Browsing by Author "Matiah, Jayasutha"

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The Antecedents of Pro-Environmental Behavior and Its Impact on Subjective Well-Being
(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2021) Matiah, Jayasutha; Singh, Harpaljit Kaur Pritam
Global warming is a serious threat to the entire ecosystem, human well-being, the economy and national security. Environmental problems, which are a global concern, have risen significantly over the years, further compounded by the recent COVID-19 pandemic, which challenged the mainstream agendas of economic development and environmental sustainability. To surmount the escalating environmental damage and risks, Malaysians needs to steer towards a more sustainable development path, by significantly changing human behaviour, a key determinant of the current state of the environment, to being more environmentally sustainable. This study is imperative, as it examines the antecedents of pro-environmental behaviour (PEB), which enhances the environmental responsibility of Malaysians, particularly youths, who are the backbone of the nation and the main agent in shaping the future of the country. As far as pro-environmental behaviour and well-being are concerned, research has found the two constructs to be related, though there are limited studies in this area, especially in Malaysia, reflecting the existence of a neglect-spotting gap in the literature. This study will not only address the gaps in the literature but will also provide an in-depth analysis of the factors that enhances or hinders pro-environment behaviour among Malaysian youths, as it examines the direct and indirect impact of affective factor (biospheric value), cognitive factor (environmental self-identity) and social factor (personal norm) on pro-environmental behaviour, and its resulting impact on subjective well-being. This study will also explore the moderating role of social networking sites (SNSs) on PEB. The theoretical framework of this study will be based on the integration between a parsimonious theoretical Value Identity Personal Norm (VIP) model and the Social Cognitive theory. The study will employ the non-probability sampling technique, whereby sample will be non-randomly selected based on the judgement of the researcher, with youths in Malaysia between the ages of 15 to 24 years will be considered as the potential respondent. Statistical software, the SPSS 26.0 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) statistical software package and AMOS 24.0 (Analysis of Moment Structures) software for data analysis purposes which included exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis will be employed for the current study. Two-step covariance-based structural equation modelling technique will be used to evaluate the measurement and the structural model. The results of the study will assist policymakers to plan, ratify and implement effective interventions to transform the mindset of Malaysians and augment their proenvironmental behavior to circumvent the adverse effects of climate change.
Perceived Risk Influencing Ageing Tourists Travel Intention: Moderating Effect of Gender
(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2021) Ismail, Nurlida; Kaur, Harpaljit; Matiah, Jayasutha; Fong, Irene Ong Pooi; Mee, Irene Ong Pooi
The ageing population will be growing rapidly. Over the next three decades, the global number of older persons is projected to be more than double, reaching over 1.5 billion persons in 2050 (United Nations, 2019). As a result of this population surge it is anticipated that the elderly has great market potential and economic significance for the hospitality and tourism industry. The market segment of ageing tourists can be considered as an ideal target market not only because of the size and purchasing power but also because of demographic and social forecasts that it will continue to grow in numbers. Recognising this market potential, the tourism industry has tended to focus on developing competitive business and marketing strategies to target this group particularly the baby boomers. Although travel is an exciting affair and its prospect for growth in ageing population is very promising, the influence of perceived risk on senior tourist behaviour should not be ignored. For this segment, making travel decisions is not an easy task as there are many factors to be considered, amongst others, health and well-being, physical condition, time, and financial status. Additionally, due to the intangible nature of tourism service where customers find unfeasible to evaluate confidently even after consumption makes travelling a risky affair. When analysing the behaviour of senior travelers, many scholars have looked at the impact of perceived risk to determine their behavioural patterns. Furthermore, while several other studies have discussed gender differences in tourism, however, it is observed that there is a lack of research on gender-specific concerns in examining the relationship between perceived risk and travel intention of ageing tourists. Hence, this study attempts to investigate the effect of gender on perceived risk and travel intention. Survey was administered through both self-administered (face-to-face) and an online survey. A total of 402 Malaysians participated in this study of which 47.3% were males and 52.7% were females. Majority of the respondents were older seniors (60 years and above) whereas only 48% of them were young seniors (55 to 59 years old). Based on path analysis, result of this study contributes to the existing body of tourism knowledge in two ways. First, this research confirmed the relationship of perceived risk and travel intention of ageing tourists. The second major finding is the unveiling of gender differences having a moderating effect on perceived risk and travel intention. Interestingly, the result of this study indicated that females' travel intention is higher than male when perceived risk is high. Hence, in explaining the ageing tourists travel intention, this study demonstrated the benefits of analysing travel propensity for men and women separately given the noticeably different patterns of travel intention between them. Learning about the interests and activities of potential visitors from a gendered perspective is vital to the planning and marketing of tourism products or services.