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Cantonese opera has a long and profound history and has evolved over 700 years, making it unique and distinctive. In a diversified media and entertainment, Cantonese opera culture in Macao, like many other aspects of traditional Chinese cultures, is facing a general decline. Specific challenges include loss of audience, the decline and disintegration of professional groups, and reduced scope of the active repertoire. How can a new venue for traditional Cantonese opera promote a positive response to the contemporary challenges that threaten its cultural vitality? How can a new design approach respond to local issues and contemporary architectural production? Can programmatic diversification of a performance venue (cultural exchange, art display, education) be a useful strategy? This thesis consists of five parts. Part 1 of this thesis outlines the background of research, describes the purpose and significance of the research, and deal with issues of research method. Part 2 considers the artistic characteristics of Cantonese opera, including the spatial characteristics of traditional Cantonese opera theatres, the characteristics of Cantonese opera costumes, and the changing characteristics forms of performance. Part 3 is focused on the uses of parametric models in architectural design. Part 4 offers three case studies of opera houses in China, the Guangzhou Opera House, the Harbin Grand Theatre, and the Xiqu Centre in Hong Kong. Part 5, the core of this thesis, proposes a design of a new performance venue for Cantonese Opera House in Macao. Overall, this thesis offers an account of main considerations in the transformation process from traditional Cantonese opera venues to modern Cantonese opera houses and situates these considerations in the context of contemporary discussions of parametric architecture

Markets in Macau are not merely places for commercial retail, they are also social spaces. As a centre of communal life, markets are of great significance to the lives of Macau residents. However, with the rise of supermarkets and online shopping, the role of traditional markets has been reduced. At the same time, the messy and unkempt nature of traditional markets has become a negative factor of their social viability. The result has been a downward spiral of poor operation, decline in rental yield and loss of customers. Can the markets be revitalized for Macau residents? Can the social attributes of markets be reactivated? How can the experience of markets be re-imagined for different user groups? The present thesis is organized into 5 parts. The first part deals with the background of research. It also describes the purpose and significance of the research and discusses research methodology. The second part details market pressures in Macau, including insufficient land and space resources, poor sanitary environment, and tourism promotion needs. The third part examines the idea of “walkable cities” in terms of four concerns—usefulness, safety, comfort, and spatial interest—and in terms of specific case studies. The fourth part concerns a design project for a market at ZONE A in Macau. The thesis details the needs of a market in this zone and considers them in the light of the idea of walkable cities. Overall, this thesis attempts to contribute to public discussion of the future of markets in Macau in terms of service, socialisation and promotion

As technology evolves swiftly and consumers call for more customization, the study of interactive fashion design is increasingly emerging as a key topic within the fashion industry. The goal of this research is to investigate merging intelligent technology with apparel design, realizing functional enlargements and enriching the user experience by employing interactive design. Initially, this document examines key theories and ongoing studies in interaction design, intelligent textiles, and wearable tech, pinpointing the current research voids and difficulties. This section then presents a range of methodologies used in the study, encompassing literature review, case analysis, and interviews with experts, to thoroughly analyze and assess all facets of interactive apparel design. This document suggests a methodical design of interactive clothing, outlining the entire process from initial design to the creation of prototypes. The practicality and efficiency of the design methodology are proven by creating prototypes and conducting trials. Findings from the experiments indicate that interactive attire offers substantial benefits in terms of functionality, comfort, and user experience. The research offers both theoretical backing and pragmatic advice for designing interactive attire, while also highlighting paths for upcoming advancements in fashion technology. In conclusion, the document examines the shortcomings of the existing research and potential research paths, aiming to offer valuable guidance for advancing the development of clothing styling and wearable tech

China leads in global automobile production and sales, but fuel vehicle usage causes energy crisis and pollution. Electric vehicles, as energy-saving and environmentally friendly transportation, can alleviate urban ecological pressure and reduce dependence on non-renewable energy. Development of electric vehicles is thus prioritized. However, the current electric vehicle market is immature and faces slow growth due to various constraints. Despite state policies, market performance lags, and consumer acceptance is low, leading to a mismatch between praise and sales. Therefore, exploring factors influencing consumer demand and purchase intention for electric vehicles is crucial. This paper focuses on consumer perceived value to study factors affecting second-hand electric vehicle resale value, offering practical relevance and value. Consumer behavior theory suggests that consumers' purchase decisions hinge on their perception of a product. Consumer perception involves a subjective, overall evaluation of a product or service based on usage purposes and needs, and an analysis of relevant information from various channels. For used electric vehicles, perception includes understanding of appearance, function, cost, and performance.This study aims to analyze factors affecting the resale value of used EVs and explore consumers' perception of this value. Guided by consumer perception, the study conducted a literature review-based comprehensive analysis and qualitative exploration of used EV resale value. The findings reveal that price, battery performance, endurance, environmental protection, and safety significantly impact the resale value of used EVs. Finally, combined with the research conclusions of this paper, management suggestions are put forward, and countermeasures are summarized from the two levels of government and second-hand electric vehicle marketing enterprises

