13474 research outputs found
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A translation quality assessment of two translations of Mahfouz’s Midaq Alley / Randa M M Kullab
No full textTranslation quality assessment (TQA) has been recently considered a productive research line and a fast-growing subfield of translation research. Reviewing the literature, TQA has been tackled either theoretically, applying a TQA model whereby the target text (TT) readers are completely ignored, or empirically, surveying the TT reader reception of the texts wherein the theory is marginalized. However, relying on a TQA model, in assessing the translation quality (TQ) without considering the TT readers concerns scholars since the major problem with whatever TQA model is lacking the empirical evidence from the TT readers. By contrast, TQA empirical studies are mainly inclined towards the TT readers, passing over the fact that translation is a linguistic act to be evaluated based on acknowledged TQA models, rather than relying on human subjective judgment. This thesis attempts to combine these two perspectives, i.e., the theoretical, and empirical as it aims to assess and compare the TQ of two translations of Mahfouz’s Midaq Alley, once theoretically utilizing House’s (2015) TQA Model and empirically through interviewing the TT readers, to serve a major objective of examining House’s (2015) model validity in translating Arabic novels, represented by Mahfouz’s Midaq Alley, into English. This thesis utilizes House’s (2015) TQA model, analyzing the text based on the register categories, Field, Tenor, Mode, and Genre. It adopts the qualitative approach for analyzing the data using qualitative document analysis of the source text (ST) and TTs and thematic analysis of the interviews. The data were first collected from books, i.e., the ST from Midaq Alley by Naguib Mahfouz (1947), the first translated text (TT1) translated by Trevor Le Gassick in (1975), and the second translated text (TT2) translated by Humphrey Davies in (2011) for the theoretical part then through interviews with twenty participants for the study’s empirical part. Since the data were analyzed based on House’s (2015) TQA model, the covertly erroneous errors along Field, Tenor, Mode, and Genre were listed, followed by the list of overtly erroneous errors. The participants were interviewed via Zoom application and viewed seven examples under each category, i.e., Field, Tenor, and Mode. Each example was translated overtly in one TT and covertly in the other, and the participants were asked to choose their preference and further justify it. The findings show that overall TT2 shows a better TQ based on House’s (2015) TQA model. Furthermore, the findings show that the participants’ preference contradicts House’s (2015) hypothesis in translating novels of significant authors overtly as they prefer a combination of the two translations under different dimensions whereby they choose overt translation under Field and Mode, and covert translation under Tenor according to six criteria including 1) culture reflection; 2) accuracy; 3) simplicity, clarity, and straightforwardness; 4) creativity; 5) naturalness in the target language and 6) expressiveness. The findings also reveal that House’s (2015) TQA Model requires some modifications at the situational dimension level to better accommodate the TQA of fiction. This thesis provides implications that could be useful for translators, researchers, and interested readers
The impact of regional comprehensive economic partnership (RCEP) on employment in China / Wu Xinxiong
No full textThe Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a free trade agreement (FTA) that will create the world’s largest trading bloc and mark a major achievement for China in terms of free international trade. The significant contribution of international trade to employment growth is a constant concern of the labour force, governments, and the World Trade Organisation. The entry into force of the RCEP may have a positive or negative impact on potential employment opportunities in several sectors in China, given whether the RCEP contributes to sectoral potential employment opportunities through trade. This study examines the impact of the RCEP on the number of potential employment opportunities that may be created in various sectors in China, and to examine skill disparities and gender disparities in sectoral potential employment opportunities. The Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) is a consistent square accounting framework that represents the entire economy of a country or region over a defined period, usually one year. It provides a static picture of the economy and can be used as a source of data for various models to assess the impact of shocks or interventions. The latest version of the SAM