Exploring consumers' attitudes and behaviours toward online hotel room reservations

Marketers in Malaysia need to have solid understanding on consumers’ online attitude and buying behavior. This is mainly due to the shift and trend that consumers are moving fast into online purchasing. Malaysia is rank one of the ten countries in the world with the highest number of internet users. The travel market in the Asia Pacific region is fast growing and more consumers are reserving their hotel reservations via online travel agencies. Hence, the main purpose of this conceptual paper is to explore the factors that influence consumers’ attitude and purchase behaviour toward online hotel room reservations. Four factors which are information, trust, price and convenience have been identified in this study. The focus of this study will be on consumers who reserve their hotel rooms via online travel agents. The research plans to adopt a survey method using stratified random sampling and the hypotheses will be tested using structural equation modelling

The algebraic connectivity of lollipop graphs

AbstractLet Cn,g be the lollipop graph obtained by appending a g-cycle Cg to a pendant vertex of a path on n-g vertices. In 2002, Fallat, Kirkland and Pati proved that for n⩾3g-12 and g⩾4, α(Cn,g)>α(Cn,g-1). In this paper, we prove that for g⩾4, α(Cn,g)>α(Cn,g-1) for all n, where α(Cn,g) is the algebraic connectivity of Cn,g

Big Data Measures of Environmental Concern

Environmental concern is a subjective state of society and researchers have typically relied on survey data to measure it. However, survey-based methods only capture a snapshot of it at the time and place the surveys were conducted. To overcome these problems, we develop an observable indicator that allows us to study environmental concern over time and across territories based on big data. The indicator composes of keyword groups that fit with the environmental concern measures revealed by a large-scale survey. We find that keywords associated with climate change, water pollution and waste management are the strongest predictors of environmental concern. To the best of our knowledge, our paper is the first to use online search data to capture subjective environmental concern

Whiteboard Animations for Flipped Classrooms in a Common Core Science General Education Course

[EN] Whiteboard animation, an engaging tool for teaching and learning, consists of a series of hand-drawing illustrations with voice-over narration to explain complex and abstract ideas. Our team had produced four short whiteboard animations tailor-made for a common core science general education (GE) course. This study aims at evaluating the effectiveness of using these whiteboard animations for flipped classrooms in the common core science GE course. The pre-tutorial survey showed that students who watched the animations got significantly higher average marks in the quizzes at the beginning of the tutorials (p<0.001). The post-tutorial feedback survey indicated that the whiteboard animations attracted 67% of students to watch the animations. For students who watched the animations, over 86% of them reported that the animations raised their interest in the issues discussed in the tutorial classes, and learning materials in the form of whiteboard animation were more interesting than lecture videos; more than 90% of the students agreed the whiteboard animations were helpful in (i) understanding the assigned readings, (ii) clarifying the concepts of the discussed issues, and (iii) gaining the related knowledge before the tutorial. We concluded that whiteboard animation is an effective and engaging tool for flipped classrooms in the common core science GE course.We want to thank the Centre for eLearning and Innovation Technology of The Chinese University of Hong Kong for their support. This project was funded by the Micro-module Courseware Development Grant Scheme.Li, M.; Lai, CW.; Szeto, WM. (2019). Whiteboard Animations for Flipped Classrooms in a Common Core Science General Education Course. En HEAD'19. 5th International Conference on Higher Education Advances. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 929-938. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAD19.2019.9250OCS92993

Outsourcing Tools for IT

Department of ComputingRefereed conference pape

Differential gene expression among three sex types reveals a MALE STERILITY 1 (CpMS1) for sex differentiation in papaya

Background Carica papaya is a trioecious plant species with a genetic sex-determination system defined by sex chromosomes. Under unfavorable environmental conditions male and hermaphrodite exhibit sex-reversal. Previous genomic research revealed few candidate genes for sex differentiation in this species. Nevertheless, more analysis is still needed to identify the mechanism responsible for sex flower organ development in papaya. Results The aim of this study was to identify differentially expressed genes among male, female and hermaphrodite flowers in papaya during early (pre-meiosis) and later (post-meiosis) stages of flower development. RNA-seq was used to evaluate the expression of differentially expressed genes and RT-qPCR was used to verify the results. Putative functions of these genes were analyzed based on their homology with orthologs in other plant species and their expression patterns. We identified a Male Sterility 1 gene (CpMS1) highly up-regulated in male and hermaphrodite flower buds compared to female flower buds, which expresses in small male flower buds (3–8 mm), and that might be playing an important role in male flower organ development due to its homology to MS1 genes previously identified in other plants. This is the first study in which the sex-biased expression of genes related to tapetum development in the anther developmental pathway is being reported in papaya. Besides important transcription factors related to flower organ development and flowering time regulation, we identified differential expression of genes that are known to participate in ABA, ROS and auxin signaling pathways (ABA-8-hydroxylases, AIL5, UPBEAT 1, VAN3-binding protein). Conclusions CpMS1 was expressed in papaya male and hermaphrodite flowers at early stages, suggesting that this gene might participate in male flower organ development processes, nevertheless, this gene cannot be considered a sex-determination gene. Due to its homology with other plant MS1 proteins and its expression pattern, we hypothesize that this gene participates in anther development processes, like tapetum and pollen development, downstream gender specification. Further gene functional characterization studies in papaya are required to confirm this hypothesis. The role of ABA and ROS signaling pathways in papaya flower development needs to be further explored as well.Ope

