International Background Research Articles

The construction of anti-pandemic image: a semiotic study of the role metaphors play in pandemic discourse in China

Abstract The pandemic has attracted extensive media attention around the world. In reports on the pandemic, metaphors are widely used to frame pandemic events through cross-domain mappings. Based on critical metaphor analysis, this study examines the metaphors in pandemic reports published in China Daily, the largest government-owned English-language newspaper in China and explores the metaphorical construction of China’s anti-pandemic image. We find more than 13 metaphor varieties, among which, the metaphors of war, journey, and family and friend are dominant. Through these metaphors, China is largely constructed as a people-oriented, united, resilient, responsible, and friendly country as well as a victim of political stigmatization. We argue that the stance and ideology of China Daily and the international background of infodemic influence the representation of China’s anti-pandemic image.

Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation for Dysphagia Treatment: Adoption, Perceived Barriers, and Clinical Practices.

This study aims to learn about the global adoption of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) in managing dysphagia, identify the barriers to its adoption, and describe the existing clinical practices. A total of 171 professionals from various international backgrounds initiated a specially developed online survey, and 122 responses were included in the final analysis. The survey consisted of 44 items related to NMES usage, perceived adoption barriers of NMES in dysphagia management, and clinical practices. The data were subjected to descriptive and correlational statistical analysis. NMES is adopted by 50% of the participants' workplaces when considering responses globally and 42.7% in the United States. Most respondents reported both high self-assessed knowledge level and high interest in learning about NMES. Among the 21 posed barriers to NMES adoption, 19 were agreed upon by over 50% of participants, with the most reported being insufficient academic coverage, lack of expert endorsement, and heterogeneity in stimulation parameters. There was considerable diversity in the clinical application of NMES, particularly regarding the duration, frequency, and total number of sessions typically completed when using NMES. NMES is adopted by half of the facilities and utilized by one third of dysphagia practitioners among the international respondents to this survey. The high interest expressed in NMES parallels the increasing volume of related research. Nonetheless, the widespread recognition of barriers and the substantial variability in clinical application underscore the need for international efforts to establish standardized protocols or guidelines, ensuring its effective and consistent use in clinical settings.

Professional Identity Development of Counselor Educators with International Backgrounds through Online Photovoice

Professional Identity Development of Counselor Educators with International Backgrounds through Online Photovoice

Comparative Analysis Between Japan's Real Estate Economy and China's Real Estate Status

Japan's real estate bubble economy in the 1990s caused a major blow to the Japanese economy, Japan entered the "disappearing 30 years". The causes of Japan's real estate bubble economy and the reasons why the bubble burst are worthy of the world's countries to learn from. 21st century since the rapid development of China's real estate economy, housing prices are growing rapidly. The real estate economy has been overheated in some areas, although the Chinese government has taken relevant measures to cool down, still can't relax the vigilance, people should always pay attention to the overheated areas of real estate prices, land prices. Through the comparison between China and Japan, although the economic structure and development trend are similar when the property overheating phenomenon occurs, the economic development background and international background between the two countries are different, and the governments of the two countries have adopted different strategies to deal with the property overheating phenomenon. So in conclusion, although there are some areas in China where real estate is overheating, China's real estate market will not burst the bubble. In order to prevent China's real estate bubble from bursting and its impact on economic development, China should pay attention to the reasons behind it and make targeted policy adjustments, while also drawing on the lessons learned from other countries to promote the healthy and stable development of the real estate economy.

Financing Management and Social Information

China's robust renewable energy sector expansion has spurred academic inquiry into the underlying driving forces. Recent studies have highlighted the correlation between the growth of renewable energy and project financing and the pivotal role of information management in financing. Based on this, we use business data from Chinese listed companies from 2007 to 2021 to investigate the relationship between renewable energy business development and financing. Furthermore, we introduce social and enterprise information to explore their impact on this relationship. Our findings reveal that: (1) Expansion of renewable energy businesses enhances fund availability mainly through endogenous financing. (2) “Anti-dumping and countervailing” (“Double-anti”) investigations significantly hinder financing for expanding renewable energy businesses, while industrial policies mitigate these effects. (3) Complex international backgrounds combined with domestic market-government interactions promote renewable energy enterprises to apply information management technology for financing.

Transition to work: A qualitative exploration of Australian-trained international dietetic graduates' career trajectories.

