Asian Studies Commons^™

Alternative Corporate Governance Systems In Japanese Firms: Implications For A Shift To Stockholder-Centered Corporate Governance, Toru Yoshikawa, Phillip H. Phan

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

In Asia, the recent catastrophic decline in regional stock markets, continuing currency crisis and failures of major financial institutions and industrial corporations have increased domestic and international interest in corporate governance. Nowhere is this greater than in Japan where financial institution reform has catapulted this to the fore. Agency theory and institutional theory, together with comparative case examples, are used in a study to derive some propositions on the dynamics of changing corporate governance systems in Japanese firms. The study argues for the co-existence of stakeholder and shareholder-centered corporate governance systems in Japan. This argument has an important implication for …

Technology Transfer Into China: Preparing For A New Era, Arnoud De Meyer

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Currently, there are three forces creating a more favourable background for western multinational companies to do new business in China by transferring new technology. First, growing overcapacity means China requires not traditional turnkey factories, but instead, technology which leads to innovation and improvement. Second, a changing attitude by all levels of Chinese government to demanding state-of-the-art technology including software instead of previous generation technology, and to technology management and commercial implementation more. Third, intellectual property rights are becoming better respected. The author makes suggestions to best manage technology transfer into China, with this changed background. Based on six case studies …

Information And Communication Technology And Poverty: An Asian Perspective, M. G. Quibria, Feichin, Ted Tschang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Many commentators have extolled the virtues of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) in reducing poverty and improving the quality of life. While such arguments have been used before in relation to many predecessor technologies, including other earlier communications technologies, the promise has often floundered. This paper attempts to provide a more balanced analysis of the question, by exploring the linkages between the new ICTs and poverty reduction. It examines the linkages in two ways: the potential for direct impacts of ICTs on various areas of poverty and development, and the indirect impacts of ICTs on economic growth, exports and …

Sanctions And Nonproliferation Behavior: Missing On Missiles, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This article describes political psychologies supporting United States (US) sanctions-related behavior towards the People's Republic of China's (PRC) exporting of missiles, missile components, and missile technology.

Nationalism In The People's Republic Of China: A Consequential Chameleon, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This article describes how nationalism among political leaders in the People's Republic of China (PRC) can be the linchpin of divergent views on the desirability of the PRC's future in a globalized economy.

Management And Cultural Values: The Indigenization Of Organisations In Asia: Edited By Henry S R Kao, Durganand Sinha And Bernhard Wilpert, New Delhi: Sage Publishers, 1999., R C Sekhar

IIMB Management Review

This is the third of a series of publications on inter-cultural studies emerging out of three conferences organised by the International Union of Psychological Science at Hongkong, Taiwan, Guang Zhou, China (Mainland). The studies are focused on Asia and are spread over more than a decade.

Achieving Growth Through Corporate Partnerships And Joint Ventures: Will Singapore's Strategic Leap Into The Region Work?, Ravinder K. Zutshi, Wee Liang Tan

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

One of the characteristic features of the East Asian economic development strategy has been the interventionist role of the government in the economic sphere (Amsden 1989; Kwon 1994; Wade 1990; Zutshi and Gibbons 1998). Governments in East Asia have traditionally, worked closely with the private sector. As a result unique business systems embedded in networks and alliances have evolved in countries like Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Singapore (Hamilton and Biggard 1988). Singapore has attempted to extend this model of strategic cooperation beyond its borders into the region. Schein (1996) identifies a number of major development eras in the evolution of …

Downsizing, Debürokratisierung Und Krisenmanagement: Neuere Entwicklungstendenzen In Malaysias Öffentlicher Verwaltung, Thomas Menkhoff

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Der Beitrag analysiert mit Blick auf die Asienkrise Entwicklungsaspekte und ausgewählte Strukturmerkmale der öffentlichen Verwaltung in Malaysia, an die nicht zuletzt im Rahmen des derzeitigen Krisenmanagements hohe Anforderungen hinsichtlich Effizienz, Professionalität und Kundenorientiertheit gestellt werden. Besonderes Interesse gilt den vor einigen Jahren eingeleiteten Reform- und Debürokratisierungsmaßnahmen, durch die die Leistungskraft der öffentlichen Verwaltung und der in ihr Tätigen erhöht werden soll. Der Beitrag verdeutlicht die Hintergründe der anhaltenden Restrukturierungsanstrengungen, zeigt interne Schwachstellen auf und untersucht, inwieweit die öffentliche Verwaltung in der Lage ist, die an sie gestellten Erwartungen einzulösen.

