RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP 1997 Research Project Administrative, Business and Social Studies
Research Projects Arts and Languages Administrative, Business and Social Studies Biological Sciences Physical Sciences Education Medicine, Dentistry and Health: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Civil and Structural Engineering Electrical and Electronic Engineering Computing Sciences, Information Technology and Applied Mathematics Mechanical, Production and Industrial Engineering including Textiles and Clothing Architecture, Surveying, Urban Planning and Urban Studies Law	SHORT TERM FORECASTING OF TIDE HEIGHTS IN HONG KONG To build a simple but effective model for short-term (1-24 hour) forecasts of tide heights, using historical tidal height data and weather information (e.g. rainfall in Pearl River Basin, wind speed and direction). If the model proves to be significantly more accurate than the present 1 year ahead forecasts, then it could be built into the Marine Department Communication system to allow all local shipping to obtain accurate forecasts, reducing the chance of ships running aground. It will also be of use to marine zoologists who need to know tidal behaviour. The Marine Department is likely to set up a short-term forecasting system for tidal flows and this would be a useful addition. Investigators: Dr. J.H. Bacon-Shone (Principal) Professor W.K. Li Departments: Social Sciences Research Centre Statistics Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1988.05 PERSONNEL SURVEYS To study both general and specific problems relating to personnel management in public and private organisations with a view of increasing management effectiveness and efficiency. Research designs will be adopted on individual project basis. Investigator: Dr. J.H. Bacon-Shone Department: Social Sciences Research Centre Starting date: 1991.03 THE USE OF RESEARCH PERFORMANCE INDICATORS To study the use of research performance indicators. Investigator: Dr. J.H. Bacon-Shone Department: Social Sciences Research Centre Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1992.06 PRIVACY ATTITUDE IN HONG KONG To assess the public attitude towards privacy issues in the context of the forthcoming Law Reform Commission report and in comparison with a previous study done in 1976. Investigators: Dr. J.H. Bacon-Shone (Principal) Dr. H.H. Traver Departments: Social Sciences Research Centre Sociology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1992.07 A SOCIOLINGUISTIC SURVEY OF LANGUAGE USE IN HONG KONG To survey the uses of languages in relation to bilingualism/multilingualism and the socio-political situation of Hong Kong. It will address the extent and domain of use of English, Cantonese, Putonghua and mixed code, and investigate perceived levels competence and attitudes to the languages concerned. Comparison with previous surveys conducted in 1969 and 1983 is expected to reveal patterns of development. Investigators: Dr. J.H. Bacon-Shone (Principal) Mr. K.R. Bolton Mrs. H.H.L. Kwok Dr. S.J. Matthews Departments: Social Sciences Research Centre English Linguistics Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1992.07 THE SOCIAL CAUSES OF JUVENILE CRIME To identify the social and especially the social-environmental causes of crimes committed by different age groups from 7 to 20; to test different hypotheses relating to juvenile and youth delinquency; to study recidivism among offenders aged 7-20. Investigators: Dr. J.H. Bacon-Shone (Principal) Mrs. D.O.B. Lam Dr. Y.M. Leung Dr. H.H. Traver Dr. S.J. Winter Departments: Social Sciences Research Centre Curriculum Studies Education Social Work and Social Administration Sociology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1992.07 DEMOGRAPHIC AND CRITERION-RELATED STUDIES OF GIFTEDNESS AND CREATIVITY IN HONG KONG SCHOOLS To investigate the demographic characteristics of the exceptional samples and to provide relevant statistical data related to the standardization work currently underway to develop indigeneous tests for identifying creative, gifted and talented children in Hong Kong. The sub-group studies will include comparisons of 1) bright academically able to underachieving bright; 2) highly creative to less creative; 3) intellectually superior to intellectually inferior (mentally handicapped); 4) creative/intelligent maladjusted children (with emotional and behavioural problems) to creative/intelligent normal children (without behavioural problems). Investigators: Dr. J.H. Bacon-Shone (Principal) Mrs. H.S.Y. Ku-Yu Dr. D.T.L. Shek Departments: Social Sciences Research Centre Applied Social Studies, Hong Kong Polytechnic University Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1993.07 STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE Model athletic performance statistically in order to predict performance accurately and assess trends, for inter country and inter sport comparisons. Investigator: Dr. J.H. Bacon-Shone Department: Social Sciences Research Centre Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1993.07 TELEPHONE SURVEY METHODOLOGY IN HONG KONG Develope and evaluate an updated telephone survey methodology for Hong Kong. Investigator: Dr. J.H. Bacon-Shone Department: Social Sciences Research Centre Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.07 THE HONG KONG SOCIAL SCIENCES STATISTICAL ARCHIVES To establish a social science data archive in Hong Kong. The focus of the archive is on computer-readable statistical data, to make it accessible to a much wider range of researchers. This set of data is critical to many social scientists and archive of this sort exist in the U.S.A., U.K. and most European countries. The most urgent need is for adequate indexing of existing data sets relating to Hong Kong and China, followed by establisheding adequate archiving strategies for these data sets to make them move accessible. Last, but not least, is the development of training strategies so that social scientists can know how to maximize their utilization of this information. Investigators: Dr. J.H. Bacon-Shone (Principal) Dr. W.T. Liu Departments: Social Sciences Research Centre Division of Social Sciences, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.07 AN EXPLORATORY ASSESSMENT OF WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR HEALTH CARE IN HONG KONG To explore factors affecting WTP in Hong Kong health care using qualitative research; to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of using contingent valuation (CV) and conjoint analysis (CA) as tools for assessing WTP for Hong Kong health care; to use CA and CV to obtain initial estimates of WTP in Hong Kong health care. Investigators: Dr. J.H. Bacon-Shone (Principal) Dr. S.M. McGhee Departments: Social Sciences Research Centre Community Medicine Source of funding: Health Services Research Fund Starting date: 1996.11 PSYCHOLOGY MOVING EAST: THE CHINESE CASE To explore the impact of the western discipline known as "psychology" on Chinese culture, its reception resistance and modification, as an illustration of the indigenization process. Investigator: Dr. G.H. Blowers Department: Psychology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1994.07 PSYCHOSOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS AND HELP-SEEKING BEHAVIOUR OF PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS IN URBAN CHINA To study the psychosocial characteristics of patients seeking psychiatric treatment in urban China; to examine the help-seeking pattern of these patients prior to psychiatric consultation; to compare findings with related studies. Investigators: Dr. K.W. Boey (Principal) Dr. T.T. Zhang Dr. J.C. Zhao Departments: Social Work and Social Administration Shanghai Mental Health Centre, People's Republic of China Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1992.12 AN EXPENDITURE SURVEY ON POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG To discover current patterns of expenditure by research postgraduate students (those registered for the degrees of MPhil and PhD) at the University of Hong Kong. Investigators: Mr. W.P.J. Brandon (Principal) Professor B. Weatherhead Departments: Office of Student Affairs Anatomy Source of funding: Wu Jieh Yee Research Fund Starting date: 1996.02 CHANGES IN THE HONG KONG PRISON POPULATION (INCLUDING TRAINING CENTRES AND DRUG ADDICTION TREATMENT CENTRES) WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON CHANGES IN THE ETHNIC/RACE COMPOSITION OF PRISONERS/DETAINEES DURING THE PERIOD 1980-1996 To provide sufficient information about potential or existing data sources (quantifiable) necessary to generate more exact or meaningful research questions on the general use of imprisonment. Nevertheless the initially organising focus of the research will be on Hong Kong's unique mandatory use of fixed term imprisonment to control illegal immigration from the People's Republic of China. In particular the effectiveness of this method of deterrence over the period will be examined in the light of changes in the number and nature of illegal immigrants held and the proportions with prior detention records. Investigator: Dr. R.G. Broadhurst Department: Sociology Starting date: 1995.02 CRIME TRENDS IN HONG KONG 1968-1996 Police arrest statistics, imprisonment and crime reports for the period 1968-1996 are collected on an annual basis and converted into rates per 100,000. These data are analysed for certain categories of crime and correlated with general variables such as police strength, unemployment, hospital admissions and other factors. Trends in crime are analysed in relation to these factors. Breaks in series, changes in recording practiced and classification of offences are noted. In addition crime victim survey data from the 1978, 1981, 1986, 1989 and 1994 surveys are included. Investigator: Dr. R.G. Broadhurst Department: Sociology Starting date: 1995.03 RISK ASSESSMENT: THE DEVELOPMENT OF A RISK ASSESSMENT (PREDICTION) METHOD FOR ESTIMATING RE-OFFENDING (1) Development of an integrated criminal justice data base for longitudinal research. (2) Estimation of recidivism for various groups of offenders. (3) Development of model risk assessment procedures for the community based corrections division of Western Australian Ministry of Justice. Investigators: Dr. R.G. Broadhurst (Principal) Dr. R.W. Harding Dr. N.S. Loh Dr. R. Mauer Departments: Sociology University of Western Australia, Australia Starting date: 1996.01 HONG KONG SENIOR CIVIL SERVICE PROFILE UP-DATING To provide data on the career structure and career patterns of senior civil servants; in particular, it examines patterns of discrimination based on gender and nationality within the service. It also looks at age, education levels, and promotion rate Investigators: Professor J.P. Burns (Principal) Dr. J.H. Bacon-Shone Departments: Politics and Public Administration Social Sciences Research Centre Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.04 GRASSROOTS ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT IN HONG KONG This is part of a six city project organized by the East-West Centre. Grassroots mobilization on environmental management in two squatter areas in Hong Kong will be studied. Investigators: Professor C.L.W. Chan (Principal) Professor P.R. Hills Departments: Social Work and Social Administration Centre of Urban Planning and Environmental Management Starting date: 1991.07 Completion date: 1997.06 PSYCHOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF SELF-HELP GROUPS To improve the effectiveness and increase the prevalence of self-help groups in Hong Kong by 1) developing a questionnaire to measure group process and outcome; 2) examining the utility of feedback in improving group functioning; 3) investigating cross-cultural differences and how the particular problem being addressed by the group e.g. alcoholism versus chronic medical problem affects group function; 4) attitudes of professionals to self-help groups. Investigators: Professor C.L.W. Chan (Principal) Mr. R. Chan Departments: Social Work and Social Administration Hong Fook Mental Health Association, Toronto, Canada Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1993.07 REFLECTIVE LEARNING IN SOCIAL WORK To study reflective learning in social work. Investigator: Professor C.L.W. Chan Department: Social Work and Social Administration Source of funding: University Grants Committee Central Allocation Starting date: 1994.11 Completion date: 1997.06 SOCIAL SUPPORT FOR ABUSED WOMEN IN BEIJING To study the social needs of those abused women who called the Beijing Women's Hotline, then set up a services model for them on the basis of working experiences in Hong Kong. Investigators: Professor C.L.W. Chan (Principal) Mr. J. Ding Mr. X. Tong Mr. X.J. Wang Departments: Social Work and Social Administration Beijing Women's Hotline, People's Republic of China Sociology, Beijing University, People's Republic of China Women's Studies Institute of China, People's Republic of China Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.07 EXPERIENCE OF NEAR-DEATH AMONG CHINESE PATIENTS To focus on the experience of patients who have personal experience of near-death, to help others in coping the idea of death. Investigator: Professor C.L.W. Chan Department: Social Work and Social Administration Starting date: 1997.07 INDIVISIBLE FACTORS, ECONOMIC TRANSITION, AND GROWTH To investigate issues relating to indivisibility. Investigator: Dr. L.M.K. Chan Department: School of Economics and Finance Source of funding: Hong Kong Research Grants Council Starting date: 1995.09 THE DETERMINANTS OF CORPORATE FINANCING CHOICE: AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION To develop a descriptive model of a firm's financing choice; to construct a logit model to analyze the determinants of incremental financing decisions made by U.S. firms in the 1975-1994 period. Investigator: Dr. S.H. Chan Department: School of Business Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.11 AN EMPIRICAL EXAMINATION OF THE DEBT-EQUITY CAPITAL STRUCTURE CHOICE: EVIDENCE FROM THE U.S. AND HONG KONG To develop a descriptive model of a firm's debt-equity choice. Investigators: Dr. S.H. Chan (Principal) Professor K. Wang Departments: School of Business Finance, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Source of funding: RGC Fundable Projects (Block Grant Funded) Starting date: 1996.10 AN EVALUATION OF THE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES RETRAINING PROGRAMME To examine if training can increase the earnings of the trainees either through higher wages or longer employment spells; to investigate which types of courses and agencies are more successful in training skills that satisfy market demands, and which groups, of trainees are more likely to benefit from this programme. Investigator: Dr. W. Chan Department: School of Economics and Finance Source of funding: Hong Kong Research Grants Council Starting date: 1995.08 JOB MOBILITY, WORK INCENTIVES, AND THE DYNAMICS OF INTERNAL LABOUR MARKETS To study a firm's personnel policy as an incentive device for eliciting effort from workers. The predictions and implications of a model of economic tournament is tested with personnel records from a large U.S. corporation. Investigator: Dr. W. Chan Department: School of Economics and Finance Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.11 EYE MOVEMENTS IN READING AND COPYTYPING IN CHINESE It is an initial effort of a bigger project which investigates the processes of reading and copytyping in Chinese by looking into the eye movements involved in these tasks. In reading, location and duration of fixations can reveal how the visual system extracts information from the passage. Eye movement data, together with hand movement data, provide insights on eye-hand co-ordination and hand movement planning during copytyping. The results have