Does Education Still Pay Off in Rural China： Revisit the Impact of Education on Off-farm Employment and Wages

The present study considers how education affects off-farm job participation and wages. We use a nationally representative dataset from a survey conducted in 5 provinces, 101 villages and 808 households by the authors in early 2005. The empirical results show that educational attainment, skill training and years of experience of rural residents have positive, statistically significant effects on off-farm employment. The average return to a year of education is 7percent, which is higher than those observed in previous studies. We also find the return to an additional year of schooling to be higher for post-junior high schooling than for junior high and below schooling： 11.8 versus 3.2 percent. We conclude that not only does education still pays off in rural China, but also the rate of return to education is increasing over time.     

Is China up to the Test？ A Review of Theories and Priorities for Education Investment for a Modern China

This paper reviews the key theories relating to the role of education in economic development and social change and how education, as a critical component of total factor productivity, contributes to sustained economic growth. It examines how China ＂s education policy reflects the country＇s unique dual economy. Focusing on the post-reform period, the paper contends that while progress has been made, there are risks to China＇s future growth prospects from failing to reap the benefits of sound education policy. It argues that if the Chinese education system is to continue to be a driver of rather than a drain on economic growth, and if China is to successfully manage its transition towards more inclusive, sustainable and equitable growth, reforms will be needed to improve the quality of education at all levels and to create an environment in which China＇s extensive human capital is duly recognized and respected. Crucially, the education system should be transformed to ensure it promotes a comprehensive range of human capabilities, including those that go beyond the part humans play in augmenting production possibilities.     

University Systems in Europe： A Multi-Dimensional Efficiency Comparison

The paper undertakes an examination of university systems of selected European countries from the perspective of the Austrian higher education system. The challenge of implementing higher institutional autonomy, accountability, and controllability in the Austrian higher education system is discussed with respect to recent experience in selected national university systems in Europe. Two major challenges were identified, first, the high diversity of the Austrian university system, and second, the implementation of considerable reorganization in a comparatively short period and under conditions of relatively high uncertainty.     

Economic Analysis of the International Mobility of Chinese Students Studying Abroad

Since China's reform and opening up in 1978, the fields in which it engages in foreign exchange and cooperation have broadened and deepened. A prominent feature is the increasing international mobility of Chinese students. Data on international mobility need to be collected and the impacts on China and other countries deserve attention and study.     

Bridging the Gap between Western and Chinese Evidence in the International Education Market

Using a sample of 1674 international students in China, the present study explores sociocultural adaptation and its determinants. The results indicate that sociocultural adaptation among international students＂ in China is largely shaped by the nature of the interaction with host nationals. In particular, among international students, those who experienced higher levels of social interaction with host nationals and received more social support were better poised for sociocultural adaptation. Rather contrary to similar research in the Western context, the study finds that international students from East Asia actually experienced more sociocultural difficulties in China than their counterparts from Western countries. These findings suggest the possibility of China and other oriental countries with sound higher education systems playing more active roles in the global higher education market.     

The game research on reverse logistics of enterprise under complete information state

The construction of reverse logistics system involves the participation of enterprises, government and consumers, among which there are the relationships of resistance and cooperation. As a result, there is game. This article focuses on the roles of enterprises, government and consumers while reverse logistics is in progress, establishing the models in the complete information state among enterprises, between government and enterprises, between consumers and enterprises. Finally, specific measures are suggested on the basis of the game analysis that government, enterprises and consumers should take in the promotion of reverse logistics process. That is, the government should fully play its macroeconomic role to control the enterprises to implement reverse logistics activities; the enterprises should embark from the long-term benefits, and positively implement the reverse logistics; the consumers should embark from their own and environmental benefits and support the enterprise to implement the reverse logistics activity, all of which are to offer the scientific and reasonable theory for the market operation of reverse logistics.     

