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Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are highly associated with the study of e-government, and many scholars believe that within the coming decades, government operation and policy decision-making cannot persist without the use of ICTs (Van Dijk, 2018). This thesis aims to generate a conceptual framework of the behavioral factors that could contribute to the acceleration of the implementation of e-government services in Macao SAR. Rather than regarding e-government services as a goal to be realized in traditional practice through evaluating the outcome, a process-oriented study was conducted. The e-government services are regarded as advanced tools in the 21st century to transform Macao into a smart city. The design of the process-oriented approach and the comparative study of four groups of Macao citizens' behavioral intentions are solidly supported by the research gaps identified in the literature review of e-government studies in an international perspective and the actual context of local Macao studies. Under the framework of the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1985, 1991), the behavioral factors of the general public and civil servants are investigated through a qualitative approach, and the findings are triangulated from various aspects. Firstly, a systematic literature review of TPB was conducted thoroughly to better understand the current study of e-government around the world. Secondly, a content and thematic analysis of the official documents and articles from local press media and research institutes related to the topic of e-government services was carried out to demonstrate a more comprehensive picture of the current problems of implementing iv and adopting e-services in Macao SAR. Observations in some government premises that provided e-services and 40 in-depth interviews were conducted to generate detailed and first-hand data. Key issues were extracted from the interviewees’ narratives and daily actual usages. Different conceptual models for different age groups and civil servant group were formed. Special attention was paid to analyzing the "hard-to-reach" groups' behavioral intentions. Research limitations identified from the previous literature were overcome partially in this study too. After comparing the similarities and differences, a new conceptual model of significant behavioral factors that affect the behavioral intentions in adopting e-government services was built. Results and findings from the analysis could be used to develop effective interventions by the government policymakers in responding to the behavioral change of the general public in the aspect of e-government services acceptance and adoption

Government service mini-programs have become an integral component of eGovernment in the Greater Bay Area, and successful eGovernment is necessary for building a smart city. Service quality and citizens' trust play a vital role in urban integration and in-depth cooperation in the Bay Area. The ubiquitous nature of mini-programs based on WeChat and Alipay provides excellent flexibility in accessing government services. Technology advantages, mutual recognition of cross-border data, and online transactions bring value and benefits to citizens. However, the mechanism of mini-program adoption has not been elaborated. Homogenization, conflict of regulations, and policy effectiveness are issues of great concern. This study employed Self-Determination Theory and Motivation Theory, proposed an empirical model based on the extended SOR paradigm, and aimed to identify the critical factors determining the intention of government service mini-program adoption from the user’s perspective. Six hundred and nine valid samples were collected from Macau, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen through online survey platforms. The findings suggested that service quality, trust in eGovernment, ubiquity, and social influence constituted the determinants of intention to adopt. Service quality and ubiquity were salient determinants, and a great extent of service quality and ubiquity could promote perceived value and intention. Citizens' trust in government service mini-programs was reasonable, where benevolence, integrity, and competence were crucial indicators of trust. Social influence amplified and transmitted risk perception while perceived risk significantly reduced intention. Perceived value positively associated with the four determinants and enhanced user intention; it acted as a mediator with high explanatory power in the model. Government support received positive ratings from citizens; it negatively regulated the relationship between intention and the determinants respectively, implying that excessive intervention from the government could lead to inhibition. Finally, we proposed relevant implications and suggestions for the GBA government agents and policymakers

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.

