Asian Studies Commons^™

Social Trust In Contemporary Rural China: Its Sources And Impacts On Public Goods Provision, Narisong Huhe

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

Social trust, as an essential element of political culture, is assumed to strongly affect the effectiveness of political institution. However, such studies in non-democratic settings are scarce, and even scarcer in the Chinese context. This dissertation, using data drawn from an original survey in rural China, examines the extent, sociopolitical origins, and political consequences of social trust in China. The results suggest that China has a unique pattern of social trust owing to its dual Confucian and Communist heritages. While trusts in relatives, neighbors, kinsman, and other villagers (i.e., particularized trust) are extensive, trust in strangers (generalized trust) is scarce. …

The Final Twist In Common Intention? Daniel Vijay S/O Katherasan V. Public Prosecutor, Siyuan Chen

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

It was only in 2008 that the Court of Appeal made a seminal restatement of the law on common intention, particularly with respect to liability in so-called ‘twin crime’ situations. The question posed then was posed again recently in Daniel Vijay: what exactly is the required mens rea for the secondary offender in such situations? In 2008, the Court of Appeal said that the secondary offender had to subjectively know that one in his party might likely commit the collateral offence in furtherance of the common intention of carrying out the primary offence. Now, in Daniel Vijay, the Court …

Holding To A Moral Compass Against The Pull Of Profits, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Assistant Professor Eugene Tan writes that as Singapore society becomes more complex, our law schools cannot just produce good legal technicians but are challenged to produce lawyers who are innovators and can utilize the law creatively to produce effective and efficient outcomes, and solutions infused with social justice and fairness. Today, the first batch of SMU law students comprising 106 LLB and 17 Juris Doctor degree students graduates.

The Incompatibility Of Materialism And The Desire For Children: Psychological Insights Into The Fertility Discrepancy Among Modern Countries, Norman P. Li, Lily Patel, Daniel Balliet, William Tov, Christie N. Scollon

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

We examined factors related to attitudes toward marriage and the importance of having children in both the US and Singapore. Path analysis indicated that life dissatisfaction leads to materialism, and both of these factors lead to favorable attitudes toward marriage, which leads to greater desire for children. Further analysis indicated this model"We examined factors related to attitudes toward marriage and the importance of having children in both the US and Singapore. Path analysis indicated that life dissatisfaction leads to materialism, and both of these factors lead to favorable attitudes toward marriage, which leads to greater desire for children. Further analysis …

Explaining Contractual Remoteness In Singapore, Yihan Goh

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

The Singapore Court of Appeal (the Court of Appeal) has in MFM Restaurants Pte Ltd v Fish & Co Restaurants Pte Ltd rejected Lord Hoffinann's assumption of responsibility test (articulated in The Achilleas) to determine whether damages are too remote in a contractual claim. The Court of Appeal, however, retained assumption of responsibility as a concept to explain the orthodox test for remoteness as embodied in Hadley v Baxendale. To that extent, it expressly accepted Lord Hoffmann's approach in The Achilleas in so far as the concept of assumption of responsibility is already incorporated or embodied in both limbs of …

The Lines Are Starting To Blur, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Eugene Tan, Assistant Professor of Law at SMU, argues that the public service and civil society are beginning to collaborate more. This co-creation creates better quality solutions that benefit society as a whole.

Oral History Interview With Howard Hunter: Conceptualising Smu, Howard Hunter

Oral History Collection

The interview covered: first involvement with SMU, roles and responsibilities, tuition fees, autonomous university, law school, Juris Doctor program, undergraduate education, marketing, SMU pedagogy, curriculum, university library,

Biography:

Professor of Law, SMU, 2004–present
President, SMU, 2004–2010

Described as a passionate educator who truly believes in multidisciplinary education, Professor Howard Hunter served as SMU’s third president from September 2004 to August 2010. During the course of his presidency the university continued its rapid growth—moving to the city campus, opening the law school, expanding postgraduate programmes, building the endowment, and doubling the number of students and faculty. While at SMU he emphasized …

Geopolitics: A Guide To The Issues, Bert Chapman

Libraries Research Publications

Provides overview of how geography influences international relations and international politics including climate change, energy security, international economics, and international security.  Introduces key figures in geopolitics development as a discipline such as Alfred Thayer Mahan and Halford Mackinder, covers the geopolitical interests of individuals countries, describes disciplinary divisions within geopolitics, details international geopolitical crisis areas and provides maps of some of these areas, emphasizes geopolitics information resources, and stresses the critical importance of geography in studying international politics and security.

