• Proceedings of the Korean Institute Of Construction Engineering and Management
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.3-8
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• 2007

"The world is flat" as the popular author Thomas L. Friedman declares in his best belling book about the progress of business globalization in the $21^{st}$ century [3]. Construction projects and related businesses have been global since the 1800's, but it has never seen such rapid transformation in both scope and depth as in the past decade. Construction projects today often bring together international design talents, construction management firms, local and international labor forces, and global suppliers. On a visit to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates on the Persian Gulf, a person will experience the complexity of globalization of modern construction projects- with Arab owners, European engineering and design companies, American construction management teams, Korean general contractors, Jordanian subcontractors, and labor forces from Thailand, Indonesia, Turkey, and Sri Lanka. A count of material suppliers reveals over 60 countries involved, covering all continents. Indeed construction projects are getting more and more complex and competitive, as is the project execution. The trend toward globalization poses both challenges and opportunities to construction and engineering companies competing on a global scale. While global competition may be a threat to many companies, there are, however, many opportunities for synergistic collaborations that can create win-win scenarios for construction business, research, and education. This paper presents some of the opportunities between the U.S. and Asia in business integration, research collaboration on technologies, and educational development, which may mutually benefit countries on either side of the Pacific.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.117-124
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• 2011

Considering that the world population is expected to total 9 billion by 2050, it will clearly be necessary to sustain and even accelerate the rate of improvement in crop productivity. In the 21st century, we now face another, perhaps more devastating, environmental threat, namely climate change, which could cause irreversible damage to agricultural ecosystem and loss of production potential. Enhancing intrinsic yield, plant abiotic stress tolerance, and pest and pathogen resistance through agricultural biotechnology will be a critical part of feeding, clothing, and providing energy for the human population, and overcoming climate change. Development and commercialization of genetically engineered crops have significantly contributed to increase of crop yield and farmer's income, decrease of environmental impact associated with herbicide and insecticide, and to reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from this cropping area. Advances in plant genomics, proteomics and system biology have offered an unprecedented opportunities to identify genes, pathways and networks that control agricultural important traits. Because such advances will provide further details and complete understanding of interaction of plant systems and environmental variables, biotechnology is likely to be the most prominent part of the next generation of successful agricultural industry. In this article, we review the prospects for modification of agricultural target traits by genetic engineering, including enhancement of photosynthesis, abiotic stress tolerance, and pest and pathogen resistance associated with such opportunities and challenges under climate change.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2014

The Kenyan aquaculture sector is broadly categorized into freshwater aquaculture and mariculture. Whereas freshwater aquaculture has recorded significant progress over the last decade, the mariculture sector has yet to be fully exploited. The Kenyan aquaculture industry has seen slow growth for decades until recently, when the government-funded Economic Stimulus Program increased fish farming nationwide. Thus far, the program has facilitated the alleviation of poverty, spurred regional development, and led to increased commercial thinking among Kenyan fish farmers. Indeed, national aquaculture production grew from 1,000 MT/y in 2000 (equivalent to 1% of national fish production) to 12,000 MT/y, representing 7% of the national harvest, in 2010. The production is projected to hit 20,000 MT/y, representing 10% of total production and valued at USD 22.5 million over the next 5 years. The dominant aquaculture systems in Kenya include earthen and lined ponds, dams, and tanks distributed across the country. The most commonly farmed fish species are Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus, which accounts for about 75% of production, followed by African catfish Clarias gariepinus, which contributes about 21% of aquaculture production. Other species include common carp Cyprinus carpio, rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, koi carp Cyprinus carpio carpio, and goldfish Carassius auratus. Recently, Kenyan researchers have begun culturing native fish species such as Labeo victorianus and Labeo cylindricus at the National Aquaculture Research Development and Training Centre in Sagana. Apart from limited knowledge of modern aquaculture technology, the Kenyan aquaculture sector still suffers from an inadequate supply of certified quality seed fish and feed, incomprehensive aquaculture policy, and low funding for research. Glaring opportunities in the Kenyan aquaculture industry include the production of live fish food, e.g., Artemia, daphnia and rotifers, marine fish and shellfish larviculture; seaweed farming; cage culture; integrated fish farming; culture of indigenous fish species; and investment in the fish feed industry.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.10 no.7
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• pp.5-11
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• 2012

