The Japanisation process in Malaysia

This thesis examines the empirical evidence for the transferability of Japanese soft technology (JST) or Japanese work organisation within two government-initiated, Malaysian-Japanese strategic alliances: PROTON and PERNEC. The government, through its Look East Policy (LEP) began in 1982, taking Japan (and South Korea) as models and partners in Malaysian economic and industrial development process, and expected these alliances to learn the good aspects of Japanese work organisations and management styles in order for them to become independent companies, both technologically and economically. The thesis found that the alliances have been successfully taking and utilising Japanese parts, components, tools, robots and machines; i.e. the 'ready-made hard technology'. [Whereas the important element of soft technology has been ignored]. The soft technology has been slowly and marginally transferred because neither local parties nor their Japanese counterparts within the alliances consider the acquisition or transfer of soft technology to be the main concern or a part of business plan. Although many factors influence management transfer, the thesis has focused on the eagerness and the capability of Malaysian managerial teams to acquire and, to a lesser extent, the readiness of the Japanese to transfer the technology. It was found that there is a lack of demand on technology acquisition by Malaysian managers and lack of responsibility to transfer the technology among Japanese experts. However, the political and social pressures on these alliances, the industrial climate and labour market, leaderships and management system of alliances, and Japanese MNCs regional and global corporate strategies have contributed to the high level of transfer of JST at PROTON compared to PERNEC. The research also found that Malaysian industrial and investment policies have favoured foreign investment but there is a lack of strategies for nurturing indigenous technological development.On the other hand the Japanese MNCs and public agencies have been operating in Malaysia and guided by their regional and global corporate strategies and less concerned with Malaysian technological development. In conclusion, empirically, the JST transfer is minimal. The transfer has been influenced by internal contingency factors of organisation; external industrial, political and cultural environmental factors; and last but not least the Japanese MNCs' global and regional corporate strategies. The transfer of Japanese management in this research is inclined towards core-periphery transfer model, it is also related to organisational and national technological capability.

Optical properties of some surfaces for solar energy application

The preThe present work is a study of the optical properties of some surfaces, in order to determine their applications in solar energy utilisation. An attempt has been made to investigate and measure the optical properties of two systems of surface moderately selective surfaces like thermally grown oxide of titanium, titanium oxide en aluminium and thermally grown oxides of stainless steel; and, selective surfaces of five different coloured stainless at (INCO surfaces) and of black nickel foil. A calorimetric instrument based on the steady state method for measuring directly the total emittance has been designed. Chapter 1 is an introductory survey of selective surface. It also includes a brief review of various preparation techniques in use since 1955. Chapter 2 investigates the theory of selective surfaces, defining their optical properties and their figures of merit. It also outlines the method of computing the optical properties (i.e. absorptance, a, and emittance, a) which have been adopted for the present work. Chapter 3 describes the measuring technique and the modes of operation of the equipment used in the experimental work carried out. Chapter 4 gives the results of the experimental work to measure the optical properties, the life testing and chemical composition of the surfaces under study. Chapter 5 deals with the experimentation leading to the design of a calorimetric instrument for measuring the total emmitance directly. Chapter 6 presents concluding remarks about the outcome of the present work and some suggestions for further work. sent work is a study of the optical properties of some surfaces, in order to determine their applications in solar energy utilisation. An attempt has been made to investigate and measure the optical properties of two systems of surface moderately selective surfaces like thermally grown oxide of titanium, titanium oxide en aluminium and thermally grown oxides of stainless steel; and, selective surfaces of five different coloured stainless at (INCO surfaces) and of black nickel foil. A calorimetric instrument based on the steady state method for measuring directly the total emittance has been designed. Chapter 1 is an introductory survey of selective surface. It also includes a brief review of various preparation techniques in use since 1955. Chapter 2 investigates the theory of selective surfaces, defining their optical properties and their figures of merit. It also outlines the method of computing the optical properties (i.e. absorptance, a, and emittance, a) which have been adopted for the present work. Chapter 3 describes the measuring technique and the modes of operation of the equipment used in the experimental work carried out. Chapter 4 gives the results of the experimental work to measure the optical properties, the life testing and chemical composition of the surfaces under study. Chapter 5 deals with the experimentation leading to the design of a calorimetric instrument for measuring the total emmitance directly. Chapter 6 presents concluding remarks about the outcome of the present work and some suggestions for further work.

Technical and economic study of plantain food products

Plantain (Banana-Musa AAB) is a widely growing but commercially underexploited tropical fruit. This study demonstrates the processing of plantain to flour and extends its use and convenience as a constituent of bread, cake and biscuit. Plantain was peeled, dried and milled to produce flour. Proximate analysis was carried out on the flour to determine the food composition. Drying at temperatures below 70ºC produced light coloured plantain flour. Experiments were carried out to determine the mechanism of drying, the heat and mass transfer coefficients, effect of air velocity, temperature and cube size on the rate of drying of plantain cubes. The drying was diffusion controlled. Pilot scale drying of plantain cubes in a cabinet dryer showed no significant increase of drying rate above 70ºC. In the temperature range found most suitable for plantain drying (ie 60 to 70ºC) the total drying time was adequately predicted using a modified equation based on Fick's Law provided the cube temperature was taken to be about 5ºC below the actual drying air temperature. Studies of baking properties of plantain flour revealed that plantain flour can be substituted for strong wheat flour up to 15% for bread making and up to 50% for madeira cake. A shortcake biscuit was produced using 100% plantain flour and test-marketed. Detailed economic studies showed that the production of plantain fruit and its processing into flour would be economically viable in Nigeria when the flour is sold at the wholesale price of NO.65 per kilogram provided a minimum sale of 25% plantain suckers. There is need for government subsidy if plantain flour is to compete with imported wheat flour. The broader economic benefits accruing from the processing of plantain fruit into flour and its use in bakery products include employment opportunity, savings in foreign exchange and stimulus to home agriculture.