Foreign Value-added in China＇s Manufactured Exports： Implications for China＇s Trade Imbalance

Economists have recently become interested in weighting how much domestic value-added is actually included in China’s exports.Formally,the proportion of foreign and domestic contents could be identified by calculating the vertical specialization share using non-competitive input-output tables.Applying such a method to the Chinese case,however, would result in a big measurement bias because China has a large share of processing exports,which utilize a disproportionately high percentage of imported intermediates.This paper,by directly employing 2008 trade data for which imported intermediates in both processing and non-processing trade could be identified by means of various trade patterns, provides a simplified way to estimate the share of foreign/domestic value-added included in industry-level manufactured exports.This paper finds that the vertical specialization share of China’s processing exports was about 56 percent in 2008,compared to about 10 percent for ordinary exports.It also finds that the sectors that experiencedfast expansion of processing exports have a much higher share of foreign contents.Since processing exports account for about half of Chinese exports,the prevailing trade statistics,which focus on gross values rather than the value-added of exports and imports,has obviously overstated the bilateral trade imbalances,especially between China and the USA.     

Avatar-based learning in Second Life

Over the years, Second Life has provided ways for the world of academia to put creativity lending to immersive education, distance learning, knowledge sharing, faculty networking and many other ways to enhance the collective educational community＇s efforts in the real world. The success of such projects within Second Life can be credited to many innovative educators, academics and students who have chosen to utilize Second Life in education. Second Life was honored at the 59th Annual Technology ＆ Engineering Emmy Awards for advancing the development of online sites with user-generated content in 2008. Second Life is an open platform where information is generally freely available to all residents. This freedom is a mixed blessing. While on the one hand, free and open content promote creativity through what is known as ＂derivative works＂, which means work based on something someone has done previously, on the other hand it has a tendency of not crediting people properly for original innovative work. This research aims to investigate perceptions of using and continuance decisions of using Second Life Virtual Classroom as learning tools in the existing life. The research will use web based questionnaire to gather respondents. Particularly, the questionnaire surveys participants＇ perceptions of the usefulness, ease of use, perceived value, perceived quality, satisfaction, and expectation of Second Life Virtual Classroom as learning tools and their intention to re-use Second Life Virtual Classroom in education. It also questions the factors that influence participants＇ perceptions.     

An Inquiry into the Determinants of the Exports of China and India

Regression analysis is used to tease out the relative significance of influences on the supply and demand for the exports of China and India. On the supply side, the value-added tax in China has discouraged export supply. The elimination of the rebate on those taxes will discourage exports. Higher wages discourage exports, but the share of exports by foreign invested enterprise is a positive influence, as is a higher share of value added in output and greater experience in exporting. On the demand side, exports depend in part on aggregate income levels in importing countries. Relative wages have been more important than exchange rates in determining the demands for Chinese and Indian exports. This evidence does not support the pressures for a devaluation of the RMB. There is also evidence of the positive significance of the accustomization of purchasers to buying Chinese exports.     

Impact of Cross-Strait Trade Liberalization： A Computable General Equilibrium Analysis

This paper applies a computable general equilibrium model to investigate the potential economic effects of trade liberalization across the Taiwan Strait. Our simulation results reveal that cross-Strait trade liberalization will have significant positive impacts on external trade, domestic investment and real GDP for the economies in this area in general and in Taiwan in particular. Furthermore, the negative impact from the formation of a free trade arrangement between Taiwan and Chinese Mainland on Hong Kong seems to be rather small. These results suggest that cross-Strait trade liberalization is very likely to bring about a win-win situation for the economies in this area.     

Choice for China： What Role for Vocational Education in Green Growth？

Green growth cannot succeed without significant changes in the education system and the closely related social division of labor. This paper combines historical evidence and a game-theoretic analysis to study the relation between vocational education and green growth. It is found that a low-vocation and a high-vocation equilibrium can be distinguished in the interplay between education and labor markets, and that a high-vocation equilibrium is better suited for green growth. A t the present stage of development, there are tendencies in both directions in China. Therefore, China has the possibility to successfully implement a green growth strategy by developing a strong vocational education with Chinese characteristics.     

