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The rising number of students working in different fields after graduation has prompted the Ministry of Education and Training in Vietnam to emphasize the establishment of school counselling focused on career orientation to help students make a right career choice and to enhance workforce quality in response to the labor market. Career orientation is crucial for providing guidance, information, and clarity to assist individuals in career decision-making. This research aims to identify factors influencing career decision-making among high school students in Vietnam. This qualitative study uses semi-structured interviews with a convenience sample of grade 12 students from a public high school in Nghe An Province and a private high school in Dak Nong Province, Vietnam, to explore the factors influencing their career decision-making. This study identified how different factors influence the career choice of students, including individual, family, school, peers, and social trends. Two major influencing factors in career decision-making among the grade 12 students are: 1) academic performance and 2) family socioeconomic status. The results also show the differences among the factors between the public and private schooling, in which students in private school tend to have greater autonomy in their career decision-making, influenced by family aspirations, supportive educational resources and share openly with peers about career choices, while in public school students often prioritize job security and financial concerns due to limited exposure and guidance. This study contributed important information for students to make their career decisions seriously, stressing the role of school in career orientation in providing career information, career programs, and school counselling services to avoid the common situation of “too many chiefs, not enough Indians.

This study amid rising academic pressures and youth mental health concerns, this study investigates how extracurricular activities (PECA) shape academic and psychological outcomes in Macau—a high-stakes educational context. Focusing on 6–18-year-olds, it examines two dimensions: activity type (sports, academic, cultural and artistic) and number of activities, addressing gaps in age-specific and cross- informant analyses within East Asian settings. Using the Achenbach System (ASEBA) in Macau, data from parents and adolescents were analyzed via ANOVA and independent t-tests. ANOVA revealed optimal academic performance (F[3, 456] = 12.34, p < 0.001) and fewer behavioral issues in students with 3 PECA. T-tests showed sports reduced adolescent self- reported depression (t[210] = -3.21, p = 0.002), while academic activities boosted parent-reported grades (t[198] = 4.57, p < 0.001). Cultural activities had limited mental health impacts but enhanced language/math skills. This study underscores the importance of extracurricular activities (PECA) in Macau’s unique cultural and academic context, by validating the ""optimal balance"" hypothesis, it suggests that participating in three well-chosen activities—spanning sports, arts, and academics—yields the best outcomes. The findings emphasize the need for culturally sensitive and developmentally appropriate PECA programs tailored to Macau’s students. This research provides valuable insights into optimizing PECA types and quantities, fostering academic success, emotional resilience, and personal growth, while supporting the holistic development of well-rounded young citizens.

The Estée Lauder Companies (EL)is a global leader in prestige beauty. They build consumer-beloved brands that manufacture, market, and sell exemplary skin care, makeup, fragrance, and hair care products, and serve as a steward of luxury and prestige brands globally. Today Estée Lauder's skin care, makeup and fragrance products is sold in more than 150 countries worldwide. But sustaining its competitive advantage represents an everyday challenge, due to the fierce competition that characterizes the beauty and cosmetics industry worldwide. Therefore, the thesis analyzed the financial statements of Estée Lauder Companies for the past five years (2019-2023) and forecast the business performance for the next decade (2024-2033). After that, it will calculate the intrinsic value of Estée Lauder as of December 31, 2023, and compare it with the stock market price on that day. This comparative analysis is helpful for judging whether the market price of the company's stocks truly reflects its actual value. Another objective is to explore and analyze the internal and external factors influencing the company and its future strategic planning, thereby providing important information for the sensitivity analysis of stock prices. Through this analysis, the potential impact that these factors and strategies may have on the future price of stocks can be reflected, providing an important basis for investors' decision-making. 雅诗兰黛公司（EL）是全球高端美妆领域的领导者。他们打造深受消费者喜爱的品牌，生产、营销和销售卓越的护肤品、彩妆、香水和护发产品，并在全球范围内担任奢侈品和高端品牌的守护者。如今，雅诗兰黛的护肤品、彩妆和香水产品在全球 150 多个国家销售。 但要保持其竞争优势是一项日常挑战，因为全球美容和化妆品行业竞争激烈。因此，本文分析了雅诗兰黛公司过去五年（2019 - 2023 年）的财务报表，并预测了未来十年（2024 - 2033 年）的业务表现。之后，将计算截至 2023 年 12 月 31 日雅诗兰黛的内在价值，并将其与当天的股票市场价格进行比较。这种比较分析有助于判断该公司股票的市场价格是否真正反映了其实际价值。另一个目标是探索和分析影响公司及其未来战略规划的内部和外部因素，从而为股票价格的敏感性分析提供重要信息。通过这种分析，可以反映出这些因素和策略可能对股票未来价格产生的潜在影响，为投资者的决策提供重要依据。

