Economic growth has spurred rapid urbanization in Malaysia and triggered changes in diet, lifestyle, and disease trends. National studies show that a third of Malaysia's population is overweight/obese while household expenditures on dining out grow. In metropolitan Kuala Lumpur (KL), residents navigate concepts of nutrition, body weight, and health as they dine out. Using the biocultural framework, this study examined links between body weight, diet, income, street food consumption, and nutritional knowledge through the perspectives of consumers and vendors. Altogether, 77 participants were recruited for this three-phase research. In the first phase, a survey was administered to 60 participants recruited at street food sites around KL. In the second phase, semi-structured interviews, anthropometry, and diet recalls were conducted on 13 participants. Finally, semi-structured interviews and observations were carried out on four street food vendors at their places of business. Though the findings in this research did not show statistical relationships between body weight status, income, and dining out in KL, telling diet and lifestyle trends emerged. Work mediates the lives of participants, often dictating their diet and capacity to engage in physical activity. Though most female participants work, they still bear the expectations of meal provisioning. These factors encourage the consumption of food away from home, and the commercialization and gentrification of the local street food industry. When viewed critically through the biocultural framework, these observations support the idea that trade liberalization and domestic economic policies have induced demographic changes, household transformations, and dietary adaptations among urban dwellers in KL.

This study examines the effects of delisting on firm value, risk and market liquidity. In a world where markets are becoming increasingly integrated, delistings may prove counter productive. We use the unique event, free from company specifics, that occurred on January 2, 1990 in the stock exchanges of Singapore and Malaysia to test for the above effects. On that day, dual listed companies were required to delist from the foreign stock exchange. We also use this event to test if the Singapore and Malaysia markets are globally integrated. Since financial data is found to show persistence in volatility, we model the return generating process in a generalized autoregressive conditionally heteroskedastic (GARCH) framework that takes into consideration changing volatility. For comparison purposes, OLS and Time-Deformation models are included. The study found delistings to decrease firm value, the size of which is related to how actively the stocks were previously traded on the foreign stock exchange. Risk levels increased following delistings. Nevertheless, thinly traded stocks showed significant changes in neither firm value nor riskiness. Further evidence of new listings to increase firm value was noted. Consistent with the political motive hypothesis, delisted stocks showed an increase in post-event volume, but however, lost relative liquidity compared with other stocks. While all portfolios considered show evidence for existence of conditional heteroskedasticity, comparison with standard OLS event-study results yields similar conclusions, although the return generating models with GARCH errors result in lower abnormal return variances. As for the time-deformation model, trading volume was found to be a good proxy for rate of information flow only for smaller capitalized stocks. Correlation and regression analyses showed that the Singapore and Malaysia markets are integrated to some degree with the international markets, such that a major delistings event between both markets did not change the pricing of risk in these markets.