Bbm Programme Student Handbook 2000-01, Smu School Of Business

SMU Corporate Reports

The SMU Business School (School) undergraduate curriculum leads to the award of the degree of Bachelor of Business Management (BBM). The objective of the programme is to produce professionally competent graduates who are entrepreneurial, creative, capable of critical thinking and committed to life-long learning. In order to accomplish this objective, the curriculum is structured into 3 sections and a business attachment.

The School offers students a carefully designed programme in which business and management education is integrated with a broad-based foundation throughout the student's 4 years. The courses aim to equip all students with the fundamental skills and attributes needed …

Resource Commitment, Entry Timing, And Market Performance Of Foreign Direct Investments In Emerging Economics: The Case Of Japanese International Joint Ventures In China, Takehiko Isobe, Shige Makino, David B. Montgomery

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This study examined whether early movers and technology leaders attained superior performance in emerging economic regions. We assessed the determinants and performance consequences of two key aspects of entry strategy, resource commitment to technology transfer and timing of entry, using survey data from over 220 Sino-Japanese joint ventures (JVs) in China. Both high commitment and early entry had positive impacts on the perceived economic performance of the JVs. Yet these relationships were found to be significantly contingent on several internal and external factors, such as the strategic importance of an investment, parental control of a JV, and the availability of …

The E-Landscape: An Unexplored Goldmine Of The New Millennium, Thow Yick Liang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The Internet is an intangible cyberworld created by the human mind. Exploring and exploiting this e-landscape requires a totally redefined mindset. The fact that it exists in the mental realm also makes it a nonlinear system. In this respect, understanding both intangible and nonlinear dynamics is a requisite to the proper exploitation of e-commerce. The e-landscape is a new edge of chaos where order and disorder co-exist. It could be a goldmine for those who swiftly recognize structure in this highly disordered territory. The tremendous number of opportunities and uncertainties embedded in the submerged portion of this iceberg are still …

Hong Kong And Singapore, Sock Yong Phang

Research Collection School Of Economics

There are many similarities between Hong Kong and Singapore. They have both enjoyed high rates of economic growth over the past three decades, averaging six percent a year in real terms. The two have become known as “East Asian Tigers,” having made the transition from poverty to newly industrialized economies in a relatively short time. Both started off as British colonies, with British legal and administrative systems, and made their living as trading ports serving their respective regions. Singapore has been an independent republic since 1965; Hong Kong was returned to China on July 1, 1997. While Hong Kong and …

The Persistent Competitive Advantage Of Traditional Food Retailers In Asia: Wet Markets' Continued Dominance In Hong Kong, Arieh Goldman, Robert E. Krider, Seshan Ramaswami

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The focus of this article is the persistent continued strength of wet markets in Hong Kong and the weakness of supermarkets in the fresh food area. This phenomenon is surprising because, based on the experiences in North America and Western Europe and given the well-developed economy of Hong Kong, one would have expected supermarkets to dominate fresh food retailing and wet markets to be in retreat. In this article, the authors explain the reasons for the continued dominance of wet markets. They argue that consumers’shopping and consumption culture, the effectiveness of wet markets in handling consumers’needs, and the appropriateness of …

On Business Education In Singapore: The Past, The Present And The Future, Teck Meng Tan, Kwong Sin Leong, Yang Hoong Pang

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

Examines the developments in business education in Singapore and directions for its development. Post-graduate programs; Status of management education at universities; Broadening of education in Singapore universities.

An Investigation Of Price Discovery In Informationally-Linked Markets: Equity Trading In Malaysia And Singapore, David K. Ding, Frederick H. Harris, Sie Ting Lau, Thomas H. Mclnish

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Using transactions data for the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange and the Stock Exchange of Singapore (SES) for a major Malaysian conglomerate, Sime Darby Berhad, and intraday exchange rate data, we investigate whether and to what extent each exchange contributes to price discovery. Results indicate that the price series are cointegrated. The raw data appear to indicate the presence of arbitrage opportunities, but none exist after taking exchange rate changes into account. Using the common long-memory factors of Gonzalo and Granger (1995, Journal of Business and Economic Statistics 13, 1-9), we show that while the majority of the price discovery (approximately …

Selection Of Expatriates For Regional Business Operations In Asia: A Study Of Mne Managers In Singapore, A. Ahad M. Osman-Gani, Wee Liang Tan, Thian Ser Toh

