Quality of nursing home care in Cyprus: are elder residents content with their treatment?

Responding to a conspicuous dearth of knowledge on the quality of elder services in Cyprus, this study ventured to document Cypriot elders' feelings and experiences with nursing home care in Cyprus. Explicitly, four different types of nursing homes were called on (a governmental, a community-run, a faith-based, and a private one) to interview residents (n = 73; a response rate of 100%). Results suggest that Cypriot elders are clearly content with the level of primary care they receive in nursing homes, as mirrored in the quality of nutrition, medical treatment, staff professionalism, and sanitation of nursing home environment. However, the preponderance of residents feels loneliness and denial of essential entertainment opportunities in these institutions and a consequential motivational depletion. Finding implications for domestic and international policy, social work practice, and future research are explored.     

Interaction among Chinese, Western and Marxist Philosophy and the Building of a New Chinese Philosophy

立足于当前中国哲学文化生态,推动中、西、马三大文化体系的互动,并由此生成中国新哲学文化,是中国文化发展的一个可能方向。中西马哲学的互动,应以建设中国新哲学为目标,以回应现实问题为切入点,以良好的对话机制和辩论文化为基本保障,以反思学科使命为前提,以哲学资源和哲学经验的共享为平台,抓住全球化语境下重建中国哲学主体性的新机遇,以研究主体的自我敞开和自我超越为实现根本途径,应推动哲学人材培养方式的变革。     

Social work in Hong Kong – Western practice in a Chinese context

This article narrates the development of social work practice in Hong Kong during the last more than half a century. As in other British colonies, social work was first known as a profession in Hong Kong when Western international relief organizations established offices here after the end of World War II. While social work has always been seen as a Western introduction, both overseas and locally trained social workers in Hong Kong are conscious that they are practicing in a society with a strong tradition of Chinese culture and there is also a different view towards the concept of welfare. Other than examining how social workers in Hong Kong have adapted Western developed theories to the solution of local problems in a Chinese society, this article concludes with a discussion of the influence that social workers and social work educators in Hong Kong have made on the development of social work in mainland China.

本文叙述了半个多世纪前社会工作在香港的发展。 如同在其它英国殖民地一样, 当第二次世界大战结束后西方国际援助组织在香港成立办事处, 社会工作在香港才首度被视为一个专业。 社会工作通常被看作为由西方引进的产物, 在本地或海外受训的香港社会工作者均意识到他们在社区从事社会工作时, 有着强烈的中国文化传统, 同时对福利概念有着不同的观点。 除了研究香港社会工作者如何适用西方的成熟理论, 以解决在中国社会发生的本土问题外, 本文还讨论了香港社会工作者及社会工作教育工作者如何影响中国内地社会工作的发展。     

‘Fragmented authoritarianism’ – the facilitator behind the Chinese reform miracle: a case study in central China

Although it maintains an authoritarian power structure, China has been widely perceived as one of most decentralized nations in the world in terms of government spending. The concept of ‘fragmented authoritarianism’ has figured largely in academic discussions of China's regime. It raises the question of how such apparently opposed states – ‘fragmentation’ and ‘authoritarianism’ – co-exist. In particular, how can so many important economic and political reforms have been launched in a milieu of fragmented authoritarianism? An analysis of an intergovernmental jurisdiction reform launched by city leaders suggests that fragmented authoritarianism facilitated the reform miracle. Fragmentation supplies the room and space for reform and change, while authoritarianism provides the power and authority for leaders to launch such reforms. That is why China has been able to remain united through a process of dramatic change.     

Innovation policy configuration – a comparative study of Russia and China

This paper presents a study of innovation policy configurations in two BRICS countries, Russia and China; the fastest growing and most innovative countries in recent years. Employing a three-dimensional framework which maps policy objectives, policy instruments and policy implementation, the research analyzes a database of 485 policy items issued between 1990 and 2013. Twenty-five innovation policy variables have been scrutinized vis-à-vis the three policy dimensions. The paper compares the experiences of Russia with China, across these three policy dimension areas, revealing the similarities and differences in innovation policy configurations. The research identifies how innovation management in both Russia and China has been shaped by contrasting histories, state institutions and economies. The paper offers an alternative perspective to the debate on the effective management of innovation, a debate currently dominated by the experiences of the USA, Japan and Western Europe.     

A comparison study between American and Chinese societies: home caring for elders with Alzheimer’s and memory impairments

Of all diseases associated with aging, Alzheimer’s disease and memory impairments are the most stressful for the family and home caregivers. The purpose of this study is to explore the dynamics of care-giving for Alzheimer’s and memory-impaired patients in both countries and to compare the differences and similarities between the feeling of burden and caring values of the home caregivers for elders in both societies.     

Once a NEET always a NEET? Experiences of employment and unemployment among youth in a job training programme in Taiwan

Chen Y‐W. Once a NEET always a NEET? Experiences of employment and unemployment among youth in a job training programme in Taiwan Int J Soc Welfare 2011: 20: 33–42 © 2009 The Author(s), Journal compilation © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare. Ten previous participants in a job training programme, ages between 15 and 20, were interviewed face‐to‐face to determine why they were not employed, in education or in vocational training (represented by the acronym NEET) at the time, as well as their related experiences. They were also asked about their experiences and opinions regarding the training programme and their ideas about work in general. Results of the study indicate that most of the respondents did not become NEETs by choice; they did so for economic reasons. Most thought the programme was of little practical help to them and did not increase their chances of employment, but that it did give them social and emotional support and helped them feel better about themselves. Many agreed that the monetary allowance offered by the programme was a good incentive for participation. Implications of the findings for social policy and programme development, especially to the socio‐cultural context of Taiwan, are discussed.     