for China in 2020 includes 153 sectors, which can be used to simulate the impact of RCEP on China as an exogenous variable. In an original social accounting matrix in monetary terms, the employment satellite account is a necessary tool if we want to study the impact of shocks on employment. This study compiles the latest employment satellite accounts based on the latest version of China’s Seventh Population Census to calculate the employment multiplier, which indicates the impact of RCEP as an exogenous shock on employment, i.e. the number of potential employment opportunities created or destroyed. The study found that the RCEP is expected to create 4618,390 potential employment opportunities in China, of which 1915,496 and 270,2894 will be created in China through imports and exports respectively. The largest potential employment
opportunities are concentrated in the agricultural products sector, with 1,856,723. The RCEP is expected to create 2,801,178 and 1817212 potential employment opportunities for males and females respectively in China. The RCEP is expected to create 197,0186 sectoral potential employment opportunities for the skilled labour and 2,648,204 for the unskilled labour. This study offers some suggestions and implications to address the gender and skills gap that may exist in the RCEP’s potential employment opportunities in China. Firstly, more active trade policies should be pursued, including reducing trade barriers, providing preferential treatment for imports from RCEP member countries, and supporting the internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises. Secondly, gender differences in potential employment opportunities should be eliminated by enacting laws against discrimination, increasing support for women’s vocational training and education, encouraging women’s entrepreneurship, assuming childbirth costs, and promoting active caregiving roles for men. Lastly, skill differences can be addressed through increased investment in skills training and education, promoting technological cooperation and transfer, facilitating labor force mobility among RCEP member countries, establishing industry skill standards and certification systems, and aligning school education with industry demands
Penukaran kod pensyarah bahasa Arab di Institut Pendidikan Guru / Nurul Atikah Md Shafee
No full textKajian ini bertujuan untuk menerangkan pola linguistik dan fungsi penukaran kod pensyarah serta persepsi pelatih terhadap penukaran kod dalam kelas bahasa Arab. Sampel kajian ini diambil daripada 3 orang pensyarah bahasa Arab dari sebuah institut pendidikan guru yang mengajar menggunakan medium bahasa tersebut ke atas sekumpulan guru pelatih Tahun 3. Rakaman audio, temu bual dan soal selidik digunakan sebagai instrumen penyelidikan bagi mendapatkan data yang diperlukan. Teori yang diperkenalkan Scotton (1993) melalui model Matrix Language Frame diguna pakai bagi menerangkan pola lingustik dalam kajian ini. Manakala bagi tujuan menganalisis fungsi penukaran kod, penyelidik mengguna pakai teori perbualan Gumperz (1982). Dapatan menunjukkan bahawa pensyarah menggunakan penukaran kod semasa mengajar, bertukar dari bahasa Arab ke bahasa Melayu atau sebaliknya dengan wajar semasa mengajar bahasa sasaran iaitu bahasa Arab. Didapati juga bahawa penukaran kod pensyarah membawa pelbagai fungsi penting, baik tujuan pedagogi mahupun sosial. Di samping itu, majoriti daripada 49 orang pelatih yang menjawab soal selidik mempunyai pandangan positif mengenai penukaran kod pensyarah semasa pengajaran
Communication strategies in ELF interactions in the hospitality and tourism industry in Thailand / Aonrumpa Thongphut
No full textEnglish is used as a lingua franca (ELF) in many highly heterogenous hospitality and tourism (HT) settings worldwide. Hybridity and fluidity of the language, multiculturalism, and speakers’ varied language proficiency levels might make international HT communication challenging. This study investigated the use of communication strategies (CSs) in ELF interactions in the hospitality and tourism (HT) setting in Thailand. Specifically, CSs which the participants used to preempt and resolve communicative problems were the focus of this study. The frequency and the use of CSs, the functions that CSs served in relation to enhancing communicative effectiveness, and the participants’ awareness level of CSs were investigated. The data comprised authentic ELF HT conversations, which were audio recorded, and interviews conducted with selected ELF HT speakers. The data were collected from 3 HT sites, namely, an airport information counter, a tour service counter, and a hotel front office. The data was analyzed using Descriptive Statistics, Conversation Analysis, and Thematic Analysis. The findings of this study reveal that 1) the participants frequently used preemptive