THE FOUNDATION OF THE MEXICAN WELFARE STATE AND SOCIAL SECURITY REFORM IN THE 1990s

Before 1982 Mexico's welfare state regime was a limited conservative one that put priority on the social security of organized labor. But following the country's debt crisis in 1982, this regime changed to a hybrid liberal model. The Ernest Zedillo government (1995–2000) in particular pushed ahead with liberal reform of the social security system. This paper examines the characteristics and the policy making of the social security reforms in the 1990s. The results suggest that underlying these reforms was the restructuring of the economy and the need to cope with the cost of this restructuring. The paper also points out that one of the main factors making possible the rapid execution of the reforms were the weakened political clout of the officialist labor unions due to their steady breakdown during the 1990s and the increase in the monopolistic power of the state vis‐à‐vis the position of labor during the negotiations on social security reforms.     

THE ROLE OF HONG KONG IN SINO-TAIWAN AND SINO-KOREA TRADE, 1981-87

Sino-Taiwan and Sino-Korea trade through Hong Kong has been growing steadily since early 1980's. Direct trade is impossible because of the lack of diplomatic relations between China and Taiwan and China and S. Korea, Thus, an intermediary is essential to carry out the transactions. Then, there is the issue of why Hong Kong is chosen as the major intermediary. This relates to the transportation costs and transaction costs advantages that Hong Kong possesses as an entrepot. As the major intermediary in Sino-Taiwan and Sino-Korea trade, Hong Kong is playing multiple roles. It is serving as an entrepot in commodity trade; as an agent in the export of technology from Taiwan and S. Korea to China; as a mediator in trade disputes; and as the middle-man in some trade related issues such as the application of patent protection and the establishment of trade offices. Above all it is observed that Hong Kong has major roles to play not only in the case of indirect trade, but also in the case of direct trade. In the future, there might not be much chance for the legalization of direct trade. Nevertheless, the recent change in the trade and investment policies of Taiwan and S. Korea has shown that the future prospect of indirect trade is very bright.     

THE POLICYMAKING PROCESS FOR THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM IN TAIWAN: THE NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE AND NATIONAL PENSION PROGRAM

This paper examines the policymaking process and contents of the two major social security policies of Taiwan in the 1990s. The National Health Insurance (NHI), which was introduced in 1995, was a mixture of success and failure. While it brought about universal health insurance, part of the original objective of creating a comprehensive welfare system through the NHI initiative was not realized. The attempt to introduce a National Pension Program (NPP) in 2000 went through dramatic turns in both policy contents and the prospects for implementation. Though it was originally designed as a modified form of social insurance, a general tax revenue‐funded defined‐benefit scheme was added as an alternative when a new government came into power. The bill, however, was withdrawn before the actual deliberations began. The author argues that policy legacies and actors, and the interactions of these variables within different policy phases, determined the policy contents and changes.     

美女摄影家渝港双城恋

10年前,重庆妹子晋琳随先生定居香港,开启她新的人生和摄影历程;10年来,收获了幸福的晋琳,以摄影为媒,为重庆和香港两地摄影家的交流搭建了友谊的桥梁。在晋琳的镜头里,维多利亚港湾摩天大楼所代表的香港,和解放碑、人民大礼堂、朝天门广场所代表的重庆,是她永远深爱的两座城市。     

近期香港经济形势分析与预测

2007年香港经济呈现持续增长的态势,保持其在全球竞争的优势地位。《内地与香港关于建立更紧密经贸关系的安排》(CEPA)的全面实施,香港与中国内地的经贸合作迈上新台阶,双边进出口贸易、相互投资以及工程承包与劳务合作均有不同程度的增长。展望2008年,香港经济发展和转型将面临一系列新的机遇与挑战。     

FORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE WELFARE STATE IN THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA: PROCESS OF REFORM OF THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE SYSTEM

The legal framework for social security in the Republic of Korea began to be formed in the early 1960s (the first period) and further progress was made during the process of democratization in the 1980s (the second period). However, it remained a “top‐down” residual system, preserving conservative elements. With the constitutional lawsuit over the right to life in 1994 as a turning point, however, there was a major shift to a universal system, supported by “bottom‐up” efforts through petitions to the National Assembly and legislation by Assembly members. This led to the enactment of the Framework Act on Social Security (1995), the National Basic Livelihood Security Act (1999) and other measures (the third period). This paper attempts to analyze the Korean‐style welfare state by tracking these institutional changes as well as the main actors.     

MANAGERIAL STRUCTURE OF BUSINESS GROUPS IN TAIWAN: THE INNER CIRCLE SYSTEM AND ITS SOCIAL ORGANIZATION

This paper examined the management structure of Taiwan's business groups. The objective was to determine how independent group firms coordinate their business. Employing longitudinal data of the top 100 groups, I investigated the “inner circle” system and its evolution. I found that group leaders occupied overlapped positions at the director rather than at the manager level, which implied a separation of strategic planning and routine administration. Secondly, the dynamics of inner circle management did not hinge upon the group president as in the Korean chaebol, nor on the norm of corporate community as in the Japanese keiretsu, but on the social ties in the inner circle. Analyzing the background of the leaders indicated that family never dominated the scene even in the early years, and their significance decreased along with environmental changes. The transition in Taiwan in the late 1980s motivated business groups to introduce more “outside” talent into decision‐making.     

TRADE‐OFFS AND RIP‐OFFS: IMITATION‐LED INDUSTRIALISATION AND THE EVOLUTION OF TRADEMARK LAW IN HONG KONG*

Hong Kong's development as an industrial exporter was advantaged by a flexible institutional regime, which generated gains from imitation‐led industrialisation and which allowed the mobilisation of public and private resources to enable a transition to a more stringent enforcement regime for intellectual property. Fragmentary industrial structures raised monitoring costs for trademark proprietors and gave opportunities for infringers to exploit information asymmetries. However, colonial state building, the formation of specialist markets in knowledge, and collective actions by business groups caused the law to evolve. These overlapping processes of formal and informal institutional change were mutually reinforcing.     

SOCIAL SECURITY AND WELL‐BEING IN A LOW‐INCOME ECONOMY: AN APPRAISAL OF THE KERALA EXPERIENCE

The State of Kerala, which is considered to have attained a level of social well‐being comparable to that of advanced countries despite its relatively low income standard, is widely known as an example of “welfare by public intervention” in developing economies. This paper, focusing on the four areas of food provision, health services, elementary education, and pension schemes, and paying attention to the participation of the private sector as well as the activities of political parties and labor unions, points out that in Kerala, the private sector and organized activities have played a vital role, in addition to “public intervention,” in the betterment of public welfare.