This study sought to determine the strategy that allowed the Las Vegas Sands Corporation (LVS) to attain its leading status in the casino industry and to gain insight whether this status would continue given (i) the passing of the LVS founder, Sheldon Adelson, in January 2021, (ii)the sell-off of the company's Las Vegas properties early in 2022, and (iii) the firm's greater sensitivity to events in China caused by the company's increased reliance for most of its customers on the mainland China market. The study first identified the nature of the LVS competitive advantages when Adelson was directing the firm and then assessed whether these had been adversely impacted due to changes in the firm's markets, management or strategy. The study relied initially on the work of David Baron, Professor of Political Economy and Strategy at Stanford University who as early as 1981 advanced the view that corporate strategy needed to be divided in a Marketing Strategy (MS) and a Non-Market Strategy (NMS). The NMS component for LVS was critically important since government determined who could acquire a Macau casino concession and what level of visas would be provided to Mainland China gamblers to fill the Macau casinos. The key question became the nature of Adelson's Political Effectiveness as determined by the NMS he directed towards the China market. To resolve this issue, we adopted the Wellner & Lakotta proposal to extend Porter's Five Forces analytical framework by two additional dimensions, Government Interventors and Complementor Organizations. We concluded that it was highly likely that Goldman Sachs, the long-term financial backer of Sheldon Adelson, played a significant if not the major role in the success Adelson was able to achieve in the Greater China market.

Traditional healthcare typically focuses on the treatment of illness and medical consultations (TAHIRU, 2021). However, new generations of health centers are moving beyond this traditional model. Nowadays, it has shifted to prioritizing preventive care, such as wellness programs, fitness classes, mental health support services and leisure activities to promote healthy lifestyles (Marizahn, 2020). Hence, this research focuses on exploring how an integrated health center approach could address the mental health challenges of youth in Macao.

As cities continue to grow at an unprecedented rate, the need for efficient land use becomes even more critical. Mixed Use Architecture is essential for modern cities because of its efficiency in using land that is prevalent in the rapid urbanization we are facing today. Mixed-use development offers numerous advantages for communities and serves as a crucial approach in attaining sustainable ecosystems (Woo and Cho, 2018). Land scarcity in Macau has made mixed-use architecture essential to city expansion. Mixed-use developments in Macau typically consist of combination of housing and commercial towers, casino and hotel complexes and office buildings. This has improved land use in the city. However, these developments, however, unappetizing living conditions resulting sick building syndrome to its residents. The research question identified and addressed in this study is: How can Mixed Use Architecture respond to the underlying problems Urbanisation has brought? Based on this question, this dissertation develops a new type prototype for mixed use architecture that to resolve the issues prevalent in the current mixed use architecture models using Macau as context for this prototype. This study challenges traditional architecture and uses innovative approaches stemming from biophilic strategies and industry leading green technologies that improve quality of life and the environment. This study proposes a novel solution to urbanization's problems such Sick Building Syndrome, high population density, and land scarcity. This dissertation suggests a space-efficient architecture to meet the needs of rising populations and land scarcity while prioritizing resident well-being.

Macau, as a densely populated city, has been facing a prominent challenge in fulfilling the rapidly growing demand for land due to its small geographical size. The limited availability of land exacerbates the conflict between urban development needs and land supply, leading to an imbalance in land resource allocation. This scarcity of land not only hinders the city's ability to meet its growing population's housing needs but also contributes to a lack of social space. The absence of adequate outdoor gathering areas and communal spaces has resulted in the fragmentation of communities and a fading sense of community in the society of Macau. As the urban environment undergoes relentless development, the social fabric of Macau is undergoing a transformation. Communities are becoming fragmented into smaller groups, and chance encounters and serendipitous social interactions are being neglected or excluded. Social events primarily take place within dedicated indoor spaces that cater to groups, further isolating different segments of the population due to the limited and subpar outdoor gathering space available. This dissertation aims to examine the possibility of developing a new housing prototype that could provoke connections between segregated communities. By introducing a combination of communal spaces and vertical circulation spaces, the design seeks to create opportunities for social interaction and the revitalisation of community bonds that could eventually fit into a hyperdense city. To achieve this, the dissertation will begin with a comprehensive site analysis of the site, considering both the physical constraints and the potential benefits for social space creation. Furthermore, the study will draw insights from relevant literature and architectural projects that have addressed relevant challenges, exploring effective strategies for fostering community engagement and creating inclusive social spaces. The design process will emphasise the integration of communal spaces that encourage spontaneous interactions and vertical circulation spaces that facilitate movement and connectivity between different community segments.