The core objective of this research article is to investigate different challenges and opportunities in management as well as start-ups of small businesses in India. The prudence behind this research is to examine various problems in front of the small businesses and to offer vital support and cooperation to overcome those with the support of concerned institutions through consultancy and training programs. The researchers have an intention to make available the research results to the governmental agencies, concerned small business institutions and also to the educational institutions which are continually design plans, programs, policies and strategies to upgrade the managerial and technical dexterities of the small business Indian operators. After thorough revision of relevant literature on small businesses and its management, the researchers used a well structured questionnaire and in-depth personal interviews with 586small business operators selected from manufacturing, trading (retailing and wholesaling), finance, servicing/repair businesses which are located in the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh in India. The researchers have used convenience sampling and collected data was analyzed with the support of Microsoft Excel and frequency distribution. Noticeably, majority of the small businessmen in India are facing myriad number of challenges both in management and at the time of establishment of their business operations. In particular, 72.47 percent of small businesses operators' have substantiated their strong opinion towards the challenges they are facing particularly finance, marketing and other problems while managing their businesses. The researchers also attempted to get the opinions on problems of the various categories of small businesses while starting their operations. A staggering 68percent of respondents identified the problems related to preparation of business plan, location selection, marketing and other problems like lack of proper credit facilities, skilled manpower, and other infra related problems while setting up of their businesses. On an average, 64.62 and 63.51 percent of small businesses are facing various kinds of problems both at the time of day-to-day management as well as start-up of their businesses respectively. The present research confined with the opinions of only four categories of small business operators particularly from the manufacturing, finance, trading (retailing and wholesaling), and servicing/repair which are continuing their business operations from the nine coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh in India. The present study emphatically provides concrete information required to the business community for identifying an assortment of challenges faced by different small business operators in managing and at the time of their inception. This research paper is first of its kind from this part of the world by offering extensive and credible information required for prospective entrepreneurs in facing the dynamic challenges in managing their business. Furthermore, this research presents invaluable inputs to the stakeholders like all types of governments, policy makers, practitioners, researchers, and educators' about the various impediments faced by the small business community in India.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.69-77
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• 2024

Purpose: This paper aims to tackle the challenges and opportunities of cities' response to COVID-19 and provide cities with policy implications for better adapting to the post-pandemic era. Cities around the world are facing new challenges and have had to adapt to maintain social distancing measures while also addressing equity and social inclusion issues. Research design, data and methodology: The research methodology relies on an examination of existing literature, coupled with trend analysis employing discourse analysis to investigate post-pandemic urban resilience. The article also attempts to employ the concepts of adaptive urbanism and spatial flexibility and their potential to address these challenges not only in response to the pandemic, but also in the long-term. Results: The article explores the impact of COVID-19 on urban spatial structure through a public health lens and proposes actions that cities are able to take to enhance their resilience in the aftermath of the pandemic. Conclusions: It underscores the significance of reconstructing with improved distribution dynamics and provides valuable guidance for companies and policymakers on navigating these challenges. Ultimately, it also suggests that the pandemic has initiated a worldwide restructuring of urban planning, potentially leading to the emergence of smart cities grounded in science and technology.

• Journal of Smart Tourism
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.21-32
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• 2022

