Globalization and E-Commerce VIII: Environment and Policy in Taiwan

The international environment is the most important factor that drives the diffusion of B2B e-commerce in Taiwan. The digital information network that enables supply-chain management is used by Taiwanese firms as a means to protect their position in global production. National environment elements, such as telecommunication infrastructures and human resources, are useful reinforcing factors, but not powerful enough to drive the whole process. Government policies play a role only to the extent that they encourage a certain approach to e-commerce solutions. In the case of B2C e-commerce, Internet penetration among the general population is a precondition for diffusion. On-line security concerning trading and payment is critical for the acceptance of electronic commerce by Internet users and the national environment is crucial in this regard. Nevertheless, the most effective driver for the diffusion of electronic trade appears to be innovation of the right products. Without such products, the diffusion of e-commerce will be limited, even with the right environment and policies

A LITERATURE REVIEW OF INDUSTRY 4.0 MATURITY MODELS AND LEVELS IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this thesis is to conduct a systematic literature review for industry 4.0 maturity level research studies to obtain a clear view of the current maturity level in different countries. Identifying characteristics of the studies; gaps, limitations, and highlighted features has been aimed to guide future development studies. Design/methodology/approach – The thesis includes a systematic literature review conducted on Scopus, google scholar and 294 publications have been reviewed. Quantitative and qualitative analysis gives readers a comprehensive perspective on the maturity level in different countries. Findings – While industry 4.0 maturity modeling is an emerging concept and taking researchers’ attention, review studies are still in their infancy. Current review papers are insufficient in getting a comprehensive idea about industry 4.0 manufacturing maturity level in different countries around the world, especially from developed countries. Through this paper, it can be seen that there are differences in the maturity degree of Industry 4.0 development in 13 countries which are reviewed in 17 articles. Research limitations/implications – Findings represented in this thesis can give a limited perspective of industry 4.0 maturity level in 13 countries to academicians and practitioners. Originality/value – This thesis provides comparisons in different dimensions. Model comparison, level comparison, and result comparison in 13 countries are the most important parts of this thesis. Keywords industry 4.0, maturity model, manufacturing, industrial companies, digitalization, digital transformation, readiness, access. Paper type literature reviewAbstract Purpose – The purpose of this thesis is to conduct a systematic literature review for industry 4.0 maturity level research studies to obtain a clear view of the current maturity level in different countries. Identifying characteristics of the studies; gaps, limitations, and highlighted features has been aimed to guide future development studies. Design/methodology/approach – The thesis includes a systematic literature review conducted on Scopus, google scholar and 294 publications have been reviewed. Quantitative and qualitative analysis gives readers a comprehensive perspective on the maturity level in different countries. Findings – While industry 4.0 maturity modeling is an emerging concept and taking researchers’ attention, review studies are still in their infancy. Current review papers are insufficient in getting a comprehensive idea about industry 4.0 manufacturing maturity level in different countries around the world, especially from developed countries. Through this paper, it can be seen that there are differences in the maturity degree of Industry 4.0 development in 13 countries which are reviewed in 17 articles. Research limitations/implications – Findings represented in this thesis can give a limited perspective of industry 4.0 maturity level in 13 countries to academicians and practitioners. Originality/value – This thesis provides comparisons in different dimensions. Model comparison, level comparison, and result comparison in 13 countries are the most important parts of this thesis. Keywords industry 4.0, maturity model, manufacturing, industrial companies, digitalization, digital transformation, readiness, access. Paper type literature revie

The Characteristics of Sino-Taiwanese Joint Ventures in the People's Republic of China

