Journal Screenshot

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

Open Access Journal

ISSN: 2222-6990

Determinants Affecting Brain Drain Among Generation Y in Malaysia

Nor Harlina Abd Hamid, Hasnita Ali, Chia Ji Han

http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v12-i4/12920

Open access

Human capital plays an important role in developing and enhancing the economic growth of a country. To enhance economic development and growth, talents are the important key factors in driving success. However, Malaysia has been experiencing intense brain drain in the past decades. The recruitment agency claimed that Malaysian Generation Y highly contributes to the brain drain situation. Thus, this paper aims to propose a comprehensive conceptual framework on the determinants affecting the intention of Generation Y in Malaysia to migrate and work abroad. This framework is important in providing an insightful information to the Malaysian government and policymakers for a better understanding of the issue.
A quantitative approach will be used to collect data for the study. It is believed that this study will be able to fill the gap by extending the existing theoretical knowledge concerning generation Y. Five independent variables: compensation package, career prospects, working environment, work-life balance, and quality of life are proposed and included in the conceptual framework. Further research could perform a generation gap comparison. Consequently, the significant variables towards the brain drain issue can be well-defined and provide greater insight to the policymakers.

Chandar, H., Jauhar, J., & Ahmad, B. A. G. (2015). Postgraduates’ perception about the causes of brain drain among Malaysian professionals. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 13(2).https://businessperspectives.org/pdfproxy.php?item_id:6755.
Chong, C. (2019). Most Malaysians looking to emigrate for career, work life balance. The Edge
Markets.https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/most-malaysians-choose-emigrate-career-work-life-balance
Cardona, L. A. (2010). Understanding quality of life in older adult [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of North Texas.
Docquier, F. (2014). The brain drain from developing countries. World of Labor.
https://wol.iza.org/uploads/articles/31/pdfs/brain-drain-from-developing-countries.pdf
Dodani, S., & LaPorte, R. E. (2005). Brain drain from developing countries: How can brain drain be converted into wisdom gain? Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 98(11), 487-491.
Domaga?a, A., & Dubas-Jakóbczyk, K. (2019). Migration intentions among physicians working in Polish hospitals – Insights from survey research. Health Policy, 123(8), 782-789.
Dunnewijk, Theo. (2008). Global Migration of the Highly Skilled: A Tentative and Quantitative Approach. United Nations University, Maastricht Economic and social Research and training centre on Innovation and Technology, UNU-MERIT Working Paper Series.
Ehambaranathan, E., Chalapati, S., & Murugasu, S. (2015). The determinants of income towards brain drain – The case of Malaysians in New Zealand. International Journal of Academic Research inBusiness and Social Sciences, 5(1), 212-225.
Fielding, T. (2016). Asian migrations : social and geographical mobilities in Southeast, East, and Northeast Asia. Taylor.
Fong, T., & Hassan, Z. (2017). Factors contributing brain drain in Malaysia. International Journal of Education, Learning and Training, 2(2), 14-31.
Foster, C. (2018). These are the 20 safest and most crime-free countries. Business Insider.
https://www.businessinsider.com/these-are-the-20-safest-and-most-crime-free-countries-in-the-world-2018-10.
Gewinner, I. (2019). Work–life balance for native and migrant scholars in German academia: meanings and practices. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, 39(5), 497-512.
Ghazali, M. S., Kusairee, M. A. Z. A., Tan, P. L., Yasin, N. H. M., & Yasoa, M. R. (2015). Intention to migrate: Underlying factors affecting Malaysia brain drain [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Universiti Malaysia Kelantan. Retrieved from:
http://umkeprints.umk.edu.my/5030/1/Conference%20Paper%2036%20%20ISEB%202015.pdf
Gattino, S., Piccoli, N. D., Fassio, O., & Rollero, C. (2013). Quality of life and sense of community. A study on health and place of residence. Journal of Community Psychology, 41(7), 811-826.
Harnoss, J. D. (2011). Economic Costs of the Malaysian Brain Drain: Implications from an Endogenous Growth Model. Malaysian Journal of Economic Study, 48(2), 117-130.
Hays. (2020). Malaysian professionals most unsatisfied with pay across Asia [Press release]. Retrieved from: https://www.hays.com.my/press-release/-/content/malaysian-professionals-most-unsatisfied-with-pay-across-asia/826578.
Hazreena, M. H. (2020). Influence of job satisfaction, social support system and work-life balance on Malaysian women engineers’ professional commitment [Masters thesis]. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
Holland, C., & Martin, E. (2015). Lifestyle migration and work choices. Hospitality & Society, 5(1), 23-42.
Hossain, M. I., Limon, N., Amin, M. T., & Asheq, A. S. (2018). Work life balance trends: A study on Malaysian Generation Y bankers. IOSR Journal of Business and Management. 20(9), 1-9.
Ishak, N., & Abdul Aziz, A. R. (2014). Malaysian construction professionals: Why are they leaving? [Conference session]. Procs 30th Annual ARCOM Conference, Portsmouth, United Kingdom. Retrieved from:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269702965_MALAYSIAN_CONSTRUCTION_PROFESSIONALS_WHY_ARE_THEY_LEAVING.
Jauhar, J., & Yusoff, Y. M. (2011). Brain drain: Propensity to leave by Malaysian professionals. International Journal of Innovation, Management and Technology, 2(2), 119-122.
Kana, G. (2018). Wages too low, says Bank Negara. The Star. Retrieved from:
https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2018/03/31/wages-too-low-says-bank- negara/.