Traditional malls often suffer from isolated and inward-focused designs that disconnect them from their urban surroundings, hindering pedestrian integration and community engagement. This dissertation addresses these issues by exploring the concept of integrating streets and malls to create a more cohesive and vibrant urban environment. The research examines contemporary architectural approaches that emphasize seamless connections between exterior streets and mall interiors, blurring the lines to foster social interaction and enhance walkability. Central to this study is an architectural design project that illustrates the practical application of these concepts. Through a detailed analysis of urban design principles and case studies of successful integrated malls, this research investigates the potential benefits and challenges of such integration. The design project provides a tangible example of how thoughtful interventions can activate public spaces, promote pedestrian flow, and cultivate a strong sense of place. The research highlights best practices and achievements in the area of integrated mall designs, offering valuable insights for urban planners, architects, and stakeholders involved in mall and urban space development. Findings suggest that integrating streets and malls can lead to improved community engagement and create more vibrant urban destinations that meet the specific needs and aspirations of the local community. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of how these designs can enhance urban vitality, iii pedestrian activity, and social interaction. Future research could focus on additional case studies or pilot projects to further implement and evaluate this approach in different contexts, providing practical insights and refining the understanding of its benefits and challenges. By reimagining the traditional mall structure and its relationship with the urban environment, this dissertation contributes to the ongoing discourse on sustainable and inclusive urban development, proposing strategies that make urban retail spaces more responsive to contemporary needs. 傳統購物中心常常受到孤立和內向設計的困擾，這些設計使它們與城市環境脫節，阻礙了行人融入和社區參與。本論文透過探索整合街道和購物中心的概念來解決這些問題，以創造一個更有凝聚力和活力的城市環境。該研究探討了當代的建築方法，強調外部街道和購物中心內部之間的無縫連接，模糊界限以促進社會互動並增強步行能力。這項研究的核心是一個建築設計項目，它說明了這些概念的實際應用。透過對城市設計原則的詳細分析和成功綜合購物中心的案例研究，本研究探討了這種整合的潛在好處和挑戰。這個設計計畫提供了一個具體的例子，說明深思熟慮的干預措施如何激活公共空間、促進人流並培養強烈的地方感。該研究重點介紹了綜合購物中心設計領域的最佳實踐和成就，為參與購物中心和城市空間開發的城市規劃者、建築師和利益相關者提供了寶貴的見解。研究結果表明，整合街道和購物中心可以提高社區參與度，創造更有活力的城市目的地，滿足當地社區的特定需求和願望。這項研究對這些設計如何增強城市活力、行人活動和社會互動進行了全面分析。未來的研究可以專注於其他案例研究或試點項目，以在不同的背景下進一步實施和評估這種方法，提供實用的見解並加深對其好處和挑戰的理解。透過重新構想傳統的購物中心結構及其與城市環境的關係，本論文為可持續和包容性城市發展的持續討論做出了貢獻，提出了使城市零售空間更能滿足當代需求的策略。

The stock market's inherent volatility and complexity pose significant challenges for investors seeking to optimize their strategies. This thesis addresses the critical need for improved forecasting methods in stock price prediction by proposing a hybrid approach that combines traditional machine learning (ML) techniques, specifically Support Vector Machines (SVM) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks, with sentiment analysis derived from financial news and social media platforms. The research establishes a theoretical framework integrating quantitative data, such as historical stock prices, with qualitative sentiment data to enhance prediction accuracy. The study involves the collection of a comprehensive dataset covering stock prices and sentiment scores from various sources, including news articles and social media posts, from January 2010 to December 2023. Rigorous data preprocessing techniques, including normalization and feature engineering, are employed to prepare the data for analysis. A comparative analysis of the SVM and LSTM models uses multiple performance metrics, including Mean Squared Error (MSE), Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE), and classification accuracy. The findings reveal that the LSTM model significantly outperforms the SVM model in predictive accuracy, demonstrating its capability to capture complex temporal dependencies inherent in financial time series data. Furthermore, integrating sentiment analysis significantly enhances the predictive performance of both models. Notably, transformer-based sentiment analysis techniques, such as BERT and DistilBERT, provide superior sentiment classifications compared to traditional methods like VADER and TextBlob. The empirical results indicate that incorporating sentiment data leads to an average accuracy improvement of 12.8% over models that rely solely on historical price data. This research contributes to the evolving field of financial forecasting by emphasizing the importance of a hybrid approach that amalgamates quantitative and qualitative data. The implications of these findings extend beyond academic research, offering valuable insights for investors and financial analysts seeking to leverage advanced predictive models to navigate market uncertainties. Ultimately, this dissertation advocates adopting sophisticated hybrid models that enhance stock investment strategies and decision-making processes in the finance sector.