Getting To Global Yes! Designing A Distributed Student Collaboration, Selma Limam Mansar, Randy Weinberg, Benjamin Kok Siew Gan

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The authors have taught a course called 'Global Project Management' for four years, engaging students in three international locations in hands-on distance projects. The distance projects are intended to provide students with enriching, realistic global project experience. With experience, improved planning and better coordination, each iteration of the distance projects has improved. In this paper, the authors present lessons learned and a mind map demonstrating key aspects of design of global hands-on projects.

The Munhak Tongne Phenomenon: The Publication Of Literary Fiction In South Korea Today, Bruce Fulton

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

In this essay I outline some of the profound ways in which the literary culture of South Korea has changed since the mid-1990s, particularly with respect to the publication of literary fiction. I discuss four prominent publishers of literary fiction in South Korea. I argue that among these four publishers, Munhak Tongne has spearheaded a movement toward a more reader-friendly posture among publishers of literary fiction. I suggest in conclusion that Munhak Tongne has established a paradigm for the publication of literary fiction in South Korea in the new millennium.

Chaebol And Korea's Industrial Finance, Murat Doral, Michael Patrono

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

The Korean economy is based on a government led and export oriented growth model centered on business groups or conglomerates known as chaebols which have close relationships with the government. The government led growth model, also known as Guided or Managed Capitalism, relies on a government dominated, but privately owned, business sector. The private business sector is itself dominated by chaebols which are family owned or controlled business groups. These groups are supported by preferential relationships with the government. While the chaebol system was an important element of South Korea's early industrial growth, it ultimately had to be reformed. The …

Ink Painting Of Orchids Among The Literati In The Qing And Choson Dynasties, Herin Jung

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

Genres of cultural products have flowed in and out between China and Korea for thousands of years. It is well known that among these genres, the orchid was one of the most elegant subjects in ink painting. Although research has shown which types and how many works have been exchanged between the two countries, the ideas beneath the works deserve greater attention. The works of Kim Chong-hui (1786-1856) in the late Choson Dynasty are particularly valuable. Well known as a great calligrapher and erudite scholar, Kim profoundly explored art history and theory and was especially knowledgeable about successive painters of …

Working Women In Choson Korea: An Exploration Of Women's Economic Activities In A Patriarchal Society, Michael J. Pettid

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

This paper examines the economic activities of women in Choson Korea in an attempt to uncover the realities of their lives in terms of economic contribution and support of the well-being of their households. Despite the prevailing rhetoric of the "Confucianization" of late Choson, it is the belief of this writer that such a situation probably did not apply strictly to rural society or in matters of the necessity of economic strength. Rather I will argue that the economic realities of late Choson and farm life in general valued the labor and contributions of all members of a household, and …

Introduction To The Special Issue On Korea, Daniel J. Paracka

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

Introduction to the Special Issue on Korea by one of the guest editors.

The Subaltern Can Speak: Voices Of Poets In Divided Korea, Ailee Cho

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

Spivak asks, "Can the Subaltern Speak?" and answers in the negative. The same question can be asked of South Korea following its liberation from Japanese colonial rule. But the answer is in the positive. Subaltern's voices can be heard in the poems on the division of Korea. Here, divided Korea is compared to a severed human body in deep pain as if an actual human body had been severed. It is also represented as an unnatural state that will end in apocalyptic vision. When readers return to the origin of the national division and empathize with the body in pain, …

The Role Of Environmental Ngos In Chinese Public Policy, Andrew I.E. Ewoh, Melissa Rollins

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

The emergence of environmental nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in China is increasingly drawing attention from observers interested in Chinese environmental politics. In the 1980s, the Chinese government started introducing environmental laws as well as seeking assistance from international NGOs, and bilateral and multilateral aid organizations. The 1990s witnessed a shift in government's focus on command and control regulation to more progressive citizen participation and market incentive laws. In fact, many ambitious environmental and energy efficiency targets were included in both the 10th and the 11th five-year plans. This analysis examines the role played by the environmental NGOs in Chinese public policy …