Kannan, H. K. (2019). Skill shortages, job mismatch among workers must be remedied.
New Straits Times. Retrieved from:
https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2019/09/520832/skill-shortages-job-mismatch-among-workers-must-be-remedied.
Kaur, D. (2017). A third of fresh grads quit their jobs within 1st year. The Malaysian Reserve.
Retrieved from: https://themalaysianreserve.com/2017/09/25/third-fresh-grads-quit-jobs-within-1st-year/.
Kerr, S. P., Kerr, W., Ozden, C. & Parsons, C. (2016). Global talent flows. World Bank Group Policy Research (World Bank Working Paper No. 7852). World Bank. Retrieved from: http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/793861475694096298/pdf/WPS7852.pdf
Khidhir, S. (2019). Malaysia’s millennials need help. The Asean Post. Retrieved from:
https://theaseanpost.com/article/malaysias-millennials-need-help.
Kim, H., & Allen, R. M. (2018). Glocalizing cures for China’s brain drain ills: The Thousand Talents Plan in Shanghai, Tianjin, and Guangdong. International Journal of Comparative Education and Development, 20(1), 16-32.
Koh, Y. H. (2018). Factors affecting the retention of generation Y workers in food industry [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman.
Lim, T. H. (2019). Brain drain and the role of the state. The Sun Daily. Retrieved from:
https://www.thesundaily.my/opinion/brain-drain-and-the-role-of-the-state-KI846963.
Lim, Y. S., Tan, M. C. I., Siew, S. Y., Tan, Y. C., & Wong, V. (2016). Factors influencing tertiary education students’ intention to work in Singapore [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman.
Lin, S. Y. (2018). Millennial moment: Coming of age of the world’s big spenders. The Star. Retrieved from: https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2018/08/25/millennial-moment-coming-of-age-of-the-worlds-big-spenders/.
Liu, H. (2018). The causes and countermeasures of brain drain in enterprises [Unpublished doctoraldissertation]. Oulu University of Applied Sciences.
Makhbul, Z. K. M. (2020). Understand brain drain to stop it. New Straits Times. Retrieved from:
https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnists/2020/07/612892/understand-brain-drain-stop-it
Mawusse, K. N. (2016). Corruption and emigration of physicians from Africa. Journal of Economic Development, 41(2). Retrieved from: http://www.jed.or.kr/full-text/41-2/2.pdf.
Nadaraj, V. (2016). Malaysia’s brain drain reaching critical stage. ASEAN Today. Retrieved from: https://www.aseantoday.com/2016/03/malaysias-brain-drain/.
Narang, U. (2013). HRM practices–Its impact on employee retention. International Journal of MultidisciplinaryResearch in Social and Management Sciences, 1(4), 48–51.
Noor, N., & Mahudin, N. (2015). Work–life balance policies in Malaysia: theory and practice. Elgar Online:The online content platform for Edward Elgar Publishing. Retrieved 7 March 2022, from https://doi.org/10.4337/9781783475094.00017.
OECD-UNDESA. (2013). International migration report 2013. New York: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division.
Pais, P. S. M., Mattos, L. B., & Teixeira, E. C. (2018). Interstate migration and humancapital formation in Brazil. International Journal of Social Economics, 45(8), 1159-1173.
Randstad. (2019). 90% of Malaysians would emigrate to improve career and work-life balance. Retrieved from: https://www.randstad.com.my/about-us/news/90-of-malaysians-would-emigrate-to-improve-career-and-work-life-balance/.
Saieed, Z. (2016). Malaysia’s skilled labour shortage. The Star. Retrieved from:
https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2016/11/26/malaysias-skilled-labour-shortage/.
Schmidt, A. E., & Klambauer, E. (2013). Caught between economic pressure and work-life balance –Perspectives on emigration of German health professionals to Austria. Healthcare 2014, 76 (5), 312-316.
Sechet, R., & Vasilcu, D. (2015). Physicians’ migration from Romania to France: a brain drain into Europe? European Journal of Geography. Retrieved from:
https://doi.org/10.4000/cybergeo.27249.
Shafiq, A., Mostafiz, M. I., & Taniguchi, M. (2019). Using SERVQUAL to determine Generation Y’s satisfaction towards hoteling industry in Malaysia. Journal of Tourism Futures.
Shah, S. A. (2019). Local employers worry about shortage of digitally skilled workers, says JobStreet. The Malaysian Reserve. Retrieved from:
https://themalaysianreserve.com/2019/01/22/local-employers-worry-about-shortage-of-digitally-skilled-workers-says-jobstreet/.
Shresta, M. B. (2011). Reversing the flow of international migration. International Journal of Social Economics, 38(2), 165-176.
Siraj, A. S., Sorichetta, A., España, G., Tatem, A. J., & Perkins, T. A. (2020). Modeling human migration across spatial scales in Colombia. PLoS ONE, 15(5).
Sukumaran, T. (2017). What’s causing Malaysia’s ethnic Chinese brain drain? South China Morning Post. Retrieved from: https://www.scmp.com/week- asia/politics/article/2095012/whats-causingmalaysias-ethnic-chinese-brain-drain.
Tyson, A. (Ed.) (2019). The political economy of brain drain and talent capture: Evidence from Malaysia and Singapore. Routledge.
UNESCO. (1998). Migrant/Migration. Retrieved from:
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/social-and-humansciences/themes/internationalmigration/glossary/migrant/.
Wahab, M. A. (2014). The occurrence of brain drain in Malaysia: Perceptions on to work or not to work overseas in the future. Journal of Emerging Trends in Economics and Management Sciences, 5(5), 480-489.
World Bank. (2015b). World development report 2015: Mind, society, and behaviour. Retrieved from: https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/wdr2015.

In-Text Citation: (Hamid et al., 2022)
To Cite this Article: Hamid, N. H. A., Ali, H., & Han, C. J. (2022). Determinants Affecting Brain Drain Among Generation Y in Malaysia. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 12(4), 195–205.