Export Outsourcing and Foreign Direct Investment: Evidence from Taiwanese Exporting Firms

Exporting and FDI have traditionally been two major firm-level responses to globalization. Export outsourcing (EO), a new strategy that gained in importance recently, has now become another alternative. This paper seeks to examine how firms choose between EO and outward FDI by looking into firm-level productivity differences. A special data set is constructed by consolidating two micro data sets of Taiwanese manufacturing firms. The paper contributes in four main ways. First, it provides a causality analysis of labor productivity and EO, whereas previous studies deal only with correlations. Second, it shows that EO can be interpreted as an indirect way of exporting. Third, it points out that outward FDI itself may not help with productivity if it is not linked with EO, which finding contradicts conventional wisdom. Finally, most evidences seem to imply that the intricate Taiwan-China interconnection is a significant factor that facilitates or contributes to all above-mentioned findings.productivity, exports, foreign outsourcing, FDI, firm-level data

Slope stability analysis and landslide susceptibility assessment on the SE foot slopes of Mt Cameroon

Landslides are well known processes that hamper sustainable development efforts, particularly in developing countries where extreme poverty is already a household to societal scale problem. Though a worldwide issue, landslides remain enigmatic especially with regards to their geometry, causative factors, triggering mechanisms, relationship between triggering factors and landslide occurrence, and the susceptibility of any area to mass wasting phenomena. This thesis presents an inventory and thorough analysis of small–scale devastating landslides that occurred in recent years around the city of Limbe at the base of Mt Cameroon. A multidisciplinary approach was adopted in order to understand the complex and multi-phase nature of landslide processes. This involved integrating results of traditional field mapping, rainfall measurements, analyses of geotechnical properties, soil mineralogy and geochemistry to get an idea of the processes and mechanisms involved in landslide initiation and mobilisation. From these results, two conceptual models are proposed to explain the occurrence of landslides affecting areas populated by vulnerable people. The thesis thus provides first-hand field-measured geometric characteristics of landslide scars and systematically documents and quantifies for the first time the overall features of volume-limited devastating slides around Limbe. Hence, it provides constraints for modelling, monitoring and remediation efforts that might be applied in other areas affected by similar small-scale failures. Field observations, geotechnical and mineralogical characterisation suggests that slope failure within the study area is enhanced by human intervention through anarchical construction and slope undercutting whereas natural slope failure is generated as a result of fracture enhanced permeability. This implies that in the absence of external factors the slopes within the study area would generally remain stable for long periods. It also demonstrates that understanding landslide triggering processes and relationships between triggers and slide occurrence could be improved through more accurate recording of landslide events and the corresponding triggering process (intensity, magnitude and duration). This knowlegde can be used in landslide susceptibility assessment which was one of the most significant achievements of this thesis, and in the development of early-warning systems that might enable a reduction in the number of casualties and economic loss from future landslide phenomena. The findings from the present study have generic value and can be used to tackle small-scale slope instability problems elsewhere in the subtropics

Kepimpinan Cina dalam sejarah perkembangan politik di Sabah (1961-2000)

Kepimpinan dalam masyarakat imigran adalah satu persoalan penting dalam sejarah politik masyarakat berbilang etnik seperti di Malaysia. Dalam hal ini masyarakat imigran Cina di Sabah mempunyai sejarah yang tersendiri termasuk kepimpinan politik masyarakat ini yang jelas merupakan sebahagian daripada sejarah politik wilayah ini. Kajian ini adalah satu usaha melihat faktor yang menjadi asas dalam perkembangan politik masyarakat Cina di Sabah dari 1961 hingga 2000. Kajian ini membincangkan bagaimana kepimpinan Cina berubah dalam perkembangan politik di Sabah dari 1961 hingga 2000. Persoalan di sini mengapa kepimpinan Cina berubah dalam perkembangan politik di Sabah dari 1961 hingga 2000? Apakah faktor asas yang mendorong perubahan kepimpinan Cina? Andaian kajian ini adalah kepimpinan berubah disebabkan faktor kepimpinan yang dapat menentukan sU/vival masyarakat Cina. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji faktor asas yang mendorong perjuangan kepimpinan Cina dalam perkembangan politik di Sabah dari 1961-2000. Kajian ini cuba menggalurkan perkembangan kepimpinan politik masyarakat Cina dari 1961 hingga 2000. Ia juga cuba meninjau pengaruh faktor asas yang mendorong perubahan kepimpinan masyarakat Cina dalam kepimpinan politik masyarakat berbilang etnik seperti di Sabah untuk menjawab persoalan kajian ini. Hasil kajian ini mendapati sebab yang mempengaruhi perubahan kepimpinan Cina dari 1961-2000 adalah faktor kepimpinan yang dapat menentukan survival masyarakat Cina. Kepimpinan Cina dalam perkembangan politik di Sabah dari 1961-2000 adalah bersifat kepentingan politik