Pipeline Transportation of Solid Materials

The reasons behind the search for alternatives to the currently used transport methods are congestions in communication systems, roads, stations, and transport nodes, which were built years ago and are not able to handle with the current load, the increasing number of motor vehicles, the emergence of congestions in the road network and disruptions reducing smooth traffic flow. The consequence of the phenomena is the transport congestion in urban transport systems. This article describes possibilities to change this state of affairs with the use of alternative transport method, which is the underground pipeline transportation of solid and bulk goods. The main objective of the study is to indicate the possible ways of using alternative transport routes to reduce transport congestion in large urban areas and industrial areas. There are currently implemented at least three research projects aiming to develop the theoretical and practical foundations for the underground transport of solid materials by using pipelines. In 2008, at the University of Oxford, research project Fri. FOODTUBES TM was launched. At the Ruhr University in Bochum, the project Cargo Cap is in realization. A new initiative （2014） is a research project carried out by a group of Captrans universities from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Italy, and Greece. Methodology used in those projects is primarily an analysis of reports on the current and projected traffic on the roads, highways, major hubs ect.; analysis of technical solutions used in pipeline transport of liquids and gas, as well as underground corridors drilling technologies for sewage pipes for various purposes. In the projects, there are also used computer simulations and prototypes are built. Developing parameters for the safe transport of solids in pipes is not an easy task. The solution must take into consideration logistics, economic, ecological, geological, legal, and many other aspects.     

Roots of Tomorrow＇s Digital Divide： Documenting Computer Use and Internet Access in China＇s Elementary Schools Today

This paper explores China＇s digital divide, with a focus on differences in access to computers, learning software, and the Internet at school and at home among different groups of elementary school children in China. The digital divide is examined in four different dimensions： （i） between students in urban public schools and students in rural public schools; （ii） between students in rural public schools and students in private migrant schools; （iii） between migrant students in urban public schools and migrant students in private migrant schools; and （iv） between students in Han-dominated rural areas and students in areas inhabited by ethnic minorities. Using data from a set of large-scale surveys in schools in different parts of the country, we find a wide gap between computer and Internet access of students in rural areas and those in urban public schools. The gap widens further when comparing urban students to students from minority areas. The divide is also large between urban and rural schools when examining the quality of computer instruction and access to learning software. Migration does not appear to eliminate the digital divide, unless migrant families are able to enroll their children in urban public schools. The digital divide in elementary schools may have implications for future employment, education and income inequality in China.     

The influence of a subteam＇s cohesion on its mother team

The study mainly discusses the effect of the formation of a subteam on the entire team as well as the relation of conflict among subteams and cohesion in a subteam. This study discovered that three subconcepts, which are team amity, team interaction and team integration contained in team cohesion would affect each other. When any one of them increased positively, it would enhance other two items, such as the subteam cohesion in team would become stronger. The team cohesion has different effects on the task conflict and interpersonal conflict among teams, so the team can establish a team operation mode acceptable to each other at the time when it is formed, and use comparatively formal plain text regulation to restrict members in team. On the other hand, team amity rather emphasizes on individual feeling. This study tends to use informal get-together mode to improve acquaintanceship of members or understanding attributes can also try to find common intersection. among the subteams, and the subteams with different     

A Late Comer＇s Internationalization Strategy for Chinese Firms： A Theoretical Study

The purpose of the paper is to discuss the internationalization strategy of Chinese finns from a latecomer＇s perspective. First, this paper reviews five existing conceptual frameworks of foreign market entry mode for the internationalization of finns from developed countries. Then, this paper integrates the different factors considering in existing frameworks to a comprehensive framework. With this modified framework and Chinese finns＇ unique characteristics, some propositions are presented about the path and features of Chinese finns＇ internationalization based on the comprehensive framework discussed from a latecomer＇s perspective. This paper also discusses that the future studies on Chinese finns＇ internationalization strategy should attempt to increase the congruence between the theoretical and operational level, to clarify concepts and variables of the frameworks and the relationships among those variables.     

