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The aim of this study was to explore the factors influencing registered nurses' pursuit of postgraduate education in specialty nursing practice in Australia. Despite the increased requirement for postgraduate education for advanced practice, little has been reported on the contributory factors involved in the decision to undertake further education. The Nurses' Attitudes Towards Postgraduate Education instrument was administered to 1632 registered nurses from the Nurses and Midwives e-Cohort Study across Australia, with a response rate of 35.9% ( n = 568). Data reduction techniques using principal component analysis with varimax rotation were used. The analysis identified a three-factor solution for 14 items, accounting for 52.5% of the variance of the scale: 'facilitators,' 'professional recognition,' and 'inhibiting factors.' Facilitators of postgraduate education accounted for 28.5% of the variance, including: (i) improves knowledge; (ii) increases nurses' confidence in clinical decision-making; (iii) enhances nurses' careers; (iv) improves critical thinking; (v) improves nurses' clinical skill; and (vi) increased job satisfaction. This new instrument has potential clinical and research applications to support registered nurses' pursuit of postgraduate education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2-Alkylaminophenylprop-1-yn-3-ols, prepared from the lithium diisopropylamide (LDA)-mediated 1,2-addition of alkynes to 1-(2-aminophenyl) ketones, can be converted to 3,3-disubstituted 2-oxindoles by using silica gel in n-hexane/ethyl acetate (20:1 v/v) as the reaction medium. The utility of the approach as a potential scale-up strategy for the synthesis of 2-oxindoles was exemplified by the large-scale synthesis of one adduct in excellent yield. The synthetic applicability of this chemistry was also demonstrated by the recycling of the silica gel up to 8 times with no apparent loss of activity being observed for the same example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims at studying the investment flows in the Greater Pearl River Delta region (Hong Kong-PRD) in China and its impacts on industrial restructuring at the firm-level using a business survey with the Hong Kong-PRD entity acted as a core-periphery economy. The critical effects of gravity distance on transaction costs in the determination of investment flows are examined statistically by a gravity model by incorporating a hypothetical infrastructural construction project. Survey findings show that the evolution of the cross-border operations at the main core has directed the outward FDI flows and the subsequent industrial structural adjustments of the core-periphery economy. This paper has presented a typical illustrative case for further studies of investment flows and its impacts upon industrial adjustments and performance in other regions in China especially after the WTO accession. Its implication on regional economic growth is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ample efforts of FDI literature have researched on the motives and determinants of FDI flows based on ex-ante conditions. Little has been studied with regard to the effects of post-ante behaviour in determining future investment decisions. Post-ante experience of FDI decisions with regard to foreign investors’ satisfaction or dissatisfaction and future profit expectations on recurrent decisions are critical. This paper, thus, attempts to investigate FDI in the context of an emerging market environment with emphasis on how environmental and institutional factors and the micro-firm effects of how investors’ post-ante views on profits expectations and investment experience would affect MNCs’ decisions on recurrent investment and firm relocation. Empirical results show that decisions in the short and long run were affected differently by the factors under study. Specifically, the short-run decisions were more affected by profit expectations while the long run by post-ante experience on investment satisfaction/dissatisfaction and environmental and institutional determinants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explores efforts to promote foreign direct investments (FDI) in China. Export-led growth theories; Evolution of FDI promotion; Designs and implementations of preferential policies.

Analyzes the industrial concentration and competitive patterns of the manufacturing and non-manufacturing industries in Hong Kong using an entropy measurement. Performance of industrial concentration over time; Regression analysis of entropy index; Average entropy indexes and growth rates for manufacturing and services from 1976 to 1991.

Examines the evolution of the consumer electronics industry in Hong Kong. Industrial policy in Hong Kong from 1970 to 1992; Manufacturing strategies at firm level; Factor utilization and export performance of industry.

Introduces several articles about economic development in East Asia. Relationship between factor price equalization and the equality of per capita incomes; Discussion on foreign direct investment as an equilibrium outcome of strategic play between domestic and foreign firms within an environment; Discrepancy in the official estimates of the bilateral trade balance between China and the United States.

Introduces articles related to the economy of China and East Asia, published in the 2004 issue of "World Economy.