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We live in a globalized world that is changing rapidly. We interconnect between cultures in different ways. But what if we want to go global with a performance to go around the world, without modifying the piece? Is that possible? How to be international without losing the hear and now by reading subtitles? The diversity of sounds when speaking on stage can embrace otherness, the audience's encounter with a language that may not be familiar to them. This is my journey through creating a play to broaden the audiences I can reach as much as possible.

This thesis comprises three research essays. The study documents empirical evidence around the research themes by analysing a sample of the UK’s listed non-financial firms from 2005 to 2018. It applied panel data analysis (fixed or random effects) techniques and the potential endogeneity issue is controlled by using the two-step system, GMM. Earnings-management research holds that manipulating a firm's real activities is more damaging to its long-term growth and value than accruals manipulation. Therefore, by building on agency theory and emphasising board monitoring, first essay investigates the role of independent directors’ tenure and connection to several boards in controlling real earnings management (REM). This study finds that independent directors elected to board before appointment of current CEO are negatively associated with the level of REM. Furthermore, this research provides evidence that REM is higher in those firms whose INDs are connected to several boards at a time. Though economically insignificant in most of the models, this research also shows that the association between INDs’ tenure and REM varies with the phases of their tenure. Directors in the early stage of their tenure are observed as being less effective in controlling REM. However, as INDs’ tenure grows, they employ better oversight over management's conduct, thereby reducing REM. Contrary to this, the extended tenure of INDs is associated with higher REM. These results collectively suggest that the board monitoring role protects the stakes of shareholders/stakeholders by constraining REM; when INDs are free from the influence of CEO, they are not over-committed due to their presence on several boards, and they have moderate board tenure which is neither too short nor too long. Furthermore, drawing on collective contributions and group performance perspectives, second essay explores the role of board diversity in the firm’s R&D investment decisions. Additionally, building on a fault-line argument about a team's demographic attributes, the current research decomposes the impact of demographic and cognitive diversity on R&D spending. The research observes a positive relationship between board diversity and the level of R&D spending. Moreover, this research documents that cognitive diversity is positively associated with R&D investment. However, demographic diversity has an insignificant relationship with firms’ spending on R&D projects. Further, this study confirms that demographic diversity negatively moderates the relationship between cognitive diversity and R&D investment. These results suggest that the board's attributes as a group carry the significance to influence the decisions having strategic importance. The findings on the sub-dimensions of board diversity imply that board functional/cognitive diversity is more relevant to corporate decisions and outcomes than is demographic diversity. Based on the monitoring perspective (agency theory) and resource provision view (resource dependency theory), third essay investigates the role of independent directors’ specific attributes in the corporate propensity to R&D investment. The study documents a positive association between INDs’ moderate (median) tenure and the firm’s spending on R&D projects, but early and extended tenure is observed as being insignificant. INDs with a presence on three or fewer boards are observed to promote R&D investment. However, INDs sitting on more than three boards negatively affect the firm’s propensity to invest in R&D initiatives. Financially expert INDs are negatively associated with corporate R&D investments, suggesting that such directors may resist funding these projects beyond optimal risk level because of their expertise. These results suggest that INDs’ monitoring and advising competence improves as they spend time on the firm’s board, but that extended tenure is counterproductive as it impairs INDs’ impartiality. Furthermore, INDs’ capital (resources) accruing from connection to multiple boards is only beneficial for the firm’s strategic decisions if their monitoring role is not compromised because of their over-commitment (busyness). / Mirpur University of Science and Technology (MUST)

