International and Area Studies Commons^™

The Impact Of Awards And Honors On Project Bidding, Ren Wang

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This dissertation conducts a systematic study on the successful transformation and upgrading of China's automotive industry over the past decade, especially the remarkable progress made in the field of Electric and Intelligent Vehicles, and examines how China's automotive industry chain has seized the historical opportunity of the great transformation of the global automotive industry by “Four Modernizations”—electrification, intelligentization, lightweighting and modularization along the path of "Independent Innovation", and realized the overall improvement of both corporate performance and industrial strength under the synergy of strategic investors.

China has newly become the world's largest automotive exporter and successfully built up an advantageous …

Risk Management For Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment Suppliers Within Rapid Changing International Environment: An Empirical Study, Youbing Cao

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Semiconductors, as a key upstream component in the electronics and information industries, have attracted global attention from nations and corporations due to their vast market values. The emergence of global semiconductor supply chains has fostered specialized industrial divisions, such as semiconductor materials, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and semiconductor fabrication. While China’s semiconductor industry holds certain global market shares across various sectors, it still lags in advanced technologies and high-end markets. Since 2018, the United States has imposed increasing tariffs and export restrictions on many Chinese firms (known as the US-China trade war) to prevent technology outflows, leading to substantial uncertainties that …

Social Solidarity & Philanthropy In African Contexts, Dennis Kilama, Patricia Snell Herzog, David P. King

The Journal of Social Encounters

Within Western contexts, philanthropy has been conceptualized as formal and organizational, with less emphasis on its informal contours. This paper identifies social solidarity as crucial to understanding philanthropy in African contexts. The first section explores concepts of philanthropy, such as reciprocity and cooperation. Second, recognizing solidarity as a key aspect of philanthropy, we review how social solidarity has been theorized and studied. Third, we illustrate how philanthropy in Kenya and Uganda is embedded within specific contexts. Philanthropy can be found in horizontal (formal), vertical (informal), and hybrid forms. Alongside formal philanthropy, efforts to benefit others in Africa often emerge informally …

The One Generates All Things: Founder Competencies And Firm Performance In Chinese Semiconductor Enterprises, Aiyang Wang

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

The semiconductor industry originated in the United States in the 1940s and serves as the cornerstone of the modern information technology industry. Semiconductors, hailed as the "grain of industry", are of utmost significance to China, a country that builds its foundation on manufacturing. With the escalation of China's industrial upgrading and global competition, a large number of semiconductor enterprises have been established in China in recent years.

Based on the Upper Echelons Theory, this paper commences from the literature on founder research in entrepreneurship studies, and in conjunction with small-sample interviews, proposes the "521" model for observing Chinese semiconductor enterprise …

Research On The Mechanism Of China's Stock Market And The Efficiency Of Factor-Based Stock Selection Strategies, Huaixiang Xing

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Based on the data of 4280 firms listed on China's A-share market from 2010 to 2023, this paper constructs 20 market factors and 4 financial factors to systematically study multi factor stock selection strategies in China's stock market. Furthermore, this article analyzes the impact of China's capital market mechanisms on stock selection strategies, which include margin trading and securities lending mechanism, Mainland-Hong Kong Stock Connect mechanism, analyst coverage mechanism, and information disclosure mechanism. The main conclusions are as follows:

Firstly, this paper reveals that 12 market factors, including size, price, and liquidity are all effective pricing factors, and the strategy …

The Influence Of Venture Capitalists’ Value-Added Service On Capital Financing Outcome: A Research On Chinese Biotech Startups, Hao-Yu Huang

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

China’s biotechnology sector has undergone rapid evolution, driven by government policy, capital market reform, and growing global demand for pharmaceutical innovation. Venture capitalists (VCs) have played an increasingly pivotal role not only as financiers but also as strategic partners offering value-added services (VAS). These interventions include operational mentorship, regulatory navigation, talent pipeline facilitation, and strategic repositioning. However, the extent to which such non-financial support influences financing outcomes across startup development stages remains underexplored—particularly in the context of China's unique institutional and industrial environment.

