The international competitiveness of Chinese construction firms

Many Chinese construction firms have strategically started to develop their overseas construction markets in line with the development of the integration of global economies, following China’s accession to the World Trade Organisation in 2001, and the Chinese government’s 2013 proposal for the “One Belt One Road”, which was an opportunity for Chinese construction firms to expand their global business. However, in the current dynamic global construction market there are factors, which may affect Chinese construction firms’ global expansion. However, the competitiveness theories, such as, Porter’s Competition theory, the Resources-Based Approach, and the Strategic Management Approach, had application limitations with respect to Chinese construction firms, because of the unique characteristics of China’s construction industry, which is a socialist market economy and is moving towards integration into the global market. It has been important for Chinese construction firms to focus on investigating those indicators, which have contributed to their international operations. Therefore, it was necessary to establish a framework to assess and improve Chinese construction firms’ international competitiveness. A competitiveness framework was established through the application of mixed methods relating to a sequential explanatory strategy, with strong quantitative and qualitative considerations. For this sequential study, firstly, the key players in the competitive global construction market were identified through analysis of secondary quantitative data. Secondly, a total of 21 key competitiveness indicators were identified through analysis of secondary qualitative data, after which a draft conceptual competitiveness framework was proposed. Thirdly, Modified Delphi interviews were conducted, in order to refine and tighten the draft conceptual competitiveness framework, in all a total of 49 key competitiveness indicators were identified and a competitiveness framework was established. Finally, a case study was conducted through an analysis of both secondary data and structured interview results, which validated that the competitiveness framework was a strategy and a practical tool for assessing and improving Chinese construction firms’ international competitiveness. In addition, a mathematical method named Weighted Summation was employed in this research for calculating competitiveness. Chinese construction firms’ international competitiveness could then be calculated. This research found that the meaning of competitiveness could not be precisely defined, but the indicators, which contributed to Chinese construction firms’ international competitiveness could be identified. This research provided a useful learning tool to assess and improve construction firms’ international competitiveness

China and international human rights: Capital punishment and detention for re-education in the context of the international covenant on civil and political rights

In the evolution of international human rights law, the ICCPR and other international instruments impose on State parties human rights obligations regarding the death penalty and prohibition of forced labour. China ratified a series of human rights instruments and is expected to ratify the ICCPR. There remain problems for China what international human rights obligations might mean and how far its practice departs from them. This thesis focuses on harsh punishments relating to such obligations that China might not reserve in order to explore legal consequences of accepting them and assess the relevant Chinese law, its capability of the ratification of the ICCPR. As a member of the United Nations, China should undertake not to embark on a gross violation of any human rights obligations on capital punishment pursuant to customary international law. It also should observe treaty obligations that it accepted regarding capital punishment and forced labour as a party to the CAT, CRC, CERD, GC3, GC4, PAI, PA2, ICESCR, ILO 100, ILO 122 and ILO 182. These treaty standards would not be abused by individual or systematic abuses with precise implementation measures. In China, many aspects of its legislation and practice appear to conform to the requirements of the death penalty and forced labour provided in the ICCPR, to which China has not yet been a party. However, some substantive and procedural guarantees concerned appear to be breached as part of human rights obligations that China should undertake, even if not accepting the ICCPR. In the implementation of these harsh punishments, freedoms from torture and other inhuman treatment are also likely to be violated. These appear to deviate from China’s present official policies concerned and breach its relevant human rights obligations. The relationship between China's present practice and international standards tends to indicate the long course of its human rights progress. It is desirable for Chinese judges to take into account the relevant human rights standards in any sentencing decision at the discretion of them

CHOICE_ WP2_D2.1_ Online mapping of Chinese and European ICT industrial associations

Funded by the 7th Framework Programme of the European Union. Grant Agreement: 61057

D2,1 Online mapping of Chinese and European ICT industrial as sociations – Progress report

This document is the first deliverable of CHOICE project task 2.2 Bringing together European and Chinese Industrial Associations. This task will, at the end of the second year of the project, have delivered a final version of an online database of relevant Chinese and European ICT industrial associations. This document is a report on the progress towards an online database of relevant Chinese and European ICT industrial associations. It maps Chinese industrial associations to European industrial associations in ICT. It does this by providing details of the Chinese industrial associations and other relevant bodies that are a Chinese priority for collaboration with their EU counterparts related to EU-China collaborative ICT R&D&I. Other such Chinese bodies that are not a Chinese priority for such collaboration that map to European industrial associations in ICT are then summarised so that a complete mapping of Chinese industrial associations and related bodies to European industrial associations in ICT can be made

