UK Universities with Malaysian campuses

There are now a total of five UK Universities with campuses in Malaysia. Three are located in Iskandar, Malaysia EduCity, Johor Bahru - the new Malaysian education hub. This indicates the importance of the Malaysian higher education market. These universities not only cater to Malaysian students but students from China, the Indian sub-continent, middle east and African countries.

The five Universities are:

1. The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
They have a 101-acre site in Semenyih, 30 KM south of KL and The Kuala Lumpur Teaching Centre (KLTC) located within the Chulan Tower in KL. One of the oldest in Malaysia with first students in September 2000.

2. Heriot-Watt University Malaysia
Recently opened their £35m 4.8 acres campus in Putrajaya in September 2014.

3. University of Reading Malaysia
15-acre campus at Iskandar Malaysia EduCity and the City Campus in Johor Bahru,

4. The University of Southampton Malaysia Campus
Located in Iskandar, Malaysia EduCity, Johor Bahru.

5. Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed Malaysia)
Also located in Iskandar, Malaysia EduCity, Johor Bahru.

ABS ranking of Marketing journals 2015

Updated: 02/04/2018

The ABS Marketing Journals List 2018 is now out.

The latest Association of Business Schools (ABS) list of journals 2015 is finally out (called as the Academic Journal Guide 2015). There was a bit of drama as the server hosting the guide was attacked and the guide went down for a while.

After all the initial hiccups, the guide is finally up. However, unlike the previous  version, you now have to register in order to access the guide and you cannot download it either.
There are a few changes in the rankings. Also the format seems to have changed. They now have 5 categories as opposed to 4 in the past. There is now a 4* category on the top followed by 4, 3, 2 and 1 ranked journals. The star is missing from the rest.

Overall, I would say that this list is a big improvement from the last. It now covers areas of marketing previously ignored including health, sports, social and HE marketing. I was hoping that European Advances in Consumer Research would be included in the list (at least 1) but I guess the editors did think so. However, Advances in Consumer Research (which is the proceedings of the North American Association for Consumer Research (ACR) conference). Anyway, here is the list:

4* Journals

Journal of Consumer Psychology
Journal of Consumer Research
Journal of Marketing
Journal of Marketing Research
Marketing Science

The Journal of Retailing has lost it's spot in the top rank and has been replaced by the Journal of Consumer Psychology which was not even in the old list (ABS ranking of Marketing Journals, Version 4 - Updated 2010).

4 Journals

Only 3 journals in this list. As mentioned above, the Journal of Retailing seems to have been relegated while two journals previously ranked 3* are now in this list.

International Journal of Research in Marketing (official Journal of the European Marketing Academy)
Journal of Retailing
Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science

The Journal of Service Research is listed under Sector studies but I have added it here anyway as a number of services marketing papers are published in the journal.

3 Journals

Few new journals in this list. One notable change is that the Journal of Marketing Management has now gone down in the rankings and is no longer in this list. Three journals previously ranked 2*, have been upgraded to 3, viz., the Journal of Interactive Marketing, Marketing Theory and Quantitative Marketing and Economics.

European Journal of Marketing
Industrial Marketing Management
International Marketing Review
Journal of Advertising (official journal of the American Academy of Advertising)
Journal of Advertising Research
Journal of Interactive Marketing (formerly JDM)
Journal of International Marketing
Journal of Public Policy and Marketing
Marketing Letters
Marketing Theory
Psychology and Marketing
Quantitative Marketing and Economics

2 Journals

Several journals which were previously ranked 1* has now been upgraded to 2. I am delighted as this includes two journals in which I have recently published papers, viz., the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services and Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal.

A surprising change was that of the Journal of Marketing Management which was previously 3* has been downgraded.

Also quite surprised that the Journal of Marketing Communications which used to be a 2* journal has been downgraded to 1.

The Journal of Consumer Affairs is a new addition to the guide and goes straight into the list of 2 ranked journals.

