A Writing Journey

My writing journey did not convene in the beginning of college experience. However, most subjects taken in public administration program (DPA) contributed to writing experience when subjects like element of government, Malaysian politics, development administration and law required great extend of writing. The picture of first UiTM campus built in 1956 was known as RIDA College, the place where classes for out campus program was held.


UiTM Jalan Othman, PJ. Used to placed out campus programs


My writing frenzie still did not happen during undergraduate study in USA that was why I forced myself to take a masters thesis code at Webster University in final two quarters of my MBA, a nine hour for two quarters commitment was given to complete the writing. The thesis was about a comparative study between USA, Japan and Malaysian small business development. The study merely compiled and synthesize literature from previous studies  done in those countries.


Trine University and was known as Tri-State
University, my undergraduate alma-mater


Webster University, My graduate university

My writing activity slowly started in the first five year of the teaching career in UiTM. First book produced was an introduction to insurance, a subject I have to teach for diploma students. Next writings were about general and financial management, manuals to be delivered in multiple series of MARA training program.

First compilation of research report was done sometime in 1995 when a minor self supported research was conducted about our cooperative customer purchasing behavior. In 1998, first research with UiTM grant was awarded and the report completely submitted in 1999 and a paper was presented in a conference in 2000.

A real writing experience happened when I pursue the PhD program at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) starting in 2000 and the thesis submitted in December 2006. It took me about six years to complete a thesis investigating the entrepreneurial orientation among Bumiputera so called entrepreneurs in nothern region of peninsular Malaysia. The experience in this venture shall be a never ending story for me, if time permits we will share those in next writing.

USM, my PhD experience now an Apex university Malaysia

Until today, seven UiTM grants and three national grants i.e. FRGS and ERGS grant were secured. Almost 40 papers were written for conference proceedings and about 10 papers now published and on the way to be published in national and international journals.

The moral of the story was that, writing was never easy especially in academic perspective. However, how do we know if we never try! with that, why not start now before it became too late. I never belief in a cliche that say "either you publish or perish", academicians survive with just doing regular and formal duty as a teacher, tradition holds.

Have a nice day, and see you all again in next article.

Amran Awang, PhD
Associate Professor