This dissertation examines how VC post-investment interventions affect the financing success of biotech startups in China. Drawing …

Research On Inheritance And Innovation Of Chinese Time - Honored Brands On Brand Attachment, Jiangbo Yin

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Balancing inheritance and innovation to achieve brand revitalization is a pressing practical issue for both academia and industry. This study adopts a dual perspective of enterprises and consumers, selecting the Cantonese cuisine time-honored brand "Tao Tao Ju" as the research subject, and employs a mixed-methods combining qualitative and quantitative research to explore the mechanism on inheritance and innovation of Chinese time-honored brands on brand attachment.

Study 1 utilizes grounded theory to construct a multidimensional structure of inheritance and innovation of Chinese time-honored brands: inheritance dimensions include product and service inheritance, brand spirit inheritance, and historical and cultural inheritance; innovation dimensions …

Analysis On Factors For The Success Of China's Industrial Parks -- "Crown Model" And Its Empirical Research, Ming Qiu

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Since the reform and opening-up policy, China has systematically promoted the development and construction of economic and technological development zones, high-tech industrial development zones, and various types of industry-focused functional parks by drawing on successful international models and integrating them with China’s context. This has been carried out from the central government to local governments to foster the clustering of regional industries, facilitate industrial upgrading, drive large-scale employment, increase GDP, generate continuous tax revenue, and accelerate urbanization. These efforts have been pivotal in transforming local economies and enhancing China’s competitive advantage in the global market. The author, with 20 years …

A Study On Paths And Effectiveness Of Internationalization Of Chinese Apparel Enterprises, Xiaohong Gao

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

As globalization advances, international expansion has become a key strategy for firms to enhance their competitive edge. Nevertheless, current literature predominantly centers on developed countries, often overlooking the distinct obstacles and prospects encountered by companies from emerging markets. This gap is particularly evident in the apparel sector, where the impact of branding strategies on internationalization outcomes remains underexplored. This paper constructs an analytical framework of “internationalization context - internationalization pathway selection - internationalization performance”, combines case studies and empirical analysis to explore this research issue in depth, and applies the results of the research to enterprise practice.

This paper analyzes …

Research On The Economic Performance And Process Optimization Strategies In Chinese Agricultural Enterprises, Zili Xu

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

With the booming digital economy, digital transformation has become a key strategy for global enterprises to enhance competitiveness and optimize economic performance. This dissertation takes Chinese agricultural enterprises as the research subject and deeply explores the impact of digital transformation on corporate economic performance and strategies for business process optimization.

The dissertation first reviews the research progress on the digital transformation of agricultural enterprises. Secondly, it uses qualitative text analysis and machine learning technology to assess the digital level of Chinese agricultural enterprises and analyzes their current status and characteristics. The empirical study employs a fixed-effects model and finds that …

Csr As Hedging Against Institutional Transition Risk: Corporate Philanthropy After The Sunflower Movement In Taiwan, Yishu Cai, Lori Yue, Fangwen Lin, Shipeng Yan, Haibin Yang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Firms with political connections to a regime with an authoritarian history face a dilemma when the regime undergoes a democratic transition. Such connections provide an essential competitive advantage when the regime is in power but become a liability when an institutional transition brings democratic change. This study theorizes that when mass protests expose a regime’s distorted policies favoring elites over others and signal a high probability of regime turnover, firms may hedge against the risks associated with their political connections by engaging in philanthropy. We further contend that this effect is stronger for firms located in regions characterized by the …

Director Overseas Experience And Cross-Border Acquisitions: Evidence From China, Liu Chenxi, Mengyao Kang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This study investigates the impact of director overseas experience on firms’ cross-border acquisition decisions. We find that firms with directors who have overseas experience tend to engage in more cross-border acquisitions. This finding remains robust across various types of overseas experience. This correlation is unlikely to be influenced by omitted variable biases or driven by reverse causality, where firms deliberately employ directors with overseas experience before initiating cross-border acquisitions. Additionally, director overseas experience is associated with higher announcement returns and enhanced post-merger performance. Further analysis reveals that director overseas experience affects cross-border acquisition decisions primarily through the cultural inclusivity channel. …