strategies to prevent possible communicative problems and resolving strategies when faced with difficulties in communication 2) the CSs were used in a number of ways in the ELF HT interactions. The participants employed preemptive strategies in various ways to avoid possible misunderstanding, mishearing, nonunderstanding, or HT misinformation. In addition, they used resolving strategies differently depending on the communicative problems that the speakers were facing 3) overall, the CSs functioned to enhance communicative effectiveness in international HT communication. Preemptive strategies served several functions such as to highlight the prominence of the key word, explain meaning, increase clarity, add detail, simplify a word or utterance, narrow the scope, ensure accurate information, and make misunderstanding or non-comprehension obvious. The preemptive strategies made positive contributions to the interactions by enhancing understanding, and preventing nonunderstanding, ambiguity, misunderstanding, HT trouble, and mistakes in HT service. Resolving strategies also served several functions, namely, to help the ELF speakers express non-comprehension, overcome difficulty in producing a word or utterance, and resolve listeners’ problems of comprehension 4) the participants had varying levels of CS awareness and were categorized as follows: speakers who were aware of the need to use CSs, speakers who were aware of the need to use CSs to some degree, and speakers who were unaware of the need to use CSs and considered using reduction strategies, or giving up on the communication, and were ignorant of the ways to deal with communicative problems generally. The findings confirm that the ELF speakers’ ability to use CSs takes precedence over their language accuracy in the HT setting. Local HT human resource departments should underscore the importance of CSs to their staff and ELF speakers in HT settings are encouraged to use CSs to enhance their communicative effectiveness. The findings also highlight the need for both preemptive and resolving strategies to be taught in language classes and HT training programs to help learners develop their communication ability when using ELF in the HT setting
Research on foreign direct investment and renewable electricity industry nexus in Africa / Ahmed Rashed Ahmed
No full textIn addition to three introductory chapters, this doctoral thesis incorporates a collection of five empirical research papers on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Renewable Electricity Industry (REI) in Africa. It suggests actionable recommendations on Africa's electricity insecurity issues. Those issues worsen daily, aggravating all facets of African life. In 2019, the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated that 600 million Africans lived without electricity access and about 900 million lacked healthy cooking facilities in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), which particularly suffers from a clear shortage of published renewable energy data and studies. Africa's rapid population growth is another concern, coupled with a growing renewable energy financing gap. As a response to Africa's limitless renewable resources, the IEA recommends stimulating green FDI and renewable electricity production (REP). The first paper is entitled "Determinants of FDI in REI in Africa". A novel dataset of FDI corporations in the REI during 2003–2019 has been obtained. Using the FDI panel gravity fixed effects Poisson pseudo-maximum likelihood model, the uselessness of changes in fossil fuel subsidies in stimulating green FDI is revealed. However, a 1% growth in Africa's gross domestic product (GDP) expands FDI by almost 1.5%. Furthermore, increasing the number of educated African children and raising awareness of renewable energy contribute constructively to REI development. Besides, to understand the green FDI-REP relationship, the second paper, entitled "the nexus among FDI in the REI, REP, and GDP in Africa," is conducted to inspect the existence and nature of co-integration and causality nexuses among these variables in 32 African countries over 2003–2019. Applying the panel vector autoregression model based-Granger causality test and a static panel data approach, a unidirectional Granger causality/growth hypothesis between REP and GDP is found. Further, the neutrality hypothesis is confirmed among the remaining variables. Paying particular heed to SSA, as the third paper is titled "Causality analysis among FDI, renewable electricity output (REO), and GDP: Evidence from SSA". The paper uses the panel vector autoregression generalized method of moment model and found that REO predicts/causes GDP growth and vice versa. Thus, the feedback hypothesis is confirmed. Also, no causal effect was revealed between FDIREI-REO and FDIREI-GDP. To