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The recent interest for regionalization of business operations in Asia underscores the demand for expatriates. While much has been written on expatriation, very little was documented on expatriates assigned in Asian countries. In this respect, American, German, Japanese and Korean MNEs have been found to take active interests in regional expansion of business in Asia. Expatriation is a significant international management issue for them. The high costs of expatriation and the risks for expatriate failures also underscore this importance. As such, selecting the right candidate for expatriation success is a crucial issue for these MNEs. This paper presents the findings …

Family Roles In The Selection Of Schools In Multiracial Singapore: An Examination Of Demographic Differencesographic Differences, Ashok K. Lalwani, Subhash C. Mehta, Chin Tiong Tan

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Family roles in deciding household purchases have intrigued marketers for a long time, with researchers calling for more studies on the subject - especially those which look into the roles played by children and others in the decision process. This paper investigates the relative influence of the husband, wife, children, and others in 5 sub-decisions involved in the choice of a school, and distinguishes families reporting different roles on their demographic characteristics. Cluster analysis was used to develop segments on the basis of family roles. Results indicate that children and others have negligible influence in this particular service and that …

East Vs. West: Strategic Marketing Management Meets The Asian Networks, George T. Haley, Chin Tiong Tan

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Strategic management in Asia is different. Decision-making differs from that taught in Western, and even Asian, schools of business. In the last decade, the influence of Japanese management systems on Western management practice has become evident. Though the Japanese economy is the world's second largest, and Japan's population substantial, neither compares with the combined economies and combined populations of non-Japanese Asia. The influence of the most aggressive elements of the non-Japanese Asian business communities, the Overseas Chinese and Overseas Indian Networks cannot help to be felt on Western management practice. This article explains why this difference in decision-making styles exists, …

Business As Usual: The Dynamics Of Government‐Business Relations In The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Tuck Hong James Tang

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This is an attempt to evaluate the implications of Hong Kong's political transition topost-colonial rule for economic governance in the SAR beyond the 'Beijing versus HongKong' perspective. The article examines the changing government-business dynamics inHong Kong after the reversion by focusing on three inter-related dimensions: economicideology; institutional and policy framework; and the new political environment inpost-colonial Hong Kong. By challenging the assertion that Hong Kong is returning to thepre-Patten colonial order under Chinese management, it argues that economic governancein Hong Kong has always been more complex than has been characterized in the literature.A conceptual framework incorporating the dynamic interplay of …

Asian Expatriate Development: A Comparative Study Of Japanese, Korean And Singaporean Expatriates, A. Ahad M. Osman-Gani, Wee Liang Tan

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Owing to rapid internationalization of business activity, human resource development (HRD) has become increasingly important in recent years. This is especially true when domestic human resource management takes on international dimensions as it deals more with multicultural workforce. International HRD, much of it embodied in cross-cultural training, has been proposed by many scholars as a means of facilitating more effective interaction among managers, employees and customers from different national-cultural backgrounds. Despite the need for cross-cultural skills and the shortage of managers who possess these skills, most human resource decision-makers do nothing in terms of cross-cultural training for their employees. Studies …

Searching For Periods Of Volatility: A Study Of The Behavior Of Volatility In Thai Stocks, Theodore Bos, David K. Ding, Thomas A. Fetherston

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This paper improves the precision of the useful new procedure of Inclán and Tiao (1994) that estimates variance shift points in a time series. It accomplishes this by incorporating the evidence of Bos and Fetherston (1992) that the linear Brown, Durbin, and Evans (Brown et al., 1975) critical CUSUM of squares boundaries [used by Inclán and Tiao] produce an understatement of instability at the data end points. This is solved by Tanizaki (1995) which, like Bos and Fetherston (1992) and Bos and Fetherston (1995), uses the fact that the CUSUM of squares statistic follows a beta distribution. This study uses …

From Entrepot To Nic: Economic And Structural Policy Aspects Of Singapore's Development, Jochen Wirtz, Thomas Menkhoff

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This paper describes the development of Singapore from an entrepot to an industrialized economy and analyzes the role of its structural and industrial policies as one important factor in this success story. The advance of Singapore to an industrialized economy can be structured into four phases. Phase I, the early phase from 1959 to the mid-1960s is characterized by an import substitution policy followed together with Malaysia. Phase II describes the enhanced export-orientation and industrialization from 1967 to 1973. Phase III includes the industrial restructuring from 1973 to 1984. Phase IV describes the development towards diversification of the industrial base …

Relationship Marketing In China: Guanxi, Favouritism And Quality Of Business Development, Y H Wong

IIMB Management Review

Relationship Marketing is increasingly redefining traditional concepts in marketing and guanxi is the new buzz word. Guanxi, meaning relationships, has attracted considerable attention from both academics and practising managers. Viewed positively, guanxi networks offer an attractive way of facilitating business transactions. The flip side is associated with corrupt under-the-table behavior. With China becoming an important market for the world, guanxi could well be one of the tools to understand the byzantine Chinese market.