significant implications in: a) the understanding of the reading process in Chinese, b) the design of computer displays of Chinese text; c) the understanding of the Chinese copytyping process; d) the design of keyboards and softwares for Chinese typing. Investigator: Dr. A.W.L. Chau Department: Psychology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1993.07 THE ROLE OF PARAFOVEAL INFORMATION IN READING CHINESE To identify the role of parafoveal information in reading Chinese. The findings will help understand the cognitive process underlying reading Chinese; and subsequently will shed lights on the causes of reading disabilities in Chinese. Investigator: Dr. A.W.L. Chau Department: Psychology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.07 RISKY CHOICE DECISION MAKING: AN INVESTIGATION INTO EVIDENTIAL MODELS To delineate how the blackjack player, in response to various informational events, adjusts his/her behaviour and deviates from the prescribed "rational" strategies. Investigator: Dr. A.W.L. Chau Department: Psychology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.04 MERCHANTS AND HONG KONG'S INDUSTRIALIZATION To study merchants and Hong Kong's industrialization. Investigator: Dr. L.L.C. Chau Department: School of Economics and Finance Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.04 THE DEVELOPMENT OF JUDICIAL INSTITUTIONS AND THE ENFORCEMENT OF LEGAL RIGHTS IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA To fill the gap in our existing areas of knowledge and scholarship by studying closely the operation of Chinese judicial institutions, including developments on the doctrinal, conceptual, jurisprudential or theoretical level which might have a bearing the future behaviour and performance of these judicial institutions. Investigators: Professor A.H.Y. Chen (Principal) Dr. X. Feng Dr. C.A.G. Jones Mr. D.J. Lewis Dr. N.P. Liu Departments: Law Sociology Source of funding: Hong Kong Research Grants Council Starting date: 1993.10 THE MEDIUM AND LONG RUN TRENDS OF ARGICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND THEIR IMPACT ON ECONOMIC GROWTH IN CHINA The purpose of this study will provide the Chinese government with the scientific basis for drawing up a strategy of extricating China's economy from an agricultural predicament and realizing a sustained and stable economic growth in the medium- and long-term. Investigators: Mr. C.Z. Cheng (Principal) Mr. G.Q. Cheng Departments: Centre of Asian Studies Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Department of Macro-agricultural Economics, People's Republic of China Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.07 THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ECONOMIC REFORM IN GUANGDONG PROVINCE, 1979-1992 To study the implementation of economic reform in Guangdong province from 1979 to 1992 by focusing on the impact of the changing frameworks of central-provincial relations, the reform strategies of the provincial government, and the influence of exter economic factors. Investigator: Dr. P.T.Y. Cheung Department: Politics and Public Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1993.07 EXTERNAL RELATION OF CHINA'S PROVINCES To analyse the changing pattern of provincial involvement in external relations and the political implications fo these activities. Investigator: Dr. P.T.Y. Cheung Department: Politics and Public Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.01 HELP SEEKING BEHAVIOUR PATTERNS OF CHINESE IN SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICE To study the help seeking behaviour patterns of Chinese in Hong Kong and in Canada. The study also attempts to identify how various factors will affect such help seeking behaviour pattern. Investigators: Dr. I. Chi (Principal) Professor C.L.W. Chan Dr. C.K. Law Mr. T.S.K. Tam Department: Social Work and Social Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1994.07 A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE ADAPTATION OF THE CHINESE ELDERLY IN THE NEW TOWNS To explore and compare the adaptation of Chinese elderly, living in the new towns of Canada, China and Hong Kong. How are the social and economic changes in these towns affecting their lives and how do they cope with these changes? Investigators: Dr. I. Chi (Principal) Professor C.Z. Chan Professor N. Chappell Professor Y. Fong Professor S.X. Gui Professor J. Hrides Professor F. Yuan Departments: Social Work and Social Administration Centre on Aging, University of Victoria, Canada Health Studies and Gerontology, University of Waterloo, Canada Peking University, People's Republic of China Population Research Institute, Shanghai, People's Republic of China Research Center on Aging, Peking University, People's Republic of China Zhongshan Medical University, People's Republic of China Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants University of victoria Starting date: 1995.07 CASE MANAGEMENT IN LONG TERM CARE To compare different case management models and their applications in Hong Kong situation; to recommend and replicate cost effective case management solutions for quality care initiatives in long term care; to develop shared vision and cross-cultural research collaboration with the Personal Social Services Research Unit, University of Kent at Cantebury in case management to improve the quality of life for frail elderly with multiple needs. Investigators: Dr. I. Chi (Principal) Professor D. Challis Professor B. Davies Dr. Z. Lam Departments: Social Work and Social Administration Applied Social Studies, Hong Kong Polytechnic University Personal Social Services Research Unit, University of Kent, U.K. School of Social Work and Community Care, University of Kent, U.K. Source of funding: UK/HK Joint Research Scheme (British Council / Hong Kong Research Grants Council) Starting date: 1995.11 Completion date: 1996.09 A STUDY OF HEALTH CARE DECISION AMONG THE CHINESE ELDERS IN BEIJING AND HONG KONG To analyze the ways in which Chinese elders in Hong Kong and Beijing perceive and manage episodes of illness. This includes their experience and recognition of symptoms, their evaluation of whether they are ill, and their decision among alternative responses to care seeking during an illness episode. Investigators: Dr. I. Chi (Principal) Professor Y.D. Chan Professor Margo-Rea Hurciwz Departments: Social Work and Social Administration Beijing Medical University, People's Republic of China University of Missouri, U.S.A. Starting date: 1996.05 A STUDY OF ELDERLY SUICIDE IN HONG KONG To describe the socioeconomic characteristics of the suicidal elderly; to search for the locations(s) of suicidal elderly; to investigate the reason(s) why the elderly are in distress and suicidal; to formulate the model of service provision to reach elderly high risk group. Investigators: Dr. I. Chi (Principal) Dr. P.S.F. Yip Departments: Social Work and Social Administration Statistics Starting date: 1996.07 Completion date: 1997.03 USE OF THE MINIMUM DATA SET (MDS) TO ASSESS THE HEALTH OUTCOMES AMONG THE FRAIL ELDERLY To have a better understanding of the need of the elderly through the international standardized assessment form which includes the multiple key domains of function, health, social support, and service use. Investigators: Dr. I. Chi (Principal) Dr. K.F. Lam Dr. T.P. Lam Departments: Social Work and Social Administration General Practice Unit Statistics Starting date: 1997.07 COMMUNICATION AND THE EMERGENCE OF SOCIALLY SHARED COGNITION To test a new hypothesis relating the emergence of socially shared cognitions to language use in the communication context. Investigator: Dr. C.Y. Chiu Department: Psychology Starting date: 1997.07 A SIMULATION STUDY OF THE DISTRIBUTIONS OF SOME LIKELIHOOD RATION TEST STATISTICS To study some special inference problems which use the likelihood ration tests, in the case of small sample sizes. Investigator: Dr. W.K. Chiu Department: Statistics Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.04 THE CHANGING ROLE AND STATUS OF THE ELDERLY AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON SOCIAL SERVICE PLANNING To study the changing role and status of the elderly and how it has affected the planning of social services to meet their needs. Investigator: Professor N.W.S. Chow Department: Social Work and Social Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1994.07 Completion date: 1996.12 THE PRACTICE OF FILIAL PIETY AMONG THE CHINESE IN HONG KONG To develop an instrument to measure the practice of filial piety; to understand the extent of the practice of filial piety among the Hong Kong Chinese. Investigator: Professor N.W.S. Chow Department: Social Work and Social Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.07 ROBUST ANALYSIS OF REGRESSION MODELS FOR CORRELATED BINARY DATA To develop a simulation method for analysing generalized linear models with non-normal random effects. Our algorithm is able to detect possible outliers in the models and to protect statistical inference from the distorting effects of these outliers. Investigators: Dr. B.S.T. Choy (Principal) Dr. J.S.K. Chan Department: Statistics Starting date: 1997.07 THE INTER-GENERATIONAL TRANSFER OF FAMILY CAPITAL IN HONG KONG To study the inter-generational transfer of family capital in Hong Kong. Investigators: Dr. Y.W. Chu (Principal) Dr. C.A.G. Jones Department: Sociology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1992.06 INDUSTRIAL RESTRUCTURING AND STATE-BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS IN HONG KONG To examine the state-business symbiosis in the formulation and implementation of policies on the industrial restructuring of Hong Kong. It aspires to contribute to debates on state theory, economic sociology, and East Asian development. Investigator: Dr. Y.W. Chu Department: Sociology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.07 A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF URBAN SOCIAL CONFLICTS IN HONG KONG AND TAIWAN To configure the pattern of social conflicts of varous policy areas in the two societies under study; to identify the common as well as contrasting underlying social, cultural, economic and political factors conducive to social conflicts; to attempt verifying the various theoretical frameworks in the explanation of emergence and prevalence of social conflicts; to study the development of civil society in the two respective societies within the context of bourgeoning social conflicts. Investigators: Mr. E.W.T. Chui (Principal) Mr. K.T. Chan Dr. O.K. Lai Departments: Social Work and Social Administration Applied Social Studies, City University of Hong Kong Political Science, University of Waikato, New Zealand Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.07 A CONFIGURATION OF SOCIAL CONFLICT IN HONG KONG IN THE PERIOD 1945-66 To identify the pattern of social conflict in Hong Kong in the study period; to identify the underlying dynamics between social economic and political changes and the pattern of collective mobilization; to form a consitutent part of a larger project: a review of social conflict in Hong Kong for half a century 1945-1994. Investigators: Mr. E.W.T. Chui (Principal) Dr. O.K. Lai Departments: Social Work and Social Administration Political Science, University of Waikato, New Zealand Source of funding: Centre of Urban Planning and Environmental Management Starting date: 1996.07 ANALYSIS OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTION EXIT POLLS To study analysis of Legislative Council election exit polls. Investigator: Mr. R.T.Y. Chung Department: Social Sciences Research Centre Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1992.06 PUBLIC OPINION SURVEYS To study changes in public opinion with particular reference to elections and performance of Legislative Council members. Investigator: Mr. R.T.Y. Chung Department: Social Sciences Research Centre Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1992.07 DOCUMENTATION OF SOCIAL RESEARCH DATA To collect, organize, and archive social research data in order to prepare for the establishment of a social research databank. Investigator: Mr. R.T.Y. Chung Department: Social Sciences Research Centre Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1992.07 ELECTION EXIT POLLS 1993-94 To study how and why people vote at various elections. Investigator: Mr. R.T.Y. Chung Department: Social Sciences Research Centre Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1993.07 MONTHLY TRACKING POLLS To monitor public opinion over particular topics and study factors affecting opinion changes. Investigator: Mr. R.T.Y. Chung Department: Social Sciences Research Centre Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1994.07 ELECTION EXIT POLLS 1995-1996 To study how and why people vote at various elections Investigator: Mr. R.T.Y. Chung Department: Social Sciences Research Centre Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.07 A STUDY OF THE VALUE OF HALL EDUCATION AND EDUCATIONAL POSSIBILITIES IN OTHER FORMS OF STUDENT RESIDENCES To identify the different views of hall education, how it is achieved and the role of orientation in the process. Investigators: Mr. R.T.Y. Chung (Principal) Mrs. O.P.S. Ha Departments: Social Sciences Research Centre Office of Student Affairs Source of funding: Wu Jieh Yee Research Fund Starting date: 1996.06 PROJECT WAGON: RESEARCH ON LONG TERM HEALTH AND SOCIAL ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES IN THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION To provide a database concerning alcohol usage amongst 15 year olds to adults in relation to social and medical concomitants. To use the data to develop recommendations for policy and guidelines for the communities concerned in responsible alcohol-related development especially for young people. Also to understand community needs in relation to support for alcohol education, treatment and rehabilitation in schools and health care facilities respectively (The research is based in the Drug Addition Research Unit of the Social Sciences Research Centre). Investigators: Dr. J.R. Day (Principal) Dr. J.H. Bacon-Shone Mrs. M. Greene Mrs. S. Wilkinson Departments: Curriculum Studies Social Sciences Research Centre Source of funding: United Distillers Asia Ltd. Starting date: 1994.01 Completion date: 1996.11 COMPETITIVENESS OF THE HONG KONG ECONOMY Assess the present and future competitiveness of Hong Kong industries versus regional competitors. Investigator: Professor M.J. Enright Department: School of Business Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.11 REGIONAL CLUSTERS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT To explore the regional clustering phenomenon and its implications for firm strategy and public policy. Investigator: Professor M.J. Enright Department: School of Business Starting date: 1997.07 BORDER TRADE AND CULTURAL TRANSMISSION: THE CASE OF GUANGXI-YUNNAN-NORTH VIETNAM To investigate the penetration of a market economy into the Guangxi-Yunnan-North Vietnam (the Pingxiang-Lang Son-Haiphong axis) through an examination of border trading; to investigate the market's cultural impact on Chinese, Vietnamese, Sino-Vietnamese and the various minorities on the border (Tai, Miao, Yao). Investigators: Dr. G.R.J. Evans (Principal) Dr. C.M. Hutton Dr. K.E. Kuah Departments: Sociology English Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1993.07 THE PIONEERING FRONTIER: BORDER TRADE AND CULTURAL TRANSMISSION IN THE GUANGXI-YUNNAN-NORTH VIETNAM AXIS To understand the impact of social changes under marketization on the ethnic groups of the Sino-Vietnamese border. Investigators: Dr. G.R.J. Evans (Principal) Dr. C.M. Hutton Dr. K.E. Kuah Departments: Sociology English Source of funding: Hong Kong Research Grants Council Starting date: 1994.10 DE-URBANISATION AND RE-URBANISATION IN LAOS SINCE 1975 To study the social and cultural consequences. Investigator: Dr. G.R.J. Evans Department: Sociology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.04 AMBIGUOUS COLONIALISM: A STUDY OF CULTURAL SYNCRETISM AMONG VIETNAMESE INTELLECTUALS To understand a context determined by historically constructed practices and actual learning experiences leading to new modes of social and individual conduct. Investigator: Dr. G.R.J. Evans Department: Sociology Source of funding: Hang Seng Bank Golden Jubilee Education Fund for Research Starting date: 1996.10 ELITES IN TRANSITION: THE CASE OF LAOS To understand the process of elite reformation in post-revolutionary Laos. Investigator: Dr. G.R.J. Evans Department: Sociology Starting date: 1997.07 A STRUCTURAL MODEL OF ELECTRONIC DATA INTERCHANGE SUCCESS To develop an instrument to measure the success of EDI. Investigator: Dr. A.F. Farhoomand Department: School of Business Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1994.07 KEY DIMENSIONS OF FACILITATORS AND INHIBITORS FOR THE GLOBAL USE OF ELECTRONIC COMMERCE It has become increasingly important to identify the major factors that facilitate or slow down the wide acceptance of electronic commerce across borders. To identify these factors through an empirical investigation of firms that are not using, as well as firms that are currently using or intending to use electronic means to conduct their business internationally. Investigator: Dr. A.F. Farhoomand Department: School of Business Starting date: 1997.07 RISK FACTORS OF MARITAL AGGRESSION To examine the contribution of the following risk factors in predicting husband-to-wife and wife-to-husband physical and psychological aggression: exposure to familial aggression, attitudes justifying marital aggression, stress, alcohol use, and illicit drug use. Result from this study have clinical implications in identifying targets of therapeutic and preventive intervention for husband-to-wife and wife-to-husband physical and psychological aggression. Investigator: Dr. L.H.Y. Foo Department: Psychology Starting date: 1997.07 STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF DNA PROFILING DATA IN FORENSIC IDENTIFICATION Develop statistical procedures for using DNA profiling in forensic identification in Hong Kong. Investigator: Dr. T.W.K. Fung Department: Statistics Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1994.07 STATISTICAL DIAGNOSTICS IN GROWTH CURVE MODELS To investigate diagnostic analysis in the growth curve model with serial convariance structure which plays an important role in investigating short time series and longitudinal data. Investigator: Dr. T.W.K. Fung Department: Statistics Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.04 SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS IN DISCRIMINANT ANALYSIS AND FACTOR ANALYSIS Develop methods for detecting influential observations in discriminant and factor analyses. Applications of the proposed methodologies for studying financial and educational data locally. Investigator: Dr. T.W.K. Fung Department: Statistics Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.07 AN INTERNATIONAL COMPARISON OF PERFORMANCE AND OWNERSHIP STRUCTURE: THE U.S. VERSUS HONG KONG To investigate the links between ownership structure and corporate performance in the Hong Kong market and then make comparisons with other countries - particularly the U.S. Investigators: Dr. S.L. Gillan (Principal) Dr. S.H. Chan Departments: School of Economics and Finance School of Business Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.11 INCENTIVES AND LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE IN PROXY CONTESTS: AN ANALYSIS OF MANAGERIAL TURNOVER AND CHANGING CORPORATE POLICY To address the anomalous findings in the current literature with regard to the ex-post performance of firms subjected to the proxy contest as a mechanism for corporate reform. Investigators: Dr. S.L. Gillan (Principal) Mr. J.P.H. Fan Department: School of Economics and Finance Starting date: 1997.07 AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS IN CHINA: FROM RURAL SAMPLE SURVEYS TO THE FIRST AGRICULTURAL CENSUS To establish a cooperation with researchers and statisticians at the State Statistical Bureau in Beijing, and with those at FAO involved in the Chinese agricultural census, in order to analyze and utilize the data that will be made available; to ident and compare various sources of data. Investigator: Dr. M. Giura-Longo Department: Centre of Asian Studies Source of funding: Hang Seng Bank Golden Jubilee Education Fund for Research Starting date: 1997.03 DECISION-MAKING ABOUT GIRLS IN THE CHILD CARE AND JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM To explore the careers of girls labelled as 'problematic' within the child-care/juvenile justice system. The research will focus on how and why the decision is made by social work practitioners to place such girls in residential care. Investigator: Dr. P.M. Gray Department: Social Work and Social Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1994.07 TSUEN WAN, A CENTURY OF CHANGE 1888-1988 Preparation of a Chinese language version in hand by Tsuen Wan Panel Committee and Yuen Yuen Institute. Book-length study completed. Published by OUP Hong Kong in December 1993. Investigator: Dr. J.W. Hayes Department: Centre of Asian Studies Starting date: 1990.01 CHINESE MERCHANTS IN SYDNEY 1850-1914 AND THEIR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONNECTIONS WITH HONG KONG, MACAU, CANTON AND THEIR HOME VILLAGES Continuing research into society and land tenure in the New Territories of Hong Kong and general research into Chinese in Sydney and New South Wales up to World War II. Investigator: Dr. J.W. Hayes Department: Centre of Asian Studies Starting date: 1991.09 CHANGING HONG KONG 1953-87: A PERSONAL MEMOIR To examine the relationship of government and people in Hong Kong through the work and interests of an involved civil servant who served in a wide range of government departments over this period. Investigator: Dr. J.W. Hayes Department: Centre of Asian Studies Starting date: 1993.01 INDIVIDUALISM-COLLECTIVISM AND RELATED VALUES IN CHINESE CULTURE To investigate the centrality of individualism and collectivism as two value dimensions and the role that these dimensions play in social processes in Chinese culture. Investigator: Professor D.Y.F. Ho Department: Psychology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1987.07 AUTHORITY RELATIONS AND POLITICAL ORIENTATION IN CHINESE SOCIETIES: A PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY To investigate the psychological processes involved in people's authority relations and political orientation. Investigator: Professor D.Y.F. Ho Department: Psychology Source of funding: Hang Seng Bank Golden Jubilee Education Fund for Research Starting date: 1995.04 FACE DYNAMICS: FROM CONCEPTUALIZATION TO MEASUREMENT To develop measures of face, and to develop a model of face dynamics in social interactions. Investigator: Professor D.Y.F. Ho Department: Psychology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.07 ASSESSING MEMORY LOSS IN HONG KONG CHINESE PATIENTS WITH ORGANIC BRAIN SYNDROME: THE VALIDITY OF A CHINESE PAIRED-ASSOCIATE LEARNING AND RETENTION TEST To examine the validity of a Chinese memory measure for differentiating brain-damaged patients from normal controls. The instrument to be used is a revised Chinese version of the Aronson Shopping List which has been found useful in assessing memory functions in American elderly. Investigators: Professor D.Y.F. Ho (Principal) Dr. M.H.P. Tsang Department: Psychology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.07 LOSING FACE AND EMBARRASSMENT To identify the distinguishing features of face-losing and embarrassing events, and to investigate the significance of these events in social interactions. Investigator: Professor D.Y.F. Ho Department: Psychology Starting date: 1997.07 CLOSENESS AND SATISFACTION IN DYADIC RELATIONSHIPS To study closeness and satisfaction in dyadic relationships in Chinese societies. Dyadic relationships are, of course, among the most important relational contexts in which one person interacts with another. Although they have been studied intensively in the West, a body of knowledge on dyadic relationships in Chinese societies has yet to be established. Moreover, a conceptual framework suitable for the study of relationships, as distinct from individuals, is essential for establishing this body of knowledge. A crucial methodological requirement is that the researcher investigates not only the perceptions of both parties in the dyad, but also the discrepancies between their percpetions. In the present study, I intend to investigate how closeness and satisfaction in dyadic interactions are related to individual perceptions and discrepancies between them, using the dyad as the basic unit of analysis. Investigator: Professor D.Y.F. Ho Department: Psychology Starting date: 1997.07 CHINA'S VALUE-ADDED TAX To analyse the structure of China's value-added tax from the viewpoints of equity, efficiency and stability. Investigator: Dr. H.C.Y. Ho Department: School of Economics and Finance Starting date: 1995.06 Completion date: 1997.06 UNDERSTANDING RESISTANCE IN OUTREACHING YOUTH WORK IN HONG KONG To acquire a comprehensive understanding of the possible sources of resistance from both outreaching clients and workers; their mainfestations and the handling methods. Investigator: Ms J.K.M. Ho Department: Social Work and Social Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.04 PARENTING AND SELF CONCEPT FORMATION OF SENIOR PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN HONG KONG: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY The growing emphasis on human resource management and preventive social service have led to concerns over better child care and more effective parenting. This study attempts to examine the relationship between parenting and child self-concept formation in a local context, as self-concept is very significant in directing attitudes and energizing behaviour. Specifically, it is hoped that clinically useful tools can be developed to assess the self-concepts of senior primary school students and their parents so that the connections between the two can be established. Investigators: Mrs. S.K.M. Ho (Principal) Ms. A. Cheung Miss S.Y. Fu Departments: Social Work and Social Administration The Hong Kong Boys' and Girls' Clubs Association Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1993.07 FATHER - ADOLESCENT CONFLICT IN CHINESE FAMILIES IN HONG KONG To find out the nature and extent of father - adolescent conflict (CAC) in Hong Kong; to identify the ways in which fathers and adolescents handle conflict between them; to explore the roles of father - adolescent values, communication pattern, conflict management tactics, and family structure in father - adolescent conflict. Investigator: Mrs. S.K.M. Ho Department: Social Work and Social Administration Starting date: 1995.05 Completion date: 1996.11 THE IMPACT OF SHIFTWORK ON MENTAL HEALTH AND FAMILY LIFE: THE CASE OF NURSES IN HONG KONG To fill the existing knowledge gap regarding the impact of shiftwork on the personal and family lives of nurses in Hong Kong. Investigator: Mrs. S.K.M. Ho Department: Social Work and Social Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.07 DEVELOPMENT AND REFINEMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL INSTRUMENTS FOR HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS To develop new psychological tools and to adapt/improve existing ones for application among Chinese employees and job applicants, for the prediction of future turnover, job performance, motivation and success. Investigator: Dr. H.C.C. Hui Department: Psychology Starting date: 1989.10 SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING AMONG HONG KONG CHINESE To examine in depth in Hong Kong the validity of the standard SWB scales using not only their convergence with each other, and the assessment of their construct validity, but also their convergence with SWB as measured by other methodologies, such as experience sampling, informant reports, rated interviews, and event memory; map the reliability, sensitivity to change, structure, and susceptibility to artifacts of SWB and depressive affect measures in Hong Kong; explore SWB theoretically. Investigator: Dr. H.C.C. Hui Department: Psychology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Hang Seng Bank Golden Jubilee Education Fund for Research Starting date: 1993.06 WORKGROUP ATMOSPHERE, PSYCHOLOGICAL COLLECTIVISM, AND JOB SATISFACTION: A STUDY OF THEIR INTERRELATIONSHIPS To further our understanding of the relationship between individualism-collectivism (IC) and job satisfaction in the work setting, as moderated by other situational variables; to examine the interaction between the IC construct and the atmosphere of workgroups. Investigator: Dr. H.C.C. Hui Department: Psychology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1993.07 INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY IN MANAGERIAL DECISION MAKING To develop and test a model of innovative decision-making of managers and supervisors in Hong Kong. Investigators: Dr. H.C.C. Hui (Principal) Mr. C.L. Luk Department: Psychology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.07 EMPLOYMENT AND THE HANDICAPPED To survey a variety of employers concerning their experience and attitudes towards employment of persons with a disability; the considerations for employers in making hiring decisions would be explored and findings will help to generate recommendations towards increasing employment opportunities for persons with a disability. Investigators: Ms. F.Y.S. Ip (Principal) Professor V.J. Pearson Department: Social Work and Social Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1993.07 BARRIERS TO INTEGRATED EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS WITH A DISABILITY To identify the difficulties for students with a disability trying to make the transition from special to mainstream education. Investigators: Ms. F.Y.S. Ip (Principal) Ms. H.S.K. Hui Mrs. E.M.K. Lo Professor V.J. Pearson Ms. K.P. Wong Department: Social Work and Social Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.07 TRANSLATION OF ELEMENTS D'E'CONOMIE POLITIQUE PURE, OU THE'ORIE DE LA RICHESSE SOCIALE (1874, 1926) BY LE'ON WALRAS, FROM FRENCH INTO CHINESE The above-mentioned work is widely regarded as an important classic in the history of economic thought, which has had a profound influence on modern economics, comparable to that of Smith's The Wealth of nations, or Marx's Das Kapital. The Chinese edition will make the chef-d'oeuvre of one of the world's greatest economists accessible to Chinese readers for the first time. Investigator: Professor Y.C. Jao Department: School of Economics and Finance Starting date: 1994.06 HONG KONG AS AN INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CENTRE: EVOLUTION, PROSPECTS AND POLICIES To evaluate the status and world ranking of Hong Kong as an international financial centre (IFC) by appropriate conceptual, quantitative and taxonomic criteria; to assess Hong Kong's past success and future prospects as an IFC; and to suggest policy directions and recommendation for Hong Kong's continuation and development as an IFC after the transfer of sovereignty in 1997. Investigator: Professor Y.C. Jao Department: School of Economics and Finance Starting date: 1995.12 THE SOCIAL AND LEGAL ORGANISATION OF FAMILY CAPITAL IN HONG KONG To examine the ways in which capital is organised within family businesses to ensure that it stays within the family. It also looks at issues such as the tradition of family business amongst the non-Chinese hongs and the use of trust laws to ensure the transfer of capital intact on an inter-generational basis. One further issue is whether this organisation of capital excludes