Virtual R&D teams and SMEs growth: A comparative study between Iranian and Malaysian SMEs

This paper explores potential advantages of using virtual teams for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with a comprehensive review on various aspects of virtual teams. Based on the standing of the pertinent literature, attempt has been made to study the aspects by online survey method in Iran and Malaysia. In both countries, SMEs play an important role in their economies, employments, and capacity building. Virtual R&D team can be one of the means to increase SMEs efficiency and competitiveness in their local as well as global markets. In this context, surveys have been conducted to evaluate the effects of virtuality to the growth of SMEs. The study addresses some differences between two countries in engaging virtual research and development (R&D) teams in their SMEs. It is observed that there is a significant difference between the SMEs turnover that employed virtual team and that did not employ the virtual team. The way for further studies and recommend improvements are proposed.Virtual R&D team, small and medium enterprises, survey, developing countries.

Ideological Reform and Political Legitimacy in China: Challenges in the Post-Jiang Era

The Working Paper Series serves to disseminate the research results of work in progress prior to publication to encourage the exchange of ideas and academic debate. An objective of the series is to get the findings out quickly, even if the presentations are less than fully polished. Inclusion of a paper in the Working Paper Series does not constitute publication and should not limit publication in any other venue. Copyright remains with the authors. When Working Papers are eventually accepted by or published in a journal or book, the correct citation reference and, if possible, the corresponding link will then be included in the Working Papers website at: www.giga-hamburg.de/workingpapers

Research of the Current Situation and Future Trend of Internet Small-Credit Companies in China—Take Chongqing as a Case Study

In recent years, Internet finance has developed rapidly in China, benefiting from China's political, economic, social and technological environment. Taking Chongqing as an example, this paper analyses the current situation and the reasons behind the development of Chongqing Internet Microfinance Company, combining with the existing literature at home and abroad, as well as many excellent and enterprise cases such as Alibaba, Suning, Xiaomi, Jingdong, Baidu and so on. At the same time, it puts forward some thoughts on the future development of Internet microfinance companies

"Internet Plus" medical services based on total quality management theory: an empirical research in public hospital outpatient services in Guangzhou, China

China is a large country with a population of more than 1.3 billion people, so public places are always full of people. The large public hospitals in China are even more overcrowded with a widespread medical treatment dilemma of "three longs and one short" in outpatient departments, which refers to “long waiting time of registration and payment, long waiting time of fetching medicine, long waiting time of treatment and short time of diagnosis”. This medical dilemma has long plagued medical workers as well as patients seeking treatment in outpatient departments and their families. Based on the theory of total quality management, this research is carried out in accordance with the Juran Trilogy –"Quality Planning – Quality Control – Quality Improvement" and the “European Quality Award Logical Model”. With the prevalent phenomenon of “three longs and one short” as the orientation, this research reviews the relevant literature, illustrates the historical reason for the occurrence of the dilemma and the practical significance of solving it, proposes the hypothesis to improve outpatient medical experience through the “Internet + medical service” model, achieves outpatient treatment process reengineering through empirical research on the “WeChat + outpatient medical service” platform developed by T hospital, and realizes the goal of improving satisfaction of patients and the medical staff with quality as the key and the medical staff participating from the beginning to the end to work continuously to improve outpatient service quality. Through practice, combined with methods such as questionnaire, interview, expert consultation, and group discussion, it has been proven that the “WeChat + outpatient service” platform can effectively alleviate or solve the dilemma of "three longs", but there is no improvement for the “one short”. Through the five dimensions of service quality (tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy) and service quality gap analysis, it can be seen that the construction of "WeChat + outpatient service" platform has improved the patient’s medical experience, increased satisfaction of patients and the medical staff, and promoted employees’ awareness of active service.A China é um país de grande dimensão, com uma população de mais de 1,3 mil milhões de habitantes, e por isso os lugares públicos estão sempre cheios de pessoas. Os grandes hospitais públicos na China estão ainda mais superlotados com um dilema de tratamento médico generalizado de "três longos e um curto" em departamentos ambulatoriais, que se refere a “longo tempo de espera de registro e pagamento, longo tempo de espera de busca de medicamentos, longo tempo de espera de tratamento e tempo curto de diagnóstico". Este dilema médico há muito atormenta o pessoal médico, bem como os pacientes que procuram tratamento em departamentos ambulatoriais e suas famílias. Com base na teoria da gestão da qualidade total, esta pesquisa é realizada de acordo com a Trilogia Juran - "Planeamento da Qualidade - Controlo da Qualidade - Melhoria da Qualidade" e o "Modelo Lógico do Prêmio Europeu da Qualidade". Com o fenómeno prevalente de "três longos e um curto" como a orientação, esta pesquisa revisa a literatura pertinente, ilustra a razão histórica para a ocorrência do dilema e o significado prático de resolvê-lo, propõe a hipótese de melhorar a experiência médica ambulatorial por meio o modelo "Internet + serviço médico", realiza a reengenharia do processo de tratamento ambulatorial através da pesquisa empírica sobre a plataforma "WeChat + outpatient service" desenvolvida pelo hospital T, e realiza o objetivo de melhorar a satisfação dos pacientes e equipa médica com qualidade, tendo como chave a equipa médica que participa do começo ao fim para trabalhar continuamente para melhorar a qualidade do atendimento ambulatorial. Através da prática, combinada com métodos como questionário, entrevista, consulta com especialistas e discussão em grupo, foi provado que a plataforma "WeChat + outpatient service" pode efetivamente aliviar ou resolver o dilema de "três longos", mas não há melhoria para o "um curto". Através das cinco dimensões de qualidade de serviço (tangibilidade, confiabilidade, responsabilidade, garantia e empatia) e análise de lacunas de qualidade de serviço, pode ser visto que a construção da plataforma "WeChat +outpatient service" melhorou a experiência médica do paciente, aumentou a satisfação de pacientes e equipa médica, e promoveu a consciencialização dos funcionários sobre o serviço ativo