De-Dollarization And South Asia: Challenges And Opportunities For Nepal In A Multipolar Currency World, Keshav Bhattarai, Ambika P. Adhikari

Himalayan Research Papers Archive

The United States dollar’s dominance as the global reserve currency, established under the 1944 Bretton Woods system, persists despite the 1971 decoupling of the gold backing to the dollar. Its liquidity, stability, and full support by the US government confer a solid financial security and advantage to the currency, including a universal acceptance of the dollar and a relatively low borrowing cost. Because of these reasons, the US dollar has been able to dominate the global financial markets for the past eight decades. However, the rapidly emerging global political and economic power shifts are challenging the status of the US …

How Strategic Investors Drive The Transformation And Upgrading Of China's Automotive Industry, Gongwei Wang

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

This dissertation conducts a systematic study on the successful transformation and upgrading of China's automotive industry over the past decade, especially the remarkable progress made in the field of Electric and Intelligent Vehicles, and examines how China's automotive industry chain has seized the historical opportunity of the great transformation of the global automotive industry by “Four Modernizations”—electrification, intelligentization, lightweighting and modularization along the path of "Independent Innovation", and realized the overall improvement of both corporate performance and industrial strength under the synergy of strategic investors.

China has newly become the world's largest automotive exporter and successfully built up an advantageous …

Technology-Enhanced Personalized Learning: Lessons From Online Teaching At Three South-East Asian Universities, Kiran Kaur, Rohaida Mohd Saat, Lieven Demeester, Magdeleine Lew, Wei Leng Neo, Nopphol Pausawasdi, Thasaneeya Ratanaroutai Nopparatjamjomras

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic compelled many instructors to seek efficient and effective ways to stay connected with their students and improve the learning experience by using a wide range of available technologies. This multiple-case study, in three South-East Asian universities, investigated whether the use of technology in university teaching and learning during that period influenced personalized learning, and if so, how. The study also explored the kinds of institutional support for teachers and learners that led to increased technology-enhanced personalized learning (TEPL). Using a qualitative approach, the study analyzed 23 individual interviews and 3 document analyses (circulars, announcements, …

Geographic Distance And State's Grip: Information Asymmetry, State Inattention, And Firm Implementation Of State Policy, Xiyi Yang, Heli Wang, Xiaoyu Zhou

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

In this study, we develop the argument that geographic distance between the state and local governments undermines the state's capacity to influence the implementation of state policies by local organizations. Drawing from information economics and the attention-based view, we propose that physical distance reduces the state's monitoring effectiveness through two interrelated mechanisms: information asymmetry and state leaders' inattention to distant issues. Using data of Chinese public firms' implementation of environmental activities between 2008 and 2016, we find that firms conduct fewer environmental activities required by the state when they are regulated by local governments that are more geographically distant to …

Producer-Oriented And Consumer-Oriented Alternative Food Networks And Rural Revitalization In China: Distinct Trajectories And Variegated Impacts, Meiling Wu, Qian Forrest Zhang

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Alternative food networks (AFNs) have been increasingly perceived as an engine for rural revitalization, yet AFNs can differ in their founding motivations, operational methods, and organizational forms, which thus produce varying economic, social, and environmental outcomes. Despite this, the complexity of AFNs in the role of rural revitalization remains surprisingly under-researched. This study, drawing a distinction between producer-oriented and consumer-oriented AFNs in China, explores the dynamics of how producer-oriented and consumer-oriented AFNs are formed and give rise to distinct trajectories of rural revitalization. When AFNs prioritize producers' pursuit of alternatives to conventional agrifood systems over merely catering to urban consumers’ …

