Social Actors and the Language of Othering: A Corpus-Assisted Analysis of the Representation of Covid-19 in Selected Western and Asian English Newspapers

As of May 2021, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused approximately 3.5 million deaths and 168 million confirmed cases worldwide. Unfortunately, this crisis has not only resulted in a devastating loss of human life but has also given rise to racism, national insecurity, and general xenophobia. This phenomenon can be understood through the concept of ”othering,” which refers to the exclusion of individuals or entire groups based on their ascribed or enacted identities. This study aims to investigate how social actors are constructed by selected Western and Asian English newspapers in relation to Covid-19. Specifically, it seeks to examine whether language of othering is used by different English users (West vs. Asia, inner circle vs. outer circle) in representing the 2020’s deadliest pandemic. To achieve this, the researcher has custom-collected six different newspapers: New Straits Times (Malaysia), The Straits Times (Singapore), Philippines Daily Inquirer (Philippines), The New York Times (US), The Guardian (UK), and The Australian (Australia). A simple corpus query language is used to analyze common nouns in the corpus, focusing on proper nouns and possessive nouns, which will be ranked by frequency. The semantic preference of the most frequent nomination strategy for social actors will be further explored through tagging and categorization of collocates. This study aims to reveal if any social actors were dehumanized or discriminated against through the language used in relation to Covid-19 across the selected Western and Asian newspapers. Keywords: Covid-19, othering, newspapers, social actors, corpu

An assessment of MNCs distributors capability for performance improvement

This dissertation is an empirical study of multi-national company’s (MNC) distributors capability assessment, which discusses expectation of MNCs with regards to its distributor and suggests ways that MNCs could effectively assess the distributors capabilities for performance improvement. This study is backed by the data from a US based MNC which could be leveraged by other MNCs to discover insights on distributors capabilities and measures to improve performance for order growth. It provides an up-to-date, comprehensive synthesis and evaluation of the existing literature on multinational firms and their distributors. Through a chronological description comparing traditional researches and most recent reviews, it presents the authors findings and understanding of the business relationship for a firm with its distributors. With the knowledge acquired, data from the company is mapped to the adapted assessment model, analyzed and applied in solving a real-life business problem. At the end of data analysis, analysis was made based on the findings and lessons learnt for distributors management optimization and ensuring sustainable order growth were discussed. Overall, the goal of this empirical study is to enable a MNCs or small to medium enterprises (SME) to leverage the model and learnings to assess the performance of distribution channel partners, identify gaps and opportunity, with the goal to grow order ultimately

Dose-Dependent Cholesterolemic Activity of Tocotrienols and α-Tocopherol

Tocotrienols and tocopherols are isoforms of vitamin E. Vitamin E may exhibit antioxidant, prooxidant and non-antioxidant activities depending upon circumstances. In this study, the effect of tocotrienols and α-tocopherol on the activities of HMG CoA reductase and cholesterol 7 α-hydroxylase was investigated. Pure tocotrienols were isolated from palm fatty acid distillate and pure α-tocopherol was obtained commercially. Guinea pigs were treated with different dosages of tocotrienols and α-tocopherol. After the treatment period, animals were sacrificed and liver microsomes were prepared. HMG CoA reductase and cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase were assayed using tracer techniques. Our results showed that the effects of tocotrienols and α-tocopherol on the activities of both the enzymes were dose-dependent. At low dosages, both tocotrienols and α-tocopherol exhibited an inhibitory effect on both the enzymes. Moreover, tocotrienols were a much stronger inhibitors than α-tocopherol. At high dosages, on the other hand, tocotrienols and α-tocopherol showed opposite effects on the enzymes. While tocotrienols continued to exhibit an inhibitory effect, α-tocopherol actually exhibited a stimulatory effect on both the enzymes. A possible explanation for this observation is suggested

L'île de Saint-Barthélemy (Petites Antilles) : une destination du tourisme de luxe

International audienceWithin thirty years, the small island of Saint-Barthelemy (25 km²) is out of its secular isolation to be among major luxury tourism destinations in the world. In this study, the idea is to identify structural element and different cyclical factors that help to understand Saint-Barthelemy tourism situation. The small size of the territory itself can be seen as a fundamental handicap or, conversely, as a considerable asset. Everything depends on development project. It is necessary to know how to take advantage of specific characteristics of this type of territory. In Saint-Barthelemy case, scarcity is coveted; this coveted rarity is accessible only for rich people. The coveted rarity leads to luxury. Isolation is relative: this destination is not accessible to the jumbo jets. The airline market is controlled essentially by two small local companies and the airspace is open to charter flies and private aircrafts. Some other companies provide more or less regular flights from nearby airports of San Juan (Puerto Rico), Sint-Maarten and Guadeloupe. Luxury cannot be decreed, it is not planned. Luxury tourism is the election of a territory by elites who gather there to enjoy away from the rest of the world.En l’espace de trente ans, la petite île de Saint-Barthélemy (25 km²) est sortie de son isolement séculaire pour s’imposer parmi les grandes destinations du tourisme de luxe dans le monde. Dans le cadre de cette étude, l’idée est d’identifier les éléments structurels et les différents facteurs conjoncturels qui permettent de comprendre la situation touristique de Saint-Barthélemy. L’exiguïté du territoire en lui-même peut être perçue comme un handicap fondamental ou, inversement, comme un atout considérable. Tout dépend du projet de développement. Il faut savoir tirer profit des spécificités du territoire considéré. Dans le cas de Saint-Barthélemy, l’exiguïté favorise la rareté et cette rareté convoitée n’est accessible qu’aux personnes les plus argentées. La rareté convoitée conduit au luxe. L’isolement est relatif : cette destination n’est pas accessible aux avions gros porteurs, l’essentiel du marché aérien est contrôlé par deux petites compagnies locales et l’espace aérien est ouvert aux petits avions privés. Le luxe ne se décrète pas, il ne se planifie pas. Le tourisme de luxe, c’est l’élection d’un territoire par des élites qui s’y retrouvent pour jouir de leur fortune à l’écart du monde

