The Effects of Overseas Investment on Domestic Employment

In this paper, we study the effects of FDI on domestic employment by examining the data of Taiwan's manufacturing industry. Treating domestic production and overseas production as two distinctive outputs from a joint production function, we may estimate the effect of overseas production on the demand for domestic labor. We found that overseas production generally reduces the demand for domestic labor as overseas products serve as a substitute for primary inputs in domestic production (substitution effect). But overseas production also allows the investor to expand its domestic output through enhanced competitiveness. The expanded domestic output leads to more employment at home (output effect). The net effect of FDI on domestic employment is a combination of substitution and output effects. For Taiwan, the net effect is positive in most cases but it differs across the labor group. Technical workers tend to benefit most from FDI, followed by managerial workers, and blue-collar workers benefit the least; indeed they may even be adversely affected. This suggests that after FDI, a reconfiguration of division of labor within a firm tend to shift the domestic production toward technology and management intensive operations.

An 8 year-old-boy with fever, severe bilateral calf pain and toe-walking

Benign acute childhood myositis (BACM) is rare. It has been regarded as a dramatic complication of viral respiratory tract infection, particularly influenza B, whose clinical resolution is spontaneous, favourable and equally dramatic. This case report describes a clinical presentation which is consistent with the literature and offers an approach to ruling out sinister differential diagnoses. Awareness of this condition may help front-line clinicians to consider a selective approach to pursuing investigations.published_or_final_versio

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

The person behind the white coat: building a medical humanities core curriculum for medical students

E-posterCONTEXT: In a healthcare environment increasingly overwhelmed by new technology, commercialism and efficiency, which leaves patients lost, unheard and discontented, medical schools are seeking to bring balance to their curricula. The introduction of the medical humanities (or health humanities) can help to broaden the understanding of the human condition – a necessity for those in the caring professions. INTERVENTION: Following four years of pilot work, a Medical Humanities Planning Group was formed to design and implement a six-year compulsory medical humanities programme for medical students. Using an outcomes-based approach to student learning, the curriculum was built around five themes - narrative medicine, culture, spirituality and healing, history of medicine, death, dying and bereavement, and humanitarianism. We present our experience of the first year of the curriculum which took place from September 2012 – May 2013 in which students explored “the person behind the white coat” through reading and writing, performance, visual arts and film. OBSERVATIONS: A variety of reflective tasks, including creative artwork and performing a re-imagined script, students enabled students to demonstrate their understanding of “the person behind the white coat.” The contribution of colleagues from all disciplines in the medical faculty, the university at large and community partners was instrumental to the success of the first year programme. DISCUSSION: A medical humanities curriculum has meaning if it is a compulsory part of the core curriculum and is assessed. It can be sustainable with a broad base of teaching support.postprin

Floor Mapping: A Novel Method of Integrating Anatomical Structure with Immunological Function

Session - Assessment (Abstract)This free journal suppl. entitled: Special Issue: Abstracts of the 13th Asia Pacific Medical Education Conference (APMEC) ... 2016The Biomedical Common Year 1 occurs prior to admission to the medical programme. Students achieving a grade point average over 6.0 are eligible for an admissions interview. The research question of the study was, “If students have a definite interest in becoming a future doctor in their premedical course, does this relate to their levels of motivation, competitiveness, perceived stress, quality of life and grade attainment?” A total of 1369 students who completed a high stakes biosciences assessment were asked to disclose their grade (converted to a numerical value) and to complete the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, a World Health Organisation Quality Of Life (QoL) questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale, and Revised Competitiveness Index. To explore differences between those students who aimed to be doctors vs those who did not, a binary logistic regression was conducted. Twenty five percent of students participated in the research. Significant predictors of course intention (medicine; other) were academic attainment, perceived stress, and physical and environmental QoL. Post hoc analyses revealed that perceived stress and physical QoL were moderating variables. Students with an intention to become a doctor tend to attain higher grades and have better environmental quality of life scores. This may indicate that students who are admitted into medical school gain higher grades but also likely come from more affluent and well-resourced backgrounds. Physical health problems and perceived stress are likely to moderate the impact of grade achievement, environmental QoL, competition and motivation.link_to_OA_fulltex

Strengthening Evidence-based Family Medicine in Hong Kong

published_or_final_versio