This study investigates and analyzes the behavioral intentions of consumers in Guangdong region towards All-Electric Aircraft (AEA) within the theoretical framework of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), and uses Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and SmartPLS to analyze the collected data. According to the existing literature, TPB and SEM have not been used to evaluate the electric aviation market in Guangdong region. The purpose of this study is exploratory, adopting a quantitative research method. Structured questionnaires are distributed to approximately 100 consumers in Guangdong to explore their overall cognition of electric aircraft, the factors influencing such cognition, and their willingness to use electric aircraft. The study finds that consumers’ attitude, subjective norm, and environmental concern have a positive impact on their adoption of the new AEA technology, while perceived behavioral control and perceived risk are found to have no effect on consumers. The results of this study provide valuable insights for airlines, aircraft manufacturers, and policymakers. By understanding consumers’ concerns and preferences, airlines can formulate more effective marketing strategies to promote electric aircraft. Aircraft manufacturers can utilize these findings to improve the design and performance of electric aircraft and address consumers’ concerns. Policymakers can formulate relevant policies to support the development and adoption of electric aircraft and promote the sustainable development of the aviation industry.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the discrepancy between the current situation of primary school teachers' participation in ‘professional development activities’ and the professional development objectives in the law in the light of the implementation of the current Private Framework law and the operation of the Cultura n.º 88/2018, and to examine the effectiveness of the Cultura n.º 88/2018. In order to achieve this research objective, this study adopted qualitative interviews with two school managers, six primary school general teachers, and one legislator, and then summarised the findings using thematic analysis. It was found that the respondents generally believed that the number of professional training courses offered by DESJ had increased after the Secretary's Directive was issued, which was helpful to school-based training and to teachers in catching up with the number of hours of training, and that the practicality of the training courses had increased to a certain extent based on the different positions of the workplace. On the other hand, due to the different job positions, there were different views and opinions on the practicality and coverage of the training programmes. It was also found that the general concern of the respondents on ‘Quadro geral do pessoal docente das escolas particulares do ensino não superior’ and ‘Despacho do Secretário para os Assuntos Sociais e Cultura n.º 88/2018’ was more inclined to the situation of the hourly allowances and activity enrolment in the professional development provisions, and they were not concerned about the relevant laws and regulations that support the purpose of professional development. Meanwhile, the study found that the majority of primary school teachers are still at the stage of solving teaching challenges in their ‘professional development process’. The study found that the top-down management decision-making model is not only the key to hindering the ‘professional development process’, but also the cyclical factor that makes it difficult to improve the current situation and the difficulties of teachers in teaching, so this paper tries to summarise the findings and make suggestions on the way forward from different perspectives and ways. Therefore, this paper also tries to summarise and suggest a pathway from different perspectives and approaches. This paper consists of six chapters, which are divided into four parts, namely, Background, Literature, Interviews and Analysis, and Conclusion and Recommendations. It will be researched and investigated at both macro and micro levels, and finally, through the combination of macro and micro perspectives, it will be summarized to give feasible and operational recommendations. In the first part of the development of education in Macau from a more macroscopic viewpoint in the Introduction, Background of the Study, and the law of Macau education introduction. 