Venus Khim-Sen Liew, Magdalene Ang Chooi Hwa, Hanudin Amin, Jude Woryanta Taunson, Ooi Ai Yee, Ekkehart Schlicht, Emmanuel Anoruo (eds.). 2008. Proceedings of the Applied International Business Conference 2008. Labuan Internaitonal School of International Business and Finance, Universiti Malaysia Sabah.[ISBN: 978-983-41460].
PREFACE
We have the pleasure of welcoming you to the Applied International Business Conference 2008 (AIBC08) organized by Labuan School of International Business and Finance, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).
With the theme of “Towards Enhancing International Competitiveness”, we hope researchers, academicians, practitioners and policy makers could fully utilize the platform and facilities provided by this conference to exchange ideas and experiences in all areas of international business. We have more than 120 participants and proceedings contributors from Australia, Belgium, India, Indonesia, Fiji Islands, Iran, Mauritius, Nigeria, Pakistan and Thailand, apart from Malaysia. Topics to be discussed in this conference are from various disciplines directly or indirectly related to international business. These include international economics, stock market and insurance, marketing and international marketing, banking and investment, economics, Islamic banking and finance, issues in business and management, international financial economics, foreign direct investment, information technology in business and management.
As with any other major international conferences, several concurrent sessions will be held for various conference tracks. They are Track A for Management and Marketing, Track B for Business and Information Technology in Business, Track C for Economics, Track D for Banking, Finance and Accounting, and Track E for Islamic Economics, Banking, Insurance and Finance. Some 139 working papers will be presented in this conference and they are included in the conference proceedings. Based on the reports from the panel of referees comprising members from Malaysia and overseas, three top papers in each track are selected for “Best Paper Award”. Congratulations to the winners!
It is our hope that this conference proceedings not only serves as a record of our AIBC08 conference, but is also a valuable source of research and reference on business and government policies to the conference participants, policy makers and others working in various disciplines pertaining to international business. Last but not least, the Editorial Committee would like to thank papers contributors, presenters, reviewers for the accepted papers, and referees of papers for “Best Paper Award” for their valuable contributions and unwavering support.
Thank you,
Editorial Committee Members
Venus Khim-Sen Liew (UMS);
Magdalene Ang Chooi Hwa (UMS);
Hanudin Amin (UMS);
Minah Japang (UMS);
Jude Woryanta Taunson (UMS);
Ooi Ai Yee(UMS);
Ekkehart Schlicht (Germany); and
Emmanuel Anoruo (USA).
24 October 2008