women from inheriting capital which they might take out of the family upon marriage. Investigators: Dr. C.A.G. Jones (Principal) Mr. P. Lawton Departments: Sociology City University of Hong Kong Starting date: 1991.04 POLICING SOCIETY IN THE NEW TERRITORIES To excavate historical materials on public order and policing in the New Territories. Investigator: Dr. C.A.G. Jones Department: Sociology Starting date: 1993.04 THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS OF CALLIGRAPHIC WRITING To investigate the therapeutic effect of calligraphic writing on behavioural changes of children with mild mental retardation. Investigator: Professor H.S.R. Kao Department: Psychology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1993.07 CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY AS BEHAVIOURAL MEDICINE To investigate the therapeutic effect of calligraphic writing in the treatment of neurotic disorders, chronic schizophrenia and mild-mental retardation. Investigator: Professor H.S.R. Kao Department: Psychology Source of funding: RGC Fundable Projects (Block Grant Funded) Starting date: 1996.10 THE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF NEURAL NETWORK MODELS IN MULTICRITERIA DECISION MAKING To compare the performance of neural network models to the multi-attribute expected utility models; to evaluate the aptness of neural networks in predicting a decision maker's preference among alternatives. Investigator: Dr. D.S. Kira Department: School of Business Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.04 A STOCHASTIC LINEAR MODEL FOR HIERARCHICAL PRODUCTION PLANNING SYSTEMS To develop a disaggregation model for a hierarchical production planning system. Investigator: Dr. D.S. Kira Department: School of Business Starting date: 1997.07 THE POLITICS OF URBAN SPACE: DEVELOPMENT AND THE SINGAPORE STATE This study explores the role of the state in the conservation of cultural landscapes. It looks at how the state consciously attempt to conserve, recreate and reinvent ethnic and cultural landscapes. This is very much influenced by the globalisation process in developed countries where urban and ecological landscapes are now being actively conserved. A second consideration is the need to create innovative and interesting spaces and places for the tourist industry. Investigator: Dr. K.E. Kuah Department: Sociology Starting date: 1992.06 Completion date: 1997.06 WOMEN AND THE CHANGING ENVIRONMENT: POLITICS AND SOCIAL NETWORKING IN HONG KONG AND SINGAPORE To investigate the changing roles of women in the areas of politics and social networking on a comparative basis between Hong Kong and Singapore. Investigator: Dr. K.E. Kuah Department: Sociology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1993.07 Completion date: 1997.06 CHINESE WOMEN, POLITICS AND SOCIAL NETWORKS IN HONG KONG, SINGAPORE AND TAIWAN To investigate the changing roles of Chinese women in the areas of politics and social networking in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan. Investigator: Dr. K.E. Kuah Department: Sociology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.07 GLOBAL NETWORKS AND CULTURAL VALUES: CHINESE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND DIALECT ASSOCIATIONS IN HONG KONG AND SINGAPORE To explores: (i) the transformation of the Chinese chambers of commerce and dialect associations from ethnic based and kinship based associations into transnational and global entities; (ii) contemporary socio-economic roles and the creation of global networks; (iii) creation of a transnational cultural value system and a global Chinese cultural identity. Investigators: Dr. K.E. Kuah (Principal) Professor S.L. Wong Department: Sociology Source of funding: RGC Fundable Projects (Block Grant Funded) Starting date: 1996.10 THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND EXECUTIVE/CIVIL SERVICE RELATIONSHIPS To study relations between the legislative and the executive with particular regard to those mechanisms which are intended to ensure the accountability of the executive and to facilitate communication between institutions. Investigators: Miss R.Y.F. Kwok (Principal) Professor I. Scott Departments: Politics and Public Administration Centre of Asian Studies Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1994.07 THE 1995 GENERAL ELECTIONS: A SURVEY OF VOTER ATTITUDES AND THEIR RELEVANCE FOR HONG KONG'S EMERGING POLITICAL SYSTEM In our study of the 1991 elections, we conducted a detailed survey of voter attitudes in the Kowloon Central constituency; this yielded some important findings; in the 1991 study, the Kowloon Central survey was a first step towards obtaining' a more detailed picture of the attitudes and behaviour of the Hong Kong electorate'; we now propose a more ambitious project in which we will seek to achieve that end; we will extend our sample to 5000 interviewsconducted on a territory-wide basis, seeking to confirm the hypotheses and findings of the 1991 study; we have a rich database from the 1991 election study and material from this has not all been published; we expect that this will generate smaller studies within the larger project which will give scope for research students at the MPhil and PhD level to participate in the work of the team; examples of such smaller studies might include a longitudinal study of voter attitudes in Kowloon Central and voters' perception of identity,that is, whether they perceive themselves to be Chinese, Hong kongers or both; we also hope to explore in greater depth the mechanics of candidate selection and the impact of the campaign. Investigators: Miss R.Y.F. Kwok (Principal) Dr. J.H. Bacon-Shone Miss J.Y.H. Leung Departments: Politics and Public Administration Public and Social Administration, City University of Hong Kong Social Sciences Research Centre Source of funding: Hong Kong Research Grants Council Starting date: 1994.09 A STUDY OF CANDIDATE SELECTION IN THE 1995 GENERAL ELECTIONS A study of candidate selection in the 1995 general elections. Investigator: Miss R.Y.F. Kwok Department: Politics and Public Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.01 HOUSING ALLOCATION AND HOUSING REFORM IN URBAN CHINA: A CASE STUDY IN GUANGZHOU To examine and explain housing inequality in Guangzhou; to identify residents' attitude towards housing reform in Guangzhou; to study the social impacts of housing reform and its relationship with housing allocation in Guangzhou. Investigator: Dr. T.M. Kwong Department: School of Professional and Continuing Education Starting date: 1997.07 A SOCIAL HISTORICAL ANALYSIS OF HONG KONG'S ANTI-TRIAD LAWS To trace and analyse the development of Hong Kong's anti-triad laws from their creation in the mid 1840s through to the present. Investigator: Dr. K.A.J. Laidler Department: Sociology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.11 DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL WORK IN HONG KONG - CASE STUDY OF VOLUNTARY AGENCIES To study the development of social work in Hong Kong through case study of non-government social welfare organisations. Investigator: Mr. C.W. Lam Department: Social Work and Social Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.04 THE ASSESSMENT OF COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL SKILLS IN DELINQUENT YOUTHS To identify a broad range of interpersonal problem-solving skills believed to mediate aggressive behavior in delinquent adolescents in Hong Kong. Investigator: Mrs. D.O.B. Lam Department: Social Work and Social Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.07 STUDY OF PARENTAL STRESS AND ANGER To explore the parental stress level, social support and anger state of local Chinese parents. Investigator: Mrs. D.O.B. Lam Department: Social Work and Social Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.07 A CLASS OF TESTS FOR THE EQUALITY OF K CAUSE SPECIFIC HAZARD RATES IN A COMPETING RISKS MODEL To study the competing risks problems with the available data in the form of survival times (times to failure or death) and the causes of failure. Investigator: Dr. K.F. Lam Department: Statistics Starting date: 1996.04 Completion date: 1997.06 ESTIMATION OF CURED / IMMUNE FRACTIONS BASED ON THE CENSORED SURVIVAL TIME DATA To provide a statistical method in modelling the cured fraction when the cured individuals are not identifiable. Investigators: Dr. K.F. Lam (Principal) Dr. P.L.H. Yu Department: Statistics Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.07 PROPORTIONAL ODDS MODELS WITH RANDOM EFFECTS FOR SURVIVAL DATA To provide a general semi-parametric estimation procedure, under a proportional odds model with random effects which acts multiplicatively on the odds ratios. Investigator: Dr. K.F. Lam Department: Statistics Starting date: 1997.07 THE TRANSITION OF 1997 AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL IDENTITY AMONG HONG KONG ADOLESCENTS To examine how Hong Kong adolescents develop their social identity as they cope with the fundamental social changes during the transition of 1997. Investigators: Dr. S.F. Lam (Principal) Dr. C.Y. Chiu Dr. Y.Y. Hong Departments: Psychology The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.07 PSYCHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF TRANSITIONAL HONG KONG (PATH) To investigate the psychological processes related to the transfer of Hong Kong's sovereignty to mainland China in 1997; to assess how the upcoming changes in sovereignty affects the sense of well-being of the Hong Kong people; to investigate how the Hong Kong people appraise and cope with 1997-related events over time; to explore the changes in Hong Kong people's social identity and their relationship with the people of mainland China; to investigate Hong Kong people's confidence in the future of Hong Kong and their intended action taken in response to 1997. Investigators: Dr. S.F. Lam (Principal) Dr. A.W.L. Chau Dr. C.Y. Chiu Professor D.Y.F. Ho Dr. Y.Y. Hong Dr. I.Y.M. Lau Dr. B.H.C. Lee Departments: Psychology Division of Social Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Source of funding: Private donation Starting date: 1995.07 SUPPORT SERVICES FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS IN HONG KONG To investigate the utilization of support servies among secondary school teachers and to examine the needs and expectations for these services. Investigators: Dr. S.F. Lam (Principal) Mr. Y.S. Mak Mr. E.F.L. Yuon Departments: Psychology Division of Social Studies, City University of Hong Kong Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.07 INFORMATION SYSTEMS PLANNING IN MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS To study the effect of national cultural differences on information systems planning in major multinational corporations. Investigator: Dr. S.S.K. Lam Department: School of Business Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1993.07 Completion date: 1996.12 JOB SATISFACTION, TURNOVER AND PAY OF QUALITY MANAGERS IN HONG KONG To examine job satisfaction, turnover rate and salary distribution of quality managers in Hong Kong. Investigator: Dr. S.S.K. Lam Department: School of Business Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.07 INSTITUTIONAL DESIGN AND THE MANAGEMENT OF COMMON-POOL RESOURCES: A STUDY OF IRRIGATION INSTITUTIONS IN TAIWAN Taiwan's irrigation management is reportedly among the most effective around the world. This proposed study seeks to understand such effectiveness by looking at how institutional arrangements enable irrigation officials and farmers in Taiwan to cope with various problems involved in irrigation management. This study is a continuation of my research on institutional analysis of common-pool resource management in the context of Asia. Investigator: Dr. W.F. Lam Department: Politics and Public Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.07 PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN SOCIAL WELFARE AGENCIES To identify how the human resouce management functions are carried out in social welfare agencies; to identify how personnel information are precessed and utilized in making peronnel decisions. Investigator: Dr. C.K. Law Department: Social Work and Social Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1994.07 MEASURING INSTRUMENTS FOR RESEARCHES IN SOCIAL SCIENCES (IN CHINESE) To publish a handbook in Chinese compiling the various measuring instruments used in the social sciences research in Hong Kong. Priority will be given to measuring instruments which are validated and with reported reliability. Investigator: Dr. C.K. Law Department: Social Work and Social Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.01 HEALTH FINANCING IN HONG KONG To study the alternative health financing models for Hong Kong. Investigators: Dr. C.K. Law (Principal) Ms. A. Chan Professor C.L.W. Chan Mr. H.W. Chui Mr. H.L. Fung Mr. M.K. Ho Ms. P.Y. Ho Mr. C.W. Lam Mr. H.S. Ng Dr. T.W. Wong Mr. V. Wong Departments: Social Work and Social Administration Applied Social Studies, Hong Kong Polytechnic University Social Work, Hong Kong Baptist University Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong Council of Social Service Hong Kong Society for Rehabilitation Hospital Authority Starting date: 1996.08 THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE VOCABULARY TEST FOR HONG KONG ADULTS: A PRELIMINARY STUDY To develop a reliable and valid scale for assessing the intellectual functioning of the Hong Kong adults (aged 16 - 65). Investigator: Dr. B.H.C. Lee Department: Psychology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.01 HONG KONG 1997: A STUDY OF ANXIETY AND COPING The study is designed to assess the development of anxiety among the Hong Kong people in anticipation for 1997. Investigators: Dr. B.H.C. Lee (Principal) Dr. A.W.L. Chau Department: Psychology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.07 PSYCHOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF STRESS IN HONG KONG To determine types of stressers, mediators of distress, degree of psychological distress, and coping strategies. Survey and cross-cultural studies will be used. Investigators: Dr. B.H.C. Lee (Principal) Professor S. Norman Departments: Psychology University of Oregon, U.S.A. Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.07 THE DEVELOPMENT OF A VOCABULARY TEST FOR HONG KONG CHINESE ADULTS To develop a reliable and valid vocabulary test to facilitate the assessment of the intellectual functioning of Hong Kong Chinese adults. Investigators: Dr. B.H.C. Lee (Principal) Dr. D.W. Chan Departments: Psychology Faculty of Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.07 CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES IN CHINA: A REVIEW OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AND PROFESSIONAL ISSUES To investigate the current provision of clinical psychological services in China. Investigators: Dr. B.H.C. Lee (Principal) Professor Y.X. Gong Departments: Psychology Hunan Medicial University, People's Republic of China Starting date: 1997.07 THE MAKING OF MODERN CHINESE FINANCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP: CASE OF KWANG PU CHEN To examine the biographical history of Kwang Pu Chen particularly in aspect of his experience of founding the Shanghai Commercial and Savings Bank. Investigator: Dr. P.T. Lee Department: Centre of Asian Studies Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.11 THE CHINESE OPTICAL COMPANY: ITS HISTORY IN CHINA AND HONG KONG The Chinese Optical Company (hereafter abbreviated as COC) was first opened in Shanghai in 1911, commencing the first modern Chinese optical business in China. After several years when it was started, branches were opened in Beijing, Tianjin, Hankou, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Nanjing and other thirteen major Chinese cities. Many prominent Chinese figures such as Sun Yat-sen had patronage in the company. The COC was withdrawn from the mainland in 1949, upgrading the Hong Kong branch as the headquarters of the company. It was not until 1995 the business of COC was terminated due to a number of reasons. The COC has a great and historic past and one that seems to me worthy of putting on permanent records. Investigator: Dr. P.T. Lee Department: Centre of Asian Studies Source of funding: Hang Seng Bank Golden Jubilee Education Fund for Research Starting date: 1996.07 Completion date: 1997.06 THE MAKING OF CHINESE CAPITAL, CORPORATIONS AND BUSINESS NETWORKS IN HONG KONG, 1840S-1940S: AN INTERPRETATIVE ANALYSIS To examine: (1) how and why Cantonese entrepreneurs returned from China particularly the Canton Delta, Australia, Japan and the United States; (2) the sources of capital and pattern of business for Chinese merchants in Hong Kong; (3) the economic interaction between Chinese and Western merchants in terms of business partnership and competition; (4) the rise of Chinese business elites in Hong Kong and comparison with the case in Macau; (5) the features of Chinese business in Hong Kong basing case studies of certain Chinese firms; (6) the emergence of big business corporations established by Chinese in Hong Kong; (7) the formation of business networks of Hong Kong Chinese in China and the Asia Pacific-rim and how Hong Kong served as an environment. To provide an annotated bibliography of Hong Kong historical studies which will redress the inadequacy to research guides on Hong Kong studies. Investigator: Dr. P.T. Lee Department: Centre of Asian Studies Source of funding: Hong Kong Research Grants Council Starting date: 1996.07 LIKELIHOOD-BASED BOOTSTRAP CONFIDENCE INTERVALS To develop efficient and accurate non-parametric confidence intervals using the bootstrap idea. Investigators: Dr. S.M.S. Lee (Principal) Dr. A. Young Departments: Statistics Statistical Laboratory, University of Cambridge, U.K. Starting date: 1993.06 PRACTICAL CONSTRUCTION OF EMPIRICAL LIKELIHOOD CONFIDENCE REGIONS AND RELATED RESAMPLING-BASED MODIFICATIONS To investigate practical methods of constructing empirical likelihood confidence regions, derive their theoretical properties and improve their coverage accuracy using resampling-based correction techniques. Investigator: Dr. S.M.S. Lee Department: Statistics Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.07 STUDY OF SADDLEPOINT APPROXIMATE ITERATED BOOTSTRAP CONFIDENCE INTERVALS: THEORY AND METHODOLOGY To examine theoretical properties of iterated bootstrap confidence intervals through saddlepoint approximations of distribution functions, derive necessary asymptotic results for practical construction of saddlepoint approximate iterated confidence intervals, develop an automatic package to compute the interval limits without the need for Monte Carlo simulation, and investigate its performance both theoretically and empirically. Investigator: Dr. S.M.S. Lee Department: Statistics Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.07 ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHIC BIOFEEDBACK TRAINING FOR ENHANCING ATTENTION IN NORMAL ADULTS To evaluate the efficacy of Beta Activity Training (BAT) program for improving attention henceforth cognitive outputs of normal adults. Investigator: Dr. T.M.C. Lee Department: Psychology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.11 PHOTOTHERAPY FOR SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER To evaluate the efficacy of phototherapy for seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and to identify optimal parameters of phototherapy for treating SAD. Investigator: Dr. T.M.C. Lee Department: Psychology Starting date: 1997.07 A PILOT STUDY ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STUDENT SOCIAL WORKER IN FIELD PRACTICE TRAINING To find out the process of development of the student social worker as he goes through field work practice. Understanding of this process will help to raise the quality of field instruction. Investigators: Mrs. A.Y.L. Leung (Principal) Mrs. D.S.Y. Leung Mr. C.K. Li Department: Social Work and Social Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.07 THE BUSINESS SECTOR AND THE CHINA FACTOR IN HONG KONG POLITICS DURING THE TRANSITION To study the attitudes of Hong Kong's political elites towards capitalism, democracy, and nationalism. Investigator: Dr. B.K.P. Leung Department: Sociology Source of funding: Hang Seng Bank Golden Jubilee Education Fund for Research Starting date: 1993.06 Completion date: 1996.12 A STUDY ON THE EMOTIONAL REACTION OF CHILDREN TO THE ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF THE FATHER To examine the emotional reaction of children to the sudden death of the father. We are concerned about whether they are at a special risk of lasting emotional disturbance. We also aim to identify the various determinants of a 'normal' or 'pathological' recovery process. The practical aim of the study is to deepen our understanding of the special needs and problems of this target group so as to provide updated and systematic data for the development of appropriate professional services. Investigators: Mrs. D.S.Y. Leung (Principal) Ms. R.H.Y. Kwok Departments: Social Work and Social Administration Hong Kong Baptist University Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1991.05 A STUDY OF THE ROLE OF THE FAMILY IN SOCIAL WELFARE AND THE FAMILY POLICY IN CHINA To find out the role of the family in social welfare in the context of rapid market-oriented economic reforms in the People's Republic of China. Investigator: Dr. J.C.B. Leung Department: Social Work and Social Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.07 THE "PORTABILITY" OF COMPREHENSIVE SOCIAL SECURITY SCHEME: A REVIEW ON THE PROCESS OF RESETTLING ELDERLY RECIPIENTS OF THE SCHEME IN GUANGDONG To find out the major characteristics of the elderly people who choose to settle down in Guangdong; to understand the adjustment process of living in Guangdong; to make suggestions to improve the scheme. Investigator: Dr. J.C.B. Leung Department: Social Work and Social Administration Starting date: 1997.04 DEVELOPING FIELDWORK PLACEMENTS FOR SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS IN CHINA: AN ASSESSMENT To evaluate the 11 years of experiences of the Department in arranging fieldwork placements in Guangzhou for its postgraduate students. Investigator: Dr. J.C.B. Leung Department: Social Work and Social Administration Starting date: 1997.07 HONG KONG DERIVATIVE MARKETS To study the efficiency and micro-structure of the Hong Kong derivative markets, including but not limited to options, futures and warrants. The study will have implication on how to make the Hong Kong derivative market more efficient and orderly, wh are very important for the success of the markets. Investigator: Dr. W.K. Leung Department: School of Business Starting date: 1997.07 HONG KONG TRADE UNIONS BRACING FOR THE FUTURE: ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES AND ORGANIZATIONAL DYNAMICS To examine (1) trends in the growth and sectoral distribution of trade union membership; (2) union activities at the shopfloor level; (3) union activities at the community level; (4) union strategies and orientations; (5) member orientations and expectations; (6) inter-organizational dynamics. Investigators: Mr. D.A. Levin (Principal) Dr. S.W.K. Chiu Departments: Sociology Sociology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Source of funding: Hong Kong Research Grants Council Starting date: 1996.10 TRADE UNIONS AND PUBLIC OPINION To determine the extent of Hong Kong community support for the more visible public role of Hong Kong trade unions. Investigators: Mr. D.A. Levin (Principal) Dr. S.W.K. Chiu Departments: Sociology Sociology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Starting date: 1997.07 A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE REDESIGN OF ACCOUNTING STANDARDS FOR GOVERNMENTS AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN CHINA To develop a conceptual framework for the redesign of accounting standards for governments and non-profit organizations (NPOs) in China, and to promote international understandability and comparability of Chinese governmental accounting. Investigator: Dr. Z.J. Lin Department: School of Business Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.11 METAMOTIVATIONAL ORIENTATION AND DOMINANCE IN SPORT PARTICIPATION MOTIVATION To measure the relationship between metamotivational dominances and motives for sport participation in university entrants. Investigator: Dr. K.J. Lindner Department: Physical Education and Sports Science Unit Starting date: 1997.07 DEVELOPMENT AND ASSESSMENT OF MORE EFFICIENT MODELS AND DESIGNS FOR POPULATION SIZE ESTIMATION To develop more efficient techniques of population size estimation. Investigator: Dr. C.J. Lloyd Department: Statistics Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.11 MORTALITY TRENDS IN HONG KONG To examine the mortality pattern in Hong Kong by analysing the changes in the expectation of life and the major causes of death in recent decades. Investigators: Ms A. Louie (Principal) Dr. K.C. Yuen Department: Statistics Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.11 DEVELOPMENT OF CHINA'S ECONOMIC POLICY TOWARD HONG KONG AND REACTION OF HONG KONG'S BUSINESS CIRCLE TO THE POLICY Development of China's economic policy toward Hong Kong and reaction of Hong Kong's business circle to the policy. Investigator: Mr. T. Maruya Department: Centre of Asian Studies Starting date: 1989.01 PREHISTORY AND EARLY HISTORY OF HONG KONG AND SOUTH CHINA Excavations are being carried out on various archaeological sites in Hong Kong for information on the early human occupation in this area. This study also looks at the relationship of coastal landforms and settlement patterns, the links between Neolithic, Bronze Age and early historical populations in the area, and the possibility of Austronesian origins in the south China region. Investigator: Mr. W. Meacham Department: Centre of Asian Studies Starting date: 1985.01 THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY IN HONG KONG BEFORE 1941 To trace the growth of industrial production alongside the entrepot trade before the war, and investigate the political and diplomatic repercussions on relations with China and Britain. Investigator: Dr. N.J. Miners Department: Politics and Public Administration Starting date: 1987.01 IMPACT (INTELLIGENT MULTIMEDIA PACKAGE FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF CREATIVE AND CRITICAL THINKING) Impact is a pioneering attempt to create a multi-user environment for the improvement of critical and creative thinking sensitive to the characteristics, the history and the performance of the student; it will, to that extent, be an 'intelligent' personal tutor; we expect that the development of the mature package will not only enable students to use it to their benefit, but will also serve as a research tool; in particular,we shall have produced an instrument that will allow rigorous investigation of questions which, up to now, have been the province of only idle speculation; users will be able to provide immediate feedback on the perceived usefulness of different types of learning activity; it will be possible to ascertain to what extent, and how, skills acquired in one subject area are transferable to another, and also fo find out whether certain preferences correlate with cultural background; by doing so we shall be assembling data to test the hypothesis that there are core thinking skills and to determine, if there are, what they are; these findings will of course be relevant to future authors of `critical thinking' materials. Investigators: Professor F.C.T. Moore (Principal) Dr. H.M. Chan Professor L. Goldstein Dr. D. Rossiter Departments: Philosophy Computer Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Public and Social Administration, City University of Hong Kong Source of funding: Hong Kong Research Grants Council Starting date: 1991.07 EXPORT PROMOTION POLICY FOR ENHANCEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY ACQUISITION To identify the factors which make export promotion policies effective tools for technology acquisition, particularly in contrast with import substitution policies. Investigator: Dr. J. Nakai Department: School of Economics and Finance Starting date: 1996.10 REAL BUSINESS CYCLES WITH ENDOGENOUS MONETARY POLICY EFFECTS To elucidate the mechanism through which monetary policy affects the amount of production in the economy (with an emphasis on the effects of money on interest rates and further on investment). Investigator: Dr. J. Nakai Department: School of Economics and Finance Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.11 HONG KONG'S EXPORT INDUSTRIES: AN INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY PERSPECTIVE To describe and explain the structure and functioning of a sample of industries that are of importance to Hong Kong's export performance. The research is designed to highlight critical aspects of the international linkages present in these industrial structures. Investigators: Dr. J. Newton (Principal) Ms. L.H. Tse Departments: School of Business Lingnan College Starting date: 1996.01 NUMERICAL IMPLEMENTATION OF INVERSE BAYES FORMULA AND ITS GENERALIZATION To investigate the numerical implementation of the formulas, especially those for large number of variables, with the aim of comparing their performance to that of the Gibbs sampling and other Monte Carlo Markov Chain methods. Investigator: Dr. K.W. Ng Department: Statistics Starting date: 1996.04 GOVERNMENT REGULATION OF, AND INTERVENTION IN, TRADE UNIONS' INTERNAL AFFAIRS: HONG KONG ON THE BRINK IN 1997 To collect information (a) on the extent to which the Hong Kong government regulates and intervenes in trade unions' internal affairs, and the impact of this on trade union organisation and activities at the point of change of the Territory's sovereig to the People's Republic of China on 1 July 1997; and (b) the opinions of the different parties to labour relations in Hong Kong on possible changes in the extent of government supervision after 1 July 1997. To develop an explanatory framework for textent of such government regulation of, and intervention in, the trade unions' internal affairs in Hong Kong in mid-1990s, utilising earlier work on trade union legal frameworks in the U.K., other EU countries and the U.S.A. by Professor Fosh, and thof Frenkel (1993) on Pacific Asian trade union patterns. To understand the interplay of legal, political, economic and institutional factors in times of rapid change, and of the role of trade unions as one interest group involved in maintaining the cks and balances of a democratic society. Investigator: Dr. S.H. Ng Department: School of Business Source of funding: Hang Seng Bank Golden Jubilee Education Fund for Research Starting date: 1997.03 DEPRESSIVE PERCEPTIONS OF OTHERS IN SOCIAL INTERACTION To investigate the impact of depressive mood on perception of people with whom the depressed person interacts socially. Investigator: Ms M.P. Pang Department: Psychology Starting date: 1997.07 AN EVALUATION OF THE OPERATION OF THE MENTAL HEALTH REVIEW TRIBUNAL To help identify service gaps affecting the discharge of patients eligible to apply to the tribunal; to identify the factors which are influential in affecting the decisions reached. Investigator: Professor V.J. Pearson Department: Social Work and Social Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1992.07 A STUDY OF PROSTITUTION IN HONG KONG Prostitution is a process involving a number of different parties including not only the prostitutes but also customers, pimps, madams and organized crime. It would be beyond the ambitions and resources of this current proposal to investigate all these facets. Rather, it is intended to concentrate on the experience