intensify research on Africa's green power, the fourth paper, "Determinants of Renewable Electricity Generation (REG) in Africa: A Focus on FDI", is introduced. To date, the impact of FDI on REG in Africa has yet to be investigated. By using the Prais- Winsten panel corrected standard errors model, the study finds compelling evidence that FDI inflows directly and indirectly limit, or even impede, the REG's development. The African population growth undermines REG. However, the encouraging result is that raising African awareness of renewable energy boosts REG. The fifth paper, "FDI and the Gap of Clean Power Finance: The Case of Africa", theoretically addresses the determinants of the clean energy financing gap and the Paris Agreement's impact on green FDI. The research found that the Paris Agreement attracts clean FDI. However, the gap is mainly attributed to corruption, underdeveloped policies, and the absence of accurate data. Moving forward, focused and diverse policy implications are outlined in the thesis
Investigation into the role of R2R3-MYB transcription factors related to flower shape and colour in Dendrobium orchids / Muhammad Asyraf Khairul Anuar
No full textDuring flower development, a set of structural genes are regulated to control the flower's colour and shape. R2R3-MYB transcription factors are important for controlling many different biological processes. However, we still don't know which members of this large family of transcription factors are involved in pigment and, in particular, organ shape development in a popular Dendrobium orchid with a dark purple flower. Phylogenetic analysis was used to find Dendrobium catenatum R2R3-MYB (DcaMYB) sequences that are likely to be involved in the development of pigment and cell shape. The expression of candidate DhMYB genes in Dendrobium hybrid was silenced by directly applying dsRNA to the developing flowers together with observation of the gene expression level and flower phenotypes. As a comparison, the structural pigment-related gene, chalcone synthase, was also silenced. Flowers treated with dsRNA of DhMYB22 and DhMYB60 sequences had less colour and low expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis genes (DFR and F3'H). They also had lower total anthocyanin and much lower cyanidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-rutinoside content. The most significant difference in colour was seen in the petals of DhMYB22-treated flowers and the sepals of DhMYB60-treated flowers compared to the same organs of untreated flowers. The lips of flowers treated with hMYB22 were narrow and constricted, also observed in the sepals of flowers treated with DhMYB60. No significant difference was seen in the shape of flowers that were untreated or were treated with DhCHS. The results showed that Dendrobium's DhMYB22 and DhMYB60 control the amount of pigment and the shape of the flower organs. This is the first report that the shape of flower organs in orchids has been linked to MYB
Reconstructive memory and the impact of technology in Ted Chiang’s The Truth of Fact and Anxiety is The Dizziness / Yuchuan Zheng
No full textFallible and reconstructive memory has been frequently interpreted in science fiction stories and examined in studies as a major drawback that is inferior to digitalized memory and vulnerable to capitalist manipulation. There are still insufficient studies about technology’s non-capitalist and humanistic impacts on human reconstructive memory. American author Ted Chiang’s novellas The Truth of Fact, the Truth of Feeling and Anxiety is the Dizziness of Freedom reveal reconstructive memory’s unobtrusive nature and delve into the humanistic impacts of technology on people’s cognition and relationships. This research examines how Chiang embeds his postulation about technology’s humanistic impacts in his narrative thought experiments in the form of fiction, in which he creates an intense and dynamic interaction between science fiction devices and multiple characters. Applying Frederic Bartlett’s theory of Reconstructive Memory and the theory of Reading Fiction as Thought Experiments, this dissertation focuses on two main characters the father and Dana’s cognitive transformations having interacted with science fiction devices Remem and Prism, elucidating the complicated mutual influences between technology and human reconstructive memory. Chapters two and three discover that these science fiction devices represent sharp-end technology with rich symbolic meanings and are essential tools of Chiang’s narrative thought experiments. This dissertation also found that these science fiction devices engender schematic changes in characters, allowing them to reappraise their attitude toward a guilty relationship. This study contributes to a humanistic and nuanced approach to technology in science fiction stories which is addressed as techno-realism, and stimulates rumination over technology’s humanistic impacts on human reconstructive memory and a possible direction for the development of memory-modulating technology
