Purpose Past research examining Business Process Management (BPM) mainly focussed on either process alignment, business process orientation (BPO) or process improvement initiative (PII) constructs. However, based on the definition of BPM by Zairi (1997) and Lee and Dale (1998), BPM comprises all the elements of process alignment, BPO and PII. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to present a total view of measuring BPM through combining BPO and PIIs. Design/methodology/approach Quantitative research technique was applied for this study. The study was carried out in Malaysia. Close-ended survey instrument was administered to a large number of organisations. Findings The findings revealed that the elements of BPM cover both process management as well as process improvements. Originality/value The findings from this study is important for practitioners to regard continuous improvement as a component of BPM practice.

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Purpose Cloud computing technology is advancing and expanding at an explosive rate. These advancements have further extended the capabilities of the virtual learning environment (VLE) to provide accessibility anywhere, anytime where educational resources can be saved, modified, retrieved and shared on the cloud. The purpose of this paper is to examine the predictors of instructional effectiveness of cloud computing VLE by extending the Self Determination and Channel Expansion Theory with external constructs of VLE interactivity, content design, school support, trust in website, knowledge sharing attitude and demographic variables. Design/methodology/approach Random sampling data were collected in two waves of nation-wide survey and analyzed with artificial neural network approach. Findings SDT, CET, content design, interactivity, trust in website, school support and demographics significantly predict instructional effectiveness. Research limitations/implications The study has provided a new paradigm shift from investigating the behavioral intention and continuance intention to the effectiveness of an information system. It advocates that quality of research may be improved by adhering to the basic research methodology starting from rigorous instrument development and validation to future research direction. Practical implications The research provides implications to Ministry of Education, the VLE content and service providers, scholars and practitioners. Social implications The findings of the study may further improve the quality of living of the society when the instructional effectiveness of the cloud-based VLE is further enhanced. Originality/value Existing grid computing VLE studies have focussed on the acceptance of students and teachers and not its instructional effectiveness. Unlike existing studies that examined extrinsic motivational factors (e.g. TAM, UTAUT), this study uses intrinsic motivational factors (e.g. relatedness, competence and autonomy) as well as perceived media richness. Malaysia is the first nation to implement the VLE at a national scale and the findings from this study will provide a new insight on the determinants of instructional effectiveness of the VLE system.

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Scuba diving is a burgeoning special interest tourism product in Malaysia. Layang Layang Island in the middle of the South China Sea is one of the world's most exciting diving destinations known for its hammerhead sharks among the diving community. This study is a pilot survey aimed at measuring divers' satisfaction with Layang Layang. One hundred self-administered questionnaires were given out to divers on the last day of their stay in September 2004. Ninety-eight questionnaires were returned and analyzed. The results show that divers are generally Europeans, older, first timers, experienced, of high education and near equality between the sexes. The overall satisfaction is very high. The main contributors to diving satisfaction are underwater nature and the comfort and ease of access to dive sites. Divers are less satisfied with the provision of marine life education facilities, rental equipment, lodging, and the lack of other activities. It is suggested that in order to ensure divers' satisfaction, the management should appropriately manage divers' expectations by providing accurate information about Layang Layang using the most satisfactory diving variables in the marketing message. The resort at the same time should ensure that the natural features of the island are sustainable, because they are the reasons for divers' visits. Future research should improve on the questionnaire design and the size of diver sample population.