Repositioning North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato): The New Security Dilemma On Trans–Atlantic Relations Amid Shifting Global Geopolitics, Daniel C. George, Indra Alverdian

Journal of Strategic and Global Studies

The shifting global geopolitics have led to a new security dilemma in Europe, especially in trans–Atlantic relations. NATO as the vanguard of the trans–Atlantic defense pact is faced with transitional conditions of non-conventional threats that return to conventional threats. Due to the shift in the new global order, these threats require a repositioning for NATO to counter the new security dilemma amidst shifting global geopolitics. By referring to the three asserted pillars–the return of conventional warfare on the European continent; a more assertive Russia in the European continent under Vladimir Putin; and the geopolitical of China's rise impacted trans–-Atlantic …

The History And Manifestations Of The Metaverse In Contemporary Literature, Marlon Semuel Contantin Kansil, Wanting Sun

Journal of Strategic and Global Studies

The metaverse, an interactive and immersive virtual world, has emerged as a critical theme in contemporary literature, significantly impacting narratives and character development. This paper explores the history and literary manifestations of the metaverse, investigating its influence on identity, space, and social interactions. We find that the metaverse supports flexible and individualistic identities, reshaping how characters and readers understand themselves. The digital space of the metaverse provides a dynamic setting for moral and emotional conflicts, enriching the literary aesthetics of space. Furthermore, literature plays a crucial role in both shaping and reflecting the concept of the metaverse, employing symbolism and …

The Cashew Nut Industry In Mongu District: Origins, Development, And Impact, 1972–2011, Namushi Situtu

Zambia Social Science Journal

This article explores the contribution of the cashew nut industry to the economic development of Mongu district. The industry was introduced in Mongu district after the Zambian government embarked on the creation of agricultural schemes to reduce the economic imbalance, inherited from the colonial government, between urban and rural areas. The new United National Independence Party government, which came to power in 1964, wanted to develop rural areas through an improved peasantry class. This led to the establishment of agricultural schemes in various rural parts of the country. Due to the sandy terrain of Mongu district, the cashew nut industry …

Analysing The Us—China “Ai Cold War” Narrative, Yujia He, Richard Heeks

Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce Faculty Publications

Discussions about artificial intelligence (AI) are gaining prominence in the recent revival of “cold war” narratives comparing US-China relations today to the historical rivalry between the US and the Soviet Union. Drawing on a review of existing academic and policy literature engaging with the “AI cold war” narrative, this paper examines how the narrative is justified, and numerous ways that it can be challenged. It finds that the framing is largely driven by the securitisation of AI, as state actors and policy pundits view AI innovations’ dual-use capabilities as key to national security and ideological competition. However, critics posit that …

Volume 28, Issue 1 Full Contents

Midwest Social Sciences Journal

No abstract provided.

Adaptation For Whom? Understanding The Impacts Of Dyke Policies On Small-Scale Farmers In Ca Mau Province Of Vietnam, Nguyen Minh Quang, Nguyen Van Minh, Nguyen Vo Chau Ngan, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Low-lying deltas worldwide are extremely vulnerable to sea-level rise. As the risks of climate-induced flooding become increasingly clear, the thirst for infrastructure-driven adaptation increases. This highlights a patent need to understand the impacts of engineering adaptation solutions, especially those targeting built structures such as dykes and sluices, on farmers from a bottom-up, farmer-centred perspective. The study addresses this call by examining cases where dyke policies, while successful in some dimensions, have undermined small-scale farmer livelihoods in Ca Mau ― Vietnam’s southernmost rural province. It identifies areas in need of attention and adds empirical data related to this group of farmers. …

Identifying Intangible And Biocultural Heritage Elements Toward Environmental Understanding: Engaging Stakeholders Through Art, Martha B. Lerski

Publications and Research

Grounded in a case study in Barbuda in the Caribbean, this research examines sustainability from the perspective of what arts and heritage can contribute to community engagement and local and broader understandings about the environment. This article documents a growing body of literature recognizing the role of arts and culture, including local knowledge and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), in climate change endeavors. Art and TEK present expansive world views. Contextual information situates research done on the island of Barbuda pre- and post-Hurricane Irma. Visual arts workshops engaged community members in mixed methods research. Results documented cultural elements, particularly intangible and …