西日本の山地流域における地下水資源に及ぼす人間活動の影響評価

広島大学(Hiroshima University)博士(学術)Doctor of Philosophydoctora

Vacuum ultraviolet photochemistry: I. Unimolecular decomposition studies of small hydrocarbon clusters by molecular beam photoionization mass spectrometry; II. Photofragment dynamics study of carbon disulfide by high resolution molecular beam laser photofragment time-of-flight mass spectrometry

The energetic and dissociation dynamics of (C(,2)H(,4))(,2)(\u27+), (C(,2)H(,4))(,3)(\u27+), (C(,3)H(,6))(,2)(\u27+) and (c-C(,3)H(,6))(,2)(\u27+) complexes have been studied by photoionization of neutral van der Waals ethylene dimers and trimers, propylene dimers and cyclopropane dimers. Photoionization efficiency studies of C(,2)H(,4), C(,3)H(,6) and c-C(,3)H(,6) and their clusters yield the ionization energies of (C(,2)H(,4))(,n=1,2,3), (C(,3)H(,6))(,n=1,2) and (c-C(,3)H(,6))(,n=1,2) and the appearance energies of C(,3)H(,5)(\u27+) and C(,4)H(,7)(\u27+) from (C(,2)H(,4))(,2). With the estimated values of (C(,2)H(,4))(,n=2,3,4), (C(,3)H(,6))(,2) and (c-C(,3)H(,6))(,2), the bond dissociation energies of (C(,2)H(,4))(,n=1,2,3)(\u27+) C(,2)H(,4), C(,3)H(,6)(\u27+) C(,3)H(,6) and c-C(,3)H(,6)(\u27+) c-C(,3)H(,6) are deduced. It is concluded that the (C(,2)H(,4))(,3)(\u27+), (C(,3)H(,6))(,2)(\u27+) and (c-C(,3)H(,6))(,2)(\u27+) loose complexes arrange to the common C(,6)H12+ collision complexes prior to fragmentation by comparing the major product channels in the unimolecular decompositions of these species. A new molecular beam laser photofragment time-of-flight mass spectrometer with rotatable beam source and movable detector has been constructed for studying photofragmentation dynamics of polyatomic molecules. The design considerations detailed assembly, and initial tests of this machine are described. The time-of-flight data of carbon disulfide laser photofragmentation at 193 nm have been taken at various beam source angles and fragment flight path lengths. The results give insight into the dynamics of the photofragmentation process;*USDOE Report IS-T-1260. This work was performed under Contract No. W-7405-Eng-82 with the U.S. Department of Energy

Learning in the Digital Age During the COVID-19 Pandemic for School Improvement

Background: Digital learning became increasingly popular when the COVID-19 disaster hit. Even though, its implementation is still less popular after no special indicators are used to create systematic learning. Comprehensive access to online education with fifth generation (5G) mobile technology coverage will enhance the quality of learning in the face of the digital age. Contribution: The contribution of this study is to increase the awareness of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. It recognizes the importance of strengthening online learning when schools close. It also highlights digital technologies and practices for school improvement and enters an endemic era. Method: Synthesis method. Researcher synthesized information naturally to help others see connections between things. Results: The presence of the COVID-19 threat has opened a new norm in pedagogical methods in Malaysia. The use of technology has long been championed since 2013. Its importance became apparent after the emergence of the pandemic in early 2020. Not because of pandemic had to give way to technology but the times need change according to the currents of modernity and high technology. Since then, we have faced the threat of a pandemic and through a life of new norms.  The convenience of computers and smartphones has changed the current learning process. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the structure of Learning and Teaching in Malaysian educational institutions. Education institutions were also instructed to close and the live or face-to-face method of Learning and Teaching was changed to fully online Learning and Teaching. The education system will undergo changes of learning in the digital age. Digital learning also continues to be the new norm of pedagogy in the future