Interest in the role of employability in student-dietitian transitions is increasing. However, little is known about the cross-cultural transition-to-work experience of Australian-trained dietetic graduates of international backgrounds, as well as strategies to optimise work-readiness. The present study aimed to explore graduates' career narratives and identify employability capitals that enabled successful transitions to work. A qualitative interpretive approach was employed via a cultural lens. Eighteen participants from five Asian countries who had graduated from an Australian university within 3-15 years, with work experience in Australia or in their respective home countries, took part in in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis was performed, guided by the graduate capitals based approach. Transition-to-work was dynamic and non-linear; four themes and 12 subthemes identified: (1) upon graduation, participants felt ambivalent about their decision to either stay in Australia or return home, influenced by graduate visa restrictions, and individual perceptions of their ability to mobilise cultural strengths to gain employment; (2) to get a foot in the door, participants demonstrated resilience, embraced uncertainty and utilised social networks to increase employment opportunities in Australia and their home countries; (3) regardless of which country they worked, graduates reported struggling with their cross-cultural identities in the workplace; and (4) eventually, these graduates appreciated their ethnic capital, thrived in their work and extended a helping hand to their junior cross-cultural dietitians. Initiatives facilitating connections to the host country and supporting cultural and ethnic capital development, along with ongoing research reviewing employability capital applications, will benefit cross-cultural dietetic graduates and the communities they potentially will serve.

COMMUNICATIVE TOLERANCE FORMATION AT UNIVERSITY: PEDAGOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS

The study explores the establishment of communicative tolerance (CT) as a crucial pedagogical and psychological factor in shaping the communicative competence of prospective professionals. It draws on the examination of various studies conducted by scholars from both domestic and international backgrounds. Objective of the research. The primary goal of this paper is to elucidate the concept of "communicative tolerance" and to devise, validate and apply a pedagogical approach to cultivate CT among future psychologists in EFL university classes. The authors' research introduces a new aspect by defining the core principle of "communicative tolerance" and outlining its structural elements, as well as devising a method for cultivating CT. The experimental study identified three fundamental levels of CT at both the outset and conclusion of the project. The research introduces a novel concept of "communicative tolerance" and provides a clear definition of its structural components, along with the development of a technology for fostering CT. The study identified three levels of CT at both the initial and final stages of the experimental work. Materials and methods utilized in the research included theoretical approaches such as analysis, systematization and generalization of scientific literature, as well as a review of federal documents. Empirical methods like observation and testing, sociological methods such as surveys and questioning, and mathematical and statistical techniques for both quantitative and qualitative data processing were employed. The methodology was based on the General Communicative Tolerance questionnaire by V.V. Boyko, complemented by a series of psychological diagnostic tests. Research results. The study at Sevastopol State University included 35 fourth-year students. By applying educational methods, it was demonstrated that CT levels among students can rise by 14%. This research confirms the importance of continuously enhancing students' critical thinking in a university environment. The practical applications of these findings extend to enhancing the professional skills of educators through additional vocational training, job placement, and on-the-job training programs.

Transfer of training and learner attitude: a mixed-methods study on learner experience in an authentic learning program

ABSTRACT To understand the longstanding issue of low training transfer rates, in this study we explore the understudied role of trainee attitude in an authentic educational training programme comprising participants with diverse international backgrounds. We employed a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design and conceptualised attitude as a multi-dimensional construct (affective, cognitive, behavioural). The multiple regression analysis highlights the significant predictive role of learner attitude, when considering all three dimensions. Spearman’s Rank Correlation analysis underscores the significance of each attitudinal dimension, with varying significance across dimensions. Qualitatively, the cognitive-transfer link was confirmed while behavioural and affective domains had weaker links with transfer according to participants. Additionally, we identified constructs related to individual attitudes and transfer, including motivation, cultural diversity, and multiple situational conditions. Our findings have implications for international audiences and provide recommendations for designing effective training programmes to enhance transfer.

Internationalisation of Network Enterprises from the SME Sector in Poland in 2019-2022 with a Focus on the Łódź Voivodeship

Abstract The aim of this article is to discuss the problem of internationalisation of small and mediumsized enterprises sector organisations in Poland in the years 2019-2022 with a particular focus on the Łódź Voivodeship (9th position from the point of view of entrepreneurship in the regions of Poland). The first part of the article provides the theoretical background of internationalisation of enterprises. The second part contains an analysis of empirical data on the basis of author’s own research and determinants of company growth relating to the internationalisation of the small and medium-sized enterprises sector in Poland in the years 2019-2022 with a particular focus on the Łódź Voivodeship. The main research hypothesis in the article is that the majority of enterprises in the small and medium-sized enterprises sector in the Łódź Voivodeship conduct international activities, although the geographic range of the (international) activities of both transport-shipment-logistics companies and companies from the production and service industry (outside the transport-shipment-logisitcs industry), does not translate into a high share products/services ordered on the international market to the total quantity of products/services ordered by these companies. The article was written on the basis of the literature on the subject, survey results and reports of the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development and documents of the Marshal's Office of the Łódź Voivodeship.