1. Historical background (Brief historical background of the development of education in Macao)Political perspectives (comparison of the differences between the professions political environments) 2. Industry Views and Reactions (Newspaper) 3. Reality situation (‘Quadro geral do pessoal docente das escolas particulares do ensino não superior’ and ‘Despacho do Secretário para os Assuntos Sociais e Cultura n.º 88/2018’) 4. Legal perspectives (restrictions and impacts on education under the current legal system) The second part explores the definition of professional development in education with different literatures, including the comparison of the differences of the profession in different political environments, as well as the Macao situation in comparison with it, the definition and the development path. It analyses the legislative background of the ‘Quadro geral do pessoal docente das escolas particulares do ensino não superior’ and ‘Despacho do Secretário para os Assuntos Sociais e Cultura n.º 88/2018’, and the comparative analysis of the meaning of the ‘Order of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture No. 88/2018’. The third part of the interviews and analyses examines the current situation of the annual professional development training for primary school teachers in Macao after the implementation of ‘Quadro geral do pessoal docente das escolas particulares do ensino não superior’. ‘Despacho do Secretário para os Assuntos Sociais e Cultura n.º 88/2018’ after the introduction of the current situation and challenges to the professional development of frontline stakeholders, and even to the actual teaching or management operations. A qualitative research methodology was adopted and subdivided into three sections: 1. In-depth interviews were conducted with a total of eight stakeholders at different levels, including six serving senior elementary school teachers and two school managers. Also a current member of the Legislative Assembly. 2. Collected and excerpted a total of nine elementary school teacher dissertation studies from St. John's University. 3. Summarize and analyze the interviews and excerpts, presenting in an objective and microcosmic manner and actual situations faced by teachers under the Macao's political system relevant laws and regulations, and to respond to and substantiate the points made in Part I of the literature review. The fourth part, Conclusions and Recommendations, finally combines the literature review, interviews and analysis, and integrates both macro and micro perspectives, as well as borrowing and citing existing legal and philosophical perspectives, to compile legal, feasible and practical suggestions on pathways that may be able to break through the challenges, improve the situation of teachers, and help to promote the professional development of teachers. "本研究旨在探究不同背景的小學教師囿於現行《私框》法律的實施，以及《88/2018司長批示》運作下參與「專業發展活動」的現況與法律中的專業發展目標之差異情形，以及檢視《88/2018司長批示》成效。為達此研究目的，本研究採用質性訪談2位學校管理層、6位小學普通教師、1位立法者，再以主題分析法歸納研究結果，發現受訪者中普遍認為司長批示出台之後，教青局的專業培訓課程數量有所增加，這對於校本培訓以及教師追趕培訓時數上有一定幫助，另一方面，基於工作崗位不同的關係，對培訓課程的實用性、涵蓋範圍等各有不同見解和意見，並發現受訪者中普遍對《私框》和批示的關注點，較為傾向於對專業發展條文中的時數津貼與活動報名的情況，且對於輔助專業發展目的的相關法律法規並不關心。同時透過研究發現，現時大部分小學普通教師在「專業發展進程」中仍停留在解決教學挑戰階段，研究發現由上而下的管理決定模式，既是當前教師認為妨礙「專業發展進程」的重要關鍵，也是難以改善現況，造成教師教學困難的循環因素，故本文亦嘗試以不同之角度和方式給予總結和路徑建議。 本文共六章，主要分為四個部分，分別為背景探討、文獻探討、訪談及分析以及總結和建議。並將會分別透過宏觀和微觀兩個層面去作研究和探討，並最終以宏觀與微觀兩個角度結合，透過總結歸納，給出可行和具操作性的路徑建議。 本文首先會採取以下四種角度，分別在緒論、研究背景、前題導讀中，以較為宏觀視角去剖析本澳教育發展的輪廓： 1. 大致歷史脈落（本澳教育發展歷史背景簡述） 2. 業界意見及反應（新聞報章） 3. 現實狀況 （《基力》、《課框》的影響） 4. 法律觀點（現行法律制度下對教育的限制和影響） 而第二部分則以不同文獻探討教育專業發展之定義，包括不同政治環境下專業的差異對比，以及與之對比澳門狀況，定義和發展路徑。分析《非高等教育私立學校教學人員制度框架》簡稱《私框》的立法背景、《第88/ 2018號社會文化司司長批示》簡稱《88/ 2018司長批示》的內涵對比分析。 第三部分訪談及分析，研究澳門小學教師年度專業發展培訓在《非高等教育私立學校教學人員制度框架》簡稱《私框》實施後的現況，《第88/ 2018號社會文化司司長批示》簡稱《88/ 2018司長批示》出台後對前線持份者的專業發展、乃至實際教學或管理操作的現況和挑戰。則採用質性研究法，並細分為三個環節： 1. 分別對六名現職資深小學教師、兩名學校管理層等共八名不同位階的持份者，以及現任立法會議員作深度訪談。 2. 收集及節錄共九份聖若大學小學教師論文研究。 3. 對訪談及節錄作總結和分析，以客觀和微觀方式呈現教師在澳門的政治體制和相關法律法規下所面臨的實際狀況，對應和證實第一部分文獻探討中所得出的觀點。 第四部分總結和建議，最終結合文獻探討、訪談及分析，結合宏觀與微觀兩個角度，並借用和引用現行法律、哲學等角度，整理出有可能可以突破挑戰、改善教師處境、有助推動教師專業發展的合法、可行和具操作性的路徑建議。"

