Gross National Happiness

Gross National Happiness (GNH) is a development philosophy as well as an index which is used to measure the collective happiness of a nation. 

In 1979, the then King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck (right) himself had declared that “Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product”.

 

With that pronouncement, he challenged the conventional and materialistic notions of human progress.

 

Listen to the TED Talk by Bhutan’s Prime Minister, Tshering Tobgay on GNH:

The concept is indigenous to Bhutan, and was enshrined in the country’s 2008 constitution which states that “the State shall strive to promote those conditions that will enable the pursuit of Gross National Happiness”.

 

Malaysia should learn from this country. But then, we are too proud to learn from this tiny kingdom that is sandwiched between China and India.

 

 

This is so very true!

I received good news on Friday. Kementerian Sumber Malaysia and HRDF informed me that I am exempted from attending PSMB TRAIN THE TRAINER. Certificate No. 4976.

An Academic and a Toastmaster

On Monday, I presented an academic paper “The Impact of Service Automation on Customer Satisfaction and Customer Retention: An Empirical Study of Malaysian Rail Transportation” at the Fourth Global Business and Finance Research Conference” at the Melbourne Marriot Hotel. 

I have to say that it was very well-received.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was also the Session Chair for the Management and Marketing presentations on the same day, at 11:15 AM.

 

Dr Bob Clint, Chair of ARCAFE Australia and former Dean at the University of Melbourne, Australia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr Mohammad Hoque, ARCAFE Australia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr Peter Wong, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, HK

Prof Chun Hui, University of Hong Kong, HK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rahmat Ali Hakim, Pertamina, Indonesia

 

And in the evening, thanks to David Hughes, I attended the Bayside Toastmasters Club meeting where I was the General Evaluator. Even better, I delivered my CC speech #4 titled “To Suffer Pain”. And I was evaluated by Joris Feekman.

 

It was one of those awesome meetings where the energy flourished. At Bayside, I daresay you get an experience rather than just a meeting – and this was an experience I would gladly enjoy regularly. If only I am a frequent visitor here, I would even be tempted to join Bayside!

Good speeches, good evaluations, good fun! BTW, I was voted Best Table Topics, Best Speech & Best Performance! Triple wow!

Overall, the meeting impresses!

LEGO Umbrella Protestors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A LEGO sculpture depicting a scene of protesters confronting riot police. Image credit: Tyrone Siu/Reuters

 

This is really cool! A protester in Hong Kong has created a LEGO tableau depicting the face-off between riot cops and 'Umbrella Revolution' demonstrators in the Chinese-controlled city.

 

Natalie Chan told the South China Morning Post she had painstakingly built the artwork while camped out in the city's Admiralty district. "I think I've played with enough LEGO… to last a lifetime," the 25-year-old said.

 

Chan's sculpture is just the latest addition to a wave of street art inspired by Hong Kong's political crisis.

 

On September 03, 2014 – I had blogged about a research paper that was published. Now, a second paper “Expressions of Fresh Graduates: Employee Loyalty in Malaysia” that I presented at the Third Asia-Pacific Business Research Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in February 2013 – was published in World Journal of Management, Vol. 5. No. 2, September 2014.

 

The "S" and "F" Words

It seems that some Australians are easily slighted by the “slut” word. And so the Aldi supermarket took Roald Dahl’s “Revolting Rhymes” off its shelves. The 1982 reinvention of classic fairy tales features the “s” word in Dahl’s comic verse rewriting of Cinderella, one of six stories in the said book. 

In it, Cinderella is appalled at seeing the prince and he, in turn, declares: “Who’s this dirty slut? Off with her nut! Off with her nut!” 

The supermarket’s decision sparked criticisms on social media, with shoppers on Aldi Australia’s Facebook page calling for the book to go back on sale. 

“Dearest Aldi, I can’t believe you were bullied by a few for a book written in 1982 with a ‘bad’ word,” one shopper wrote. 

Another said: “Can I buy Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes? Oh that’s right Aldi censors it. Boycott Aldi’s until Dahl is reinstated.” 

I didn’t know “slut” could cause offense in Australia. If this happens in Malaysia, I can understand. Besides, I can think of other four-letter words that may cause uncomfortable consternation too – words like “shit” and “arse”; "cunt" and "cock". And even “fuck”. 

