Volume 20 Issue 2

Bumiputera furniture entrepreneurs’ share of the domestic market is about 5%. Despite incentives and assistance provided by the Government, their performance vis-à-vis the non-Bumiputera entrepreneurs still lag far behind. This review aims to shed some light for future improvement on related studies. The factors identified for review are raw material, networking, culture, product, technology, market, e-commerce, government assistance, and incentives. Lack of control of raw material and poor networking among Bumiputera entrepreneurs remain a problem, while culture plays an important role in shaping their entrepreneurship skills. Years of supplying the government contract market has led them to manufacture mostly mass-produced furniture such as kitchen cabinets, school furniture, and sofas. The use of more high-tech machinery among some entrepreneurs helps to increase their production efficiency while providing no guarantee of more sales without exploring more of the open market and taking advantage of the trend in e-commerce. While the numerous government assistance and incentives extended to Bumiputera furniture entrepreneurs have succeeded in assisting and developing some of the entrepreneurs, their performance in the domestic market still has not improved significantly.

With growing interest in employee health, the integration of Active Health into office furniture design has become a significant research focus. Office furniture, as a vital part of the workspace, increasingly incorporates intelligent technologies to address health, comfort, and efficiency. This paper reviews innovations in smart office furniture, highlighting how technologies like big data, IoT, and sensors enhance health functions and user experiences. Advancements in smart furniture not only support physical health but also alleviate mental fatigue and improve efficiency. Applications in health interventions include personalized management, automated fatigue relief, and intelligent interactions. Despite progress, challenges remain, such as inconsistent design standards and limited technology applications in China. Other regions have more standardized and established practices, and there is a need for further coordination of international standards. With continued technological advancements and integration of intelligent systems, smart office furniture is expected to play a crucial role in improving workplace efficiency and promoting employee well-being through real-time health monitoring, personalized interventions, and adaptive features. This study provides theoretical guidance for designing such furniture and offers insights for advancing healthy office environments.