During the late 1980s, government agencies in many countries commenced the implementation of public sector management reforms in an effort to improve their efficiency and effectiveness. Many of these reforms arose as a result of demands placed on governments for improved use of public funds. These reforms, which have been wide ranging, have involved important improvements in the methods in which public sector agencies collect and report information related to accountability, particularly in the area of performance measurement. This study seeks to add to the literature on public sector accountability and performance measurement by undertaking a comparative cross-country study involving Australia and Malaysia, a developed and a developing country. Each of these countries have adopted, in varying degrees, reforms to their public sector reporting mechanisms as a result of major demands for changes to public sector funding, accountability and reporting methods. Within the study, a multiple theory approach is undertaken which uses aspects of both agency theory and institutional theory to provide a more informed understanding of the impact specific influential parties have on the level of disclosure and dissemination of accountability related information. This study examines the impact of agency and institutional related variables on the extent and frequency of the disclosure and dissemination of performance measurement information by Australian and Malaysian government departments. / The major sources of data for this study comprise firstly, an analysis of the 2003/2004 annual reports of Australian and Malaysian government departments, secondly semi-structured interviews with senior finance officers of selected government departments and thirdly, a questionnaire survey forwarded to senior finance officers of all government departments in Australia and Malaysia. The findings of the content analysis and interviews concerning performance indicator disclosure by Australian Federal government departments show that cost and effectiveness performance indicators are the most disclosed indicator. For Malaysian Federal government departments, results and quantity performance indicators are the most disclosed indicators. For Australia, performance dissemination happens most often on a monthly basis whilst for Malaysia this occurs more regularly on an annual basis. In relation to performance indicator dissemination, Australian government departments are making increased use of the web to disseminate performance indicators whilst the main method of dissemination for Malaysia is their availability upon request. The major questionnaire was prepared using the annual report content analysis and interviews as a base and it was sent to the senior financer officers of all Australian and Malaysian Government Departments. The questionnaire resulted in a 37.1% response rate for Australia and a 21.7% response rate for Malaysian departments. The questionnaire was used as the base to test the influence of agency theory-related variables and institutional theory-related variables and culture on performance indicator disclosure and dissemination. / The results of the agency theory-related variables rejected the hypothesised influence of oversight bodies on performance indicator disclosure and dissemination for both Australian and Malaysian government departments. The relevant size of government departments was also rejected as being an influence on the frequency of performance indicator disclosure by both countries. However, for Australian government departments, a significant influence for frequency of size of government departments of performance indicator dissemination was found to exist. The citizenry was found to have no significant influence on performance indicator disclosure by both countries. However, in the case of Malaysia, the citizenry were found to have an influence on the level of performance indicator dissemination. The results of the institutional theory related variables provided evidence that none of the variables have an influence on the frequency of performance indicator disclosure and dissemination in both countries. Finally, the results for culture showed there is a level of influence of culture on the frequency of performance indicator disclosure and dissemination. Overall the results of this study indicate both some differences and similarities between Australia and Malaysia government departments in the disclosure and dissemination of performance indicators. There is evidence in this study to indicate that in Australia, both efficiency and effectiveness performance indicators are being disclosed more often in the annual reports of government departments. However, the results for Malaysia show a considerably lower level of disclosure of efficiency and effectiveness performance indicators in government departments' annual reports than in Australia. / Therefore the contrasts between the mail survey results and interview results provide for some future research that could expand the interview survey to include a larger sample to see if the Sofas perceptions are the same or different in regards to performance indicator disclosure and dissemination. The dual paradigm (agency and institutional) modeling of the determinants of performance indicator disclosure and dissemination have provided important findings from the perspectives of both the variables and the countries on which this study was based. The important findings of this study are that accountability and managerially have had differing emphases in Australia as compared to Malaysia, and that there are varying levels of disclosure, dissemination and use of performance measurement information between both individual government departments and the countries in which they reside. A range of future research possibilities are generated by this study. These possibilities range from extending the context of the hypotheses to encompass other government entities, other countries and other forms of performance measurement.

Despite the tremendous achievement in economic development over the past four decades since independence, Malaysia is facing a problem of environmental degradation at a rapid pace. In searching for Malaysian approach to alter this trend, this thesis is written against a background of concern for a balanced development in economy and social wellbeing and simultaneously preserving the environment. The aim of the study is to identify an alternative approach in managing the local environment for health, starting from a value position of regard for local knowledge and abilities, and for scientists and administrators working together with local knowledge and abilities, and for scientists and administrators working together with local communities in their natural settings. Findings from this study offer a range of lessons for those who wish to integrate local and scientific knowledge. The research approach proved capable of documenting the separate realities of the place-based and the knowledge-based communities within a common interpretative framework. The place-based communities held realistic interpretations of their capacity to contribute to local sustainable development, distinct from one another and also distinct from the same events as perceived by the scientific community. The conclusion is drawn that each needs the other for any effective local application of scientific findings or government support. Finally, this has not been a study of top-down or bottom up but from the 'inside-out' with a small study of the 'outside-in.' It offers another perspective and an extra set of tools or strategies for the professionals' community to work with local communities in their environmental management for health. The desired outcome would be for the local communities to contribute as a full partner to the dominant scientific studies in designing local management strategies. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore are of key strategic importance for Australia. These three nations form the geographic and arguably the political core of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The growing resilience of ASEAN over the last quarter of a century has been a major factor in Australia's secure strategic outlook. In addition, the Indonesia - Malaysia - Singapore triangle lies across the most feasible military approaches to Australia. Hence strategic cohesion in this triangle greatly reduces the prospect of any kind of military threat to Australia.