Macau, a Special Administrative Region of China, is an impressive destination known for its unique blend of Chinese and Portuguese influences. With a history dating back centuries, Macau’s architecture tells the story of its rich former times. In recent years, Macau has faced a growing challenge due to its status as an overpopulated city. With limited land resources and a rapidly increasing population, there is a critical need to create additional spaces that cater to the intellectual and cultural development of its residents. Due to the increasing demand on housing, most of the available land is currently occupied and in consequence of that, the government had no choice but to develop innovative and expanding solutions. They established a ‘’reclamation area”, which is a land built from scratch that has the purpose of relieving the tension of insufficient land with entertaining facilities that can gather and attract communities. On this dissertation will concentrate on the social-educational aspects of the new Zone A development. The libraries will act as a focal center for all future residents in zone A, The fact that libraries are changing and becoming more than just places for preserving books is a major problem. It is important to think of the library as a multifunctional place that can accommodate not just traditional study spaces but also collaborative work, the development of digital media, events, and social gatherings in response to the evolving demands of the community, above all, the library should be the center for all the community involvement. Also would be used as a prototype to test this new form of library that explores the benefits and feasibility of implementing additional libraries and unusual architectural spaces in Macau while integrating them with other recreational facilities. Macau, known for its thriving tourism and entertainment industry, currently faces a scarcity of public spaces that promote intellectual and leisure activities. This study investigates the potential advantages of the implementation of recreation facilities that have the potential to meet the diverse needs of the community. To conclude, the implementation of more recreational facilities within libraries in Macau holds significant benefits for both residents and tourists. By combining these two elements, libraries can evolve into dynamic community hubs that fulfil a wide range of needs and interests.

This dissertation explores the concept of a topographic shopping mall in Macau inspired by the region's mountainous landscapes and its potential to integrate nature within urban environments. As consumer preferences increasingly shift towards sustainable and health- oriented experiences, the incorporation of nature-inspired design principles emerges as a critical response to these demands. This study investigates how blending natural elements— such as local flora, organic forms, and water features—can enhance the shopping experience, fostering a deeper connection between individuals and their environment. The research addresses key questions regarding the effective integration of nature-inspired design in commercial architecture, the impact of these elements on user experience and well-being, and their influence on economic performance. By examining existing design strategies and their effects on visitor satisfaction, this dissertation aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the benefits associated with nature-inspired retail environments. Ultimately, the findings highlight the importance of creating biophilic spaces that not only fulfill practical needs but also promote health and a sense of community, positioning the topographic shopping mall as a potential model for future commercial developments.