The main objective of this thesis is to shed light on the characteristics and performance of Sino-Taiwanese joint ventures (JVs) in the People's Republic of China and in particular to investigate the role played by guanxi (interpersonal relationships) in their formation and in the way they function. The research shows that guanxi enhances the effectiveness of Taiwanese joint venture partners by overcoming unanticipated external environmental factors and enabling them to deal with the complex internal managerial issues associated with the Chinese market. The different political and economic relations between Taiwan and China make the joint venture entry strategy attractive to Taiwanese investors. Taiwanese investors share similar cultural identity and speak the same dialect as much of Mainland China. The literature on international joint venture formation is reviewed and compared business made between western style networking and guanxi relationships in Chinese business communities. The impact of cultural similarity on partner selection has been added in this study of Sino-Taiwanese Ns, which therefore provides a new strategic perspective. A triangulation research method is employed to provide a systematic analysis. In particular, a first set of interviews identified the possible variables in JV development and established important contacts in China, to assist in carrying out a second questionnaire survey. A further round of interviews confirmed the validity of the findings. A strong positive correlation was found between firms' cooperative strategies and the uncertainties of the Chinese business environment. This has demonstrably influenced Taiwanese investors' decision to collaborate with Chinese firms in joint ventures. The interview evidence clearly shows the importance of guanxi at different stages of JV formation and development. The thesis concludes that the effective use of guanxi has enhanced Taiwanese investors' effectiveness within the highly uncertain business environment of China

POLITICAL SOCIAL MEDIA USE AND POLITICAL PARTICIPATION IN JAPAN

Social media has become a powerful platform for political communication across the world. However, despite high internet and social media penetration rates in Japan, research has shown political social media use to be significantly lower in Japan when compared to other Asian states with similar social, political, and cultural characteristics. This thesis seeks to understand why political social media use in Japan has remained low by using a comparative approach to examine polarization levels, conventional media environments, and government systems across Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore. It concludes that Japan’s low political social media use arises from a combination of its low levels of political polarization, the strength of the conventional media, and its stable government structure, institutions, and norms.Major, United States Air ForceApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited

The Role of Technology, Investment and Ownership Structure in the Productivity Performance of the Manufacturing Sector in Vietnam

This paper explores the productivity performance of the manufacturing sector in Vietnam between 2001 and 2007. Total Factor Productivity indices are computed using an index number approach and the productivity performance of manufacturing sub-sectors is analysed. We find that productivity increases in almost all sectors and that for many sectors the dispersion in productivity is declining over time. However, for the most productive sectors the gap is widening suggesting that productivity is being driven by the most productive enterprises getting better, leaving the least productive behind. The empirical analysis reveals investment and technology usage as important determinants of enterprise productivity levels. Specifically, higher levels of productivity are found in foreign- and state-owned enterprises, driven almost entirely by higher levels of investment and technology usage. Our results provide a strong quantitative basis in support of ongoing government initiatives aimed at encouraging investment in technology and innovation. They also point to the clear need for such initiatives to be complemented by measures to provide a more balanced distribution of investment, such that a level playing field is created for the different types of enterprises.

Rejuvenating the Developmental State in Taiwan: the Impacts of the EIA as an Environmental Governance (2006-2011)

Asian Tigers were sometimes referred to "developmental states" for they were capable of designing successful development agendas and implementing these plans with the compliance of private capital instead of simply regulating the market. However, with the fast democratic transition during the 1990s, the developmental state encountered serious challenges from business sectors, opposition parties and civil groups. Some literature suggested that this infiltration of private sector jeopardized the state's autonomy in formulating long-term plans. The chaotic policy process at the early stage of democratic transition revealed Taiwan state's capability in controlling developmental agendas has been weakened. If the developmental state of Taiwan ceased to function, in what way did it evolve? This dissertation aimed to answer this question by examining the role of the Taiwan state in promoting three major investments, the Formosa Steel-making Plant, the Central Taiwan Science Park in Holi-Chixing and Erlin, and the Eighth Petrochemical Plant, from 2006 to 2010. While developmental states were often argued incompatible with democratic regimes, this dissertation demonstrated that the status of Taiwan's developmental state remained firm after democratic transition given that the state was still autonomous in terms of defining and preserving national interests. Furthermore, it WAS the public participation and environmental institutional monitoring brought by democratic transition that reinforced the developmental state in Taiwan by correcting the state's errors in promoting those inefficient projects. Through the interdependent governance in the review mechanisms, these industrial programs based on outdated development agendas were smoothly postponed. Some programs were even called off by the corporations themselves. The democratic transition did not lessen politicians' pursuit of constant national economic development; moreover, it brought in correcting mechanisms and thus further reinforced the capacity of the developmental state in choosing developmental agendas