The Implications Of Water Insecurity For Fragile And Failing States: The Case Of Pakistan, Jennifer Norins

Graduate Masters Theses

As we become more firmly established in the 21st century, the international system faces a number of increasingly more difficult challenges that pose threats to global security and human progress. Among these challenges, water scarcity and failing states have each received prominent attention in both the academic and policy realms. Water serves a number of critical purposes for human survival and socio-economic activity. The threat of water scarcity is becoming increasingly salient and the capacity of states to ensure water security, and other securities which water security supports, is being tested. Fragile and failing states also occupy significant space in …

Tort Law, Kumaralingam Amirthalingam, Gary Kok Yew Chan

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

The Court of Appeal decision in Chan Cheng Wah v Koh Sin Chong Freddie and another appeal [2012] 1 SLR 506 ("Chan Cheng Wah (CA)") concerned the nature of defamatory meaning and the defences of justification and qualified privilege. The dispute arose from two allegedly defamatory statements published in the minutes of meeting of a management committee of a club ("current MC") concerning the actions of the previous management committee ("previous MC"). Four members of the previous MC sued the defendant, the president of the current MC, in respect of the statements.

Disproportional Ownership Structure And Pay-Performance Relationship In China, Jerry Cao, Xiaofei Pan, Gary Tian

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This paper examines the impact of ownership structure on executive compensation in China's listed firms. We find that the cash flow rights of ultimate controlling shareholders have a positive effect on the pay-performance relationship, while a divergence between control rights and cash flow rights has a significantly negative effect on the pay-performance relationship. We divide our sample based on ultimate controlling shareholders' type into state owned enterprises (SOE), state assets management bureaus (SAMB), and privately controlled firms. We find that in SOE controlled firms cash flow rights have a significant impact on accounting based pay-performance relationship. In privately controlled firms, …

Adverse Selection And Corporate Governance, Charlie Charoenwong, David K. Ding, Vasan Siraprapasiri

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This paper examines the impact of corporate governance on the adverse selection component of the bid-ask spread of stocks listed on the Singapore Exchange. These companies have been identified by Credit Lyonnais Securities Asia (CSLA) with the highest level of corporate governance among 25 emerging markets. We measure corporate governance by several criteria: discipline, transparency, independence, accountability, responsibilities, fairness, and social awareness. The results show that corporate governance has an inverse relationship with adverse selection. However, only the transparency dimension exhibits a significant inverse relationship with adverse selection. In addition, Government-Linked Companies (GLCs) are shown to have a smaller adverse …

An Analysis Of Japanese Earnings Forecast Revisions With Application To Seasoned Equity Offerings, Gary L. Caton, Justin S. P. Chan, Jeremy C. Goh, Sheng Yung Yang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Using the bootstrap method, we explore the characteristics of revisions in Japanese earnings forecast data. We find that forecast revisions exhibit a downward trend over time as the actual earnings announcement date approaches, and are serially correlated with three significant lags. Using these characteristics we develop a model to estimate abnormal forecast revisions, and illustrate the model's use with a sample of Japanese companies announcing seasoned equity offerings (SEOs). In contrast to results obtained by studies using American data, our findings indicate significant positive upward revisions when Japanese firms announce an SEO.

Cosmopolitan Nation-Building: The Institutional Contradiction And Politics Of Postwar Japanese Education, Hiro Saito

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The education system has been a quintessential state apparatus of nation-building since the emergence of the modern nation-state; however, recent comparative studies demonstrate the growing presence of cosmopolitanism in education policies and school curricula around the world. This trend indicates that the education system now operates according to two different institutional logics, nationalism and cosmopolitanism. To understand how the education system negotiates the potential contradiction between nationalism and cosmopolitanism, in this paper, I analyze the case of postwar Japanese education. Theoretically, I synthesize studies of institutional logics and social movements: while the former shed light on a contradiction between different …

From Precarious Labor To Precarious Economy? Planning For Precarity In Singapore's Creative Economy, Lily Kong

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The important place of the oftentimes "hidden" independent worker, or freelancer, has been acknowledged in developed countries where the creative economy has grown. These creative workers do not belong to the traditional employment set-up organized around firms. Instead, they move from portfolio to portfolio, assignment to assignment, interspersing corporation-based jobs with periods of self employment. Their work offers freedom, independence and creative space, but has also been characterized as precarious, because the securities of old working patterns no longer hold. While governments in many countries and cities have become attracted to the potential of the creative economy, those that have …