of individual prostitutes and the meaning that they bring to bear on their own experience. Areas covered would include: how did they first get into this kind of work; how contact with clients is made; the number they service each day; who clients are; what clients want; what do the prostitutes think of the clients; perception of clients; the scale of earnings; working conditions; the attractions of the job; forms of control; what the hazards are; what improvements could be made in their working lives. It is recognized that it would be highly desirable to interview customers as well in order to have a more complete picture of the process involved. Wherever an opportunity presents itself, this will be done although difficulties are anticipated in making initial contact and willingness of subjects to participate. Investigator: Professor V.J. Pearson Department: Social Work and Social Administration Source of funding: Hang Seng Bank Golden Jubilee Education Fund for Research Starting date: 1992.07 FAMILY COPING WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA To examine family strategies in coping with the burden of a family member with Schizophrenia and assess the impact of health and welfare services on their situation. Investigator: Professor V.J. Pearson Department: Social Work and Social Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1994.07 A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF SUICIDE NOTES A complete set of suicide notes has been obtained for 1993. About 30% of those committing suicide leave a note or other message. This is the first attempt in Hong Kong to analyze what these say as a means of looking at the causes of suicide and the themes that emerge as significant to those intending to take their own lives. Investigator: Professor V.J. Pearson Department: Social Work and Social Administration Starting date: 1995.08 A CROSS-CULTURAL STUDY INTO THE KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES OF POLICE TOWARDS PEOPLE WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA To assess police attitudes and responses towards people with Schizophrenia and to determine how similar these are in different cultures. Investigator: Professor V.J. Pearson Department: Social Work and Social Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.07 THE IMPACT OF INCREASED DEMOCRACY ON THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT AND LAW REFORM TO REMOVE DISCRIMINATION IN HONG KONG To study: (1) the relationship between increased democracy and the success of the women's movement; and (2) the ability of women to use democratic institutions to effect law reform in Hong Kong. Investigator: Ms. C.J. Petersen Department: School of Professional and Continuing Education Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.07 HONG KONG ANTIDISCRIMINATION LAW To fund research leading to a book on Hong Kong antidiscrimination law. Investigators: Ms. C.J. Petersen (Principal) Mr. A.C. Byrnes Departments: School of Professional and Continuing Education Law Starting date: 1997.07 FACTORS MOTIVATING MEMBERSHIP IN THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS HONG KONG To send questionnaires to around 500 members of the church in order to test whether the data I had gained in 38 interviews and participant observation is representative for a larger number of church members. In particular, I would like to determine with more precision whether and how unsatisfactory family relations, perceived educational and professional benefits, the charisma of missionaries, the loose structure of Chinese religious beliefs, and rebellion against parental authroity influence the decision of prospective converts to take up membership in the church. Investigator: Dr. C.B. Pluss Department: Centre of Asian Studies Starting date: 1997.07 SOUTHEAST ASIAN STRATEGIC NETWORK STUDIES (SASNS) To understand management institutions; to reserve the quality of Southeast Asian network relationships; to develop our understanding of the overseas Chinese diaspots network management; systematically research social economics within the Asian network the Chinese. Investigator: Mr. T.R. Pyatt Department: School of Business Starting date: 1994.01 SELF-REGULATED LEARNING AND EXAMINATION PERFORMANCE To examine the relationship between the three components of self-regulated learning and examination performance; to examine developmental differences in self-regulated learning. Investigator: Dr. N. Rao Department: Education Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1993.07 Completion date: 1996.09 THE MANAGEMENT OF FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT IN CHINA To understand whether the rapidly increasing amount of FDI going to China is being effectively applied through the acquisitions and joint ventures which have been established; to fill the gap in our present knowledge of the ways in which foreign acquisitions and joint ventures are bieng managed in China; to provide a systematic insight into the experience of transferring Western management know-how to the Chinese context; to examine whether this expereience, and attendant difficulties, have varied according to the host country, matching of partners, and choice of sector; to provide the initial input for a database on the management of international business ventures in China which will be updated over future years and progressively extended to Brazil, Eastern Europe and other countries which are opening their economies. Such a data-base is crucial for the development of new theories to understand this important phenomenon. Investigators: Professor S.G. Redding (Principal) Professor J. Child Departments: School of Business Centre for Research on International Management, University of Cambridge, U.K. Starting date: 1994.01 CHANGING BUSINESS SYSTEMS IN PACIFIC ASIA To analyse the emergence of new forms of capitalism in Asia and compare these with Western equivalents Investigators: Professor S.G. Redding (Principal) Professor W. Dobson Professor E. Westney Departments: School of Business Manchester Business School, U.K. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, U.S.A University of Toronto, Canada Starting date: 1994.03 THE ASIAN CEO ROLE To understand the emergence of major indigenous business groups in ASEAN, by studying the strategic behaviour of chief executives; to outline an alternative framework for strategy to that described for Western organizations. Investigators: Professor S.G. Redding (Principal) Professor F. Alfonso Departments: School of Business Asian Institute of Management, Manila, Philippines Starting date: 1994.06 CIVIL SOCIETY AND CIVIC CULTURE To study the process of modernization from the standpoint of how societies manage trust; more specifically the emergence of civil society as an institutional fabric to counter mistrust and enable a society to move from extensive growth to intensive growth. In particular the relevance for China of Hong Kong as an agent in sponsoring such change. Investigator: Professor S.G. Redding Department: School of Business Starting date: 1994.09 SOCIAL AND CULTURAL INFLUENCES ON PATTERNS OF ADAPTIVE LEARNING To explore cross-cultural differences in patterns of adaptive learning; to examine the effect of personal and contextual factors on students' learning and achievement behaviour as well as their mental health. Investigator: Dr. F. Salili Department: Psychology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.07 THE PARENTAL ROLE IN HOME-SCHOOL COOPERATION To develop statistical models for the various aspects of parental involvement in home-school cooperation in Hong Kong. Investigator: Dr. S.M. Shen Department: Statistics Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1994.07 A COMPUTERIZED INDEX TO CO 129 (1842-1926) To provide a computerised index to the British Colonial Office Series 129; it is hoped that the proposed index, by providing easy and effective access to this very important set of documents, will go a long way to encourage research in Hong Kong studi Investigator: Dr. E.Y.Y. Sinn Department: History Source of funding: Hong Kong Research Grants Council Starting date: 1994.11 STUDIES ON DRASTIC CHANGES OF CHINA AND THEIR INFLUENCES TOWARDS ASIAN COUNTRIES To increase our understanding of the influences brought about by China's reforms on Asian countries. Investigators: Dr. E.Y.Y. Sinn (Principal) Professor T. Hamashita Mr. H. Hokari Professor W. Iijima Ms. M. Tanigaki Dr. H.W. Wong Professor S.L. Wong Departments: History Faculty of Economics, Yokohama National University, Japan Institute of Oriental Culture, University of Tokyo, Japan Japanese Studies Sociology Tokai University, Japan University of Tokushima, Japan Source of funding: Starting date: 1996.02 THE HONG KONG STOCK MARKET HISTORY PROJECT To undertake oral history interview and to collect related archives and artefacts of the Hong Kong stock market. Investigators: Dr. E.Y.Y. Sinn (Principal) Professor S.L. Wong Departments: History Sociology Source of funding: Starting date: 1996.08 HONG KONG MUSLIM IDENTITIES: UNITY AND DIVERSITY There is very little existing research on Hong Kong Muslims, who are a constituent part of this community. This project addresses the question of how Hong Kong Muslims identify themselves. To investigate (a) what are the constituent parts of Hong Kong Muslim identity, and (b) how these parts interact. Of particular interest is the investigation of how Islam acts as a unifying force for Muslims of different ethnic origins. This investigation will also answer the question as to what extent Hong Kong Muslim communities are engaged in a movement towards greater unification. Investigators: Dr. J. Sodusta (Principal) Dr. C.B. Pluss Departments: School of Professional and Continuing Education Centre of Asian Studies Starting date: 1997.07 PREATTENTIVE INFORMATION PROCESSING IN HUMANS To look at the extent to which preattentive processing in humans (that is, information processing of which the individual is unaware) can be measured by psychophysiological means. Investigators: Professor J.A. Spinks (Principal) Dr. H. Lyytinen Departments: Psychology University of Jyvaskyla, Finland Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1992.07 NORMING THE TORRANCE TESTS OF CREATIVE THINKING (TTCT) IN HONG KONG To adapt and norm the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT) to measure the creativity of local children from 6 years to 14 years 11 months old and to make use of relevant and useful data collected during the field work to develop a Hong Kong - Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (HK-TTCT) and a teacher's checklist on the characteristics of the local gifted children. Investigators: Professor J.A. Spinks (Principal) Dr. J.H. Bacon-Shone Dr. J.A.G. McClelland Dr. D.T.L. Shek Dr. H.S.Y. Yu-Ku Departments: Psychology Education Hong Kong Polytechnic Social Sciences Research Centre Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Source of funding: Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club / Education Department, Hong Kong Government Starting date: 1992.07 Completion date: 1997.06 A STUDY OF FOREIGN BUSINESS VENTURES IN THE P.R.C. To monitor changes, problems and developments in the efforts of foreign businessmen to penetrate the Chinese market. Investigator: Mrs. S.E.A. Stewart Department: School of Business Starting date: 1983.01 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS VENTURES IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA: STRUCTURE, MANAGEMENT AND PERFORMANCE To understand the ownership and contractual structure adopted for specific Foreign Invested Enterprises [FIEs] in the context of the economic configuration of foreign and host-country parties involved, and their respective strategic objectives; to ass what particular forms of structure and management control are more conducive to international business ventures being successful in the People's Republic of China. The outcome of this work will be an improved understanding of how more suitable forms business structure can lead to a better use of such a scarce resource as foreign investment funds and increase the chances of success for FIEs in the People's Republic of China. The study will, in addition, form the basis for future research designeo track the contribution of foreign investment in modernising some management practices in China and will also provide much-needed case studies on PRC enterprises with foreign investment for use in teaching. Investigator: Mrs. S.E.A. Stewart Department: School of Business Source of funding: Hong Kong Research Grants Council Starting date: 1995.01 Completion date: 1997.06 AN INITIAL STUDY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRIVATE BUSINESS SECTOR IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND OF ITS IMPACT ON POLICY-MAKING AND THE ECONOMY IN GENERAL To examine the role that the privat sector is playing in the People's Republic of China's transition to a market economy and its effects on the country's social structure and political system. Investigators: Mrs. S.E.A. Stewart (Principal) Dr. M.Y. Wong Dr. W. Yu Dr. Y.Z. Zhang Departments: School of Business School of Economics and Management, Jinan University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University, Beijing, People's Republic of China Source of funding: RGC Fundable Projects (Block Grant Funded) Starting date: 1995.01 SCHOOL-AVOIDANT BEHAVIOUR AND ITS DETERMINANTS To describe school-avoidant behaviours of students of the lower forms of secondary school in Hong Kong with a specific objective to identify factors which differentiate among those who cut classes, school truants and regular attenders. Investigator: Mr. T.S.K. Tam Department: Social Work and Social Administration Starting date: 1997.07 CHINA'S DIPLOMAT-ELITES: A STUDY OF THE MAKING OF AMBASSADORS IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA To examine a critical link in Chinese foreign policy-making - China's diplomatic elites, by undertaking a comprehensive and quantitative study of the careers of China's top 600 diplomats (including ambassadors, foreign ministers and vice-ministers) between 1949 and 1992. Investigators: Dr. J.T.H. Tang (Principal) Dr. P.T.Y. Cheung Department: Politics and Public Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.07 STATE AND LINEAGE IN CH'U, 770-453 B.C. To investigate the role of lineage in the development of centralized administrative structures and techniques. Investigator: Mr. M.P. Thatcher Department: Centre of Asian Studies Starting date: 1988.09 WOMEN IN THE SPRING AND AUTUMN PERIOD 770-453 B.C. An investigation of attitudes towards women and the roles they played in family and society. Investigator: Mr. M.P. Thatcher Department: Centre of Asian Studies Starting date: 1994.07 STRATEGIC FUNCTIONS OF FOREIGN FIRMS' REGIONAL HEADQUARTERS IN HONG KONG To investigate the competitive role played by Hong Kong based overseas headquarters in their firms' overall regional corporate and business unit strategies. Investigator: Dr. E.R. Thompson Department: School of Business Starting date: 1997.07 EXPLORING THE CONCEPT OF SERVICE INNOVATION To explore the type and patterns of innovation in the service industries and particularly to observe the new service development process inside leading service companies. Investigators: Dr. G.A. Tocquer (Principal) Mr. S.K.W. Tam Department: School of Business Starting date: 1997.07 THE CHANGING FACE OF THE ALL-CHINA WOMEN'S FEDERATION IN THE ERA OF ECONOMIC REFORM To investigate and document the changes in self-perception, nature, and functions of the ACWF and its local branches during the past ten years of economic reform in China, with a view to drawing implications for gender equality under market socialism. Investigator: Miss I.L.K. Tong Department: Politics and Public Administration Starting date: 1992.09 WOMEN AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN HONG KONG To trace the changing level of representation and profile of women in the Hong Kong civil service; to examine their impact on public administration; and to identify issues and concerns regarding gender relations in the public bureaucracy in the territory. Investigator: Miss I.L.K. Tong Department: Politics and Public Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1994.07 ORGANIZED CRIME IN THE COMMUNITY: A STUDY OF IMPACT, RESPONSE AND SOCIAL POLICY IMPLICATIONS IN TSUEN WAN To assess the impact that organized crime has on one community in Hong Kong. It will attempt to provide a total picture of its full range of operations and effects on the community. The goal is to develop an adequate model of organized crime and how interacts with the legitimate elements of the community. This in turn will be used to suggest adequate methods of control. Investigators: Dr. H.H. Traver (Principal) Dr. T.W. Lo Departments: Sociology Applied Social Studies, City University of Hong Kong Source of funding: University Grants Committee Starting date: 1989.01 DEVELOPMENT OF A LEGAL "PROFESSION" IN CHINA: THE SHENZHEN SEZ Development of a legal "profession" in China: the Shenzhen Sez. Investigators: Dr. H.H. Traver (Principal) Dr. C.A.G. Jones Department: Sociology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.01 THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PREDISCLOSURE INFORMATION ASYMMETRY AND BID-ASK SPREADS AROUND EARNINGS ANNOUNCEMENTS To investigate the behavior of bid-ask spreads before, during, and after quarterly earnings announcements; to examine the relationship between dispersion in investors' beliefs about future earnings and changes in bid-ask spreads around earnings announcements. Investigator: Professor S.S.L. Tung Department: School of Business Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.11 THE EFFECT OF INVESTOR HETEROGENEITY ON TRADING VOLUME REACTIONS TO EARNINGS ANNOUNCEMENTS To examine: 1) the incremental role of investor heterogeneity in trading volume reactions to earnings announcements; 2) the impact of investor heterogeneity on earnings-volume response coefficient. Investigator: Professor S.S.L. Tung Department: School of Business Starting date: 1997.07 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER IN HONG KONG To investigate the scope and nature of information technology transfer in Hong Kong. Investigator: Dr. J.C. Ure Department: School of Business Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.11 HONG KONG STANDARDIZATION PROJECT OF THE BAYLEY SCALES OF INFANT DEVELOPMENT - SECOND EDITION (BSID-II) To continue with the second phase of locally standardizing an assessment instrument for infant and toddlers (aged 1 to 42 months). The instrument that will be used is the newly revised Bayley Infant Scales of Development - second edition (BSID-II). Investigator: Dr. G. Van Lingen Department: Psychology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.11 STUDY ON THE USE OF PEER SUPPORT AND LIFE SKILL COUNSELLORS IN DEVELOPING SELF-ESTEEM AND DEALING WITH DRUG PROBLEMS AND ADOLESCENT SUICIDES To explore the possibility and effectiveness of using peer support and life skill counsellors in developing self-esteem and dealing with drug problems and adolescent suicides in local primary and secondary schools; to design a peer support life skill training program using the network of carins system for implementation in local primary and secondary schools. Investigator: Dr. G. Van Lingen Department: Psychology Source of funding: Student Guidance Section, Education Department, Hong Kong Government Starting date: 1996.03 IMPROVING INTERFACE DESIGN: AN EMPIRICAL EVALUATION OF USER-MODELING IN HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERACTION To provide psychological validation for computational user-modeling techniques in human-computer interaction; to develop a methodology for assessing the usability and learn-ability of machine interfaces. Investigator: Dr. A.H. Vera Department: Psychology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.07 DESIGN IN VIRTUAL SPACE To explore the cognitive processes underlying design tasks in virtual environmnets, using a virtual reality system. Investigators: Dr. A.H. Vera (Principal) Mr. T. Kvan Professor J.A. Spinks Departments: Psychology Architecture Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.07 COGNITIVE ASPECTS OF DESIGNING IN VIRTUAL SPACE To explore and identify techniques and tools for architectural design in three dimensional space using a Virtual Reality system. Investigators: Dr. A.H. Vera (Principal) Mr. T. Kvan Departments: Psychology Architecture Starting date: 1997.07 ACCESS MARKETS: BRINGING COMPETITION TO ELECTRICAL POWER An institutional and emperical analysis of electricity markets. Emphasizes the role of tradeable transmisison rights in creating a competitive electric power market. Investigators: Dr. W.D. Walls (Principal) Professor A.S. De Vany Departments: School of Economics and Finance Institute of Mathematical Behavioral Sciences, University of California, U.S.A. Starting date: 1995.12 Completion date: 1997.06 URBAN STRUCTURE AND COMMUTING COST IN HONG KONG To quantify the urban structure of Hong Kong and to quantify the magnitude of "excess commuting" in Hong Kong. Investigators: Dr. W.D. Walls (Principal) Dr. J.J. Wang Departments: School of Economics and Finance Geography and Geology Source of funding: Hui Oi Chow Trust Fund Starting date: 1996.12 INFORMATION DYNAMICS AND SURVIVAL OF EPHEMERAL PRODUCTS To quantify the information dynamics and survival characteristics of ephemeral products; the empirical implementation will focus on revenue dynamics and survivor functions of motion pictures during their theatrical exhibitions and will relate these to the industry's organization as revealed in the types of contractual arrangements employed in the financing, production, distribution, and exhibition of motion pictures. Investigator: Dr. W.D. Walls Department: School of Economics and Finance Starting date: 1997.07 DAILY ACTIVITY SCHEDULING AND TRIP-MAKING IN HONG KONG Examining the interrelationship between people's lifestyle and trip-making decisions in different areas in Hong Kong. Investigator: Dr. J.J. Wang Department: Geography and Geology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.07 CHANGING GEOGRAPHICAL PATTERN OF EMPLOYMENT OF HONG KONG, 1981-91 To examine the changes of employment distribution in Hong Kong at the Tertiary Planning Unit (TPU) level in relation to the changes of population distribution. Investigator: Dr. J.J. Wang Department: Geography and Geology Source of funding: Lau Wong Fat Urbanization Research Fund Starting date: 1995.07 Completion date: 1997.01 A GEOGRAPHY OF EMPTY CONTAINERS: A CASE STUDY OF HONG KONG A complete understanding of the general mechanisms and local characteristics of the storage and movement of empty freight containers found in and around the world number one container port. Investigator: Dr. J.J. Wang Department: Geography and Geology Source of funding: Hui Oi Chow Trust Fund Starting date: 1997.04 THE NETWORK OF BUSINESS TIES - A SNAPSHOT OF THE HONG KONG SCENE IN 1996 To study how major businesses in Hong Kong are connected to each other and to political bodies through directorate, ownership, and business ties; to identify major business groups in Hong Kong; to study the structure of strategic alliances of major business in Hong Kong. Investigator: Dr. G.Y.Y. Wong Department: School of Business Starting date: 1997.07 CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND INVESTMENT POLICY: A STUDY OF PETROCHEMICAL FIRMS Petrochemical firms invested heavily in capital expenditure and diversification during a period of declining growth after the 1973 oil shock. These investments are viewed excessive by some industry observers. This project investigates how the investment policies affect firm performance. And, whether the investments can be attributed to the governance structure of the firms. as the agency theory predicts. Specific governance characteristics investigated are insider equity ownership, outsider board membership, and CEO pay-performance sensitivity. The empirical evidence shed light on the controversy regarding to the adequacy of corporate internal control systems in accommodating the reallocation of resources in responses to an unexpected economic decline. Investigator: Dr. K.K.P. Wong Department: School of Economics and Finance Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.11 A COMPARISON OF INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CENTRES AND ITS IMPLICATION TO RE-ESTABLISHING SHANGHAI AS AN INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CENTRE A comparison of international financial centres and its implication to re-establishing Shanghai as an international financial centre Investigator: Dr. M.Y. Wong Department: School of Business Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.01 HOUSING POLICY IN HONG KONG: INTENTION, OUTCOME AND REMEDY An economic policy analysis of government intervention into the housing market in the post-war era. Investigators: Professor R.Y.C. Wong (Principal) Dr. M.L. Lau Departments: School of Economics and Finance Economics, University of San Francisco, U.S.A. Starting date: 1991.09 THE DEMAND FOR PRIVATE HOUSING IN HONG KONG An econometric analysis of the demand for private residential housing using quarterly data from 1975-1994. The modelling takes into account the supply of public housing as an alternative source for fulfilling housing demand. The model explains price and rent fluctuations in Hong Kong's volatile market. Investigators: Professor R.Y.C. Wong (Principal) Dr. A.K.F. Siu Department: School of Economics and Finance Starting date: 1994.01 MONEY AND BANKING IN CHINA'S TRANSITIONAL ECONOMY: INSTITUTIONS, PATTERNS, MECHANISMS AND IMPACTS To illuminate the mechanism for monetary expansion and contraction in China by studying the arrangements and behaviour of her monetary and financial institutions, including central banking, state-owned specialized banks, foreign banks, and emerging non-bank financial institutions; to study the impact of the existing banking system on inflation, macroeconomic stability, and the performance of various sectors and regions in China's transitional economy; to study the time series properties of key macroeconomic variables including, savings, investment (residential and non-residential), money, prices, income to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the banking system in channelling funds from savings to investment; to draw policy implications for reforming China's banking and financial system to improve capital market efficiency and macroeconomic stabilization during the transition toa market-oriented economy; Hong Kong's financial system serves as an important hub for channelling funds into and out of China; Hong Kong shares both the benefits and risks of greater financial integration. Investigators: Professor R.Y.C. Wong (Principal) Dr. Y.F. Luk Dr. G. Xiao Departments: School of Economics and Finance Source of funding: Hong Kong Research Grants Council Starting date: 1995.01 SOCIAL CLASSES IN REPUBLICAN CHINA To reconstruct the system of social stratification in modern China (1911-1949) by first examining social divisions along class lines. Investigator: Professor S.L. Wong Department: Sociology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1984.06 A STUDY OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND YOUTH IN HONG KONG To assess the effects of university education on the occupational aspirations and expectations of youths in Hong Kong, their employment opportunities and contributions to economic development, participation in community affairs, and social consciousne Investigators: Professor S.L. Wong (Principal) Mr. L.S.K. Wong Departments:Sociology Source of funding: Centre of Asian Studies Wu Jieh Yee Research Fund Starting date: 1984.07 SOCIAL INDICATORS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG To provide systematic and comprehensive data on the social attitudes and expectations of Hong Kong inhabitants; to identify aspects of social life in Hong Kong which merit in-depth investigation; to furnish empirical inputs for the formulation and implementation of social policies in Hong Kong. Investigators: Professor S.L. Wong (Principal) Dr. C.H. Ng Dr. S.M. Shen Dr. T.W.P. Wong Departments: Sociology Statistics Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Run Run Shaw Research and Teaching Endowment Fund Starting date: 1988.01 EMIGRATION FROM HONG KONG - FAMILIES, NETWORKS, AND RETURNEES Substantial numbers of the emigrants leave with the intention of returning to Hong Kong after they have obtained foreign passports as insurance policies; we wish to ascertain the scale of such return migration, the characteristics of the returnees, and the implications for the recipient countries and for Hong Kong; the proposed study should shed light on the unique circumstances facing the Hong Kong community during the transition towards 1997; but on a more general level, it should also contribute to our understanding of the new pattern of Chinese migration overseas, and the emergence of a new global order characterised by an intensified competition for skills by advanced countries and a heightened movement of people across national boundaries which challenges the geopolitical framework of the nation states. Investigators: Professor S.L. Wong (Principal) Dr. J.W. Salaff Professor R. Skeldon Departments: Sociology Geography and Geology Sociology, University of Toronto, Canada Source of funding: Hong Kong Research Grants Council Starting date: 1994.10 INDICATORS OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: HONG KONG 1997 To build up a set of longitudinal data on the subjective and objective dimensions of social conditions and social change in Hong Kong. Investigators: Professor S.L. Wong (Principal) Dr. S.K. Lau Dr. M.K. Lee Departments: Sociology Applied Social Studies, Hong Kong Polytechnic University Sociology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Source of funding: Hong Kong Research Grants Council Starting date: 1996.10 ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND BUSINESS CULTURE IN CONTEMPORARY CHINA To examine how trust is possible for Mainland Chinese entrepreneurs in this reform era with its rapid social and economic changes; to examine how cultural norms and institutional supports (i.e. financial and legal frameworks) promote trust, hence co-operation or fail to do so and the reasons for it. Investigator: Professor S.L. Wong Department: Sociology Starting date: 1997.07 WOMEN AND EMPLOYMENT: A LIFE HISTORY PERSPECTIVE To investigate whether and how Hong Kong women are disadvantaged in the labour market by examining their experience of paid employment in the context of their life and family history. Investigator: Dr. T.W.P. Wong Department: Sociology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1994.07 ANALYSIS OF PROCESS CAPABILITY INDICES IN ERRORS-IN-VARIABLES STATISTICAL MODELS To develop formal hypothesis testing procedures and methods to deal with process capability indices in the statistical models in which measurement error is involved. Investigator: Dr. W.L. Wong Department: Statistics Starting date: 1997.07 ADJUSTED AND DISTRESSED MARRIAGES In depth analysis of issues related to marital satisfaction and marital stress; through identifying the coping behaviours of couples who define their marriage as adjusted; examining adjustment tasks of marriages at different life stages; investigating how difficult life experiences and traumatic events in childhood or adulthood impact on marital relationships. Investigators: Mr. Y.C. Wong (Principal) Miss S.C. Cheung Mrs. D.S.Y. Leung Departments: Social Work and Social Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1991.07 