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This study investigates stock market anomalies in the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange (KLSE), Malaysia, with some comparisons with three other Far-Eastern markets, namely the Stock Exchange of Singapore (SES), the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) and the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (SEHK). The main anomaly investigated is overreaction in the KLSE. Seasonality and firm size effects, which are usually associated with the overreaction effect, are also examined individually, and in the context of the overreaction effect. The impact of time-varying risk on overreaction is also investigated. First, stock market seasonality across four markets - KLSE, SES, SET and SEHK- is examined. The evidence suggests the existence of December and January effects in Singapore and Hong Kong respectively. A Chinese New Year effect is observed in all countries except Thailand. Next, stock market overreaction in the KLSE is investigated. Two portfolios of extreme stocks (based on their past 3-year excess returns) are formed, and their performance is measured in the next three years for evidence of overreaction. The initial results are consistent with overreaction; winner (loser) portfolios, which outperform (underperform) the market in the prior period, underperform (outperform) the market in the next period. The reversal in performance is more dramatic for losers. Further analyses show that risk and size factors cannot explain fully the observed phenomenon. A seasonal pattern is revealed in the excess returns of winners and losers; there is a pronounced February effect in both. Moreover, the February effect is observed to be greater for smaller firms. Lastly, a post-script chapter is included whereby the effect of the recent Asian economic turmoil on the markets, and on KLSE overreaction, is looked at. It is found that several months into the crisis, both winners and losers underperform the market.

Thesis (D.Min.)-Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, 2006 / Abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 245-254).

The global strategies of the three South African retail giants are examined with a view to understand what factors motivate South African multinational enterprises to move into Africa, as well as what motivates their particular choice of countries, and how the capabilities and resources are deployed and managed in their foreign operations, so as to remain competitive in both local and foreign markets. The South African retail giant geographic expansion is a way to penetrate new markets, explore new opportunities and deliver the growth they seek on the journey to high performance. Their choice of countries is determined by various factors that contribute to the competitive nature of a country, namely: national values and cultures; macro and micro economic environment; political stability; institutions, and history. As these emerging market multinational enterprises cannot depend on countryspecific advantages, the contenders accelerate their development of firm-specific advantages at a rapid rate. South African companies have developed expertise for trading in Africa as they are more familiar with the physical, regulatory and social terrain than businesses from other parts of the world. The market, the culture and realities of infrastructure, poverty, lack of skills, as well as the technology in their non-South African operations are not a shock to the South African companies. The business strategies will, therefore, not entirely be the same as those of the multinationals from the developed world. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Adolescence and emerging adulthood are transition points that offer both opportunities and constraints on individual development. The purpose of this study is threefold: First, to examine two models (i.e., young adolescents in grades 7 and 8 and older adolescents in grade 12) of heavy episodic drinking and examine how heavy episodic drinking affects subsequent educational attainment. By utilizing two different developmental transitions, i.e., middle school to high school and high school to college, it may be possible to better understand the temporal effects of alcohol use and subsequent educational attainment. The second purpose of this study is to examine how alcohol use at Time 1 may lead to the problems in the adolescent’s immediate context due to alcohol (i.e., problems with parents, peers, romantic relationships, problems at school) and to examine if these problems affect educational attainment over and above alcohol use alone. The third purpose of this study is to examine the potential gender differences in these models. The study uses data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, which is a large scale, nationally representative school based sample of 20,745 adolescents who were interviewed in grades 7 to 12. Two longitudinal mediational models were evaluated utilizing structural equation modeling. Binge drinking and number of days drunk were used as indicators for a latent variable of heavy episodic drinking (i.e., LHED). In the 7th and 8th grade model, direct effects of LHED were found to predict educational attainment at grade 12. Additionally, in the 7th and 8th grade sample, a mediated relationship was found whereby educational attainment was predicted by problems with parents. Problems with parents were predicted by number of days drunk in the past year. In the 12th grade sample, there were no direct effects or indirect effects of alcohol on educational attainment. This study highlights the need for using a longitudinal framework when examining heavy episodic drinking’s effects on educational attainment.

Abstract not available.