Preparing students for future employment? An exploratory study of English language education in vocational high schools in Taiwan

This study explores aspects of how English language education in vocational high schools (VHSs) in Taiwan prepares students for their intended employment. It looks at the English language curriculum in VHSs and examines the ways in which it aims to equip students with the English necessary for their intended employment. It also looks at teachers’ and students’ experiences of English language teaching and learning in VHSs, particularly in terms of their perspectives on the extent to which English language education at VHSs prepares students for their intended employment, and the extent to which it provides students with the English language skills necessary to compete in a global job market. The central question that this study seeks to address is: How does English language education at VHSs prepare students for their intended employment? The above question is shaped through answering the following two sub-questions: 1. What are the ways in which the English language curriculum in VHSs in Taiwan aims to equip students with the English necessary for their intended employment? 2. What are teachers’ and students’ perspectives on English language education, and on the extent to which English language education at VHSs prepares students for future employment, particularly in terms of providing them with the English skills necessary to compete in a global job market? A mixed-methods research design, involving questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, is used in an attempt to make best use of each approach to explain and answer research questions. The thesis concludes by proposing a model in light of the findings, outlining some of the implications of the research findings, and presenting some recommendations for further research

Organizational, Technological, and Environmental Determinants of Electronic Commerce Adoption in Small and Medium Enterprises in Taiwan

In the Internet age, the development of electronic commerce (EC) was considered a major indicator of the overall competitiveness of organizations. Moreover, the EC marketing channel can bring customers more benefits, such as greater shopping convenience and potentially lower prices. In Taiwan, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) represent 98% of the total number of business. Today, most SMEs were forced to adopt EC by their major suppliers and value chain partners in order to carry out business processes more efficiently. Hence, the purpose of this study is to seek the determinants of the extent of EC adoption by SMEs in Taiwan. This study presents a framework based on Tornatzky and Fleischer\u27s (1990) OTE model that includes organizational context, technological context, and environmental context, which have been widely used to examine the factors that influence organizational technology adoption. According to the OTE model, the research model of this study identified nine determinants, including (1) organizational size, (2) CEOs\u27 attitudes toward EC adoption, (3) CEOs\u27 innovativeness, (4) CEOs\u27 technology knowledge, (5) CEOs\u27 perceptions of EC on relative advantages, (6) CEOs\u27 perceptions of EC on compatibility, (7) CEOs\u27 perceptions of EC on complexity, (8) information intensity, and (9) competition intensity. A quantitative, correlational, non-experimental and explanatory research design based on a questionnaire survey was used to collect data, test hypotheses, and answer research questions in this study. 1,500 CEOs of Taiwanese SMEs were randomly selected from the database of E-Volunteer and invited to participate via email on a hyper-link provided to the survey web site. A total of 219 usable questionnaires were obtained for data analysis. The results of this study indicated that all three contexts were important in the decision of EC adoption by Taiwanese SMEs. The findings also supported significance of five determinants that had a positive relationship with the extent of EC adoption. These determinants were organizational size and CEOs\u27 attitudes toward EC adoption, CEOs\u27 perceptions of EC on relative advantage and compatibility, and information intensity. No statistically significant relationship with the extent of EC adoption was established for CEOs\u27 technology knowledge, CEOs\u27 perception of EC on complexity, and competition intensity. This study may not only expand the current body of EC knowledge, but also contribute to the knowledge of CEOs concerning SMEs, EC consultants, suppliers or value chain partners, and government agencies