Intermembrane transfer of polyethylene glycol-modified phosphatidylethanolamine as a means to reveal surface-associated binding ligands on liposomes

AbstractIn order to explore the use of exchangeable poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-modified diacylphosphatidylethanolamines (PE) to temporarily shield binding ligands attached to the surface of liposomes, a model reaction based on inhibition and subsequent recovery of biotinylated liposome binding to streptavidin immobilized on superparamagnetic iron oxide particles (SA magnetic particles) was developed. PEG-lipid incorporation into biotinylated liposomes decreased liposome binding to SA magnetic particles in a non-linear fashion, where as little as 0.1 mol% PEG-PE resulted in a 20% decrease in binding. Using an assay based on inhibition of binding, PEG2000-PE transfer from donor liposomes to biotinylated acceptor liposomes could be measured. The influence of temperature and acyl chain composition on the transfer of PEG-diacyl PEs from donor liposomes to acceptor liposomes, consisting of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, cholesterol and N-((6-biotinoyl)amino)hexanoyl)-1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (54.9:45:0.1 mole ratio), was measured. Donor liposomes were prepared using 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (50 mol%), cholesterol (45 mol%) and 5 mol% of either PEG-derivatized 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DMPE-PEG2000), 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DPPE-PEG2000), or 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DSPE-PEG2000). Transfer of DSPE-PEG2000 to the donor liposomes was not detected under the conditions employed. In contrast, DMPE-PEG2000 was transferred efficiently even at 4°C. Using an acceptor to donor liposome ratio of 1:4, the time required for DMPE-PEG2000 to become evenly distributed between the two liposome populations (TEQ) at 4°C and 37°C was approx. 2 and <0.5 h, respectively. An increase in acyl chain length from C14:0 to C16:0 of the PEG-lipid resulted in a significant reduction in the rate of transfer as measured by this assay. The transfer of PEG-lipid out of biotinylated liposomes was also studied in mice following intravenous administration. The relative rates of transfer for the various PEG-lipids were found to be comparable under in vivo and in vitro conditions. These results suggest that it is possible to design targeted liposomes with the targeting ligand protected while in the circulation through the use of PEG-lipids that are selected on the basis of exchange characteristics which result in exposure of the shielded ligand following localization within a target tissue

Understanding the strategic competition of foreign powers in Myanmar and its impact on Myanmar's future

published_or_final_versionInternational and Public AffairsMasterMaster of International and Public Affair

The Effects of Independent Non-Executive Directors (INED) on Company Performance

This paper examines the influence of and relationship between independent non-executive directors (INEDs) and the performance of firms listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (SEHK). Many previous studies argue that INEDs can improve corporate governance and firm performance. However, research in this area is ongoing in different countries and stock exchanges and has produced inconsistent conclusions. The results of this study should help in reviewing the suitability of the current INED standards and whether they can be applied to different firm segments in Hong Kong. The paper aims to help policymakers/regulators determine whether further revision of the current INED policy is necessary. The results can be further investigated and applied to other emerging markets/regions worldwide and may be particularly suitable for regions with many family-controlled and state-owned enterprises

The predictors of attitude towards online advertising

With the significant increase of the number of Internet users in Malaysia to 17.5 million users in 2011, on-line advertisers need to understand the consumers’ attitude towards on-line advertising better. Thus, the main aim of this research paper is to study the predictors of consumers’ attitude toward online advertising. Respondents were chosen from students studying in private education institutions in Malaysia since past studies indicate that most of these online users are young consumers. Three constructs have been identified to predict consumers attitude toward online advertising which are usability, trust and information. The research approach adopted in this study is a survey method using purposive sampling. The data was collected through self-administered distribution and received 207 valid responses. The findings of this research reveal that all the three predictors which are usability, trust and information had positive significant influence on consumers’ attitude toward online advertising