This study systematically analyzes the needs and preferences of pet adopters in Macao through questionnaires, in-depth interviews and data analysis, in view of the problems such as information asymmetry, complex adoption process and lack of knowledge about pet health care. Based on this, a pet adoption app has been designed, integrating pet information display, intelligent matching recommendations, simplified adoption procedures, pet health management, community interaction and sharing, as well as educational resource integration. The app not only provides rich pet adoption information and convenient adoption processes but also uses smart algorithms to recommend the most suitable pets for users, enhancing the accuracy of adoption matches. At the same time, the built-in pet health management module and community interaction features effectively enhance users' awareness and participation in pet health care. Experimental validation shows that this application significantly improves pet adoption efficiency, enhances user satisfaction, and promotes pet welfare. This study not only provides an innovative technical solution for pet adoption in Macao but also offers valuable references for the design and development of pet adoption applications in other regions.

This study focuses on the influence of online review quality on tourism intention, with destination image as a mediating variable, in the context of the rapid rise of internet content platforms like Red Book and Douyin. The platforms like Red Book and Douyin play an important role in shaping travel behavior, as potential travelers frequently rely on user-generated content (UGC) to find information about travel destinations, plan their trips, and form perceptions of destinations. Through a comprehensive review of existing literature and the application of structural equation modeling (SEM), the study reveals that the cognitive and affective image of destination are significantly influenced by the quality of online reviews, which in turn impacts overall destination image and tourism intention. The findings demonstrate that higher-quality online reviews — those that are timely, sufficient，helpful, and credible — not only enhance the cognitive understanding of destinations but also evoke stronger emotional connections, ultimately fostering a higher likelihood of travel intention. Moreover, the study highlights the mediating role of destination image during the process where online review quality influences tourism intention. These results offer critical insights for destination marketing organizations (DMOs) in conducting tourism marketing to attract tourists by strategically enhancing the quality and authenticity of online reviews. The study also identifies limitations in sample selection and mediating variables, providing directions for future research in the fields of online content, destination image, and tourism behavior.

"This study addresses the challenges of multidimensional nonlinearity and multifactorial influences in stock market prediction by proposing a dual-channel deep learning framework based on BERT+BiGRU+Attention (BBA), which integrates investor sentiment analysis with temporal trading data dynamics. Leveraging crawled data from platforms such as East Money Stock Bar, we analyze 30,000 investor comments on Tsingtao Brewery (600600) and corresponding trading records (2010- 2021). Key innovations include: A domain-specific financial sentiment lexicon enhanced by BERT for contextual text vectorization, coupled with BiGRU-based temporal feature extraction and attention-driven keyword focus.Test the rise and fall pages of stocks using stock reviews"

The incidence of self-injurious behavior (SIB) in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) ranges from 35% to 60%. Common types of SIB include head-banging, hair-pulling, arm-biting, eye-poking, skin-scratching and other behaviors. Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) and function-based behavioral interventions have been shown to reduce SIB in children with ASD. However, there is limited research on this subject in Macao. This study applies a single-subject alternating treatment design to conduct an FBA on the self-injurious behavior of a child with ASD in Macao, followed by the implementation of a function-based behavioral intervention, aiming to effectively reduce the frequency or intensity of SIB in children with ASD. Based on the results of this study, the conclusions are as follows: a) Based on the Functional Behavior Assessment, the main functions of self-injurious behavior in the child with ASD are identified as escape from task demands and access to tangible items; b) Function-based intervention strategies (such as functional communication training, FCT) significantly reduce the occurrence of SIB in children with ASD. In this case study, the frequency of SIB markedly decreased, and the improvement was maintained even after the intervention was withdrawn; c) Based on the results of FCT, both independent communication behaviors (picture cards and the speech-generating device BigMac) effectively reduced the child’s SIB. However, the child learned to use the BigMac as an alternative communication behavior more quickly, and there was no occurrence of self-injurious behavior while using BigMac, whereas SIB occasionally occurred when using picture cards; d) Function-based intervention strategies demonstrate a good social validity, with the child’s teachers expressing agreement with the research’s implementation process and outcomes. 自閉症譜系障礙（Autism Spectrum Disorder，ASD）兒童自傷行為的發生率高達35%-60%，常見的類型包括撞頭、拉頭髮、咬手臂、戳眼睛及抓皮膚等。功能行為評估和基於功能的行為干預有助於降低自閉症兒童的自傷行為，然而，澳門相關的研究較少。本研究採用單一被試交替處理設計對1名澳門自閉症兒童的自傷行為開展功能行為評估，並制定相應的基於功能的行為干預。研究結果顯示：a) 基於功能行為評估，可以確定該自閉症兒童自傷行為的主要功能為逃避任務及獲得實物；b) 採用基於行為功能的干預策略（即功能性溝通訓練），可以有效降低該自閉症兒童自傷行為的頻率，且在撤銷干預後仍能維持改善效果；c) 根據功能性溝通訓練的結果，學習兩種獨立溝通行為（圖卡和言語生成設備BigMac）均有助於減少該兒童的自傷行為，但相對而言，他更快學會使用BigMac這個替代溝通行為，而且在使用BigMac的實驗時段中完全沒有出現自傷行為，而使用圖卡時會出現自傷行為；d) 基於行為功能的干預策略具有良好的社會效度，該自閉症兒童的教師對研究的實施過程及成效表示認同。

Vietnamese migrant workers in Macao encounter numerous difficulties that significantly impact both their mental well-being and overall health. Daily life can be challenging due to language barriers, cultural differences, workplace stress, and financial hardships. Through an exploratory quantitative approach, this study examines these challenges in greater detail, collecting data from 268 participants, the majority of whom—93.7%—are women. Psychological assessment tools were employed to evaluate resilience, coping strategies, coping mechanisms, and levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. The findings indicate that despite working full-time, many participants receive low wages, live in inadequate conditions, and have limited access to healthcare services. A significant portion of Vietnamese migrant workers send money home to support their families, creating substantial financial pressure. Long working hours, difficulties in communication, and job-related insecurities contribute to mental distress. However, rather than seeking professional counselling, most individuals rely on informal social networks for emotional support. In conclusion, the study emphasizes the pressing need for more robust support systems, enhanced mental health resources, and improved workplace policies to aid in the social integration and well-being maintenance of these workers. Furthermore, it encourages future research to incorporate a greater number of male participants and qualitative data in order to gain a more thorough understanding of their experiences.