Making Sense Of The Asian Success Story: An Integrative Framework, Chow Hou Wee, Gilbert Tan

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The article focuses on Asian countries that have experienced economic growth over the past 50 years including Hong Kong, China; Japan; Singapore; South Korea and Taiwan. With the exception of Hong Kong, the economic success of the Asian countries has been attributed to the interventionist framework. Export-orientation is one strategy that is most associated with the success of the five Asian countries. The export-oriented strategy helped the five Asian countries in many ways. The ensuring growth of employment enabled the country to save and accumulate capital for reinvestment. The export-oriented strategy also positively affects the competitive advantages of the country. …

Moderating Effects Of Tolerance For Ambiguity And Risktaking Propensity On The Role Conflict-Perceived Performance Relationship: Evidence From Singapore Entrepreneurs, Hai Yap Teoh, See Liang Foo

Research Collection School Of Accountancy

This study investigates the effects of tolerance for ambiguity and risktaking propensity in mediating the relationships between role conflict and perceived performance among 70 entrepreneurs in small and medium-sized businesses in Singapore. Entrepreneurial activity has been widely recognized as a major factor driving Singapore's economic development. Further insights therefore can be gained by this study, which addresses the above issues from the perspective of Singaporean entrepreneurs. As founders of their enterprises, entrepreneurs are often involved with many aspects of activities that create a high potential for conflict, having to play multiple roles, coping with competing and conflicting demands, and overcoming …

Trading Networks Of Chinese Entrepreneurs In Singapore, Thomas Menkhoff, Chalmers E. Labig

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The entrenchment of entrepreneurs in local, regional, or global business networks based on kinship, clanship, territorial, or ethnic ties has often been cited as characteristic of Chinese business communities in Southeast Asia. Qualitative interviews with Singaporean Chinese merchant-exporters were conducted in order to examine this thesis. The findings reveal that there is a strong tendency among Chinese entrepreneurs in Singapore to rely on external commercial relationships with ‘outsiders’ and ‘friends’ rather with those related by blood or marriage. It is suggested that kinship reciprocity may under some circumstances curb the autonomy and freedom of the transacting actors, thus limiting their …

Tourism Growth In Singapore: An Optimal Target, Habibullah Khan, Sock-Yong Phang, Rex S. Toh

Research Collection School Of Economics

No abstract provided.

The Commercial Face Of God: Exploring The Nexus Between The Religious And The Material, Lily Kong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

This paper explores the nexus between the cultural and the material by examining the ways in which religion and the economy are integrated in the context of economy-driven Singapore. The mutually constitutive relationships between the cultural and the material are explored through a discussion of the role of the state, capital and religious institutions in pulling together the sacred and the secular. Specifically, the analysis focuses on how the state harnesses religion ideologically in its economic development strategies; how capital harnesses the potential of religion in commercial enterprises in practical terms; and how religious institutions themselves behave as financial institutions. …

The Multiplier Effect: Singapore's Hospitality Industry, Habibullah Khan, Sock-Yong Phang, Rex S. Toh

Research Collection School Of Economics

Tourism's contribution to Singapore's economy has increased over time. Tourism contributed 11.9% to Singapore's GDP in 1992, about half of that from direct revenues. Indirect and induced sources contributed about equally to the other half. While the direct effect of tourist expenditures on the Singapore economy are predominant, the indirect and induced effects are also significant, indicating strong sectoral linkages within the local economy, especially with respect to the hospitality industry.

Vertrauen Und Chinesisches Wirtschaftshandeln In Singapur: Zur Kulturellen Und Sozialstrukturellen Bedingtheit Von Vertrauensbildung Und Kooperation In Chinesischen Geschäftsbeziehungen, Thomas Menkhoff

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Based on in-depth interviews with Chinese merchant exporters in Singapore, the article explores why personal forms of trust (the Chinese translation is xinyong) are key elements in the complex web of business and associated social relationships.