This dissertation investigates how to alleviate the shortage of green space in high-density urban areas. It explores a design approach that integrates green plants into high-rise mixed-use buildings, especially the green plants growing on vertical space and building facade of a high-rise building. To develop specific design principles and design methods, this study conducts a literature review and case studies in the following two ways. First, this study explores three key themes that are regarded as design concepts in my graduation project, namely vertical greenery, sky garden, and low-carbon design. Based on these themes, this study further explores the implied design principles, which include (1) balancing ecology and aesthetics, (2) ensuring spatial equity, and (3) sustainability. Secondly, super high-rise buildings, mixed-use buildings, and nature-integrated buildings are three typological cases that are analyzed in this study. Based on an analysis of these cases, this study develops the following design methods that apply to my graduation project: (1) double-skin facade system, (2) structural symbiosis, (3) hierarchical sky gardens, and (4) three-dimensional green network. To better understand how to increase green space in high-density urban areas, this study develops an architectural design scheme in Zone D of Macau’s new town. 本论文旨在研究如何缓解高密度城市区域的绿地短缺问题。它探索了一种将绿色植物融入高层综合用途建筑的设计方法，尤其关注在高层建筑的垂直空间和建筑外立面上生长的绿色植物。 为了形成具体的设计原则和设计方法，本研究通过以下两种方式开展了文献综述与案例研究。首先，本研究探讨了三个关键主题，这些主题被视为本人毕业设计中的设计理念，即垂直绿化、空中花园和低碳设计。基于这些主题，本研究进一步挖掘了其中隐含的设计原则，包括：（1）平衡生态与美学；（2）保障空间公平；（3）可持续性。其次，本研究对超高层建筑、综合用途建筑和自然融合型建筑这三类典型案例进行了分析。在案例分析的基础上，本研究总结出适用于本人毕业设计的以下设计方法：（1）双层表皮系统；（2）结构共生；（3）层级化空中花园；（4）三维绿色网络。为了更深入地理解如何在高密度城市区域增加绿地，本研究在澳门新城 D 区规划了一个建筑设计方案。

Formative assessment has long been recognised as a valuable educational measurement tool; however, its application in music education in Asia, particularly in Macau, remains underexplored. This study investigated the implementation of formative assessment in Macau and the factors that influence its application. A convergent mixed-methods research approach was adopted, utilising questionnaires, interviews and observations. Initially, teacher questionnaires, interviews and classroom observations were used to comprehensively understand how teachers implement formative assessment in singing teaching within junior middle schools in Macau. This approach identified the strengths and weaknesses of the practices while drawing insights from existing literature. Additional teacher questionnaires and interviews were used to explore the factors shaping teachers’ approaches to formative assessment. To provide a holistic perspective, student questionnaires and interviews were used to examine students’ experiences and perceptions of formative assessment in singing instruction. The findings indicate that a) teachers use all five formative assessment strategies outlined by Thompson and Wiliam (2007) with varying frequencies; b) teachers prioritise skill goals and technical accuracy over expressive qualities; c) performance assessment is common in singing classes, while questioning is more typical in other settings; d) teachers prefer teacher-directed assessments over student-directed ones (self and peer assessment); e) strengths include effective teacher demonstrations, frequent descriptive feedback, self-recording, reflective questions and constructive peer feedback, while weaknesses comprise infrequent use of assessment tools, application of multiple evaluative feedback types and low specificity in some descriptive feedback and misuse of self and peer ratings; f) both personal (teacher attitude, self-efficacy and subjective norms) and contextual (school environment, student challenges and public performances) factors hinder formative assessment implementation; and g) students value strategies like teacher demonstration, descriptive feedback and self-recording but devalue others such as evaluative feedback, self-rating, peer rating and peer feedback. Expert interviews were conducted to address the identified weaknesses and formulate targeted recommendations for stakeholders, aiming to enhance the effectiveness of formative assessment in singing teaching in Macau junior middle schools.