Dementia is a progressive cognitive disease affecting 55 million people worldwide. Each of these 55 million people needs at least one caregiver to support them as dementia progresses. By exploring home-based caregiving as a process, I attempt to highlight how a bioecological approach to study caregivers could shed some light on issues currently unidentified by extant caregiving studies. A bioecological approach also shows the systemic implications to caregivers’ human development due to the proximal processes between the care recipient and the caregiver. Nine Singaporean Chinese caregivers with at least three years of dementia caregiving experience were interviewed and analysed using thematic analysis. Research findings reveal three major themes of (a) human development with subthemes of self-growth and self-preservation, (b) proximal processes between caregiver and care recipient with subthemes of rollercoaster of emotions, meaning-making and adaptive behaviours and (c) bioecological effects of dementia caregiving with subthemes of role engulfment and support from others. By using a bioecological approach, this study moves beyond conventional themes frequently explored in extant caregiver literature, such as caregiver burdens and gains. The findings from these studies extend beyond Singaporean and Asian caregivers with relevance to caregivers worldwide, as dementia is a global healthcare condition with common challenges faced by caregivers worldwide. My research findings shed light on how the caregiver’s systemic interactions with principal persons such as the care recipient’s spouse, siblings and helpers play crucial roles in sustaining the caregiver’s wellbeing and enable them to carry on caregiving. This study advocates that caregivers continue their caregiving journey because of systemic support from principal persons and the relationship with the care recipient. The implications of these research findings are discussed from a microsystemic perspective, focusing on the individual caregiver, and mesosystemic, exosystemic and macrosystemic perspectives, focusing on society, community and government policies. Taking a systemic approach, practical suggestions include counselling support and psychotherapeutic interventions for caregivers throughout their caregiving journey to improve personal happiness, more proactive and microsystemic support from grassroots and public agencies focusing on the early days of a caregiver’s journey to improve caregiver visibility, reduce feelings of isolation and provide support. Increasing the profile of caregivers in the public domain could also promote a sense of visibility and recognition of individual caregivers. By helping caregivers, society could keep people living with dementia in family-level care and reduce public healthcare costs and reliance on formal institutions.

Against the backdrop of globalization and thriving cultural trade, the export of Chinese cultural products faces a dual challenge of expanding international markets and enhancing competitiveness. This Dissertation focuses on designing an innovative digital platform interface aimed at effectively integrating cultural connotations with modern technology, meeting the needs of international users, and promoting the dissemination and trading of cultural products. By analyzing the Strategies to Attract Users, Streamline Ordering, and Promote Exports through Interface Innovation, cross-cultural interface design strategies are proposed. The core functions of the platform include cultural product display, online transactions, user interaction, and multilingual support, and the information architecture has been optimized to adapt to different cultural backgrounds. Visual design incorporates traditional Chinese colors and cultural symbols, while also considering the visual adaptability of global users. The study used prototype tools to build interfaces and optimized them through usability testing. The achievements not only provide practical interface design solutions for the export of cultural products, which are expected to improve the display effect and sales conversion rate in the international market, but also provide theoretical references for the development of digital cultural platforms, and help promote the dissemination and exchange of Chinese culture on a global scale.

This paper focuses on the Macao supermarket industry as a research subject, employing a qualitative methodology that includes in-depth interviews with human resource managers and operational store managers to identify the factors influencing employee retention. The primary data collection method utilized is in-depth interviewing, complemented by thematic content analysis (TCA) to interpret the insights gathered from the interview transcripts. While existing literature has identified eight key factors affecting employee retention in the supermarket sector, this study uncovers three additional factors that significantly impact retention within the context of Macao's unique market environment. Supermarkets are vital to Macao’s economic development, with 26 distinct brands operating in 175 stores. However, these establishments face profitability challenges attributed to rising voluntary employee turnover. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation, this qualitative multiple-case study aims to explore the strategies employed by supermarket managers to mitigate voluntary employee turnover and enhance workforce stability. The findings will contribute to a deeper understanding of retention dynamics in the supermarket industry and provide actionable insights for improving employee engagement and satisfaction.

