Jin Zhang

Acting Chinese is a year-long course that, together with the companion website, integrates language learning with the acquisition of cultural knowledge, and treats culture as an integral part of human behavior and communication. Using modern day examples of Chinese discourse and behavioral culture, it trains students to perform in culturally appropriate fashion, whilst developing a systematic awareness and knowledge about Chinese philosophy, values and belief systems that will prepare them for further advanced study of Chinese language and culture. Each lesson contains simulated real-life communication scenarios that aim to provide a concrete opportunity to see how native speakers generally communicate or behave in social situations. An essential guide for intermediate to advanced level second language learners, Acting Chinese provides a unique and modern approach to the acquisition of both cultural knowledge and language proficiency.

Acting Chinese is a year-long course that, together with the companion website, integrates language learning with the acquisition of cultural knowledge, and treats culture as an integral part of human behavior and communication. Using modern day examples of Chinese discourse and behavioral culture, it trains students to perform in culturally appropriate fashion, whilst developing a systematic awareness and knowledge about Chinese philosophy, values and belief systems that will prepare them for further advanced study of Chinese language and culture. Each lesson contains simulated real-life communication scenarios that aim to provide a concrete opportunity to see how native speakers generally communicate or behave in social situations. An essential guide for intermediate to advanced level second language learners, Acting Chinese provides a unique and modern approach to the acquisition of both cultural knowledge and language proficiency.

This book examines the role of corporate structure, including the role of corporate headquarters, in the success of large firms. It considers these issues in relation to large global corporations, thereby providing a 'benchmark', which is then used as a contrast in a discussion of corporate structure and the role of corporate headquarters within large Chinese firms, many of which have evolved from former government ministries. It includes a detailed case-study of firms in the crucially important oil and petro-chemical sector. Overall, the book shows what a hugely competitive battle China's emerging 'national champions' face with their global competitors, and puts forward policy implications both for large Chinese firms and for the Chinese government concerning how business systems should be reformed further still in order to construct globally competitive large industrial corporations.

Nanostructures refer to materials that have relevant dimensions on the nanometer length scales and reside in the mesoscopic regime between isolated atoms and molecules in bulk matter. These materials have unique physical properties that are distinctly different from bulk materials. Self-Assembled Nanostructures provides systematic coverage of basic nanomaterials science including materials assembly and synthesis, characterization, and application. Suitable for both beginners and experts, it balances the chemistry aspects of nanomaterials with physical principles. It also highlights nanomaterial-based architectures including assembled or self-assembled systems. Filled with in-depth discussion of important applications of nano-architectures as well as potential applications ranging from physical to chemical and biological systems, Self-Assembled Nanostructures is the essential reference or text for scientists involved with nanostructures.

The amount of digitized information available on the Internet, in digital libraries, and other forms of information systems grows at an exponential rate, while becoming more complex and more dynamic. As a consequence, information organization, information retrieval and the presentation of retrieval results have become more and more difficult. Information visualization offers a unique method to reveal hidden patterns and contextual information in a visual presentation and allows users to seek information in an intuitive way. Jin Zhang provides a systematic explanation of the latest advancements in information retrieval visualization from both theoretical and practical perspectives. He reviews the main approaches and techniques available in the field, explains theoretical relationships between information retrieval and information visualization, and presents major information retrieval visualization algorithms and models. He then takes a detailed look at the theory and applications of information retrieval visualization for Internet traffic analysis, and Internet information searching and browsing. The author also addresses challenges such as ambiguity, metaphorical applications, and system evaluation in information retrieval visualization environments. Finally, he compares these information retrieval visualization models from the perspectives of visual spaces, semantic frameworks, projection algorithms, ambiguity, and information retrieval, and discusses important issues of information retrieval visualization and research directions for future exploration. Readers of this book will gain an in-depth understanding of the current state of information retrieval visualization. They will be introduced to existing problems for researchers and professionals, along with technical and theoretical findings and advances made by leading researchers. The book also provides practical details for the implementation of an information retrieval visualization system.

The amount of digitized information available on the Internet, in digital libraries, and other forms of information systems grows at an exponential rate, while becoming more complex and more dynamic. As a consequence, information organization, information retrieval and the presentation of retrieval results have become more and more difficult. Information visualization offers a unique method to reveal hidden patterns and contextual information in a visual presentation and allows users to seek information in an intuitive way. Jin Zhang provides a systematic explanation of the latest advancements in information retrieval visualization from both theoretical and practical perspectives. He reviews the main approaches and techniques available in the field, explains theoretical relationships between information retrieval and information visualization, and presents major information retrieval visualization algorithms and models. He then takes a detailed look at the theory and applications of information retrieval visualization for Internet traffic analysis, and Internet information searching and browsing. The author also addresses challenges such as ambiguity, metaphorical applications, and system evaluation in information retrieval visualization environments. Finally, he compares these information retrieval visualization models from the perspectives of visual spaces, semantic frameworks, projection algorithms, ambiguity, and information retrieval, and discusses important issues of information retrieval visualization and research directions for future exploration. Readers of this book will gain an in-depth understanding of the current state of information retrieval visualization. They will be introduced to existing problems for researchers and professionals, along with technical and theoretical findings and advances made by leading researchers. The book also provides practical details for the implementation of an information retrieval visualization system.

This book examines the role of corporate structure, including the role of corporate headquarters, in the success of large firms. It considers these issues in relation to large global corporations, thereby providing a 'benchmark', which is then used as a contrast in a discussion of corporate structure and the role of corporate headquarters within large Chinese firms, many of which have evolved from former government ministries. It includes a detailed case-study of firms in the crucially important oil and petro-chemical sector. Overall, the book shows what a hugely competitive battle China's emerging 'national champions' face with their global competitors, and puts forward policy implications both for large Chinese firms and for the Chinese government concerning how business systems should be reformed further still in order to construct globally competitive large industrial corporations.

Nanostructures refer to materials that have relevant dimensions on the nanometer length scales and reside in the mesoscopic regime between isolated atoms and molecules in bulk matter. These materials have unique physical properties that are distinctly different from bulk materials. Self-Assembled Nanostructures provides systematic coverage of basic nanomaterials science including materials assembly and synthesis, characterization, and application. Suitable for both beginners and experts, it balances the chemistry aspects of nanomaterials with physical principles. It also highlights nanomaterial-based architectures including assembled or self-assembled systems. Filled with in-depth discussion of important applications of nano-architectures as well as potential applications ranging from physical to chemical and biological systems, Self-Assembled Nanostructures is the essential reference or text for scientists involved with nanostructures.