Discourse Analysis of Cross-Cultural Competencies in International Business Management

A broad range of literature available discusses the activities to prepare managers for becoming cross-culturally competent. In keeping up with the increased emphasis of cultural competences in the international business management, the major question is, what kind of cross cultural competencies would make firm managers better to respond to the whole range of challenges that globalization offers?. Consequently, this paper has reviewed the concept of culture in the literature through discourse analysis and found that in the field of international business management, the concept of cross-cultural competence is still viewed as the skill or ability of providing effective cross-cultural interactions and the ability of the business to function effectively in different culture environment. Discourse analysis is a qualitative research approach that offers the potential to challenge our thinking about the reality of culture in any social settings

Understanding the Internationalization Process of Small-to Medium-Sized Manufacturing Enterprises (SMEs): Evidence from Developing Countries

This study explores how firm specific and key personnel factors (resources) influence the internationalization process of small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in manufacturing sector in developing countries. SME internationalization has been widely researched but little is known of how and why internationalization takes place in the developing countries, and such lack of evidence in the literature provides strong grounds for this study. The findings indicate that, compared to non-SMEs, developing countries SMEs are less likely to venture into international markets, and those that do, do so to a lesser degree; they are also less likely to engage in networking with other business, but are more likely to exhibit growth intention. Various paces and myriad of entry modes determine the pattern of internationalization undertaken. A traditional internationalization pattern is strongly evident, although some SMEs exhibited born-again global internationalization pattern as a result of occurrence of some critical events within the firm. These include the appointment of managers with the requisite expertise; knowledge and access to international business information. The main drivers of internationalization centered on key personnel managerial capabilities and firm specific factors such as organizational process and networking abilities. The study also found that the production capabilities, domestic market conditions, outcomes (financial and non-financial), are all critical to the international expansion of SMEs in developing countries. Compared to solely focus on the domestic marketplace, there were some financial benefits to be gained by developing countries SMEs in venturing overseas. However, the extent to which they did so had no observable effect on financial performance. Internationalization was found to place a substantial stress and conflicts among the managers and their dependent families. This study provides new knowledge and important insights that will benefit the manufacturing and other sectors in the developing countries. Keywords: Internationalization, SMEs, Manufacturing, Developing countrie

Beyond Agenda 2030: Future-Oriented Mechanisms in Localising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Given the complex nature of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), there are increasing calls for new inclusive and bottom-up governance mechanisms in building a relationship between governments and their citizens, in particular, the youth, to localise the 2030 Agenda. But such successful bottom-up multi-stakeholder engagement tools have yet to emerge in practice. Hence, of specific interest in this study is exploring bottom-up approaches useful for localising the SDGs and harnessing real transformative change to leave no one behind by 2030. Using a case study from the UK, we present a novel integrated mechanism to achieve this. An integrated Social Innovation (SI) and Scenarios Thinking (ST) mechanism remains a valuable bottom-up tool capable of empowering citizens, including the youth and decision-makers in delivering coherent SDGs plans, policies, and programmes. The study reveals that although the SDGs are distinct, they are also interconnected. A scenario development workshop with youth with no prior knowledge of the SDGs showed a common thread of policy measures for different SDG future images. Standard policy measures amongst different SDGs call for an equitable society at all levels; that all energy sources be from clean and renewable sources; investment in low-carbon technologies and research; and financial support for promoting sustainable transportation and consumption measures. This study highlights that we need to change how we think and talk about SDGs and recommends socially innovative steps to embrace cross-sectoral and nexus thinking as the backdrop of the citizen science concept. We conclude that the SDGs should not become a performative exercise or failed social experiment. And any practical localisation from the UN’s Member States across the northern and southern hemispheres will require robust measures addressing future-oriented systemic thinking, inclusivity and good governance, together with standards for community resilience and sustainability

WHATSAPP USE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC PERIOD: INVESTIGATING THE INITIAL ATTITUDES AND ACCEPTANCE OF STUDENTS

This study explores the acceptance and use of WhatsApp messenger for teaching and learning in senior high school during the COVID-19 pandemic period. This research adapted TAM as its theoretical model. The participants of the study were 62 history students from a senior high school in Ghana. The study also adopted a questionnaire as the research instrument. The data collected from the participants were then analysed using the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation analysis. The results from the study show that ease of use of WhatsApp Messenger, usefulness of WhatsApp Messenger, technological challenges, and student attitude towards WhatsApp Messenger use determines students’ actual WhatsApp Messenger use in teaching and learning. Additionally, the study found that student attitude performed a mediating role between ease of use, usefulness, and technological challenges on the one hand and student actual WhatsApp use on the other hand. It was suggested that future studies consider structural equation modeling using the same conceptual model adapted for this study. Also, high school authorities should consider equipping school libraries with m-learning technologies to facilitate teaching and learning

Differences in students’ understanding of opportunity process matters for their learning!

