companies, which are more or less outplacement firms for newly minted MBAs. The brilliant insight of these great brains led all the banks to the same failed strategies which is costing the world a few trillion dollars.

Contrast this with some of the richest entrepreneurs in the world — Mittal, Branson, Abramovich, Gates and Buffet are all MBA-free.

If you’re aiming to be an entrepreneur, an MBA cannot teach you any of the important lessons of success: leadership, the art of the hustle, personal bravery, resilience and risk taking. They cannot teach creativity, daring, inspiration and real insight. They can teach none of the things that matter to a successful entrepreneur.

Doubtless business schools are now writing case studies about the crisis in order to show how regulation failed, individual banks made poor choices and how economic conditions failed everyone. They’d do better to write a case study on how avoid creating a generation of corporate clones who are imprisoned by greed and orthodox thinking.

New Honda City - 2009

2008-10-28T09:59:00.000+08:00

Wow...what a great looks...
It's expected to make available in Malaysia by early next year....
It was disclosed during Bangkok International Motor Show with tag price about RM56,000 (after converted to MYR), but it's expected to be priced at RM84,000 in Malaysia. All new about this product is it's available only one version-Vitec, either auto or manual transmission.

The Honda City is now in its third generation, and has been launched in countries such as Singapore , Thailand and India . In line with the global economic outlook as well as global fuel prices, manufacturers have been downsizing their cars and the new City makes a perfect compact sedan in the Honda line-up slotted in under the Civic for world markets. It is considered to be a world car now, as it has also been recently revealed that the City will also be sold in Europe . Look after the jump for an in-depth look at the new City .

grand livina

2008-04-07T15:19:00.001+08:00

I bought grand livina at the end of January 2008. It looks very nice, suitable to the current trend of the vehicle (MPV). Its external appearance can compete with wish, stream or even premacy. However, what makes it attractive is the price. Wow, very affordable for the middle income group!

Well, after a month using it, factory smell - what you call it as 'bau kedai', still there. Thus, to avoid such smell, I use perfume - Ambi Pure? Unfortunately, my son spilled it... and what happened to my car...some corrosion to the paint occurred...very disappointed. What a such expensive car made by painted dashboard panel?

I brough my car to claim the warranty but I had very frustrated explanation...it was your fault, claimed the mechanic there! Well, I'm naive about the cars. I didn't know that the dashboard panel surrounding the aircond outlet was painted. I though the penal was made by plastic?/PVC? and the colour is original...

My advise to others grand livina owners, please be careful with the perfume attached to your aircond outlet especially at the middle dashboard. It could be nightmare to experience the situation like myself. You have to paint it using your pocket money. I also would like to suggest to the dealer that a caution notice should be served to the customers as reminder to avoid corrosion happen to painted materials used on the dashboard.