Digital transformation and enterprise outward foreign direct investment

This research empirically investigates the influence of digital transformation on firms' outward foreign direct investment (OFDI), utilizing data from A-share listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen from 2009 to 2022. The results indicate that digital transformation notably enhances OFDI. Robustness tests further confirm the dependability and relevance of the study's findings. This effect is particularly evident in state-owned enterprises, companies operating in fiercely competitive industries, and executives with international backgrounds. Mechanism analysis suggests that digital transformation drives OFDI by reducing overseas operational costs and enhancing technological innovation capabilities.

Parisa Ebrahimbabaie’s Academic Sojourn at Bethune-Cookman University

Parisa Ebrahimbabaie’s academic tenure at Bethune-Cookman University (B-CU) unfolds as a captivating narrative intricately woven with challenges stemming from her international background as a woman from Iran. This exploration of her experiences at the Historical Black University (HBCU) delves into the complexities of identity, cultural adjustments, and the unique dynamics of an academic environment rich in historical significance.

Analysis of Enterprise Value Assessment: Evidence from Xiaomi Group

Xiaomi's initial public offering in Hong Kong in 2018 coincided with a downturn in the Hong Kong stock market, with several mainland companies listed in Hong Kong falling below the issue price on the first day of listing. Investors have to be more cautious nowadays under the complicated international background such as the Fed's interest rate hike. On this basis, this study chooses to assess the enterprise value of Xiaomi, using the EVA valuation method and combining the various data disclosed in Xiaomi's annual reports for 2018-2022 to measure the EVA value. After measuring the data required in EVA model, Xiaomi's overall trend in recent years has first increased and then decreased. In 2018-2019 the overall development is good, and the market outlook is vast; but in 2020-2022 the development is limited due to its own and external general environment, of which 2022 experiences a substantial decline since the IPO. Xiaomi's complex attributes make its valuation difficult, and these results estimate its intrinsic value through a clear method for investors.

CEO International Background and Cross-Border M&As

We investigate whether having a CEO with an international background affects U.S. firms’ cross-border merger and acquisition (M&A) activities. By defining international background as having either non-U.S. nationality, overseas education, or foreign work experience, we provide robust evidence that when a CEO possesses these characteristics, a firm is more likely to acquire international targets, and these deals are more value-enhancing. Moreover, our results indicate that when a firm’s CEO has all of these international characteristics (compared to just one), both the likelihood of cross-border deals and announcement returns increase. The observed gains are related, at least in part, to CEOs with this background being associated with lower acquisition premium and mitigating the negative impact of paying for these deals with equity.

From Clicks to Trust: Electronic Word of Mouth and Perceived Website Quality Versus E-Shopping Attitudes

Abstract Purpose This study explores the influence of electronic word of mouth (eWOM) and perceived website quality on consumer attitudes toward online shopping, highlighting the mediating role of trust. The research assesses how these digital factors collectively shape consumer behavior and trust in global e-commerce platforms. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative approach is employed through a structured, self-administered survey targeting 308 online shoppers from diverse international backgrounds. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is used to test the proposed model and validate the relationships between key variables. Findings The results reveal that both eWOM and website quality significantly affect consumer attitudes toward online shopping. The trust serves as a crucial mediator in this relationship, with eWOM and website quality directly influencing trust, which in turn shapes online shopping attitudes. Practical implications These findings highlight the importance of building trust in e-commerce strategies, particularly through enhancing website quality and fostering positive eWOM to improve consumer engagement and loyalty. Social implications The study expands the understanding of how website quality affects societal attitudes toward online shopping, with implications for both businesses and consumers in the digital economy. Originality/value This research provides a comprehensive global perspective on the interplay between eWOM, website quality, trust, and online shopping attitudes. It offers valuable insights for e-commerce retailers and marketers seeking to build consumer trust and improve shopping experiences in a competitive digital marketplace.

Coaches’ Migration: Decisions and Perceived Importance of International Experience

The migration of coaches is a topic that has seen increasing research interest in recent years. Discussions are evolving around the factors driving coaches' migration, their experiences, and perceptions held by other sports stakeholders. This study aimed to explore the decision-making processes of coaches regarding migration and their views on the phenomenon. A total of 68 coaches, both with and without international experience, participated in the study. Data collection involved an online survey comprising closed-ended questions. For data analysis, we employed a One-Way ANOVA to draw comparisons across independent variables. Interestingly, coaches with international experience have been more frequently approached with offers than their counterparts without such experience. Nevertheless, the majority of the coaches did not perceive foreign coaches as essential to sports development. Coaches with international backgrounds expressed a belief that native coaches should exclusively coach their national teams. Overall, coaches did not highly value international placements or experience. These unexpected findings have significant implications for coach training programs globally. The results are further explored in the context of the expertise required to work in a globalised sports setting and interact with stakeholders from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Construction of Blended Teaching Model Integrating Intercultural Competence Training