Despite different views on opportunities and opportunities identification, there seems to be consensus about the significant role of opportunities in the entrepreneurship process and for the success of the entrepreneur (Shane & Venkataraman 2000, Eckhardt & Shane 2003, Gaglio & Katz 2001). However, even though opportunities, depending on the purpose and contributor, are regarded as a core element, process or competence in entrepreneurship, it is only recently that the question of how to teach or learn these opportunity-related competences has started to attract scholars (Saks & Gaglio 2002, Corbett 2005, Lumpkin & Lichtenstein 2005). The problem is that how the nature and process of opportunities are understood has an effect on learning and teaching practices. We argue that the differences in understanding what opportunities are have effect on how to learn and teach opportunity competences. The starting point though should be the knowledge about how students understand what opportunities are and how they want to enhance their competences related to the opportunity process. Consequently, the aim of our research is to understand how students understand opportunity process. First, we identify different theoretical approaches to the opportunity process from the learning perspective. Then, we investigate (basing on 16 writings), how students understand what opportunities are in the venture creation process with respect to these different approaches and, finally, we elaborate what this means for learning and teaching practices. On the basis of the theories of Cantillon (1931), Mises (1949) and Kirzner (1963) regarding human beings as central to entrepreneurship, our study identifies three approaches through which the opportunity process could take place: search, discovery, action. Empirical analysis validates proposed division. We conclude that courses aimed at opportunity enhancement should be designed in a way that students increase their awareness of the different nature of an opportunity and its process, as well as the varying nature of human involvement in opportunity processes. Entrepreneurship education should not be to look for uniform methods and teaching tools, but to try to combine them in order to enable all students to learn and increase their competences

Age Dependent Analysis and Modeling of Prostate Cancer Data

Growth rate of prostate cancer tumor is an important aspect of understanding the natural history of prostate cancer. Using real prostate cancer data from the SEER database with tumor size as a response variable, we have clustered the cancerous tumor sizes into age groups to enhance its analytical behavior. The rate of change of the response variable as a function of age is given for each cluster. Residual analysis attests to the quality of the analytical model and the subject estimates. In addition, we have identified the probability distribution that characterize the behavior of the response variable and proceeded with basic parametric analysis. There are several remarkable treatment options available for prostate cancer patients. In this present study, we have considered the three commonly used treatment for prostate cancer: radiation therapy, surgery, and combination of surgery and radiation therapy. The study uses data from the SEER database to evaluate and rank the effectiveness of these treatment options using survival analysis in conjunction with basic parametric analysis. The evaluation is based on the stage of the prostate cancer classification. Improvement in prostate cancer disease can be measured by improvement in its mortality. Also, mortality projection is crucial for policy makers and the financial stability of insurance business. Our research applies a parametric model proposed by Renshaw et al. (1996) to project the force of mortality for prostate cancer. The proposed modeling structure can pick up both age and year effects

Forensic trace DNA recovery and amplification from metal and metal-coated surfaces

Metals are problematic substrates of interest in frontline forensic practice due to difficulties in obtaining probative DNA evidence from common metal objects and surfaces that are routinely submitted for trace DNA analysis, such as cartridges, bullets, and casings. The low success of trace DNA recovery from metal substrates has been linked to their physicochemical nature, which can degrade DNA following deposition or act as inhibitory contaminants that interfere with PCR amplification. However, the mechanisms behind metal- DNA interactions and how this impacts the efficiency of trace DNA recovery and downstream processes are poorly understood. The research described in this thesis examined trace DNA samples recovered from metal and metal-coated substrates in relation to typical forensic workflows from sample collection through to short tandem repeat profiling. The studies aimed to identify and characterise the negative effect of metal ions on DNA integrity, the collection and/or extraction of trace DNA samples, the co-purification of inhibitory factors with DNA, the interference of metal ions with quantitation, and how these ultimately impact DNA profiling. Seven data chapters illustrate the importance of sampling techniques for the successful recovery of trace DNA from metal substrates. The Isohelix™ swabbing system was shown to be a more effective sampling tool than a Rayon swab. Depending on the chemistry of the qPCR assay, the DNA template input, and the type and quantity of metal ions in the PCR reaction, I observed non-patterned, complex interactions with unexpected DNA quantification results. Additionally, metal ions in qPCR caused direct inhibition or secondary interference of qPCR dye chemistry, leading to under and over-estimation of DNA concentration. I also show that metal-mediated inhibition/degradation of cellular DNA is matrix-dependent, paramagnetic DNA extraction may not be optimum for samples contaminated with ferrous metals, and co-purified metal inhibitors can lead to an imbalance in STR profiles. When exposed to sunlight, self-cleaning metal-coated substrates, such as those coated with titanium dioxide, promote the photocatalytic destruction of trace DNA. Overall, this research highlights the importance of investigating novel trace DNA sampling and quantitation strategies, as well as more sensitive and robust amplification methods, while working with metal substrates.Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Biological Sciences, 202