The Effects Of Buying Task Characteristics On Buyer-seller Conflict Management Behavior

Organizational buying is a complex decision-making process involving extensive interactions between buying and selling organizations. The two organizations may have different goals, capabilities, perceptions, and values, from which conflict can arise in their relationship during buying transactions.;Drawing from the behavioral theory of the firm and the organizational buying behavior and conflict literatures, this study examines how five approaches to conflict management (collaboration, accommodation, sharing, competition, and avoidance) used by buying organizations during purchase transactions can be explained by (1) the buying organization\u27s perceptions of buying task characteristics, and (2) the buyer-seller perceptual differences of buying task characteristics.;Data were gathered from a cross-sectional survey of 2064 Purchasing Management Association of Canada (PMAC) members working in for-profit organizations in Ontario, and 296 managers in selling organizations identified by the purchasing respondents.;Two causal models of buyer-seller conflict management were developed conceptually. These models were specified and their parameters estimated using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) approach to structural equation modeling developed by Herman Wold.;The results show that (1) the buying organization\u27s perceptions and buyer-seller perceptual differences of buying task characteristics can explain an average of 5.6% and 15.0%, respectively, of the variances in the use of the five conflict management approaches by buying organizations; (2) some of the important predictors of the buying organization\u27s use of conflict management approaches are purchase importance, relative size of expenditure, and time pressure; (3) the buying organization\u27s use of the conflict management approaches of collaboration, sharing, and avoidance tends to enhance its satisfaction with the purchase and with the supplier relationship, while its use of accommodation and competition tends to lead to less satisfaction; and (4) in general, buyer-seller perceptual differences of buying task characteristics tend to lead to less use of collaboration, sharing, and avoidance by the buying organization.;This knowledge of the functionality/dysfunctionality of the five conflict management approaches as well as their important predictors can provide insights for developing industrial marketing strategies and for improving the purchasing management process

The determinants of credit risk in an emerging market

The aim of this study is to examine the determinants of credit risk management in an emerging market by using Malaysian listed companies. The sample of the study is selected using paired sample method. In order to adjust for earning management portions, the discretionary accrual model is used to calculate the abnormal accruals of firms. Furthermore, logistic regression is applied to determine the accuracy of unadjusted and adjusted model in predicting financial distress. Based on the empirical result, the liquidity ratio is proof to be significant at 5percent significance level in determining financial distress before and after earnings management is adjusted. Meanwhile, the productivity ratio is only showing its significance before the earnings management is adjusted and the profitability ratio is significant after the earnings management is adjusted. On the other hand, this study indicates that both unadjusted and adjusted models are having the same level of Type I error (23.3%). Out of the total 30 distressed observations, 23 are classified as distressed observations resulting in 76.6 percent of success classification and 7 are classified as non-distressed observations resulting in a 23.3 percent failure. However, for the Type II error, the non-adjusted model is performing better with a 16.7 percent failure compared to a 26.7 percent failure of adjusted model. As a result, by considering the cost for both Type I and Type II errors, the unadjusted model is better and more appropriate in predicting financial distress firms in Malaysian market compared to the adjusted model. This indicates that the unadjusted model helps in improving credit management among market participants in Malaysi

A precarious balance: Resources, trade and environment in the upper mekong borderlands

Master'sMASTER OF SOCIAL SCIENCE

Women Leadership in Good Corporate Governance Towards Economy Development

Globalization has largely influenced women roles within many sectors, especially the economy. More and more women professionals exist in key positions of corporations. However, such phenomenon does not mean that gender disparity and discrimination ceased to exist.   In reality,   the percentage of women obtaining opportunities to actively participate in professional and the economy is still limited and below expectation, although needs to be admitted that such pleasant progress is getting better from time to time. Still, the phenomenon mostly happens in big cities. On the other side, women living in rural areas still have to endure discrimination and repression due to the dominating patriarchy culture. The main factor causing such disparity lies in the lack of education. In fact, the potential of women in leadership is as much as that of men, especially from the view of gender discourse characteristics. Moreover, leadership, which is the main key in good corporate governance, highlights the positive attitudes that lead to the best practices based on effective communication and teamwork while making the best use of technology to compete within the healthy global economic competition. Good governance, which also highlights equality, gives the same opportunities for men and women as well as giving women the opportunities to contribute their potentials for the sake of better economic development. Gender inequality should be understood as the hindrance in the development process,  especially economic development, because belittlement of women potential is the same of paralyzing half of the nation

A Study of Malaysian Audit Market Concentration

This study presents the extent and nature of audit market concentration of companies listed in KLSE in year 2008 and 2009. Given the current interest in auditor choice, this study also analyzed in detail at the individual audit firm level and by industry sector and market segments. Auditor concentration that measured in this study can use to determine current audit structure. The link between concentration measures with competitiveness is more complex than often assumed. In this study, I only focus on concentration measures and do not make any inferences about the competitive aspect of the market. The Big Four firms held more than 80% of the market share (based on audit fees) in both years 2008 and 2009. KPMG retained its position as a 'dominant firm' while Deloitte is the 'least dominant firm' among the Big Four firms. The Big Four hold 100% share of 3 sectors (fixed line telecommunications, life insurance and tobacco) in 2008 and increase to 4 sectors (bank, exchange traded funds, life insurance and tobacco) in 2009.The main concerns of auditor concentration are reduction in audit firm choice that will lead to increase of conflict of interest and issues concerning the governance and accountability of audit firms