Infusing data analytics and sustainability into accounting curriculum / Zhou Chenyuan
No full textNowadays, universities have become an important place to train accounting practitioners
who can contribute to the economy and market demand. On the one hand, accounting
students are required to have advanced skills such as data analytics skills and sustainable
thinking that can help enterprises; On the other hand, it also puts forward higher
requirements for accounting educators in universities. They need to set up appropriate
and helpful courses to help students acquire this knowledge. These accounting educators
must clarify the critical contents of the taught topics, set up courses, and use appropriate
teaching methods. Therefore, this study aims to explore what data analytics skills and
sustainability topics should be included in the university accounting curriculum, where
data analytics skills and sustainability topics should be set, and what teaching methods
should be used. Then, it also tested whether educators and institutions with different
characteristics would have differences and specific differences in designing the two
courses. Finally, this study also tested the relationship between educators' teaching
experience and knowledge level and the design of these two courses. This study adopts
quantitative research methods, collects the views and suggestions of accounting educators
in Chinese universities through a questionnaire, then analyses their answers, and finally
draws a conclusion. The survey results show that accounting educators believe that when
teaching data analytics, the most important thing is to cultivate students' data analytics
ability and critical thinking; When teaching environmental sustainability, educators should focus on management and cost accounting, external reporting and auditing. When
teaching social sustainability, educators should focus on Socioeconomic Compliance and
Marketing & Community. As for the answer to where to set up these two types of courses,
educators believe that whether they are set separately or integrated into the existing
courses, they need the cooperation of other disciplines inside and outside the business
school; Finally, for the choice of teaching methods, most educators believe that case study
and practice should be used. The choice of design courses varies between educators of
different genders, and teaching experience and knowledge level are indeed related to
some dimensions of design courses. This research fills the gap in teaching data analytics
and sustainability in accounting education in developing countries, especially in China.
In terms of practical implications, the research findings provide guidance and suggestions
for Chinese universities and other developing countries to set up these two kinds of
courses in the accounting curriculum. However, because the conclusion of this study is
based on a specific period of time and the number of participants is limited, the research
results of this study should be expanded to a greater extent in order to have more universal
guiding significance
Corporate sustainability disclosure and firm value in Malaysia: Role of ownership structure / Anas Abd Rasid
No full textMalaysia has embarked into the journey of sustainability many years ago, notably since the inception of United National Sustainability Development Goal (UNSDG). Among many measures undertaken and supported by the government to put forward the sustainability agenda, corporate sustainability is one of the key emphasis in the national development. This is evident by initiatives such as the introduction of Bursa Malaysia FTSE 4 Good Index, Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) Framework by Securities Commissions and the National Annual Corporate Reporting Awards (NACRA). One of the biggest milestone achieved by corporate Malaysia is the introduction of Bursa Malaysia Sustainability Reporting Guide in 2015, in line with the mandatory requirement of sustainability reporting imposed on public listed companies starting 2016.
Motivated by the new development of sustainability reporting in Malaysia and wide interest among researchers on the nexus between sustainability reporting and its impact on firm performance, this study examines the relationship between sustainability reporting disclosure level and firm performance. Considering the unique structure of ownership and its potential impact on disclosure level and firm performance, this study also includes two types of ownership that are fairly common in corporate Malaysia; concentrated ownership and government ownership as moderators.