Academy of Marketing Science Review
Advances in Consumer Research
Consumption, Markets and Culture
Electronic Markets (previously 1*)
International Journal of Advertising
International Journal of Consumer Studies (previously 1*)
International Journal of Market Research
International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management (previously 1*)
Journal of Brand Management (previously 1*)
Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing
Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing
Journal of Consumer Affairs *New
Journal of Consumer Behavior
Journal of Macromarketing
Journal of Marketing Management (previously 3*)
Journal of Marketing Theory and Practise
Journal of Personal Selling and Sales Management
Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services (previously 1*)
Journal of Services Marketing
Journal of Strategic Marketing
Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal  (previously 1*)

1 Journals

Several new journals added to the guide under this rank (marked by *)

Advances in International Marketing*
Australasian Marketing Journal
Corporate Communications: An International Journal
Corporate reputation Review
Health Marketing Quarterly*
International Journal of Bank Marketing
International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising*
International Journal of Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Marketing
International Review of Public and Non-Profit Marketing*
International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research
Journal of Consumer Marketing
Journal of Customer Behavior
Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management *
Journal of Financial Services Marketing
Journal of Global Marketing*
Journal of Marketing Channels*
Journal of Marketing Communications (was previously 2* ranked journal)
Journal of Marketing  for Higher Education*
Journal of Non-Profit and Public Sector Marketing*
Journal of Product and Brand Management
Journal of Relationship Marketing*
Marketing Intelligence and Planning
Review of Marketing Science*
Science Marketing Quarterly*
Social Marketing Quarterly*

Reference:
Academic Journal Guide 2015

Chapter in book Ethical and Social Marketing in Asia

I am delighted to learn that the book 'Ethical and Social Marketing in Asia' Edited by Bang Nguyen and Chris Rowley has been published.

My co-authors are Dr. Ezlika Ghazali (University of Malaya) and Dr. Anvita Kumar (Coventry University). Our chapter is  'Chapter 8: Social marketing: India, Pakistan and Bangladesh'. The book is published by Elsevier.

Given below are the learning objectives of the chapter:

1. understand the importance of social marketing and comprehend the challenges and barriers to social marketing campaigns in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh;
2. demonstrate how to organise and manage social marketing in different parts of this region; and
3. appreciate the application of the concepts of social marketing and marketing mix in a case study.

Top 10 countries in the World

Was going through some lists and there were some interesting findings. highlighted in Pink are countries which occur on all four lists.


A. Top 10 highest on the 2014 Global Gender Gap Index

1. Iceland
2. Finland
3. Norway
4. Sweden
5. Denmark
6. Nicaragua
7. Rwanda
8. Ireland
9. Philippines
10. Belgium

B. Top 10 Happiest Countries according to the 2013 World Happiness Report 

1. Denmark
2. Norway
3. Switzerland
4. The Netherlands
5. Sweden
6. Canada
7. Finland
8. Austria
9. Iceland
10. Australia

C. Top 10 Best countries for doing business Forbes 2013

1. Ireland
2. New Zealand
3. Hong Kong
4. Denmark
5. Sweden
6. Finland
7. Singapore
8. Canada
9. Norway
10. The Netherlands

A number of countries occur in at least 2 of the lists. However, the 4 Scandinavian countries: namely, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark, occur in all three lists. This means that these 4 countries are the richest, happiest and most equal societies in the World. It is also no wonder that Iceland with its strong Scandinavian heritage, is also included in two of the lists. So if we are looking for a good societal model to follow, maybe we should study the societies in these four countries.

Any thoughts?

New University New Job

After working for nearly four years as a lecturer with the Department of Marketing and Advertising, Coventry Business School, Coventry University, I have moved several thousand miles away to warm and sunny Malaysia to join the Nottingham University Business School, The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus. 

I had offers from a few other private educational institutions here but finally decided on Nottingham based on their competitive compensation package and of course their reputation as one of the leading Universities in the World. 

I started in my new role as Senior University Teaching Fellow at the business school in the first week of September and will start teaching from next semester (in February 2015).

Check out my University Profile here.

Article on online loyalty published

One of my papers has finally been published in the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services (ABS 1* / ABDC A). With co-authors Ezlika Mohd Ghazalib, Bang Nguyen and David Arnott, the paper titled 'Online loyalty and its interaction with switching barriers', expands on Oliver׳s 4 stage loyalty model to include online switching.

The abstract is given below:

The results of empirical research on online retail switching tendencies is quite mixed and only a few have specifically examined the presence, frequency or impact of switching barriers and switching inducements in the context of online services. Empirical evidence shows that there is “stickiness to certain sites” experienced by online customers and that they do less comparative shopping than might be expected. This paper conceptualises online switching behaviour as the interaction of barriers and inducements (both real and perceived) using Oliver׳s four-stage loyalty model. It also highlights the need to re-examine the concept of online loyalty and its interaction with switching barriers and inducements in the online context.

To access the article click the link below:

Mutum, D. S., Ghazali, E.M., Ngyun, B. and Arnott, D. (2014). Online loyalty and its interaction with switching barriers, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 21(6), 942-949.