The aim of this study is to analyze the crisis management of Macao SAR and the extent to which the community were engaged in the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control. There are some issues found that when the pandemic breaks out and after outbreaks, such as poor information communication, low efficiency of prevention and control work, unsatisfactory compliance of the public, lack of pandemic prevention materials which affect the government's control of the pandemic in the past study. In Macao SAR, densely residential areas and dense population are the main considerations for pandemic prevention and control. Communities, as the main first line of defense for pandemic prevention and control, are also the bridge for communication between the government and the residents. The community have the advantages of timely and accurate information collection and accurate implementation of prevention and control measures. In this study found that the involvement of the Macao community may not be the key to the success of epidemic prevention in Macao. Community participation also faces many challenges, such as uneven distribution of facilities and services, lack of medical expertise of community workers, shortage of manpower and other shortcomings of community participation. It is possible that the Macao community is not playing a key role in the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control. Given this scenario, the government needs to give full play to social forces and the role of the community in pandemic prevention and control. Currently, there are few studies on community involvement in COVID-19 prevention and control. Through COVID-19, this study puts forward some ideas that the government needs to pay attention to community development and improve citizens' community awareness to promote the Macao community. Improving the Macao community is conducive to Macao in the future crisis and community cooperation

Industrial organization, theory of the firm and boundaries of the firm are well established fields of study involved in the size, structure and scope of a corporate entity (i.e. firm) to the market. However, a key characteristic of corporate entities is that economic concerns (costs and profit) is the overriding or dominant factor. This paper attempts to apply the above mentioned concepts to organizations such as public institutions where economic concerns are secondary considerations, to seek a more objective analysis on what the structure and scope of such organizations should be

Technological advancements have enabled machines to offer more efficient assistance to people across several domains. Art and creativity are what distinguish people or societies the most. The arrival of AI has caused a fresh wave of concern among many of us; it is crucial that we evaluate the weight of the positives and the drawbacks of how people employing these technologies will influence societies. Legislation is frequently delayed because of the various revolutions througout history. Along with the difficulties raised in the continuing debate, it is critical to identify a route or alternative to assist existing challenges for artists. This dissertation includes our case studies, analysis, and conclusions, which explain the effects on imagination, creativity, communication, and culture when individuals use AI technologies to create art or/and images. According to our findings, AI technology should be considered as one way to solve problems. The vast majority of created outputs are unable to accomplish the desired reach. Furthermore, even if the ethical issues cannot be resolved, individuals should not ignore it and keep their moral compass. Importantly, we must realise that individuals should always be involved in and influence the intricacies and components of the creative process. However, it is commonly understood that the deployment of artificial intelligence has an influence on people’s communication and societies. There are still no standards, frameworks, or norms on this front of Ai-generated images. This might contribute to an increase in industrial imbalance and discrimination. As a result, to safeguard our individuality, we must take the initiative to uncover any answers or directions that would aid in this scenario. As with any experience, whether internal or external, we should use it to our advantage to apply our creative process, something the computer cannot accomplish. Still, it gives many benefits and is effective in assisting people in completing challenging tasks, so it is smart not to avoid teamwork. Furthermore, because social media and the internet provide powerful expression and communication tools, their advantages should help build universal rules to safeguard artistic work

Virtual reality (VR), a computer-generated 3D environment, allows one to navigate and possibly interact, resulting in real-time simulation of one or more of the user’s five senses (M. Gutierrez et al., 2008; Vince, 2004). Despite its history through past decades, this technology has quickly developed recently. Virtual tours and spaces have been widely used in the education, arts, and rehabilitation industries. According to research, it has significant effects on mindfulness (improving mood), cognitive development (better learning ability), and embodiment (relieving pain and medical conditions). This thesis aims to identify the conditions for Macao's single-user experience to achieve mindfulness in virtual reality through immersion and interactivity. With their various definitions, this research uses the two spectrums on the levels of immersion and interactivity, conducts four experiment settings with Macao residents, and collects qualitative questionnaires and quantitative survey data. The four settings differ as they tackle different aspects: spiritual memory, historical memory, aesthetic appreciation, and meditation through concept. The analysed results were then evaluated to seek better conditions for the local community to achieve mindfulness by immersing themselves in virtual reality