This paper shows light on the concept of smart tourism destination as a future of tourism development, especially in the context of problems associated with developing countries. This study substantiates the case of smart tourism development in mountain destinations as an affordable and needed future of the contemporary era. This conceptual study is based on secondary literature on Smart Cities, Smart Tourism Destinations, and Tourism in Himachal Pradesh. The Indian state of Himachal Pradesh has been considered as a study area to acknowledge major tourism-related challenges, especially in mountain locations. Consequently, the dots are connected between existing challenges and solutions that smart tourism holds. It turns out that for the development of mountain tourism destinations such as Himachal Pradesh in the Indian Himalayas, investments in smart infrastructure are required. By developing smart infrastructure, a new USP can be made, a supportive environment for new local businesses, new employment opportunities, enhanced tourist experience and an overall raised standard of living for locals. Considering all factors, it leads to a highly competitive tourism destination. All tourism destinations located in the Himalayan mountains show somewhat the same tourism challenges as Himachal Pradesh, India. Therefore, this paper brightens the path of destination planners towards the development agenda of smart tourism destinations and shows how smart tourism infrastructure can be deployed for better management of tourism destinations.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.229-238
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• 2022

The goal of this research is to look at the Belt and Road Initiative's (BRI) goals, principles, and priorities, as well as criticisms and concerns. Another goal is to determine the Vietnamese government's best response to the BRI. Finally, the study looks at the Vietnamese viewpoint. Document review is used in conjunction with PESTELED analysis and EIU country risk model technique in this study. The study is focused on in-depth interviews with 38 top government leaders, researchers, and scholars by adopting the Delphi technique to determine major factors of risks and opportunities as well as obtain a clearer view on the Vietnamese perspective of the BRI. The main conclusion is that Vietnam's participation in the BRI could result in a variety of benefits and risks, including economic development, connectivity and integration, development finance, cooperation, coordination, trade facilitation, and people-to-people communication, as well as diplomatic and political risks, financial risks, environmental challenges, and job creation. Another conclusion is suggested that careful and case-by-case negotiation with China is needed for Vietnam to exploit the future benefits of BRI. There is a need to set up the strategy to mitigate the risk impacts, reduce the risk level, avoid risk, at last turn the risk into opportunities.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.32 no.9
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• pp.1452-1469
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• 2012

This study examined the science learning environments experienced by Korean and U.S. preservice elementary science teachers during their 3-week clinical experience. Observational experiences of 97 Korean and 112 U.S preservice teachers were surveyed with an instrument that we developed for the study. Follow-up interviews provided a clearer picture of what preservice teachers observed and experienced in science classrooms during their clinical experiences. Korean preservice teachers experienced a variety of science teaching environments, whereas the U.S. preservice teachers reported limited opportunities to observe science teaching and learning in terms of 6 identified facets that we posed. Along with our interpretation of the contrast in findings, some of the challenges are discussed in providing preservice teachers with opportunities to observe, experience, and teach in effective science learning environments during the clinical experience.

• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.07a
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• pp.673-675
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• 2005

Ink jet printheads are now widely used in manufacturing processes that require precise dispensing of materials. Today, Dimatix manufactures a variety of drop-on-demand ink jet printheads for the industrial printing market, but emerging opportunities present fresh challenges to our technology. In response to requirements for digitally printing on flexible substrates and dispensing novel electronic fluids, we are developing next generation jetting technology based on our three-dimensional silicon MEMS technology with a piezo-driven pumping chamber integrated into the chip structure. This presentation will address the functional and physical design features and properties of Dimatix's MEMS process, its characteristics, reliability and usability. Examples of opportunities and applications for digitally printing electronic fluids on flexible substrates with MEMS-based ink jet technology will be presented.

• Bulletin of the Korea Photovoltaic Society
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.45-55
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• 2020

Although Sri Lanka's current carbon footprint is much less compared to other developing countries, the country's existing and planned economic developments have raised the demand for power, resulting an increased GHG (Greenhouse gas) emission. GHG in Sri Lanka is emitted mostly by the burning of fossil fuels for energy generation including transport. However, the most effective way of reducing GHG emissions from the energy sector is to use renewable energy sources. Solar is in the top list of renewable resources that has much potential to use to meet the demand for electricity generation in the country. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the current status of solar power generation and opportunities, barriers for implementing the programs of solar energy in Sri Lanka. Literature reviews mainly used as the primary tool for this study. Sri Lankan government had set the targets for adding 200 MW to the national grid by 2020, and to increase up to 1000 MW by 2025 of solar electricity. To achieve these targets the prevailing barriers have to be considered.