Don’t get me wrong! I am not the least offended. After all, these words already exist in the Oxford dictionary. Yes, even “fuck” but it still remains a taboo word. I love the word because it is so colorful and if you must know, it means much more than “an act of sexual intercourse”. 

The word can be used alone or as a noun or verb in phrases to express annoyance, contempt, or impatience. Fuck all; give a fuck; fuck about (or around); fuck someone around (or about); fuck someone off; fuck off; fuck someone over; fuck someone up; fuck something up (or fuck up) are just some of the ways we can use the word! It is a word that is very easy to use!

And yet, there is still sensitivity regarding its usage – and so we have a number of euphemistic ways of referring to it in speech and writing, e.g. the F-word, f***, or f—k. 

We forget that words cannot by themselves cause offense. It’s what you really mean that is important. 

Fuck me, now I know! 

I just love the English language, don’t you? 

 

 

The paper titled “Understanding Consumers’ Intention in Socially Responsible Purchasing in Malaysia Using the Theory of Reasoned Action” that I presented in Melbourne, Australia in November 2013 and that was adjudged “Best Paper Award for Marketing” finally saw print in the Journal of Business and Policy Research, Vol. 9. No. 1, July 2014, pp 207 – 218.

Chasing a Dream

Hollywood can be full of surprises. Really! 

20th Century Fox gave American viral video guru Casey Neistat $25,000 to make a trailer for the Ben Stiller flick, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. His brief was short and sweet – make a trailer about chasing your dreams. 

Neistat instead chased one of his own: helping Super Typhoon Haiyan victims in the Philippines. He organized a relief expedition to Tacloban and went out to help the people in need! 

Amazingly, 20th Century Fox actually agreed to let him spend the entire promotional video budget! Check out what he did:

Isn’t this great? 

I wish to share two good news that I have received. 

First, the Open University Malaysia module (i.e. BMMS5103 Strategic Marketing) that I wrote back in 2008-9 has had three prints: First printing – August 2009; second printing – April 2010; third printing – December 2010. 

Second, the paper I presented at the 23rd International Business Research Conference on November 18, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia had won the Best Paper Award for Marketing – Paper 510: “Understanding Consumers’ Intention in Socially Responsible Purchasing in Malaysia Using the Theory of Reasoned Action”.

Merry Christmas 2013

Image credit: http://img.wallbeam.com/131processed/merry%20christmas%202013%20hd%20wallpapers.jpg

Here’s wishing everybody A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

 

There is cause for celebration! Liverpool still tops the EPL table at Christmas – ahead of the Gunners on goal difference – only because Arsenal and Chelsea played to a dreadful 0-0 stalemate yesterday. The latter two teams had title pretensions but basing on their game – if you had watched it – you would agree that it  was an unimaginative performance that was almost devoid of entertainment and quality.

 

And another thing. I have successfully completed my Graduate Certificate in Higher Education with Monash University Malaysia.

WBI's Melbourne Conference

I arrived Melbourne Airport on Monday morning. I am here in Melbourne for five days and shall be staying at the Ibis Hotel on Therry Street – which offers really great value city accommodation.

The venue of the 23rd International Business Research Conference is at the Marriot Melbourne Hotel at the corner of Exhibition & Lonsdale Streets in the city. My involvement started on Monday itself when I chaired the first session of the Marketing track (11.15 AM-1.00 PM). Later, it was my turn to present my paper “Understanding Consumers’ Intention in Socially Responsible Purchasing in Malaysia Using the Theory of Reasoned Action” at about 4.40 PM. Incidentally, the session chair for the second Marketing track (4.15 PM-6.00 PM) was Dr Azam Pirmoradian (fifth photo, on the left) from the Malaysian office of The Nielsen Company.

Once I was done, I spent time absorbing other participants' addresses. If I have to select the best presentation, it would be "The Role of Shame in Ethical Leadership" delivered by Riga International School of Economics and Business Administration's Julija Bulatova on Tuesday. BTW, Malaysians form a sizeable contingent to this conference.

 

And after my mind had its fill, it was time to quench my thirst. This is Australia after all and I indulged myself in the great beers that the country has to offer!