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Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to compare students' and faculty members' perceptions of academic integrity; their understanding of experiences pertaining to different aspects of academic misconduct (e.g. plagiarism); and to examine the underlying reasons behind academic integrity violations in a Hong Kong context. Design/methodology/approach - A mixed methods approach comprising quantitative and qualitative methodologies was used. First, a quantitative survey was conducted with students and faculty. Results from the survey were used to generate interview questions for an interview-based qualitative study, which consisted of individual interviews for faculty members and focus group interview for students. Findings - Results from both the survey and interviews showed that faculty members and students do not share a consensus on the definition of the seriousness of plagiarism and collusion. Students, in general, commit misconduct due to academic work, pressure for grades, and teachers' unclear instructions of academic integrity. Faculty members rarely report cases of misconduct to the university and handle the cases according to their own standard. Originality/value - The topic of academic integrity has received increased attention in the past decade from college and university teachers and administrators around the world. Plagiarism is amongst the most widely studied acts of dishonesty in the area of academic behavior in universities world-wide. Not many studies have investigated other acts of academic dishonesty and teachers' perception of academic integrity, especially in the Chinese context. The findings from this study provide useful insights for educators to implement academic honesty education programs, especially within the Chinese context, and especially in Hong Kong. The results also provide the foundations in developing an online academic integrity tutorial for the sampled institution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a qualitative study in 2007–08 on the abortion experiences of teenage women from deprived backgrounds in Hong Kong. Twenty-nine young women aged 13–24 who had undergone one or more induced abortions in their teen years were interviewed and participated in group empowerment sessions. Ten were unemployed, four were students, the rest were employed on low pay in unskilled occupations. Abortion services are legal and available in public and private services, but they charge fees ranging from HK$310 to $10,000, and do abortions only up to 24 weeks of pregnancy. Many young women resort to poor quality illegal clinics and clinics in mainland China because the cost is lower, they do not wish to tell their parents, who would be asked for consent, and/or they want to protect their sex partners, who may be reported and prosecuted if the girl is under-age. There is a need to strengthen services for teenage women in Hong Kong, especially those who are pregnant and from deprived backgrounds. There is also a need for professionals who deliver adolescent health and social welfare services, and for society to rethink and re-examine its views and attitudes towards teenage pregnancy, sexuality and abortion. En 2007–08, une étude qualitative a porté sur les expériences de l'avortement d'adolescentes issues de milieux défavorisés à Hong Kong. Vingt-neuf jeunes femmes âgées de 13 à 24 ans qui avaient avorté une ou plusieurs fois pendant leur adolescence ont été interrogées et ont participé à des séances d'autonomisation de groupe. Dix étaient au chômage, quatre étaient étudiantes, les autres occupaient des emplois non qualifiés et peu rémunérés. Les services d'avortement sont légaux et disponibles dans des services publics et privés ; mais ils perçoivent des honoraires allant de HK$310 à HK$10 000 et ne pratiquent les avortements que jusqu'à 24 semaines de grossesse. Beaucoup de jeunes femmes ont recours à des centres illégaux de mauvaise qualité ou des centres en Chine continentale car ils sont moins coûteux, elles ne souhaitent pas le dire à leurs parents qui devraient donner leur consentement, et/ou elles veulent protéger leur partenaire sexuel, qui pourrait être dénoncé et poursuivi si la fille est mineure. Il faut renforcer les services pour adolescentes à Hong Kong, en particulier celles qui sont enceintes et issues de milieux défavorisés. On a également besoin de professionnels qui assurent des services de santé et de protection sociale des jeunes alors que la société devrait repenser et réexaminer ses idées et ses attitudes à l'égard de la grossesse, la sexualité et l'avortement chez les adolescentes. En este artículo se informa acerca de un estudio cualitativo realizado en 2007–08 sobre las experiencias de aborto de mujeres adolescentes de clases carenciadas en Hong Kong. Se entrevistaron 29 jóvenes de 13 a 24 años de edad, que habían tenido uno o más abortos inducidos entre los 13 y 19 años, quienes también participaron en sesiones de empoderamiento en grupo. Diez estaban desempleadas, cuatro eran estudiantes y el resto de ellas estaban empleadas en ocupaciones no especializadas de bajo salario. Los servicios de aborto son legales y accesibles en establecimientos públicos y privados, pero estos cobran entre HK$310 y $10,000 y realizan abortos sólo hasta las 24 semanas del embarazo. Muchas jóvenes recurren a clínicas ilegales de mala calidad y a clínicas en China continental porque el costo es más bajo, no quieren informar a sus padres, a quienes se les pediría su consentimiento, y/o quieren proteger a su pareja sexual, quien podría ser denunciada y enjuiciada si la niña es menor de edad. Es necesario fortalecer los servicios para mujeres adolescentes en Hong Kong, especialmente para aquéllas que están embarazadas y son de clases carenciadas. Además, es necesario que la sociedad y los profesionales que proporcionan servicios de salud y asistencia social a las adolescentes reconsideren y reexaminen sus puntos de vista y actitudes hacia el embarazo, la sexualidad y el aborto en la adolescencia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asking clients to document their perceived quality of life during and after intervention is a popular approach employed by helping professionals to evaluate intervention programs. In the Project Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social Programmes (P.A.T.H.S.), students participating in the Experimental Implementation Phase and Full Implementation Phase were invited to write reflective journals in the form of weekly diaries to reveal their perceptions and feelings regarding the program and the perceived benefits of the program. Based on multiple studies, results showed that the respondents generally (a) had positive views on the program, (b) had positive views on the instructors, and (c) perceived that they had acquired competencies at the societal, familial, interpersonal and personal levels and their quality of life was promoted after joining the program. Acknowledging the limitations of diaries, the present qualitative findings provide support for the effectiveness of the Tier 1 Program of the Project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Chronic orofacial pain (OFP) is common in general adult populations worldwide. High levels of psychological distress and impaired coping abilities are common among Western people with chronic OFP but limited information was found in southern Chinese people. This study aimed to explore the perceptions and experiences of community dwelling elderly people with chronic OFP symptoms and their treatment seeking behaviour in Hong Kong. Methods An exploratory qualitative interview study was conducted. Elderly people experiencing chronic OFP symptoms were invited to take part in an individual semi-structured interview. A total of 25 semi-structured interviews were performed for 25 participants. Results Pertinent issues relating to the treatment seeking behaviour emerged from the interviews, many of which were inter-related and overlapping. They were organized into three major themes: (i) Impact of chronic OFP on daily life; (ii) Personal knowledge and feeling of chronic OFP; (iii) Management of chronic OFP. The participants were found to have the intention to seek professional treatment, but there were barriers which discouraged them continuing to seek professional treatment. They also received complementary treatment for chronic OFP, such as acupuncture, massage and "chi kung". Moreover, a wide range self-management techniques were also mentioned. On the other hand, those who did not seek professional treatment for the chronic OFP claimed that they had accepted or adapted to the pain as part of their lives. Conclusions This qualitative study observed that elderly people affected by chronic OFP symptoms in Hong Kong sought many different ways to manage their pain including traditional and complementary approaches. The role of the dentist in dealing with chronic OFP is unclear. Multiple barriers exist to accessing care for chronic OFP. The findings may be used to inform future chronic OFP management strategies in Hong Kong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the connection between pro-Beijing schools and national education, focusing on the shaping of national education in the history of Hong Kong. The study also illuminates the similarities in national educational practices between the government-approved post-1997 model and the traditions of these pro-Beijing schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the increasingly multinational nature of the workplace, there have been few studies of the convergence and divergence in beliefs about ethics-based leadership across cultures. This study examines the meaning of ethical and unethical leadership held by managers in six societies with the goal of identifying areas of convergence and divergence across cultures. More specifically, qualitative research methods were used to identify the attributes and behaviors that managers from the People's Republic of China (the PRC), Hong Kong, the Republic of China (Taiwan), the United States (the U.S.), Ireland, and Germany attribute to ethical and unethical leaders. Across societies, six ethical leadership themes and six unethical leadership themes emerged from a thematic analysis of the open-ended responses. Dominant themes for ethical and unethical leadership for each society are identified and examined within the context of the core cultural values and practices of that society. Implications for theory, research, and management practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Organizational learning (OL) has been represented either as the systematic governance of collective expertise or as a relatively anarchic process of implicit transaction within and across fluid, dispersed communities of practice. Qualitative case-study research open to both perspectives was conducted in a not-for-profit service organization, a franchisee company and a vertically integrated company, all based in Hong Kong. Two forms of OL as systematic governance were found: ‘programmed’ OL (POL) and ‘autonomous-formal’ OL (AFOL), respectively. The relative emphasis on POL and AFOL appeared to vary from organization to organization, and to be influenced by management philosophy and by institutional frameworks such as professionalization and franchisee status. A ‘spontaneous’ and dispersed form of implicitly transacted OL (SOL) was also found. SOL appeared to reflect natural exuberance but was attenuated when colleagues regarded knowledge as a commodity. There appeared to be synergy between AFOL and SOL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

: BACKGROUND Previous studies examining experiences of infertility focused mainly on the aspect of loss but neglected the possible gains realized through surviving the experience of infertility. The success rate of IVF remains relatively low, and we used the strengths perspective to examine adjustment after unsuccessful treatment. This study aims to provide an in-depth description of the gains perceived by Chinese men and women and how they re-constructed their lives after unsuccessful IVF treatment. : METHODS Four couples and another six women who experienced unsuccessful IVF treatment were recruited from an assisted reproduction clinic. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, using a grounded theory constructivist approach. : RESULTS Of the 10 women and 4 men interviewed, 9 remained childless, 3 had adopted a child and 2 had conceived naturally. They reported gains on a personal level, interpersonal level and transpersonal level through surviving the experience of infertility. All, regardless of the eventual outcome, reported at least one form of personal gain: in personality or knowledge gain. Interpersonal gains were perceived in relationships with their spouses, children, parents, friends, colleagues and fellow IVF service users. More than half of them reported spiritual growth and a change in identity through integrating their experiences and offering help to others. : CONCLUSION Despite the small sample size, this study makes a significant contribution by suggesting that while negative feelings provoked by the failure to conceive should be acknowledged, people in this situation should also be enabled to consolidate their negative experiences of IVF constructively, helping them to move on with their lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]