<p>Throughout my project, I focus on contemporary young adult historical fantasies that engage with legacies of systemic racism and Western Imperialism—a publishing trend that has developed due to an increased call for stories of racial inclusion in YA literature. These texts aim to create a more inclusive historical imagination by telling fictionalized histories that center people of color. Given the current political climate surrounding Critical Race Theory, my project analyzes how these texts both challenge and inadvertently perpetuate the logic of systemic racism. I argue that these historical fantasies attempt to acknowledge and untangle legacies of racism for audiences who, in the face of today’s reactionary political climate, may very well not be taught about them in their schools. My approach focuses on how, in their exploration of racism, these novels attempt corrective representation in the context of current social justice and racial reckoning movements, and grapple with the legacy of institutional racism in the here and now. As such, my project argues that we not only need diverse books in Western young adult fiction, but we also need more books that are willing to confront the persistent problems of systemic racism without perpetuating racial stereotypes or Eurocentric viewpoints. </p>

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Significant growth in the number of English language learners (ELLs) in U.S. schools is anticipated to continue, demanding that educators and evaluators have the skills necessary to distinguishing language difference from disability and provide appropriate services to these students. However, little research exists examining the role of evaluator's cultural competence in evaluating ELLs for special education; furthermore, what does exist shows that many evaluators report low levels of self-efficacy as it relates to assessing ELLs. The first chapter of the dissertation reports on a review of 21 articles conducted to address best practices for evaluating culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) learners, evaluator self-efficacy, and recommendations for conducting culturally competent assessments and evaluations. The majority of the articles identified in this review focused on recommendations for best practices for conducting evaluations rather than reporting empirical findings related to the topic. Only one study was identified that focused on appropriate training needed by evaluation staff to effectively discriminate between language difference and a disability. Based on the findings of this review, additional research, using a rigorous methodology is needed. Addressing that need, the second chapter reports the results of a study conducted to examine the effectiveness of Project PEAC3E (Preparing Evaluators to Accurately Conduct Culturally Competent Evaluations), a reform-oriented professional development model, using case-based activities designed to increase evaluators' sense of self-efficacy, cultural competence, and the accuracy of evaluator eligibility decisions for English language learners (ELLs). The study found that Project PEAC3E was effective in increasing evaluator self-efficacy.

This collective case study explores the nature of the relationship between teachers’ use of culturally responsive teaching (CRT) practices and students’ engagement in constructing viable arguments and critiquing the reasoning of others (SMP3). This study was informed by the Common Core State Standards Initiative related to developing mathematically proficient students through the use of student engagement practices consistent with the standards for mathematical practice. As a means to support teachers’ facilitating specific student engagement practices, professional development was provided. This study is situated in the growing body of research associated with student engagement and cultural identity. The case of two teachers was defined from interviews, classroom observations, journal prompts, and student artifacts. Data was collected before, during, and after professional development following a cross-case analysis. Four themes emerged: (a) shift in teacher practice; (b) depth and breadth of the knowledge of culturally responsive teaching and standard for mathematical practice three; (c) teacher reflection and reception; and (d) classroom management. The findings suggest that the shift in teacher practice can be supported by professional development focused on reflective practice. This shift is impacted by classroom management and teachers’ depth and breadth of their knowledge of CRT and SMP3.

The importance of supervision and the influence of this relationship on the process of supervision, is often underrated. In order for this process to be implementede success-fully knowledge of the different functions including the administrative- educational- and supportive functions is of the utmost importance. It is also becoming increasingly impor-tant that note should be taken of the impact that cultural differences has on supervisor-relationships, the supervisional process and the effectivity of rendering of service as so-cial service organisations increasingly consists of diverse staff members rendering service to a diverse clientelle. This descriptive study has as goal to describe the impact of cultural differences on the practice focussing on the function of supervision and the establishment of diverse organisations and problems arising in this connection. Carefull attention will be paid as to how respondents experience cultural differences in the working environment, their problems and their opinions of how to solve these problems effectively. Conclusions and recomendations were made, which focussed on problems arising as result of cultural differences. The compilation of tentative guidelines which could be usefull in establishing supervision services with greater cultural sensitivity were given. / Social Work / M.Diac (Maatskaplike Werk-Rigting)