D2.7 Online mapping of Chinese and European ICT industrial associations – Final report

This document is a deliverable of CHOICE project task 2.2 Bringing together European and Chinese Industrial Associations. This task will, at the end of the project, have delivered a final version of an online database of relevant Chinese and European ICT industrial associations. This document is a report on the information gathered for the development of the online database of relevant Chinese and European ICT industrial associations. It maps Chinese industrial associations to European industrial associations in ICT. It does this by providing details of the Chinese industrial associations and other relevant bodies that are a Chinese priority for collaboration with their EU counterparts related to EU-China collaborative ICT R&D&I. Other such Chinese bodies that are not a Chinese priority for such collaboration that map to European industrial associations in ICT are then summarised so that a complete mapping of Chinese industrial associations and related bodies to European industrial associations in ICT can be made. Mappings are made based on the best matches in terms of the subject matter covered by the associations, in each case the best match based on this criteria is identified and highlighted by being given in bold type. If a mapped Chinese association is not a priority for collaboration it is identified in italics. The Chinese selection of Chinese bodies that are a priority for collaboration with EU counterparts reflects the relevant policy guidance provided on behalf of the Chinese government on how the aims of the "Twelfth Five-Year" National Strategic Emerging Industry Development Plan are to be achieved. An overview of the policy guidance relevant to ICT R&D&I is given in section one of CHOICE deliverable D2.4: Handbook for China ICT Industrial Support Services. Based on this mapping opportunities to foster interaction between the associations in China and Europe are identified. A DVD of the modest database that exists on the basis of the mapping presented in this report accompanies the report

Knowledge Processes and their Role in Innovation - A Comparison of Selected Chinese and Indian Practices

Innovation is today recognized as key to fostering economic development and building technological strengths in firms, industries and countries. While generally described in the common understanding as anything that is new and has an impact on a large scale, it is technology-driven innovation that has assumed prominence in the contemporary environment. Academic research and study of innovation has encompassed a variety of disciplines. From these efforts, innovation has emerged as a complex phenomenon that requires a variety of factors and concepts to describe. As innovation assumes prominence in countries such as India and China, which are aiming to catch up with the more advanced countries, the factors that go to make successful innovations possible are of increasing interest. This thesis examines the different approaches adopted in the field of innovation studies and identifies knowledge processes as key to understanding innovation. The applicability of this has been investigated through detailed research into three industry segments. Based on the research, frameworks of innovation based on knowledge processes have been presented including a comparison of practices in selected Chinese and Indian organizations

Mapping twenty years of antimicrobial resistance research trends

OBJECTIVE: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global threat to health and healthcare. In response to the growing AMR burden, research funding also increased. However, a comprehensive overview of the research output, including conceptual, temporal, and geographical trends, is missing. Therefore, this study uses topic modelling, a machine learning approach, to reveal the scientific evolution of AMR research and its trends, and provides an interactive user interface for further analyses. METHODS: Structural topic modelling (STM) was applied on a text corpus resulting from a PubMed query comprising AMR articles (1999-2018). A topic network was established and topic trends were analysed by frequency, proportion, and importance over time and space. RESULTS: In total, 88 topics were identified in 158,616 articles from 166 countries. AMR publications increased by 450% between 1999 and 2018, emphasizing the vibrancy of the field. Prominent topics in 2018 were Strategies for emerging resistances and diseases, Nanoparticles, and Stewardship. Emerging topics included Water and environment, and Sequencing. Geographical trends showed prominence of Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in the WHO African Region, corresponding with the MDR-TB burden. China and India were growing contributors in recent years, following the United States of America as overall lead contributor. CONCLUSION: This study provides a comprehensive overview of the AMR research output thereby revealing the AMR research response to the increased AMR burden. Both the results and the publicly available interactive database serve as a base to inform and optimise future research

Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Economic Growth:The Case of Yangtze River Delta in China

This paper firstly discusses why the economic growth in the Yangtze River Delta has been slowed down recently and suggests a need totransform the current input-based economic growth pattern into aninnovation-based one. Next, through our theoretical analysis, we find that the change of current economic growth pattern is just the innovative reallocationof production factors, and the new economic growth driven by innovation is mainly initiated by the transmutation of entrepreneurship. Finally, we test our belief with real-world evidence. It shows that the Delta has formed a mechanism in which entrepreneurship and human capital mutually promote each other. However, the interactive relationship between R&D expenditure and entrepreneurship has not been developed in general. In addition, excessive government interventions will do harm to the growth of entrepreneurs and economic development.entrepreneurship, innovation and economic growth pattern