Purpose – This work investigates how different strategies for providing cues about the non-human identity of a sales agent influence consumers’ perceptions and purchase-related outcomes, and how a social interaction style shapes these responses. Additionally, the authors explore the role of consumers’speciesism against non-human entities in eliciting unfavourable responses to the disclosure of the agent’s artificial nature. Design/methodology/approach – Three experimental studies were conducted using real chatbot interactions. Study 1 investigates how non-human identity cues impact consumer trust and, subsequently, attitude towards the firm and intention to purchase the product offered. Study 2 tests these effects across different levels of social presence. Study 3 examines consumer responses to different non-human identity disclosure strategies, considering speciesism’s moderating role. Findings – Study 1 proves that disclosing (vs not disclosing) the artificial nature of a sales agent leads to a decline in trust towards the firm, which in turn negatively influences both attitude towards the firm and purchase intention. This finding reveals discrimination against disclosed (vs non-disclosed) artificial sales agents despite identical, flawless performance. However, Study 2 proves that the negative effects vanish when perceived social presence is high. Study 3 underlines that high speciesism leads to a trust decline if non-human identity cues are presented during the interaction but not if presented earlier in the journey before the interaction. Research limitations/implications – The study highlights the negative effects of disclosure on important, firm-related outcomes. These insights advance current literature by showing that disclosing cues about the non-human nature of a sales agent can undermine psychological and behavioural responses–even when the disclosed agent performs just as effectively as its undisclosed counterpart. This result is noteworthy, as most prior research has linked aversive reactions to artificial agents with situations in which algorithms underperform, whereas this study examines agents that function flawlessly. Furthermore, the study reveals that these adverse effects are driven by speciesism–prejudices against non-human entities–offering a novel explanation for consumers’ negative responses. Practical implications – The findings stress that transparency about the artificial nature of sales agents is penalised by customers and comes at a high cost for business-relevant outcomes. However, by transforming an artificial agent into a social actor through subtle design modifications, firms can overcome the unfavourable prejudice against artificial agents. By creating a social appearance, firms can harness the potential of automated sales services–even when disclosure of the agent’s artificial identity is required. As firms may soon be obliged to disclose the artificial identity of their sales agents, the critical question shifts from whether to disclose to how to disclose in order to mitigate negative consequences. Finally, we offer guidance on targeting the right consumers with artificial agents–specifically, those with lower levels of speciesism-related prejudices. Originality/value – This work addresses pressing issues for managers concerned with the implementation of artificial sales agents. Results extend knowledge on speciesism towards digital agents, inform which consumers are particularly prone to respond negatively to such agents, and present levers for designing chat-based social interactions that prevent non-human-related prejudices that could undermine the effectiveness of conversational technologies.

<jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title><jats:p>As intensive aquaculture continues to develop, substantial investments have been made in equipment to sustain high‐density farming. However, this has resulted in elevated noise levels within these aquaculture environments, particularly below 2000 Hz, matching the hearing range of most cultured fish species. Fish under noise conditions may experience hearing loss and physiological stress, which can negatively affect their growth, foraging efficiency, reproductive success, and increase their susceptibility to diseases. These adverse effects compromise the welfare of cultured fish, potentially decreasing production quality and increasing mortality rates. Despite these notable effects, the understanding and management of noise conditions in aquaculture systems lag behind other environmental parameters in terms of recognition and control. In this review, we cover the fundamentals of fish auditory systems, the hearing range of key cultured fish species, and the most common noise sources and levels prevalent in current intensive aquaculture systems. Additionally, we examine recent discoveries on the effects of anthropogenic noise on fish hearing, physiological responses, and behavior. Finally, we provide strategies for noise monitoring and management in the aquaculture industry, while also highlighting open questions for future research. Our goal is to assist researchers and practitioners in comprehending underwater noise and its effects on cultured fish species, providing a valuable resource for promoting the healthy and sustainable development of intensive aquaculture.</jats:p>

This dissertation focuses on the novel Rouge by the Hong Kong-based writer Lilian Lee, which is a fantasy novel that proclaims feminism by deploying a love tragedy, describing the social context and atmosphere of Hong Kong in the 1930s and 1980s, and the living and afterlife experiences of the courtesan Fleur. Rouge was first published in 1984 and subsequently adapted into a film in 1988, which won several awards at film festivals. The novel Rouge can be regarded as Lilian Lee’s most representative work and a significant cultural symbol of Hong Kong in the 1990s. Love is a universal human experience that has a significant impact on our lives, relationships, and our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. Consequently, philosophers have long sought to gain insight into its nature, origins and role in human existence, which makes the exploration of love a core focus of philosophical inquiry. This research will examine how the novel Rouge explores the interplay between authentic love and ego love, and will also investigate the causes that led to Fleur’s tragedy.