Impact of a Senior High School Tuition Relief Program on Poor Junior High School Students in Rural China

A significant gap remains between rural and urban students in the rate of admission to senior high school. One reason for this gap might be the high levels of tuition and fees for senior high school By reducing students＇ expectations of attending high school, high levels of tuition and fees could be reducing student aeademic performance in junior high schools. In this paper we evaluate the impacts of a senior high tuition relief program on the test scores of poor rural seventh grade students in China. We surveyed three counties in Shaanxi Province and exploited the fact that, while the counties are adjacent to one another and share similar characteristics, only one of the three implemented a tuition relief program. Using several alternative estimation strategies, including difference-in-differences, propensity score matching and difference-in-differences matching, we find that the tuition program has a statistically significant and positive impact on the mathematics scores of seventh grade students. More importantly, this program is shown to have a statistically significant and positive effect on the poorest students in the treatment group compared to their wealthier peers.     

Effects of Demographic Characteristics of Logistics Firms on Their Performance and Job Satisfaction of Their Employees

This study investigates the effects of demographic factors of the logistics firms＇ employees （gender, age, education level, experience level, and department） on their job satisfaction and the effects of demographic factors of the logistics firms （company type, capital nature, and company experience level） on their performance of logistics activities about information technologies, interior relationship, and transportation based on the scale developed by the same authors and the sample of 39 logistics firms selected randomly in the city of Mersin and Adana in Turkey. According to findings, none of the demographic factors of the employees does aft~ct their job satisfaction. In terms of the demographic factors of the logistics firms, their experience level in the field is found to be significant in their logistics activities about information technology. In general, as the firm＇s experience increases, they perform better on information technology.     

The application of analytic hierarchy process in logistics enterprises personnel evaluation

With the gradual open-up of the market, foreign logistics companies who have already obtained market access will establish logistics business in China, which enhance the competition of our domestic logistics market. Personnel who have decisive role in the development of companies are the dominator of companies＇ resources and fashioner of their profit. To conduct analysis on their human resources the companies possess is to conduct test on the companies＇ market competitiveness. However, during to the non-by-the-job character of logistics enterprise services and its own feature of human resources, there is great difficulty in quantizing the question. The present essay selects analytic hierarchy process, combined with qualitative and quantitative analysis, thus form a set of scientific Logistics Enterprises Personnel Evaluation System.     

E-mentoring supporting female university managers＇ leadership development

Sharing international leadership experiences and professional development among female university managers in operational environments requiring new kinds of strategic leadership is a topical challenge e-mentoring can meet. This article examines perspectives of World Female University Presidents＇ Forum （China, 2009） participants on e-mentoring as support for female managers. No correlations between leadership profiles and mentoring needs were evident in this narrow sample, but responses indicated strategic business areas and support services emphasised in higher education management. The greatest mentoring need was in ＂Innovation work＂. One-to-one e-mentoring, peer mentoring and virtual mentoring communities interested respondents slightly more than group e-mentoring. Attitudes towards e-mentoring were positive, but unfamiliarity with virtual work methods and time issues were problematic in its application. An international e-mentoring programme＇s added value was acknowledged, but skilful management is essential for its successful integration into busy schedules. These results are used to outline the eMWL, e-mentoring promoting women leadership, model.     

The Positive Research on the Tendency of Industrial Agglomeration and Forecasting

New Economic Geography puts forward a famous law of inverted U curve. Meanwhile Chinese scholar Qi Liang proposes industry＇s life cycle theory, which is incompatible to the law of inverted U curve. In order to verify which theory is suitable for the situation of the industrial agglomeration of Chinese industry, we select ten kinds of representative products, carry on a positive analysis of the tendency of the industrial agglomeration from 1980 to 2003, observe where these industries center and forecast the industrial concentration of eight kinds of products in the following ten years.