CARE FOR THE FRAIL ELDERLY - TOWARDS A CASE MANAGEMENT MODEL To explore the needs and problems encountered by the frail elderly; to study the extend to which their needs are matched by existing welfare provision; to learn about the experience and views of the service providers in client identification, assessment and service delivery for the frail elderly; to understand the service providers' opinion towards the idea and models of case management in serving the frail elderly. Investigators: Mr. Y.C. Wong (Principal) Professor C.L.W. Chan Dr. I. Chi Mrs. E.M.K. Lo Miss F. Yip Departments: Social Work and Social Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.03 PERCEPTION OF PERSONALITY TRAITS DEPICTED IN THE MASK (PAINTED FACE) IN BEIJING OPERA To study the Chinese view of the correspondence between the face and the personality traits as depicted in the mask in Beijing opera. The results would provide insights on the Chinese perception of colour and distinct facial pattern as indicators of personality. Investigators: Dr. C.F. Yang (Principal) Dr. A.W.L. Chau Department: Psychology Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1993.07 Completion date: 1997.06 OPTIMAL ASSET ALLOCATION UNDER CEV MODEL To investigate the optimal investment strategy assuming that the stock price follows a constant elasticity of variance model. Investigator: Dr. H. Yang Department: Statistics Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.11 EXOTIC OPTIONS UNDER CEV MODEL To develop pricing formula for some exotic options under the assumption of the stock price follows a constant elasticity of variance model. Investigator: Dr. H. Yang Department: Statistics Starting date: 1997.07 EQUALITY AND ALTRUISM AND COMMUNITY PERCEPTION OF SOCIAL WELFARE To explore and identity the value-bases of social welfare in Hong Kong. Investigators: Dr. S. Yeung (Principal) Mr. T.S.K. Tam Department: Social Work and Social Administration Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1993.07 STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE DATA A major motivation for developing methods for the statistical analysis of infectious disease data is that one can thereby gain knowledge which is useful for determining strategies for the control of the disease. Our aims are to determine the mechanism of spread, to estimate the mean durations of the latent and infectious periods, to determine the extent of variations in these durations and to determine the fraction of the community that needs to be immunized in order to prevent major epidemics. Projection and estimation of the disease population is of great importance for making sure sufficient resources are available when need arises. Statistical analysis via martingale theory is the most natural way to model the spread of the disease. It captures and reflects the stochastic nature of the underlying process. Also, methods of inference are useful especially in case traditional maximum likelihood procedure fails. Investigators: Dr. P.S.F. Yip (Principal) Mrs. Q.Z. Chen Dr. R. Watson Departments: Statistics Statistics, University of Melbourne, Australia Starting date: 1991.09 STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF CAPTURE-RECAPTURE EXPERIMENTS WITH APPLICATIONS IN ECOLOGY AND EPIDEMIOLOGY To develop an unified approach of estimation for the population size of capture-recapture experiments. Investigators: Dr. P.S.F. Yip (Principal) Professor A. Chao Dr. C. Lloyd Departments: Statistics La Trobe University, Australia National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan Source of funding: Hong Kong Research Grants Council Starting date: 1993.07 ESTIMATING NUMBER OF FAULTS IN A SYSTEM To suggest robust and efficient estimators to estimate the number of faults in a system. Existing estimators have been shown to be very restrictive and unrealistic assumption is made. Investigator: Dr. P.S.F. Yip Department: Statistics Starting date: 1993.09 Completion date: 1997.06 ESTIMATION AND PROJECTION OF HIV INFECTION AND AIDS CASES IN HONG KONG Since the first AIDS case was reported in Hong Kong in 1985, there has been uncertainty about the current prevalence of HIV infections and AIDS cases (HIV/AIDS), and great concern regarding the future trends and ultimate dimensions of this epidemic. This project reviews the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS in Hong Kong; provides estimates of the current prevalence of HIV/AIDS; examine the seasonality and trend of HIV/AIDS and forecast the number of AIDS/HIV cases in Hong Kong in the future to assist in programme and policy development. Investigators: Dr. P.S.F. Yip (Principal) Professor N. Becker Departments: Statistics Statistics, La Trobe University, Australia Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.07 STATISTICAL ANALYSIS SUICIDES IN PACIFIC-RIM REGIONS To compare the Hong Kong suicide situation with other countries and to study the possible factors (economic, social or cultural) related to the problem Investigator: Dr. P.S.F. Yip Department: Statistics Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.04 STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF ATTEMPTED AND FATAL SUICIDES IN HONG KONG To give an overview of fatal suicides based on data provided by the Census Department and Polic Department in the period of 1981-1994; to examine incidence of attempted suicides in Hong Kong based on the data supplied by the Education Department and the Accident and Emergency Department of Princess Margaret and Queen Mary Hospital such that high risks groups of attempted and fatal suicides can be identified. It is important to have the information about the severity of the suicide problem (fatal and attempted) for any effective planning in controlling the suicide epidemic. Investigator: Dr. P.S.F. Yip Department: Statistics Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.07 THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY OF HONG KONG: PROSPECTS AND PROBLEMS To document and to analyze these changes and issues, and to provide a framework of reference for policy consideration. Investigator: Dr. B.T.L. Yu Department: School of Economics and Finance Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.01 THE FISHING INDUSTRY OF HONG KONG: SOME IMPLICATIONS ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT To document and evaluate the changes of the fishing industry of Hong Kong. Some implications on the U.N. concept of sustainable development is expected to emerge. Investigator: Dr. B.T.L. Yu Department: School of Economics and Finance Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.07 REVISITING THE HONG KONG SECURITIES MARKETS To investigate the market efficiency of Hong Kong equity markets, focusing on three issues: (1) IPO markets; (2) equity return premium and factoring analysis; and (3) trading strategies and risk on Hong Kong stocks. Investigator: Dr. G.G. Yu Department: School of Economics and Finance Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.11 INNOVATIVE STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLING AND ASSESSMENT To develop a suitable statistical sampling protocol and statistical techniques to assess the quality of the environment surrounding us, and detect changes, if any, of several key factors of the environment, namely, air pollution, noise pollution, contamination in ground water and soil water, and imbalance in the ecosystem. Investigator: Dr. P.L.H. Yu Department: Statistics Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants RGC Fundable Projects (Block Grant Funded) Starting date: 1995.01 BAYESIAN ANALYSIS OF ORDER-STATISTICS MODELS FOR RANKING DATA To use the Bayesian Approach and the MCMC methods to estimate the parameters of the order-statistics models for ranking data. Investigator: Dr. P.L.H. Yu Department: Statistics Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.04 NONPARAMETRIC TESTS BASED ON RANK CORRELATIONS FOR INCOMPLETE DATA Nonparametric tests based on ranks form a substantial body of statistical techniques that provide alternative to the classical parametric tests. In some of the tests, the test statistics could be expressed as some functions of rank correlations such as Kendall and Spearman rank correlations. Consider a survey in which each respondent is asked to rank the political parties according to the degree of supportiveness toward the parties. The usual test statistic for testing no differences in the supportiveness is the Friedman rank-sum statistic which is just a linear function of average Spearman rank correlations. However, cases sometimes occur in which some data are incomplete. In the example above, if some respondents assign ranks to the three most supportive parties only, the data become incomplete (or partially ranked). This research aims to construct new nonparametric methods based on rank correlations to incorporate the presence of incomplete data. In addition, the performance of various rank correlations will be studied to see which one could achieve the highest efficiency. Investigators: Dr. P.L.H. Yu (Principal) Dr. K.F. Lam Department: Statistics Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.07 STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF RANKING DATA To develop statistical techniques to predict the outcome of a competition, an election, or a preference selection, and to describe the dynamic change of the characteristics of objects. Investigators: Dr. P.L.H. Yu (Principal) Dr. K.F. Lam Dr. V.S.Y. Lo Departments: Statistics Marketing Sciences, Mercer Management Consulting, U.S.A. Source of funding: RGC Fundable Projects (Block Grant Funded) Starting date: 1996.10 ECONOMIC GROWTH AND ECONOMIC EQUALITY: THEORY AND EVIDENCE To understand the empirical relation between the growth of per capita (i.e. average personal) income and the distribution of personal (i.e., individual) incomes under different stages of economic development and different economic systems. Special emphasis will be devoted to Hong Kong and other Asian economies. Investigator: Dr. C.W. Yuen Department: School of Economics and Finance Source of funding: Hong Kong Research Grants Council Starting date: 1994.10 Completion date: 1997.03 INTEGRATION AND MIRACULOUS GROWTH: THE MARRIAGE BETWEEN HONG KONG AND SOUTH CHINA To understand the source(s) of the record-breaking growth experience of South China and its co-development with Hong Kong in the past decade. Three plausible sources of growth will be critically examined: accumulation of physical capital, export-led growth, and foreign direct investment (especially from Hong Kong). Due to their plausibly different implications for the sustainability of high growth performance, this empirical investigation will enable us to determine whether such miraculous phenomenon is transitory or permanent. The contribution of Hong Kong to the rapid growth in South China (and vice versa) will also be assessed. Investigator: Dr. C.W. Yuen Department: School of Economics and Finance Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.11 TAX REFORM, PRIVATIZATION, AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA To understand how the level and rate of growth of national income, the speed and process of privatization, and the structure of the tax system are determined simultaneously and how they affect each other in a country that is experiencing the highest growth rate in the world and is undergoing rapid changes in the structure of property rights, organizations, market, and tax and other government policies. Investigator: Dr. C.W. Yuen Department: School of Economics and Finance Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.07 LABOR MOBILITY VS. MIGRATION: IMPLICATIONS FOR INCOME-CONVERGENCE, GROWTH, WELFARE, AND INTERNATIONAL COORDINATION OF DEVELOPMENT POLICIES To provide a qualitative and quantitative comparison between labor mobility and migration in terms of (a) their effects on equalizing income differences, on growth, and on welfare across countries and across time, and (b) their interaction with the choice and implementaton of international taxation, labor mobility, migration, and other development policies with and without policy coordination among various countries. Investigators: Dr. C.W. Yuen (Principal) Professor A. Razin Departments: School of Economics and Finance Economics, Tel Aviv University, Israel Source of funding: Hong Kong Research Grants Council Starting date: 1996.09 FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT AND ENTREPRENEURIAL ACTIVITY AS SOURCES OF GROWTH: IMPLICATIONS FOR INCOME LEVEL CONVERGENCE AND DIRECTIONS FOR TAX REFORM To better understand both theoretically and empirically the role of multinational activities in the form of direct investment (in contrast to portfolio investment), technology innovation, and the transfer to knowledge and skills in spurring output gro in less developed economies and in narrowing the income gap between rich and poor countries; to derive implications of such growth-enhancing activities for the optimal (i.e. growth-maximizing or welfare-maximizing) design of tax structures, esp. the treatment of corporate vs. personal income and of domestic-source vs. foreign-source capital incomes. Investigator: Dr. C.W. Yuen Department: School of Economics and Finance Starting date: 1997.07 BOOTSTRAP TESTS FOR THE SEMIPARAMETRIC ADDITIVE RISK MODEL In contrast to the Cox proportional hazards model, the additive risk model which specifies that the hazard function associated with a set of covariates is the sum of, rather than the product of, the baseline hazard function and the regression function covariates, has proved to be very useful in many biomedical applications. In fact, this linear approach may solve some of the problems for the Cox model. However, the additive risk model is still new and rather untested. Because of its biomedicalnificance, people may abuse this model without questioning whether it fits their data. Therefore, it is desirable to develop goodness-of-fit tests for the model. The proposed tests are global in the sense that arbitrary partitions of time-axis and criates spaces are not needed for evaluating test statistics. Another advantage of these tests is that they are consistent against all alternatives. With these formal testing procedures, people should have no doubt to perform futher analysis based upthis modelling approach. Investigator: Dr. K.C. Yuen Department: Statistics Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1995.07 TESTS OF FIT FOR THE MEAN RESIDUAL LIFE REGRESSION MODEL To construct tests of fit for the MRL regression model. Investigator: Dr. K.C. Yuen Department: Statistics Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.04 TESTS OF FIT FOR THE MEAN RESIDUAL LIFE REGRESSION MODEL To construct tests of fit for the mean residual life regression model. Investigator: Dr. K.C. Yuen Department: Statistics Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.07 A STRUCTURAL MODEL OF CHINESE INFLATION To investigate the relationship between inflation and sequencing of reform and explain why China was relatively successful in maintaining macroeconomic stability in the short run. Investigator: Dr. H.Y. Zhao Department: School of Economics and Finance Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.02 PERFORMANCE OF FOREIGN INVESTED ENTERPRISES IN CHINA: EVIDENCE FROM FIRM LEVEL DATA To analyze the relationship between profitability / productivity and factors such as ownership structure, capital structure, and market structure using firm level data on foreign invested enterprise in China. The focus will be on performance and corporate governance. To investigate how introducing foreign investors can help restructure and improve efficiency of Chinese state owned enterprises. Investigator: Dr. H.Y. Zhao Department: School of Economics and Finance Source of funding: Committee on Research and Conference Grants Starting date: 1996.07