Facial expression recognition is a key topic in computer vision, playing a crucial role in non-verbal communication. With the rapid development of artificial intelligence, significant progress has been made in improving recognition accuracy and generalization abilities. Traditional methods often suffer from low precision and poor generalization, while deep learning models have substantially advanced the field. However, deploying deep and complex models on different platforms remains challenging due to their high computational demands and frameworks. Hence, developing an efficient, real-time, and lightweight facial expression recognition system is critical. This study focuses on creating an efficient, accurate, and lightweight real-time facial expression recognition system with an emphasis on cross-platform deployment. It integrates various deep learning and optimization techniques to demonstrate flexibility across platforms. In this context, this study evaluates the performance of 10 advanced CNN models (VGG16, VGG19, ResNet50, etc.) on the facial expression dataset FER2013. YOLOv8 combined with ResNet50 achieved 70.56% accuracy on FER2013, outperforming YOLOv8 alone by 2.1%. Multi-module fusion models (MobileFaceNet, IR50, HyViT, SE) achieved an accuracy of 92.58% and 74.8% on the RAF-DB and FER2013 datasets, respectively, showing superior performance in ablation experiments. Given the significant impact of data quality on model performance, this study performed data cleaning on the FER2013 dataset, resulting in a 3.25% accuracy improvement for the YOLOv8 + ResNet50 model, which reached 73.81%. The high-resolution RAF-DB dataset, with fewer errors, led to improved performance, achieving 92.56% accuracy with the fusion model. A multi-purpose facial expression recognition system, VISTA, was developed using Python and PyQt5. The system supports multiple data formats and provides real-time emotional feedback, thus enhancing its usability for both research and practical applications. Furthermore, the fusion model was quantized using the OpenVINO toolkit, reducing its parameters by 75% while maintaining an accuracy of 91.17%. Inference speed was improved, and XGrad-CAM was employed to enhance model interpretability, revealing that the YOLOv8 + ResNet50 combination more effectively captured facial features. Finally, the high-performance model was successfully deployed on Intel CPUs, NVIDIA GPUs, and embedded devices Raspberry Pi 4B, demonstrating the portability and flexibility of the VISTA system across various platforms. This research provides promising solutions for applications in human-computer interaction, affective computing, and real-time emotional analysis, with significant advancements made in improving system real-time performance, accuracy, and cross-platform deployment capabilities. It contributes to the development of facial expression recognition technology and lays the foundation for its widespread future applications in fields such as smart healthcare, business analytics, education, and mental health.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the way we operate as a society. Generative AI models are especially known for being used to generate synthetic artifacts, such as texts, music, and images. This doctoral thesis explores generative AI's ability to create accurate images from prompt text. Our work aims to prove how generative AI tools are creating images that are remarkably similar in appearance as those created by humans. In addition to the theoretical contributions, this thesis explores broader secondary open questions about generative AI: what implications arise for the perception of what is virtual and non-virtual in our contemporary visual landscape? How does the new nature of interaction with generative AI change human-machine communication? Generative AI tools saw a series of breakthroughs these last years, which led to models that generate texts and images that are increasingly more difficult to distinguish from human- made creative content. As of 2022, Open AI developed and released ChatGPT, a chatbot enabling human users to converse, ask questions, explain concepts, and create new text-based content. However, the capabilities of generative AI went far beyond text generation. For example, gen AI models, Midjourney and DALL-E 3, are specifically designed to create images based on text prompts. These images are artificially created, meaning every screen pixel was produced using AI. Throughout this research, we explore new concepts of creative content generation, perception of virtual and non-virtual, memory, and trustworthiness in our contemporary imagery. Using an interdisciplinary methodological framework, this thesis engages with the creation of synthetic imagery as an opportunity for an infinite source of creativity or a detrimental disruption of contemporary visual culture.

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.

