Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine potential determinants of halal perception and to validate the mediating model of halal perception on purchasing decision of Malaysian consumers. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a survey to obtain the relevant data. The survey involved self-administration of questionnaires to 420 consumers and 96 per cent responded. The questionnaire consists of four sections designed to obtain information on demography, halal perception, determinants of halal perception and purchase decision. Findings The main finding reiterates the role of credible signals in credence items purchased as suggested by the signaling theory. Halal perception has association with respondents’ purchase decision. Thus, it highlights that halal perception is the mediating variable that intervenes in the relationship of a few independent variables and the purchase decision trends. The independent variables such as manufacturer identity, product label, physical product and packaging as well country of origin are considered to be important extrinsic cues that deliver messages regarding the halal of certain food products. The association of the four variables with halal perception is also found to be significant. Originality/value The originality of this study lies in its attempt to explore the role of halal perception in the marketing of food products especially within the scope of a Muslim’s market. Besides, this study attempts to investigate the halal issue based on a specific model that includes potential variables and the intervening role of halal perception.

Environmental corporate social responsibility (ECSR) is corporate business sustainability for the future and a noble ethical that fosters social, economic and environmental well‐being (EWB) of the community. Based on environmental protection and management, the Indonesian mining company is obliged to mitigate and conserve the surrounding environmental ecosystem. The mining company invested IDR17.35 billion on ECSR since 2006. This study examines the effects of ECSR on EWB of the community by mediating community resilience. The subjects were family household leaders in 12 villages who were direct and indirect recipients of ECSR. Partial least squares‐based structural equation modelling analysis was used to determine the effects of ECSR on the community EWB. In addition, were analysed mediated effects by community resilience (CR). The findings of this study confirmed that ECSR practices had positive and significant effects on CR and EWB. As a mediator, CR significantly contributed to the sustainable EWB of the community.

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The purpose of this study is to explore the usefulness of two family financial ratio guidelines in assessing the financial well-being of married public sector workers in Malaysia. The ratios examined were savings and debt-payment. Data on 415 workers were gathered from the Financial Well-being of Workers of Dual-earner Family survey report in 2008. The findings showed most of the workers had a savings ratio of less than 10 percent. Meanwhile, more than half of the workers had debt-payments ratio of more than or equal to 20 percent. In addition, the workers fall into four categories, namely are A, B, C and D, of which level A is the best and level D the worst. Typically, most of the workers are in level D (42.2%) and level B (30.1%). In summary, the study revealed that the culture of saving among the workers was still at the unsatisfactorily level.

Dual-career families in Malaysia began with the influx of women into the workplace. The involvement of women in the labor market became more apparent after independence. In 1985, the Government of Malaysia formulated the National Policy on Women as a guide for women's participation in the development process. The stature of women became a primary objective of the 6th Malaysia Plan (1991)(1992)(1993)(1994)(1995), where a special fund for the development of women became a significant and integral step towards empowering women in Malaysia. In fact, the number of dual-career families in Malaysia is expected to rise due to the increase in female labor force participation rate. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to understand the phenomenon of dual-career families in Malaysia. This paper will focus on the participation of women in the labor force before independence, after independence and an update of its current situation.