This qualitative study explores parental perspectives and decision-making processes regarding young children's engagement with electronic devices in Macao. Data was collected through semi- structured, in-depth interviews with 15 parents of young children. The researcher analysed the interview contents and synthesized the findings with relevant literature and theoretical support, resulting in the following key insights: 1. Parental attitudes towards children's use of electronic devices were found to be distinctly polarised. Parents with a more open attitude viewed electronic devices as an inevitable part of modern life, suggesting that excessive restrictions might hinder children's development. In contrast, parents with a more conservative perspective emphasised the developmental risks of early exposure. Three primary factors influenced parental attitudes; the parents’ level of professional knowledge in education, their own usage habits, and their sense of parental self-efficacy. Additionally, parental behaviours had a modelling effect on children's usage patterns, directly correlating with the stringency of their management strategies. 2. Regarding child development, parents generally recognised the educational value of electronic devices, particularly the ability of multimedia interactivity to enhance learning engagement and facilitate knowledge acquisition. However, they also expressed concerns about the potential risks in three developmental domains: physiological development (e.g., visual eye strain, sedentary behaviour), psychological development (e.g., addiction, reduced social interaction), and cognitive development (e.g., diminished attention span, fewer opportunities for practical learning). Parents with professional knowledge of child development tended to adopt more comprehensive assessment perspectives and balanced usage strategies. 3. The study identified three primary contexts in which parents provided electronic devices to their children: first, as a response to parenting stress, where parents used devices to gain brief respite or manage household tasks; second, as behavioural management tools, using devices for reward and punishment mechanisms, such as encouraging good behaviour, boosting learning motivation, or soothing children in specific situations (e.g., during illness or mealtime); and third, as influenced by external environmental factors, including caregiving differences (e.g., grandparents, domestic helpers), the technological emphasis in educational settings, and peer influence on children's social interactions. III 4. In terms of management strategies, parents predominantly employed three approaches: restrictive mediation, focusing on controlling screen time and filtering content; technical mediation, involving the use of device security settings and application restrictions; and alternative activity planning, such as encouraging children to engage in constructive play and artistic activities. However, the study revealed that parents less frequently utilised active educational mediation (e.g., discussing content, sharing experiences) and co-viewing strategies (e.g., joint parent-child usage, interactive learning). Based on these findings, the researcher provides recommendations for parents, schools, educators, and government agencies to establish a more comprehensive and supportive framework for young children's use of electronic devices and related services. 本研究採用質性研究方法，探討澳門家長對幼兒使用電子產品的觀點及決策因由，透過半 結構式深度訪談，收集 15 位育有幼兒之家長的經驗與看法。研究者根據訪談內容進行分析 討論，並輔以相關文獻和理論支持，歸納出以下研究結果: (一) 家長對幼兒使用電子產品的態度呈現明顯的兩極分化:持開放態度的家長視其為時代 趨勢，認為過度限制可能阻礙幼兒發展;持保守態度的家長則強調提早接觸電子產品可能帶 來發展風險。研究發現，家長的態度主要受三個因素影響:教育專業知識水平、個人使用習 慣，以及親職效能感。此外，家長的行為會通過示範效應影響幼兒的使用模式，並直接關係 到其管理策略的嚴格程度。 (二) 在幼兒發展方面，家長普遍認同電子產品的教育價值，尤其是其多媒體互動特性能提 升學習投入度及知識獲取。然而，家長同時關注其潛在風險，這些風險主要集中在三個層 面:生理發展(如視力損害、久坐問題)、心理發展(如沉迷、社交互動)、認知發展(如 專注力、實踐機會)。研究發現，具備幼兒發展專業知識的家長更傾向採取全面的評估視角 和均衡的使用策略。 (三) 家長提供電子產品予幼兒的三個主要情境包括:首先是因應育兒壓力，家長表示會透 過電子產品獲得短暫休息及處理家務的時間。其次是行為管理工具，家長運用電子產品進行 獎懲，包括鼓勵良好行為、提升學習動機，以及在特定情境下(如幼兒不適或進食)作為安 撫工具。第三是受外在環境因素的影響，主要來自三方面:替代照顧者(如祖父母、家傭) 的管教差異、教育環境的科技化趨勢，以及同儕使用經驗對幼兒社交需求的影響。 (四) 在管理策略方面，家長主要採取三種調解方式:限制性調解，著重於使用時間管控與 內容篩選;技術性調解，運用設備安全管理功能與應用程式限制;替代活動規劃，包括引導 幼兒參與建構性遊戲與藝術創作等。研究發現，家長較少採用具教育意義的指導性調解(如 內容討論、經驗分享)和社交共賞(如親子共同使用、互動學習)策略。 基於上述研究發現，研究者分別對家長，學校及教師、以及政府部門提出建議，期望建立 更適切且全面的幼兒電子產品使用框架及相關支援服務。

Amazon is a global leader in e-commerce and cloud computing that has continually proven that it can diversify its business model well beyond being just one of the world's largest online retailers. Study its financial results, strategic initiatives by SWOT Analysis, and access its market positioning in industry by using PESTEL Analysis and Porter’s Five Forces Analysis. In order to ascertain the intrinsic value and assess the future prospects of Amazon, the study then utilizes several financial models, Enterprise Discounted Cash Flow (EDCF), Adjusted Present Value (APV) and Discounted Economic Profit (DEP). The study presents Amazon is potentially overvalued (December 31, 2024).