Under the international background of economic globalization and cultural diversity, it is an important task for current higher education to cultivate international talents with intercultural competence. In the field of foreign language teaching, more and more scholars pay attention to the integration of English education and intercultural education in English curriculum system, but there are relatively insufficient researches that can provide practical and operable guidance for front-line teachers to implement intercultural education. Nowadays blended teaching is recognized as an effective teaching model. This study intends to construct a blended teaching model which can integrate intercultural competence training into English courses, so as to help front-line teachers know how to carry out intercultural teaching design and implementation with the ultimate goal of improving college students’ foreign language ability and intercultural competence together.

Why People May View Online Crimes as Less Criminal: Exploring the Perception of Cybercrime

This qualitative research explores the perceptions of cybercrime among adults and investigates the factors influencing their potential motivations for participating in online activities that could be deemed illegal or criminal. The study involved panel discussions with master's students from diverse international backgrounds at the University of Tehran. Thematic analysis was utilized to examine the opinions and justifications presented by the participants. The primary objective of this article is to shed light on the ways in which people conceptualize online crimes and rationalize their involvement in illegal online activities, such as illegal downloads and online bullying. The findings contribute to a more profound comprehension of how individuals view cybercrimes, which, in turn, can offer valuable insights for developing targeted educational programs, interventions, and legal frameworks to effectively address this issue.

Fragmentary writing in J.V. Foix’s surrealist criticism and poetry

This article addresses a little-known episode in the surrealist movement: the adventurous (if not hindered) integration of surrealism into Iberian literature and art, particularly J.V. Foix’s intervention through critical (in La Publicitat ) and poetical writing ( Gertrudis , 1927, and KRTU , 1932), and his collaboration with Salvador Dalí and Joan Miró. Foix accomplished the dynamic process of transforming and reconfiguring the meaning and function of surrealist aesthetics in Catalonia in a complex network and context. Reading Foix not only as a philological issue, but also against an international background, and from the fragmentary writing perspective, will enrich traditional approaches and provide an insight into Catalan surrealism.

Factors Influencing Enterprise ESG Performance

This paper discusses the factors which influence the environmental, social, and governance performance of enterprises by reviewing previous studies. The article is analyzed from the external and internal environment of enterprises and developed from three dimensions: social institution, policy, and executives characteristics. Social institution and policy are external environments, and executives characteristic is the internal environment. The factor of social institutions, political institutions, labor institutions, and cultural institutions are discussed. They will be detailed on corruption, unemployment rate, labor protection, social cohesion, and equal opportunities. Unemployment rate and labor protection pose a positive impact on enterprise ESG performance, while high levels of country corruption, social cohesion, and equal opportunities contribute to negative ESG performance. Spanish, French, and Japanese enterprises are listed as an example. Spanish and French firms have similar levels of social and corporate governance performance, while Japanese firms are more committed to environmental issues due to cultural institutional differences. In the factor of policy, the article focuses on the positive influence of Chinas environmental regulation on technology innovation in the paper industry. The factor of executives characteristics, international background, and diversity, specifically in female proportion, of corporate executives are helpful to enterprise ESG performance. ESG performance is influenced by the external and internal environment of the enterprise. There is a mutual promotion between external and internal environments. This paper analyzing several factors will provide a reference for developing enterprise ESG performance in different countries.

The Justice of International Treaties and International Organizations

Nowadays, the international situation is constantly changing. Before the outbreak of COVID-19, intense competition between China and the United States had been taking place in various important fields such as economics, culture, technology, military, and politics. Such vicious competition is highly unfavorable for the World Trade Organization, as it goes against the purpose and treaties of the organization. However, in this event, these so-called purposes and conventions have become ineffective due to the pressure from the United States, the world's largest country. During the pandemic, many countries ignored the regulations of the World Health Organization, damaging its leadership in global health. Currently, even though the pandemic is reasonably under control, the international situation remains chaotic. The most notable is the year-long conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which has disrupted the balance between NATO and Russia. The United Nations and its Charter have limited power to restrain powerful countries, and a UN lacking in impartiality can only be a puppet of some big countries. Therefore, under such international background, This paper starts with international organizations and treaties to discuss the impartiality and binding force of international organizations and treaties, and to understand and analyze recent major international events, attempting to find ways to change the weaknesses of international organizations and treaties and lay a solid foundation for the peaceful development of all human beings in the future. International organizations and treaties play a critical role in guiding and mediating the peaceful development of humanity, and enhancing their impartiality and binding force would greatly benefit the peaceful development of humanity. It will be the cornerstone for further advancement of human civilization.