530 research outputs found
Book Review
No full textReview of: Alternative Theories of the Firm. Ed. by Richard N. Langlois, Tony Fu-Lai Yu, Paul Robertson. 2003. Edward Elgar Publishing: Cheltenham
Toward a Cognitive Perspective on Transition
No full textThe author carries out an interesting and uncommon analysis of economic transition and change in terms of human consciousness, perception, knowledge, learning, interpretation and response. He highlights the role of institutions in transition and argues that the real driving force, which is rarely the central thrust of analyses on transition, is the creativity of human agency--coordinated to underpin human institutions which represent society's stock of knowledge. Adopting Hayek's concepts, the author argues that the result of transition within this framework cannot be precisely known, and that there will be unintended consequences reflected in the institutions that eventually emerge--thoughts perhaps pertinent to "nontransition" countries, such as the Philippines where there are efforts aimed at comprehensive social transformation.transition economies, cognitive approach
Social Construction of National Reality: Chinese Consciousness versus Hong Kong Consciousness
No full textThe struggle to break away from the parent state and claim for independence often results in political unrest, terrorist activities and even ethnic cleansing. In East Asia, the hostilities between people from Hong Kong and mainland China also intensify rapidly in recent years. The late 2000s and early 2010s witness a surge in anti-Mainlander sentiment in Hong Kong and a call for self-determination, resulting in a series of political upheavals. In literatures, irredentist and secessionist advocators generally defend themselves in terms of common blood, race and culture. None of them regards the issue from human agency theory. This paper has two objectives. Firstly, based largely on the works of Max Weber, W.I. Thomas, Alfred Schutz and Peter Berger, this paper constructs a theoretical framework, namely, the social construction of national reality, which allows us to explain the origin of national identity and the reason for people to call for autonomy or secession. It will argue that collective consciousness originates from everyday life experience taken for granted during socialization. Individuals make sense of the external world. Experiences taken for granted become the actor’s stock of knowledge. A common scheme of knowledge shared by the community serves to differentiate in-group (nationals) and out-group (foreigners). Collective consciousness thus defines national identity and hence a nation. Unless people (both in-group and out-group) interact with and learn from each other, different stocks of knowledge taken for granted will create conflict. This theory is applied to explain growing Sinophobia in Hong Kong. The confrontation between traditional Chinese consciousness and emerging Hong Kong consciousness undermines the peaceful coexistence among Hongkongers and Mainlanders, unless both parties redefine their stock of knowledge via dynamic learning. The paper concludes that in order to reduce the conflicts in the regions, understanding the origins of collective consciousness and national identity can help formulate an appropriate policy to resolve growing tensions between Hong Kong and mainland China
Langlois, Richard N.; Yu, Tony Fu-Lai and Robertson, Paul (eds.): Alternative Theories of the Firm
No full textA subjectivist approach to strategic management
No full textAcknowledging the shortcomings of contemporary research on the economics of strategy, this paper proposes a subjectivist approach to strategic management. This subjectivist perspective is originated in German economics and found its base in the Austrian school of economics. Based largely on the works on Max Weber, Alfred Schutz and Ludwig von Mises, this paper develops a subjective interpretation framework which is applied to various fields of strategic management: entrepreneurship, organisation, vertical integration, innovation, marketing and advertising. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Taiwan's Entrepreneurs and International Coordination: Evolution of Global Production Network in Electronics and IT Industries
No full textThis study applies the concept of coordinating entrepreneurship to explain the emergence of global production network. More specifically, this study explains and illustrates how Taiwan-born technopreneurs move between Silicon Valley and Taiwan's Hsinchu, thereby promoting Taiwan's computer and information technology (IT) industries. With their entrepreneurial spirit and social network, Taiwan-born technopreneurs even turn Dongguan, a farming village in south China, into a modern IT industrial city. This paper concludes that as a result of the coordinating efforts of these entrepreneurs, electronics and computer plants scattered around the globe are integrated into a global production network, as illustrated by IT firms in Silicon Valley, Hsinchu and Dongguan.International entrepreneurship, global production network, electronics and IT industries, Silicon Valley, Hsinchu (Taiwan), Dongguan (Pearl River Delta),
A human agency approach to the economics of international trade
No full textScholars in Austrian economics have amply criticised many aspects of neoclassical economics including methodology, development economics, monetary theory, public finance and comparative economic systems. Surprisingly, little has been said on the pure theory of international trade. This paper attempts to fill this gap by utilising the human agency approach to offer a more realistic theory of international trade based on the individual. It concludes that the human agency approach can elucidate various global issues such as the new international economic order and globalisation.neoclassical economics, international trade theory, human agency, entrepreneurship, knowledge, Austrian economics, dynamic learning, Austria, new economic order, globalisation,
Entrepreneurial Innovation, Dynamic Transaction Costs and Institutional Change: The Case of Taiwan’s Sinyi Real Estate Inc.
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