As an important part of the global economy, family business have made a lot of contributions to the world economy. With the deepening of China's reform and opening up, the scale and volume of family business have increased dramatically in the national economy. In recent years, more and more family-owned enterprises have entered the list of “Top 500 Chinese Enterprises” and become an important part of the national economy. As a special enterprise organization, family business has certain characteristics. Most of the Chinese family business were founded in the early stage of China's reform and opening up, and now more and more family business are facing the problem that the founders need to leave the family business due to their advanced age. How to ensure the smooth succession of family business and avoid conflicts and contradictions in the process of succession is an important challenge faced by many family business. How to ensure that family business can continue to develop and maintain a high performance status is of great significance to the founders and their successors, as well as to the Chinese economy. Therefore, this research examines how the characteristics of successors affect enterprise performance based on the context of intergenerational succession in family business. This research is based on a multi-case study in which in-depth interviews were conducted with the founders and successors of five cases, which led to the conclusion that five successor characteristics have an impact on enterprise performance. They are inclusiveness, forward thinking, sociable and good communication, sense of social responsibility and sense of family mission. This finding has significant implications for the training of successors and the management of the succession process in Chinese family business. This study is conducive to the discovery of the mechanism of successor characteristics on enterprise performance as well as to make a realistic contribution to the research on the outcomes of family business in China.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being applied in different areas of Administration and Management including finance, e-commerce, etc. Project Management (PM) is one area that may benefit from the use of AI to support project managers in making more accurate predictions, more quickly, such as deadline adjustments and cost updates, while at the same time helping with some of repetitive tasks of PM by relieving managers from these processes. Nevertheless, multiple aspects are still in consideration to allow AI to be widely adopted in PM, including lack of validated systems, including aspects of quality and prevalence, trust from users, market and specialists, and how the government will play a role to support the wider adoption of AI tools. This research explores the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Project Management and its potential to enhance four aspects: service quality, trust, prevalence, and government support. The proposed methodology employs a systematic literature review (SLR) combining with a quantitative survey to assess the current state of AI in project management. The SLR covers scholarly articles from 2016 to 2021, focusing on AI's impact on project management across various industries. The survey, conducted among 200 professionals, gathers insights into AI's perceived benefits and challenges in project management. The research findings indicate a positive inclination towards AI in project management, with respondents recognizing its potential to improve efficiency, support data-driven decisions, and enhance risk management. However, the study also reveals concerns regarding data quality, privacy, and the need for ethical considerations in AI applications. Most respondents agree on the necessity of government support to foster AI adoption and the importance of establishing trust in AI systems through transparency and security measures. The thesis concludes with recommendations for practitioners and policymakers to effectively leverage AI in project management. It proposes a framework including the development of training programs, the establishment of quality standards for AI services, and the promotion of public-private partnerships to drive innovation. The study emphasizes the importance of a multi-faceted approach to AI integration, considering technological, organizational, and ethical dimensions.

This thesis explores the impact of the exploration of methadone treatment programs in heroin-dependent the perspective from use and the quality of life. The primary objective of this research is to investigate how different types of participants that methadone will affect their quality of life. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative surveys with qualitative interviews to gather comprehensive data from a sample of 59 participants, 8 female, and 51 male, for the questionnaire to know about their quality of life and well-being. A structured questionnaire was used to quantitatively assess participants' quality of life, well-being, and satisfaction with methadone treatment. The survey included standardized scales measuring various dimensions of quality of life, such as physical health, mental health, social functioning, and overall life satisfaction. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining quantitative and qualitative research methods to provide a comprehensive understanding of treatment efficacy and genetic influences. In the course of this research on the impact of methadone treatment programs on the quality of life for heroin-dependent individuals, several key findings emerged from both the quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. To overall improvement in quality of life the participants reported significant improvements in various dimensions of quality of life after starting methadone treatment. On average, scores for emotional well-being, social functioning, and physical health showed marked increases over the treatment period

This dissertation examines the relationship between internal corporate communication (ICC)strategies and occupational safety and health (OSH) Management practices in Macau's hospitality industry. The primary objective is to investigate how communication approaches can enhance workplace safety protocols and improve OSH outcomes for corporations in the leisure and entertainment sectors. The study aligns with Macau's several policies and economic development on promoting health and safety. It highlights the critical role of OSH Management in the post-COVID-19 business environment, influencing consumer choices and industry practices. The mixed-methods research identified critical success factors, including aligning OSH goals with corporate objectives, utilizing diverse communication platforms, and establishing a safety culture. Areas for improvement were also uncovered. The findings provide valuable insights for hospitality organizations, emphasizing the critical role of internal communication in driving effective OSH Management. By integrating communication strategies with OSH initiatives, organizations can cultivate a robust safety culture, ensure regulatory compliance, and enhance employee well-being and customer satisfaction - key factors for long-term business success