The case of Foxconn in Turkey: benefiting from free labour and anti-union policy

Starting from the 2000s Foxconn invested in Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Russia and Turkey, implementing a territorial diversification strategy aimed at getting nearer to its end markets. This chapter investigates the development of Foxconn in Turkey where the multinational owns a plant with about 400 workers. A few kilometres from the city of \uc7orlu and close to highways, ports and international airports, the plant enables Foxconn to implement an efficient global supply chain. We illustrate this process by examining the company\u2019s localisation within a special economic zone, underlining the economic advantages derived from such a tax regime, bringing labour costs down to the Chinese level and obtaining proximity to European, North African and Middle East customers, thus lowering logistic costs. We also analyse the roles of labour flexibility and trade unions. In order to impose far-reaching flexibility on its workers Foxconn put in place a range of strategies, including an hours bank system, multitask operators and the recruitment of apprentices thanks a special programme funded by the state. We show how these have been crucial for Foxconn\u2019s just-in-time production contrasting its labour turnover problem. Finally, we highlight how the company has been able to implement a flexible working pattern, weaken the trade unions and undercut workers\u2019 opposition, thanks to favourable labour laws approved by successive governments in the past thirty years

Strategic Group Formation in the Mekong Delta: The Development of a Modern Hydraulic Society

The lower Mekong Delta, one of the largest river deltas in Asia, is a landscape shaped by the waters of the Mekong River that flows, as last part of its long way from the Tibetan Plateau to the South Chinese Sea, through a dense river and canal network in the Southwest of Vietnam. People in this area are, traditionally, exposed to a water-shaped environment and have lived for generations in adaptation to their natural surrounding without much human interference into the complex natural hydraulic system of the delta. However, this has changed dramatically during recent decades when hydraulic management started to become a key issue for the development of the lower Mekong Delta constantly, in particular with respect to the agricultural sector, which is the backbone of the delta’s economy. After the Second Indochinese War ended in 1975 the delta started to shift from human adaption to human control, transforming itself into what Wittfogel has described as a hydraulic society. This was mainly due to the new socialist government’s policy of rapid agricultural extension and growing endeavours in hydraulic management for fostering irrigated rice production. By now, in many places of the delta hydraulic works such as additional canals, dykes and sluices have been set up, constructed for regulating water flows. Technical innovations in hydraulic management and agricultural production have not only had significant impact on the delta’s environment and ecology, but also have triggered social transformation, in particular the appearance of new social groups struggling for access to resources and power. This paper intends to analyzes recent trends of social development and water management in the Mekong Delta from a scientific approach that is based on two social theories, firstly “strategic group analysis”, and secondly selected core aspects of Wittfogel’s social theory of “hydraulic society”. By presenting recently collected data, it is illustrated how the Mekong Delta has been transformed into a modern hydraulic society, in which certain strategic groups emerged as a consequence of growing activities in hydraulic management and agricultural-based economic growth. More specifically, the paper aims to give an overview of strategic group development in the delta by putting a strong focus on the process of forming a state bureaucracy of hydraulic management and the appearance of hydraulic construction companies as its clients. The paper shows how the strategic alliance between both groups has increased the chances for mutually appropriating government funds spent on hydraulic works and how this has caused ecologically and socially far-reaching impacts for the Mekong Delta.Vietnam; Mekong Delta; strategic groups; hydraulic society; social transformation and power; water management; hydraulic bureaucracy; economic development

Flexible workforces and low profit margins: electronics assembly between Europe and China

This book investigates restructuring in the electronics industry and in particular the impact of a \u2018Chinese\u2019 labour regime on work and employ - ment practices in electronics assembly in Europe.1 Electronics is an extremely dynamic sector, characterized by an ever-changing organi - zational structure, as well as cut-throat competition, particularly in manufacturing. Located primarily in East Asia, electronics assembly has become notorious for poor working conditions, low unionisation and authoritarian labour relations. However, hostile labour relations and topdown HR policies are not unique to East Asia. They have become associated with the way the sector is governed more broadly, with a number of Western companies also coming to rely on such practices