This study investigates the regulatory-operational dynamics of the premium market in Macau casinos using a constructivist grounded theory approach. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with 25 participants from three stakeholder groups. The grounded theory analysis identifies seven core categories illustrating the impact of the new regulatory system on the premium direct and premium mass segments in casinos. These categories include regulatory changes and operational challenges, decline of gaming promoters, premiumization of the gaming market, new player retention strategies, cross-border player acquisition risks, presence of unauthorized agents in casinos, and non-gaming development amid international competition. These insights highlight four major regulatory impacts on the industry themes and operational trends, i.e., industry regularization, market premiumization, product diversification, and criminal fragmentation. This study also identifies specific regulatory mechanisms and operational management in premium gaming, such as premium player identification, enhanced operational procedures, multi-tiered market segmentation, and the provision of personalized services. Additionally, stakeholder perceptions of the new gaming regulatory system are explored, with casino and expert groups considering it necessary and junket participants finding it restrictive. From these findings, a conceptual model structured around regulatory functions, compliance, and improvement is developed to provide a theoretical regulatory framework that aligns with the characteristics of the gaming industry in Macau and possibly other gaming jurisdictions.

Today, gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls have become one of the sustainable development goals jointly regarded by the international community. As society's understanding of gender gradually becomes more diverse and open, more and more people are beginning to pay attention to men's needs. Although society generally recognizes gender equality and pays attention to the development of women, relatively little attention is paid to the development and needs of men. Men also have needs and expectations, and are influenced by society's traditional expectations in their willingness to participate in associations. This study outlines the phenomenon that men’s participation in community services is generally lower than that of women, and cites data from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau and other places to support this view. Although gender equality is a global concern, there are relatively few protection policies and services specifically for men in Macau and surrounding areas. In the context of pursuing gender equality, men's rights and needs should not be ignored. Therefore, this study aims to explore men's motivations for participating in women's group social services. It uses qualitative research and a phenomenological approach to 15 invited respondents. Interview samples were collected through in-depth interviews. Different findings were obtained from the research results through the use of description and inductive analysis through the life stories of the interviewees. The research concluded that service can not only meet their personal needs and experience the achievement of development tasks, but also found the key experience factors, that is, the four major motivations for men to participate in clubs, including personal service spirit, personal life needs, maintenance Social relationships and personal interests and preferences and six elements of continuous participation, including contrast in values, tangible experience, feeling changed, having challenges and growth, improving horizons and knowledge, and feeling a sense of belonging. The study also obtained four suggestions from the interviewees for social services and their expected experiences. This study also inspired social workers to formulate comprehensive and targeted men's policies, not only to respond to the diverse needs of the men's group, but also to It is the key to promoting comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable development of society. 現今性別平等與增強婦女和女童的權能，已成為國際社會共同視為持續發展目標之一。隨著社會對兩性的認知逐漸變得多元及開放，越來越多人士開始關注男士的需要。儘管社會普遍認同性別平等並關注婦女發展情況，但對男士的發展和需求關注相對不足。男士同樣有需求和期望，並且受社會傳統的期望影響參與社團的意願。 本研究概述了社團服務中男性參與度普遍低於女性的現象，並引用了香港、臺灣及澳門等地的數據來支撐這一觀點。儘管性別平等是全球關注的議題，但在澳門及周邊地區，專門針對男性的保護政策和服務相對較少。在追求性別平等的背景下，男士的權益和需求不應被忽視，因此本研究旨在探討男士參與婦女團體社會服務的動機，採用質性研究，以現象學方式，向受邀的 15 位受訪樣本，透過深度訪談蒐集資料。藉著受訪者闡述生活故事，運用描述及歸納分析，從研究結果中得到不同的發現。研究結論得出，服務既滿足到他們的個人需要，以及體 驗到發展任務的達成，另外找到了關鍵體驗的因素，即男士參與社團的四個動機，包括個人服務精神、個人生活需要、維繫社會關係、個人興趣與喜好以及六個持續參與元素，包括 價值觀的反差、切實之體驗、感受到改變、.有挑戰和成長、提升視野知識以及感覺歸屬感。 研究也得到了受訪者對社會服務的四個建議，以及他們期望的體驗，這樣研究同時啟發了社會工作者如何制定全面且有針對性的男士政策，不僅是回應男士群體多元化需求，更是推動社會全面、協調、可持續發展的關鍵所在。