Does Low Willingness to Respond Introduce a Bias? Results from a Socio-epidemiological study among Young Men and Women

The aim of this study was to investigate if willingness to respond can introduce bias in a population survey and to study the socio-economic characteristics of those with high and low willingness to respond. Two groups of final-year pupils at compulsory school were surveyed five years after leaving school, at the age of 21. The data were collected during class meetings, by mailed questionnaires, telephone and personal interviews. The response rates in the studies were proportionally high – about 98% and 90% respectively. In both surveys there were more men compared to women who were late respondents or non-respondents. Long-term unemployment and lack of upper secondary school for both men and women, as well as living with a partner for men, corresponded to low willingness to respond to a survey. A higher alcohol consumption – between 1.5 to 6.5 times – was observed among those with lower willingness to respond. Even a low rate of non-response can introduce a serious bias and produce uncertain results in, for example, studies on the consequences of youth unemployment on alcohol consumption.     

Receive or give? Contemporary views among middle-aged and older Chinese adults on filial piety and well-being in Hong Kong

This qualitative study aimed to examine the contemporary interpretation of filial piety by middle-aged and older Chinese adults in Hong Kong, and to explore its relationship with well-being in later life through focus groups. Data analysis revealed that all participants subscribed to the traditional value of filial piety, but had willingly reduced their filial expectations of their younger generation. Importantly, well-being in later life was found to be affected by both the younger generation’s filial commitments and older parents’ continued support of their younger generation so that the latter could lead a better life.     

The Structure of Employment and Internal Relations between Employees in Chinese Enterprises in a Developing Market Economy

Atpresent,thereareapproximately160millionpeopleemployedinenterprisesandinstitutionsinurbanareasofChina,and100millionemployedinruralareas,accountingformorethan40%ofthenation'stotallaborforce.Morethan80%areemployedinenterprises.SinceChinaadopteditspolicyofreformandopeningtotheoutsideworld,therehavebeengreatchangesinemployeerelationsandthestructureofemployment.Thefollowingaretheresultsofastudyofmorethan10,000workersemployedin100enterprisesthroughoutthecountry,undertakenbytheChineseWorkers'Movem…     

Participation in Income-Generating Activities and Help-Seeking for IPV in Bangladesh – Results from a National Survey of Women

Abstract

The present study examined whether there was an association between microfinance participation (i.e. microentrepreneurship) and help-seeking social networks and employment and help-seeking social networks of women who experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) in Bangladesh. The study is a secondary analysis of a subsample of 805 women (24.1% of the representative sample) who experienced IPV from the 2007 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) between the ages of 16 and 49?years. Results indicate that among the subsample of 805 respondents, 29.3% sought help for IPV. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that women who were employed all year round were significantly more likely and microfinance participants were marginally more to seek help for IPV than women who were not engaged in income-generating activities. Implications are discussed.     

Beyond Heckscher–Ohlin: trade and labour market interactions in a case study for Chile

In an era of globalisation, patterns of economic growth and employment will depend critically upon domestic labour market conditions. This paper presents empirical evidence on how labour market regulations might interact with expanded trade. We present numerical model simulations of recent trade reform proposals for Chile. Firstly, we analyse how these reforms affect the economy in a perfectly competitive labour markets framework, then we modify this by introducing various kind of labour market imperfections considered relevant in this country. Previous research efforts usually focused separately either on the significance of trade, or on the effect of labour market regulations as explanations for variations in the wage gap and labour demand. Our results show that interactions between labour market regulations and expanded trade may explain the Chilean widening wage gap.     

The Loss of Value Rationality & the Traditional Alignment among Chinese Literati in the Period of the Ming and the Qing Dynasties

Many people believe the expansion andfurtherance of the process of modernizationoriginate from an instrumental rationalitywith the aid of forces of science andtechnology. Such an understanding,however, overlooks the issues of culturalvalues at the inner core behind the scientificand technological background. The corner-stone of modern science in the West lies invalue rationality deriving from the religiousthought as evidenced in the faith in, curios-ity about and exploration of an universal or…     

SPECIAL ISSUE： DIALOGUE,INTERACTION AND NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN PHILOSOPHY IN CONTEMPORARY CHINA- SPECIALIST FORUM ON CHINESE,WESTERN AND MARXIST PHILOSOPHIES：Convergence of Chinese,Western and Marxist philosophies： reflections on a metaphilosophy and methodology for innovation in contemporary Chinese philosophy

当代中国哲学创新,是根据所要构建的新哲学理所当有的时代性以及由其时代性所决定的新哲学所必有的学术特征,凭由综合中、西、马各种不同哲学观而加以灵活变通的处理与转换得来的具体方法,建造出一个在研究范围上向原始哲学回归,在研究路径上走马克思主义哲学之路,在研究内容上对以往中、西哲学有继承性扩展,以和谐精神为内核的马克思主义后现代哲学。