In this study, a total of 495 firm-year observations are selected as samples ranging from the year 2016 to 2020 in Malaysia. This is to ensure the samples selected conform with the mandatory requirement of reporting in Malaysia and in addition to obtain a balanced panel data, which is central to the method employed in this study. A conceptual framework is constructed for this study, built on the premise of stakeholders theory to explain the relationship between sustainability reporting disclosure level and firm performance. Our findings show that in there is a significant relationship between sustainability reporting disclosure level and firm performance in Malaysian firms. In addition, our study also concludes that government ownership moderates the relationship between sustainability reporting disclosure level and firm performance at 10% significance level. As for concentrated ownership, it negatively moderates the relationship between sustainability reporting disclosure level and firm performance. Consistent with two recent past studies conducted in Malaysia, the number of years under observation are considered relatively on the shorter range whilst it is believed that longer time is needed for performance improvement and value creation to be reflected as a result of sustainability practices.
This study contributes to the academic research fraternity, regulatory environment as well as the industry players. From academic perspective, it contributes by adding to the body of knowledge, a new set of findings conducted in Malaysia. To our best knowledge, this is also a pioneer study that included ownership structure as moderator to the nexus between corporate sustainability reporting disclosure level and firm performance in Malaysia. On top of that, it also provides information to the regulator as to the impact of the recently regulated mandatory reporting requirement on the firms affected. For the industry players, it demonstrates to them the impact of their sustainability practices on creating improved performance for their companies so far.
Nevertheless, the study also identified some limitations. This includes the relatively shorter timeframe, unstandardised scoring method compared to past studies and absence of industry based analysis. This limitations is considered to form suggestions to be addressed in future researc
Analysing parameters for energy efficiency retrofitting initiatives for high-rise buildings through an integrated approach / Siti Birkha Mohd Ali
No full textOne of the biggest consumers of energy and producers of greenhouse gases (GHGs) is
the building industry. Due to this, many countries have established acts, standards, and
guidelines to ensure the new building development is in line with the main objectives of
being energy-efficient and lowering GHG emissions. However, sole dependency on the
new building development is inadequate. With the high number of existing buildings in
Malaysia, which mainly are non-energy efficient, analysing a building's load profile is the
first step in allowing the implementation of load factor improvement initiatives that
improve load balancing while also lowering utility costs and emissions. The execution of
load factor improvement initiatives could come from numerous strategies, which focused
on either the non-design factor or passive design factor of a building, or even both.
Essentially, the retrofitting initiatives are decided based on the most practical and costeffective
solution. In this research, Wisma R&D, Universiti Malaya was selected as the
reference building and two approaches have been selected for analysing the effect of
different building parameters. The outcome later could assist in effective retrofitting
decision-making. Prior to the walk-through energy audit (EA) and simulation-based
approaches, the load factor (LF) performance analysis was carried out based on the four
conservative years (2015 to 2018) of the building’s utility bills. Based on the analysis, the
need for urgent retrofit is validated as the building’s LF performance is measured between
0.3 to 0.4. The succeeding analysis focuses on identifying the most impacted non-design
and passive design factors that contributed to the trio effect i.e. energy consumption,
energy cost, and carbon emission from building operations. The outcome of the walkthrough
EA concluded that air-conditioning, server racks, lighting, and PC/laptops are the
highest contributors to the total energy consumption in Wisma R&D with 34%, 18%,
18%, and 10% respectively. Nevertheless, it is not practical to work on saving initiatives
for the server rack. Hence, an analysis of the potential saving from the utilisation of airconditioning,
lighting, and PC/laptops are presented in this research. In addition, the
passive-design factors like the window glazing, opaque, and shading materials were
analysed thoroughly using ArchiCAD. The simulation-based approach concluded that an
Argon-filled double-glazed window with the combination of the aluminum ultimate metal
frame provided the optimal thermal resistance (R-value) and infiltration rate (in ACH) for
Wisma R&D. The effective match for both parameters was found to be 0.98 m2K/W and
0.31 ACH respectively which resulted in 18,133.9 kWh, RM 6618.88 and 1265.16 kg
saving of annual energy consumption, energy cost, and carbon emission reduction. Apart
from the window design performances, the horizontal shading effect is too discussed. The
findings of this research were summarised in a useful retrofitting suggestion for high-rise
buildings in Malaysia