A Presence Of The Past: The Legal Protection Of Singapore’S Archaeological Heritage, Jack Tsen-Ta Lee

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

Singapore is not well known for its archaeological heritage. In fact, chance finds in the early 20th century and systematic archaeological excavations since the 1980s conducted at sites around the Singapore River have unearthed artefacts shedding light on the island’s early history. In addition, the value of archaeology for a deeper knowledge of Singapore’s British colonial past is increasingly being recognized. Nonetheless, Singapore law provides only a rudimentary framework to facilitate archaeological investigations and protect cultural artefacts. This article considers how the National Heritage Board Act (Cap 196A, 1994 Rev Ed), the Planning Act (Cap 232, 1998 Rev Ed), and …

Oral History Interview With Tony Tan Keng Yam: Conceptualising Smu, Tony Keng Yam Tan

Oral History Collection

The interview covered: higher education landscape, setting up SMU, naming a new university, different university, admission criteria, student interaction, first graduation ceremony, future of university education.

Biography:

Patron, SMU, 2011–present
Visionary and architect of SMU

Dr Tony Tan Keng Yam steered the development of university education in Singapore and was instrumental in the creation of Singapore Management University. Involved in higher education in Singapore for over three decades, he served as education minister (1980–1981 and 1985–1991), vice-chancellor of the National University of Singapore (1980–1981), and was appointed deputy prime minister of Singapore (1995–2005). He is credited with restructuring Singapore’s educational …

Customer Satisfaction Index Of Singapore 2011: Q1 Results, Institute Of Service Excellence, Smu

Research Collection Institute of Service Excellence (2007-2024)

The Customer Satisfaction Index of Singapore (CSISG), currently in its fifth year of measurement, is an indicator of the quality of goods and services produced in the Singapore economy. CSISG complements production-based measures such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by providing an assessment from the buyers’ point of view. Both types of measures are necessary as economic growth hinges not only on producing more, but producing better products and services.

Key Issues That Have Not Been Addressed, Tan K. B. Eugene

Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law

The last nine days of hustings period have provided for a most engaging electoral campaign in recent memory. There seems to be a nascent but growing political consciousness and Singaporeans are not shy to express their political inclinations and loyalties.

Innovation And Commoditization: Prioritizing And Profiling Asian Managers’ Cross-Border Sourcing Practices, Sudhindra Seshadri

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The paper investigates several sourcing practices and argues that two main behavioral constructs, supply commoditization and supply innovation, underlie many of these practices. It then develops hypotheses involving these constructs and company profiling ratios such as revenue per employee. The paper reports on survey research with a subset of ASEAN country based purchasing managers; on new scales. The results contribute to a growing literature on dynamic customer value in business markets and sourcing competencies. The paper also discusses managerial implications for sales targeting and sales approaches arising from the model.

Different Means To The Same End: A Comparative Contingency Analyses Of Singapore And China’S Management Of The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) Crisis, Yan Jin, Augustine Pang, Glen T. Cameron

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

For months in 2003, the world lay under siege by a strain of virus that masqueraded as pneumonia but inflicted a far more lethal effect. By all accounts, the mystery of how the severe respiratory acute syndrome (SARS) virus came to be has remained largely unsolved (Bradsher & Altman 2003). What began as routine fever and cough in a Chinese physician, later identified as a super-carrier, rapidly spread to people who had cursory contacts with him, spiralling into a worldwide crisis that spanned Asia and the North Americas (Rosenthal 2003).

Shareholder Heterogeneity And Conflicting Goals: Strategic Investments In The Japanese Electronics Industry, Asli M. Colpan, Toru Yoshikawa, Takashi Hikino, Ester B. Del Brio

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

This article investigates the effects of the changing institutional environment on strategic orientations of Japanese electronics firms during the 1990s. We examine the effects of three different types of shareholders on strategic directions of their invested firms. The first one, foreign portfolio investors, characterizes the emerging influence that pressed for change in corporate strategies. The two domestic shareholders, corporate investors and financial institutions, represent the conventional forces for continuity. Between the two domestic forces, though, while corporate investors attempted to maintain status quo, financial institutions have shifted towards market-oriented behaviour of investment. Specifically, we explore: (1) the influence of each …