A Geopolitical Economy Analysis Of China And India’S Approaches To Transnational Data Governance, Yujia He, Ka Zeng

Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce Faculty Publications

Recent literature on the behavior of rising powers in digital trade and data governance highlights their discourses of data sovereignty and desire to preserve domestic policy autonomy. This article contributes to the literature by employing a political economy lens that shifts the focus from the nation-state/inter-state framework towards the dynamics of state–capital relations, allowing for a more historical and contextual understanding of the geopolitics of data governance in emerging economies. Using China and India—two of the largest emerging economies—as comparative cases, and drawing on secondary data from government documents and other sources, the article argues that the interplay between the …

Ethnic Politics And Fiscal Dominance: Implications For Currency Union Formation In Sub-Saharan Africa, Benjamin D. Keen, Christine O. Strong

Economics Faculty Publications

Numerous currency unions have been proposed in Africa over the past 50 years, but none have succeeded. This paper asserts ethnic favouritism is a crucial yet often overlooked feature that strongly influences an African government’s willingness to join a currency union. We use a Barro and Gordon (1983) style model that incorporates fiscal dominance, political business cycles and ethnic favouritism to assess the benefits and costs to African households and governments of joining a currency union. Our results show that ethnic alignment between the head of state and central bank governor amplifies fiscal dominance, which reduces an African government’s desire …

How Can Chinese Culture Go Abroad? Evidence From Successful Establishment Of Chinese Academic Foreign Translation Projects, Tian Lan

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

Compared to Chinese economy scale, the global understanding and recognition of Chinese culture are quite superficial, it is crucial to promote Chinese culture go abroad through academic exchanges between China and other countries. This study explores and validates the relationship and applicability of Chinese culture “Going Global” based on the translation project of Chinese academic works. Through case analysis and the development of data models, it aims to provide theoretical guidance and practical tools for relevant institutions and individuals.

The study begins with qualitative research on cases, describing and analyzing typical examples to demonstrate how Chinese Academic Translation (CAT) projects …

Transit-Oriented Development On Aquidneck Island: Considering The Costs And Benefits Of Restoring Passenger Rail Between Fall River, Massachusetts, And Newport, Rhode Island, Maeve M. Newton

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

This thesis considers the costs and benefits of restoring historic infrastructure as transit-oriented development on Aquidneck Island, and its potential to bridge social and economic gaps between the urban communities of Newport, Rhode Island, and Fall River, Massachusetts. There is a direct need for more robust public transportation on Aquidneck Island along with environmentally friendly planning initiatives, and reinstating the Newport Secondary Rail Line for passenger rail service to the new Fall River MBTA station is one important way for historic preservation to be utilized for the improvement of sustainability and socioeconomic equity in the region. Original research will be …

America’S Hidden Heroine: The Revolutionary Experience Of Deborah Sampson, Rebecca A. Dawson

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

This thesis explores the life of Deborah Sampson, a female soldier in the Fourth Massachusetts Regiment during the American Revolution. The author discusses how and why Sampson joined the military, the challenges she had to overcome, and her experience as the first American woman to lead a public lecture tour. Sampson continues to serve as an embodiment of resilience, courage, and the Spirit of ‘76.

“Tw-Ironic": The Ironic Consumption Of Media Examined Through Twilight, Sydney J. Rooney

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

“It’s so bad it’s good” is a phrase often uttered in order to justify watching, reading, or listening to a piece of media with a poor reputation. In the 20 years since the first novel’s debut, the Twilight saga has become renowned for its massive level of popularity and influence. However, it has also faced a great deal of backlash and criticism for a variety of reasons, which affected the nature of the fan base. Through analysis of short-form content, the ironic consumption of Twilight media is observed in contemporary times.