Research attention on word of mouth (WOM) communication is growing in necessity and popularity as recent studies continue to confirm that WOM has a significant effect on consumer and organisational decision-making and buying behaviour. Much of the theory generated from this field of communications research has been based on product purchase situations that take place in the United States. More recent developments in the stream of research have begun to address WOM in service contexts and also driven a need to test the reliability of previous works in other countries and cultures. The research problem of this thesis emerged from such needs to further develop WOM theory and is defined by two key statements: (i) How does perceived source credibility and the content (message) of personal communication shape and determine the nature of a WOM system? (ii) What likely influence does culture have on a WOM system? The WOM system conceptualised within this thesis refers to a network of actors in which, personal, verbal, face to face communication occurs. It also refers to the nature of the information exchanged and how these messages determine which actors within the system participate. Addressing the need for further research into service-based contexts, the industry of export education was identified as an ideal environment in which to investigate the problem. In particular, international students (current and potential) were interviewed and surveyed on how WOM is used to gather information to make a decision on where to study. A predictive model of referral source selection is developed as the significant contribution to theory resulting from the qualitative and quantitative research employed in the methodology. The qualitative research was exploratory in nature and designed to understand the decision-making process international students went through before making a choice on their study destination. In depth interviews confirmed that WOM was used frequently throughout this process and identified the important pieces of information sought after by students and which sources the students consulted to obtain the information. International students are concerned about the international recognition of a university, teaching styles, tuition fees, graduate prospects and how compatible the lifestyle of the host country is for them amongst many issues. They consult a variety of personal sources including family, friends, alumni, university agents and even their school teachers. The main quantitative study in this thesis surveyed 420 university students from China and Malaysia and was designed to provide theory verification for the WOM system and explore potential impacts of culture on this system. Firstly, four common WOM themes were identified from all of the content exchanged through WOM between students and their referral sources. These themes are grouped as; informational messages, comparative messages, personal perspectives and guidance messages. The WOM system was then depicted as a predictive model of referral source selection based on which WOM themes are exchanged between actors. As consumers progress through a structured decision-making process, their information requirements (WOM themes) change and so do the sources selected to deliver the information. Secondly, important differences in WOM behaviour emerged between the Chinese and Malaysian samples. Although students from both countries are equally influenced by personal sources of communication, Malaysians considered alumni friends and parent/family sources to be more influential than the Chinese. Whereas the Chinese preferred talking with school teachers and close friends to help in their decisions. These findings added credible evidence of national culture effects to the predictive model of source selection. The thesis concludes by addressing limitations in the research - largely, that the study failed to produce evidence of cultural value dimensions impacting on the WOM system. The Chinese cultural value framework employed was well justified as an appropriate measure however, there were no equivalent measurements of Malaysian cultural values and the study was conducted on a limited convenience sample, making results difficult to generalise through Chinese and Malaysian populations. Further research was then suggested to address these limitations.

Knowledge is recognised as being an important asset in organisations these days. Despite this, many organisations are not doing enough to effectively manage this important asset for its competitive advantage. In response to this, knowledge management which is defined as a process that effectively creates, captures, shares and uses organisation-wide knowledge to improve the organisation's performance was conceived and has since gained widespread acceptance the world over. Despite its widespread acceptance, little is known about the current levels of knowledge management practice within the Malaysian context, in particular amongst the Multimedia Super Corridor status companies in Malaysia. In view of this, the research problem formulated for this study is: 'How and why do Multimedia Super Corridor status companies in Malaysia practise knowledge management?' Based on this research problem, three research questions that look specifically at the knowledge management enablers, knowledge management processes and knowledge management outcomes were identified based on the literature review. The literature review provides an overview of knowledge and the different types of knowledge. It then chronicles the developments of knowledge management and canvasses extant literature on knowledge management within the Malaysian context. It found that there are various enablers of knowledge management that may impact on the level of knowledge management practice in Malaysia. These enablers can be broadly categorised as culture, structure, people and information technology infrastructure. To further comprehend the knowledge creation process, this study utilised Nonaka and Takeuchi's (1995) socialisation, externalisation, combination and internalisation (SECI) model for knowledge creation. In addition to this, organisational efficiency, competitive advantage, maximisation of organisational potential, and better management of knowledge assets were identified as key knowledge management outcomes in organisations. These knowledge management enablers, processes and outcomes were used to develop a preliminary theoretical framework upon which this research was based upon. This exploratory research employs the use of qualitative multiple case studies operating within a critical realism research paradigm. This research uses a total of four cases with three interviews each giving a total of twelve interviews. The literature review and two in-depth convergent interviews were the basis upon which the interview protocol was formulated. This interview protocol was then administered to a pilot case involving three interviews. This process was repeated in the main data collection stage on three different cases with three interviews per case. The main findings of this research are the ten different enablers of knowledge management that either take on the roles of inhibitor or facilitator. The facilitators of knowledge management are collaboration, mutual trust, learning, leadership, incentives and rewards, IT infrastructure and T-shaped skills. The inhibitors of knowledge management are centralisation and kiasu-ism. Another variable - formalisation has both positive and negative effects on knowledge management as it acts as an inhibitor to the socialisation knowledge creation process but acts as a facilitator to the other three knowledge processes. This research also found that all four knowledge processes - socialisation, externalisation, combination and internalisation are being used by all cases to create knowledge with preference given to socialisation and combination. In addition, knowledge management is found to positively affect the organisations’ competitive advantage, organisational efficiency, maximising organisational potential and effective management of knowledge assets. Further research utilising a quantitative approach to test the theory developed from this study apart from analysing the new variable kiasu-ism and the concept of ba were suggested to better comprehend the practise of knowledge management in Malaysia.