This study identifies Portuguese residents’ behavioural intention towards Chinese electric vehicles from the perspective of the Country-of-Origin Effect (COE) and uses the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT-2) as a guide to design interview questions. According to the existing literature, UTAUT-2, a comprehensive technology acceptance model, has not been used to assess the Portuguese electric vehicle market, and no relevant research has been found to apply the method of combining the COE into the UTAUT-2 framework. The purpose of this study is exploratory in nature, it uses qualitative methods to identify the behavioural intention of Portuguese residents towards the acceptance of Chinese electric vehicles. Data from 16 Portuguese residents was collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed with qualitative methodology. The study found that factors such as performance expectations, environmental concerns, effort expectations, hedonic motivation, and social influence have a positive impact on Portuguese residents' purchase of electric vehicles, while price value, habits, and convenience conditions have a neutral or negative impact. Regarding COE, apart from social influence, it has no impact on other factors. To increase the popularity and sales of Chinese electric vehicles in Portugal, it is recommended that advertising and marketing efforts focus on price, charging services, after-sales service, and design

With the rapid expansion of mobile e-commerce, an increasing number of businesses have jumped into the fray in all facets of the mobile electric commerce industry chain. The payment link is the most competitive. From the norm in the sector to the consumer market, telecom operator rivalry, as well as third-party payment between different companies, never ceases. In the context of mobile e-commerce, however, competition has shifted from traditional product-centered to customer- centered, and business success frequently rests on the customer. As a result, the competition in the mobile e-commerce payment industry is essentially about competing for users. Mpay is characteristic of mobile e-commerce payment firm representatives; on the basis of theoretical analysis, combined with the reality of the economic background, the study chose Mpay mobile payment users as research subjects and analyzed the major variables of user acceptability. The model was built on the basis of an extensive evaluation of past research results of user acceptance model and reference to UTAUT model. The model considered performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence, facilitating condition as independent variables determining user behavior intention, Based on the conceptual model, the paper conducted an empirical investigation as a case study of a Mpay mobile payment user using data from a questionnaire, while also conducting a separate discussion of the impact of perceived risk and trust on user acceptance. The empirical results indicate that for mobile payment users, performance expectancy has the greatest positive effect on behavior intention, while facilitating conditions, social influence, perceived risk, effort expectancy, and trust have no effect. In addition, gender and age were discovered to influence user acceptance

This research used a qualitative approach to explore the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices implemented by SME restaurants in Macau. In-depth interviews were conducted with eight (8) SME restaurant owners and managers to understand their ESG initiatives and their challenges. Key findings include: Environmental Initiatives: Many restaurants have adopted practices such as limiting plastic use, better food management, and organic waste recycling, often driven by government regulations rather than broader ESG considerations. Community Engagement and Social Responsibility: Social practices are less adopted, with some restaurants collaborating with charities, hiring individuals with disabilities, and donating food. However, most do not make monetary donations or engage in sponsorship activities due to financial concerns rather than a lack of consumer trust. Governance Initiatives: Restaurants have adopted electronic workflows, risk management practices, and stakeholder management approaches, including a flexible approach to employee management focused on operational efficiency rather than investor attraction. The findings indicate that for SME restaurants, the key drivers for ESG implementation are more focused on factors such as cost-savings and operational efficiency rather than broader considerations around investor interest or consumer trust. This study provides insights into how SME restaurants integrate ESG elements into their operations

This study focuses on China's volatile organic compound treatment industry and deeply analyzes the current situation, challenges, and development trends of the volatile organic compound environmental protection industry. This study discusses technological advancements in reducing VOC emissions, environmental regulations' impact, and market demand changes. The market size, growth potential, and primary driving factors were analyzed by studying the business scope and competitive advantages of VOC management companies. Predict the company's operational status, investment return rate, and other related financial data through financial analysis. Finally, emphasis was placed on technological innovation, market positioning, and risk management while pointing out the industry's principal risks and response strategies. The research findings indicate that, in the context of increasing environmental awareness and policy support, China's VOC ecological protection industry has enormous growth potential. The company is expected to achieve significant success in both business and finance through technological innovation and market adaptation. The research and production of VOC environmental protection equipment is feasible

The insurance companies in Macau are potentially facing a crisis of high turnover rates, exacerbated by the limited studies conducted on the insurance industry to address this issue, as the gaming and travel industries are currently experiencing a significant demand for human resources due to economic recovery. In light of this, a study was conducted to better understand the attitudes of 105 currently employed insurance agents in Macau insurance companies, specifically their commitment and thoughts of staying or leaving their employers. The study examined several independent variables (distributive justice, perceived organizational support (POS), job satisfaction, and caring climate) in relation to insurance agents’ turnover intention and the role of affective commitment. The aim was to determine the association between these variables and turnover intentions among insurance agents. The snowballing methodology was employed to effectively engage with the insurance agents and gain insights into their perspectives. The results of the statistical analysis revealed positive correlations between all independent variables and affective commitment. Job satisfaction and POS were identified as strong positive predictors. Additionally, mediated regression analyses demonstrated that affective commitment significantly mediated the relationship between all independent variables and turnover intention. Finally, the study provides implications for insurance company management to address and reduce the high turnover rate. Furthermore, the importance of future orientation is further discussed