China’s Outward FDI in Africa: Enterprises with Different Ownership Types

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the consequences of China’s outward direct investments in Africa in terms of enterprises with different ownership types. First, this paper contributes to the examination of a large number of Chinese enterprises’ investment projects in Africa. Second, in addition to the investment activities of central state-owned enterprises, investment activities initiated by local state-owned enterprises and private enterprises are also addressed in this paper. Third, this paper demonstrates the diversity of Chinese investment in Africa through the discussion of a large number of cases. We find that the motives of central state-owned enterprises comply with government policies. However, most private enterprises and non-central state-owned enterprises invest in Africa for profit considerations. This paper concludes that China’s investments in Africa are diverse and complex and cannot be explained using a single model of the extant theories

中國大陸轉型過程中的意識形態與制度變遷

[[abstract]]在現存研究中，較少從意識形態（ideology）的管道討論中國大陸政治經濟演變。意識形態十分重要。在改革開放前，意識形態的形塑是中共政府推行計畫經濟、建構集權統治合法性的重要手段。然而，這種手段在改革開放後如何調整？意識形態、憲政體制與社會發展之間又如何交互影響？這些問題既是研究中國大陸轉型與發展的重要議題，也是透視中國大陸轉型經驗的重要管道。本研究探討中國大陸轉型過程中的意識形態轉變及其對制度變遷的影響。透過對不同時期意識形態的調整和這些調整對中國大陸憲政體制影響之分析，本文詳細剖析轉型期間中國大陸的政治經濟動態。與現存文獻相比，本文闡釋了非正式制度安排（informal institutions）重要性，並以更整合性的方式分析中國大陸的政治經濟變化

En konseptuell studie av fenomenet «kunnskapsdeling» på kombinerte arbeidsplasser

Problemet: Kunnskapsdeling på kombinerte arbeidsplasser kan påvirkes av begrenset sosial interaksjon Problemstilling: Hva kan hemme eller fremme kunnskapsdeling på en fleksibel arbeidsplass? Fremgangsmåte og metode: Oppgavens metodologiske grunnlag er konseptuell generalisering og gjennom denne strategien er det abstrahert litteratur rundt problematikken, og det er til sammen tolv hypoteser. Disse er satt sammen med utgangspunkt i tre typologier knyttet til overordnet problemstilling og to. Det er også utarbeidet konseptuelle modeller for å sette dette i sammenheng. Hensikt: Oppgaven er ment som et bidrag til den samfunnsvitenskapelige litteraturen som en mini-teori, det kan bygges videre på. Dette med hensikten å belyse nye fenomener som er kommet som resultater av Covid-19 pandemien. Herunder nye måter å organisere arbeidstokken på, i form av kombinerte arbeidsplasser og hvordan dette påvirker deling av kunnskap. Hovedfunn: - Ulike former for digitale kommunikasjonsmidler har stor innvirkning på kunnskapsdeling - Taus kunnskap er svært vanskelig å få til når sosial interaksjon blir redusert - Tillit er en grunnleggende faktor som må være til stede for kunnskapsdeling, og tillit påvirkes i stor grad av redusert sosial interaksjon. - Sosiale utvekslingsteori bygger på tillit, og er avgjørende for kunnskapsdeling - Sosiale relasjoner etableres gjennom tilli

State monopoly, Chinese style : a case study of the tobacco industry

Adopting a historical institutionalist approach, this study focuses on the tobacco industry as a case study to explore why competition would happen in this state-monopoly regime from its outset and how it evolved during the past three decades in China. I argue that the emergence of competition in the tobacco state monopoly resulted from a particular industrial governance pattern, which formed up incrementally and became strengthened via interactions between local governments and the local agents of China’s National Tobacco Corporation (CNTC). As the institutional settings where local governments and the CNTC’s local agents were embedded changed, the governance pattern and the resulting competition type continually transformed over three distinctive phases: quasi-free competition under the two-track system (1982-1993), restrained competition under prevalent local protectionism (1994-2004), and quasi-oligopoly competition under the central-led competitive monopoly (2005-2012). Tracing the development of the three phases discloses not only how local governments have already become the de facto agents for serving the CNTC but also how this circumstance has indirectly strengthened the control capacity of the monopoly, thus reinforcing and intensifying state control and the competition alike. The “state monopoly, Chinese style” was thus formed in this context.the KNAW China Exchange Program (the Netherlands), the Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation, the Academia Sinica (Taiwan), and the Ministry of Education (Taiwan)Asian Studie

TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER? UNPACKING PERSISTENCE AND EXAMINING ITS IMPACT ON SALESPERSON PERFORMANCE

Common wisdom suggests that persistence is a critical determinant of sales performance and, consequently, salespeople are often advised “don’t take no for an answer.” While the importance of persistence to sales success is seemingly unquestioned (albeit unexamined in the literature), anecdotal evidence suggests that the incremental business generated through salesperson persistence may be tempered – if not overshadowed – by its accompanying costs (e.g., time spent pursuing hesitant prospects). The goal of this research is thus to explore the impact of persistence on salesperson performance. Grounded in social influence theory, this study views sales persistence as a combination of influence tactics salespeople employ in order to shape the thoughts, feelings, and actions of prospects who are hesitant to commit to the firm. To offer insight into the sales performance implications of persistence, this dissertation builds on a mixed methods approach that combines both qualitative and quantitative insight. Study one builds on a grounded theory approach and in-depth interviews with professional salespeople to explore the nature of salesperson persistence behaviors. Study two leverages the insights gleaned from the qualitative work, survey data provided by salespeople and sales managers, and archival performance data to quantify the impact of persistence on sales performance and to elucidate the process through which persistence exerts its effects. Results show that only nurture-focused persistence has a positive effect on both prospecting effectiveness and prospecting efficiency. Furthermore, prospecting efficiency is found to directly contribute to sales performance

Philosophical Premises for African Economic Development

The focus of this research is the cultural assumptions underpinning Africa’s strategies of economic development, taking the Lagos Plan of Action (LPA) and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) as case studies. It considers the issue whether the neglect of Africa’s cultural beliefs and values in African plans and policies of economic development may not lead to a development impasse. Accordingly, three major objectives are pursued. The first objective is to attempt a critical assessment of the two strategies of economic development, LPA and NEPAD, against the background of theories of economic development that informed them respectively and their cultural assumptions. Using both a theoretical reflection and an empirical approach, I argue that LPA and NEPAD relied on theories of economic development whose cultural foundations are not African. Consequently, although they were designed in Africa, their respective philosophical bases are not African

The economic security of Taiwan : a case study of cross-strait relations between Taiwan and China, 2000-2004

This thesis aims to demonstrate that economic security is also a significant pillar of safeguarding national security. Aside from military security measures, adopting peaceful economic engagement and economic measures can be an alternative security policy choice through which a state may achieve its national security agenda. To facilitate an understanding of economic security, this thesis submits a working definition of economic security, which has been delineated as 'the protection of a core value from all forms of potential or actualised threat by using economic measures and policies'. The core value refers to national interests and security Objectives. With this framework, the current thesis takes Taiwan as a case study to assess Taiwan's effort of implementing economic security strategy to accomplish its national security agenda within the context of the complex and hostile cross-Strait relations yet growing economic integration. This research intends to answer three categories of questions. Firstly, how large is the cost to Taiwan of pursuing economic security vis-a-vis China, and what is Taiwan's capability to afford such cost? Secondly, what factors would contribute to or undermine Taiwan's efforts in practising economic security, and to what extent? Thirdly, do cross-Strait economic ties strengthen or weaken Taiwan's economic security with respect to its economic performance, and to what extent? From three perspectives, this study analyses the above questions. Firstly, it analyses how Taiwan has employed economic power to construct its national security within the international system. Secondly, it examines how Taiwan has utilised economic measures to resist China's political and economic influence. Thirdly, from an economic perspective, it examines whether Taiwan's economic security objectives, in the context of its capability of sustaining economic prosperity, have been enhanced when it has engaged in economic exchange with China