Indonesia, Malaysia, The Philippines, and Thailand, have all chosen outward-oriented strat-egy over inward-oriented strategy to gain economic growth. This approach was due to the Asian miracles development. Therefore, protectionism had to cave in (Edwards, 1993). This thesis aim with the help of income terms of trade and GDPCAP to study the relation between trade and growth for these countries mentioned. Therefore, see if income terms of trade would work as an engine of growth for these countries. The purpose is to find a posi-tive correlation between the variables. ITT capture the price and volume effects when trade increases. That is why, ITT is used in this thesis, for the purpose that exports alone cannot explain growth if imports are left out. Time series was conducted with help of a unit root test, co-integration, and Granger causal-ity test. In each test made, the result provided showed of statistically significant values, hence, ITT is of relevance for growth in these countries, during 1980-2006.

Multinational companies (MNCs) often choose to locate near other MNCs in order to gain advantages from each other. This is one ingredient in creating a cluster, an area composed of companies, institutions and/or organisations, sharing a similar technology or knowledge base with mutual benefits for the cluster participants. Market forces have created the majority of the clusters in the world. Still, governments frequently aim at creating clusters in order to promote regional development and growth. This is the case with the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) in Malaysia that was launched in 1996. My purpose with this thesis is to examine if the creation and running of the MSC has had economical benefits for Malaysia and to examine the MSC’s potential to become profitable and productive. The MSC is a new technological area and it is still under construction. The return on investment seems to be negative and the area is dependent on the Malaysian government for its development. The infrastructure, political and economical factors seem, according to my analysis, to be sufficient for creating the MSC. However, the low level of human resource is a problem for the cluster. Furthermore, Malaysia’s comparative advantage does not seem to be in high-technology production but rather in high-quality manufacturing. Even though the MSC is unlikely to develop into a world leading high-technology cluster, it can help to transfer Malaysia into a new phase of development.

Gerillakrigföring som metod i konflikter som inte är mellanstatliga är aktuella att studera ur ett svensktperspektiv. Ett ökat internationellt militärt åtagande föranleder valet av ämne, samtidigt som okonventionellatillvägagångssätt omgärdas av fascination. Uppsatsen undersöker vilka faktorer som ligger bakomframgångar med gerillakrigföring, i syfte att öka medvetenheten om de företeelser som behöver uppmärksammasi en konflikt med gerillakrigsinslag.I arbetet utnyttjas en induktiv metod kombinerad med fallstudier. Inledningsvis skapas en definitionsgrundför gerillakrigföring. Därefter prövas teorin om krigföringens principer som framgångselement på krigen iAlgeriet (1954-62) samt Malaysia (1948-57). De viktigaste resultaten är att framgångsfaktorer på taktisknivå skiljer sig marginellt mellan gerillakrigföring och konventionell krigföring. Vidare har interaktionenmellan civilbefolkningen, motivet för kamp och aktörerna som brukar gerillametoder framkommit somytterst väsentlig för utgången av de studerade konflikterna.Problemställningen för undersökningen är: Beror det på krigföringens principer att gerillataktik kan varaframgångsrik? Den avslutande diskussionen konstaterar att vid ett möte med okonventionella metodermåste hela existensen för en konflikt beaktas. / Avdelning: ALB - Slutet Mag 3 C-uppsHylla: Upps. ChP 02-04