Inviting Contributors to a Services Marketing Case Study Book

Following the success of our book on 'Marketing Cases from Emerging Markets', edited by Mutum, D.; Roy, S. K. & Kipnis, E., Springer has commissioned Dr. Sanjit Roy, Dr. Bang Nguyen, and I to edit a book entitled 'Services Marketing Cases in Emerging Markets'.

The book is a comprehensive collection of case studies by seminal authors that provides key reviews and analyses on the leading thinking in services marketing across Asia. We believe you would be an excellent contributor and would like to kindly invite you to contribute a chapter on a topic of your choice (please see list in the attachment). If you are able to accept, the deadline for final submission is 15 May 2015.

Please do not hesitate to contact me> should you require further information.

Our timelines are as follows:
Expression of Interest with description of case (1 page or less): 15 October 2014
Full Case Submission: 15 May 2015

Introduction to SEM using AMOS 20.0 - Workshop at University of Malaya

Just helping to create some buzz for a workshop on structural equation modelling(SEM) using AMOS 20.0. The workshop is run by Dr. Mohd Awang Idris, a Senior Lecturer in Work Psychology, Department of Anthropology and Sociology, University of Malaya and is organised by CCISUM (Communication and Cultural Innovation and Support, University of Malaya). This is part of their series of Super Sessions.

More information about the workshop:

Date: 21-22, August 2014
Time: 9:00 - 5:00pm
Venue: Computer Lab, Faculty of Science, University Malaya

Click the link below for more information:

AMOS workshop

Paper presented at Academy of Marketing Conference 2014

Attended the Academy of marketing conference 2014 which was hosted by the University of Bournemouth. The venue was the Bournemouth Highcliffe Marriott - with lovely views of the coast.

I had a minor hiccup during registration- I will not go into the details but really happy that the organisers were extremely helpful.

I had two papers this time - one titled 'Consumer Perceptions of Corporate Social Responsibility: Study of An Oil and Gas Company in Nigeria', which I co-authored with Ikechukwu Obialor (my ex student) and Ezlika Ghazali. I presented this paper on the 9th and had some great feedback and comments. Thinking of taking this paper further and proceed to submit to a journal and maybe expanding the research with a funding application.

Here is the abstract:

"This paper presents the results of an exploratory study into the the perceptions and feelings of consumers towards the corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts of an American oil and gas MNC in the Niger Delta of Nigeria. It examines the concerns and some of the links between ethics and CSR. Some managerial implications and recommendations for further study are presented."

The second paper was presented by my colleague, Hsiao‐Pei Yang (Sophie) and the paper was titled The Impact of Internal Information on EWOM in Online Forums for University Selection: A Study of Taiwanese Students. She presented this paper on the 10th. I was unable to attend the session as I had to leave early.

Here is the abstract of this paper:

"This study compares two student groups to examine the impact of internal information on the use of electronic word‐of‐mouth (eWOM) from online forums.
The data of this study reported findings from 34 in‐depth interviews and reveals how potential students, as opinion seekers and receivers of eWOM, use online forums to reduce perceived risks in university selection. The findings compared the similarities and differences between the use of eWOM of two student groups, suggesting that due to the limited internal information and higher perceived risks associated with studying overseas, participants who are international students value reviewers' expertise more and rely more on eWOM from online forums than their counterparts who are home‐based students. Participants from both groups evaluate reviewers' comments on courses by filtering overly positive or negative reviews and examining valence and volume of eWOM for judging teaching quality of preferred universities." 

Only found out later that they were giving away electronic versions of the proceedings in smart drives on the 10th. I wish they have it up on a site like the ACR conferences.

Anyway, one of the highlights of the conference was the "Meeting the editors" session. Learnt a few new things on getting papers accepted and I do need to get some papers out in high raking journals.

Also met some old friends which I have not seen for years and also made a few new friends as well.

This was my 4th AM conference and it definitely was the best so far.

Quantitative Mehods: Which statistical test to use?

I wrote this post in another blog a couple of years ago and thought I should share this here as well:

If you are going to statistically analyse your data, knowing the right statistical test is absolutely essential. However, even if you have taken a couple of statistical courses, it is often difficult to decide which ones are the most relevant or correct tests.

If you are in that position you might find these links useful:

1. http://www.ats.ucla.edu/stat/mult_pkg/whatstat/default.htm
2. http://www.graphpad.com/www/Book/Choose.htm

Don't be surprised if your data can be analysed in many different ways depending on your objectives and hypotheses.