Wide and direct bandgap semiconductors (WBSs) are promising materials for many deep UV (DUV) applications. However, several challenges presently hinder the enhancement of DUV optoelectronics, such as low crystal quality, as well as complex and costly fabrication and growth processes that prevent production of high-performance devices, especially for large-scale applications. As a part of the study reported in this dissertation, I demonstrate several novel WBS-based devices with improved or novel functionalities, for the first time. The first part of work reported in this dissertation is designated for the novel, highly ordered and well-defined hexagonal ZnO nanotube (NT) arrays that were obtained without a catalyst. These arrays were grown on a p-GaN template using pulsed laser deposition (PLD), resulting in a highly bright and cost-effective UV light emitting diode (LED). In the second part, Gd-doped ZnO NRs grown on cost-effective metal substrate by PLD are presented and it is demonstrated that these can be functionalized by CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite to extend the functionality of ZnO photodetector from the ultraviolet to the infrared region (λ > 1000 nm), for the first time. The work reported in the third part demonstrates that the PLD method adopted in the present study can be extended to other high-quality metal oxide nanostructures. For this purpose, uniform p-type CuO pyramids were grown by PLD on Si substrate without a metal catalyst. Moreover, laser ablation method was advanced from vacuum based (PLD) to liquid based (femtosecond-laser ablation in liquid − FLAL) method to synthesize high-quality ZnO quantum dots (QDs). Adoption of this novel strategy allows producing high-performance self-powered DUV photodetectors based on p-CuO pyramids/n-ZnO QDs heterojunction device. In the last part, this research field is further advanced by exploring the functionality of other metal oxides synthesized by FLAL to fabricate a high-performance self-powered DUV photodetector. Such photodetector was fabricated using p-MnO QDs that were synthesized by FLAL and functionalized by high-quality mechanically exfoliated n-β-Ga2O3 nanoflakes as an active heterojunction layer grown on SiO2, confirming its superior response. All fabrication strategies, including use of heterojunction structures (mainly p−n junction), adopted in this work overcome the aforementioned issues related to the currently available WBS devices.

Thesis advisor: Sarah Babb / Because technology consulting came out of management consulting, it should be clear that the jurisdiction of a technology consultant is what a management consultant does but with an emphasis on technology. With existing research, it does not seem so certain that the jurisdiction is as clear cut as believed because jurisdictions must have their expertise and cannot adopt all the skills and values of an existing jurisdiction. My research sets out to identify any differences between the ways employers see the jurisdiction of technology consultants and how technology consultants themselves see their jurisdiction through a series of job descriptions/ client services and interviews as the profession emerged out of management consulting. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2022. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Departmental Honors. / Discipline: Sociology.

The current study examines how risk factors such as psychopathology and risky sexual behavior may impact quality of life negatively and how protective factors such as perceived positive parenting, social support, and self-efficacy may impact quality of life positively. The sample consisted of 507 participants aged 18 to 29 years enrolled at a southeastern university. Results indicate that higher levels of risky sexual behavior were associated with higher levels of psychopathology; lower scores on all quality of life subscales; and lower levels of perceived positive parenting, social support, and selfefficacy. Higher scores on all quality of life subscales were associated with higher levels of perceived positive parenting, social support, and self-efficacy and lower levels of psychopathology. When all factors were examined in a regression, the effects of perceived positive parenting, social support, and self-efficacy on quality of life were greater than the effects of RSB and psychopathology.

To date, research has established that parents continue to play a significant role in the lives of their emerging adult children. For example, parents continue to engage in parenting practices, such as providing ongoing, intensive support to their emerging adult children; however, few studies have examined the strategies that parents use when their children do not comply with their commands. Emerging evidence suggests parents do engage in discipline practices during this time and the use of harsh discipline (i.e., physical aggression) is associated with negative mental health outcomes for emerging adults. However, to our knowledge, no measure of discipline strategies used in emerging adulthood exists. Thus, the current study developed and examined the psychometric properties of the Domains of Young Adult Discipline Scale (DYADS), a multi-item measure of parental discipline strategies used during emerging adulthood. Results of CFAs revealed the best fitting model contained 25-items and spanned 4 domains of discipline. The final DYADS correlated as expected with existing parenting measures as well as a gross measure of emerging adult mental health. Implications for future research are discussed.