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The paper deals with some language strategies in the domain of the adaptation of foreign brand names (trade names) in Taiwan (ROC) in the context of Chinese language, society and culture. It also presents the results of the author's investigation into 50 Chinese/Taiwanese adaptations of brands of foreign food products. In the Chinese naming culture, proper names are predominantly semantically transparent and most members of Chinese society still believe that names can influence the fate of the objects named. It is evident, that brand names play a crucial role in the marketing of products and in their acceptance by the consumers, and ultimately their purchase decisions. Good and pleasing brand names contribute to the success of products, while improper and ugly names may contribute to their failure. In a time of globalization, many foreign products and brand names occur in Chinese-speaking countries, such as the PRC and Taiwan, probably the largest consumer markets in international business. Consumers' behavior and language are usually among the major barriers to the international market, so it is important to know the linguistic and social content of Chinese names and typical language strategies for the adaptation of Western brand names. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Building supply chain (SC) resilience is crucial for business continuity given the ever-changing environmental conditions. Based on the resource orchestration and organizational culture theories, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the business value of SC resilience with the consideration of the roles of internal integration (II) and external integration (EI), risk management culture (RMC) and SC flexibility (SCF). Design/methodology/approach: This study investigates how RMC, SCF and intra and interorganizational integration affect the performance of SC resilience. It collects primary and secondary data from 194 manufacturing firms listed in the Taiwan Stock Exchange and Taipei Exchange. Findings: Results validate the authors' hypothesis that RMC, SCF and II improve the financial performance of firms through SC resilience efforts. Research limitations/implications: This study uses firms from Taiwan manufacturing industry, which might introduce country and industry bias. Practical implications: This study helps managers improve the financial performance of their SC resilience efforts by developing RMC, SCF, II and IE across functions and partner firms. Originality/value: This study contributes to the literature by empirically testing the relationship between SC resilience and financial performance, and how the relationship is moderated by RMC, SCF, II and EI based on the theories of organizational culture and resource orchestration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Psychological well-being (PWB) facilitates good health. Few studies have taken into consideration gender and how it can affect PWB within a sociocultural context. This study aims to determine if relationships between social, health, behavioral, and socioeconomic factors on PWB among older Taiwanese adults are affected by gender. Methods: Data were obtained from the 2016 Taiwan Mental Health Survey. A representative sample, of 2,286 individuals, was created using multistage proportional probability. Participants were interviewed at their homes using a structured questionnaire. Inclusion criteria were Taiwanese citizenship, age = 55 years, and the ability to provide informed consent. Participants 65 years and above were selected for the study sample n = 1,533. An 18-item version of Ryff's PWB scale was used to determine PWB. The median value was used to categorize low and high PWB. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine predictors of PWB stratified by gender. Results: Chronic disease, unemployment, and financial dependence negatively impacted men's PWB. Satisfaction with living environment and family relationships positively impacted women's PWB. Unique characteristics of older men, women, and culture account for this. Conclusion: Gender-specific interventions aimed at promoting PWB in older adults are needed. Recommendations include educational programs, social support workshops, and community engagement initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to show that Taiwanese born in the 1980s constitute a "post-reform" generation whose perception of cultural difference and ethnicity may challenge the efficiency of the "four major ethnic groups" categorization as an analytical framework for research on Taiwanese youth's identity, political behaviour and social interactions. Using quantitative data from a questionnaire distributed in 15 universities nationwide in 2010 and qualitative data from interviews, this paper first focuses on the attitudes of Taiwanese born in the 1980s toward what are generally considered the three core elements of ethnic groupmaking in a Chinese socio-cultural context: patrilineality, locality and language. Then it shows that the combined effects of democratization, Taiwanization and contacts with mainland China have decisively impregnated their life experiences and influenced their perceptions of cultural difference. Consequently, the different aspects/ factors that contributed to the formation and the deepening of ethnic boundaries and ethnic conflict up until the 1990s are not effective anymore, nor are they significant for Taiwanese in their twenties. This process is transforming ethnicity rather than erasing it. Thus "having an ethnic identity" is still considered important by a majority, but its meaning and salience have changed, leading to the necessity to redefine, a process that could be undertaken using the concept of "symbolic ethnicity". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to examine the cultural influences on young consumers' loyalty tendency and evaluations of the relative importance of apparel retail store attributes in Taiwan and the USA. Design/methodology/approach -- A structured questionnaire was developed to collect the data. Factor analysis was employed to identify dimensions of apparel retail store image attributes. Pillai's Trace multivariate analysis of variance and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were used to examine the hypotheses. Findings -- Results of the study showed that American consumers have significantly greater collectivistic characteristics than Taiwanese. The paper also found that country of residence is a significant and stronger indicator in predicting loyalty tendency than individualism and collectivism dimensions. The results of the study showed that evaluation of the relative importance of retail store attributes was influenced by culture. Among the five apparel retail store attribute dimensions identified in the study, Taiwanese and US respondents' evaluation of the importance of "convenience", "product" and "information communication" factors of retail store image attributes differed significantly. Research limitations/implications -- The paper may contribute to international retailers' understanding of the similarities and differences between Taiwanese and US markets and in determining the ideal components for these retailers to create an optimized apparel retail store image in two different countries' markets. The findings from the study could serve as an important benchmark for retailing strategy, helping retailers to effectively redesign their apparel stores to attract consumers in different markets and foster consumers' loyal to the company. Originality/value -- Despite the growing internationalization of fashion retailing, this particular sector has attracted little research attention, and no research has been done to investigate the cultural differences of consumers' evaluations of apparel retail store image attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article looks at Taiwan's policy towards religion to show that non-Western societies can also achieve what Alfred Stepan called a "twin toleration" wherein the state does not intervene in religious affairs, and religion does not seek to control the state. The paper shows the sets of constraints in which policy-makers struggling for an adequate way to deal with religion operate. They have to choose among a variety of models in democratic societies, to take into account the legacy of the authoritarian era, and to consider the specificities of Taiwan's situation, influenced by a Chinese cultural heritage, Japanese colonialism and observations from other parts of the world. The paper then describes how these constraints have influenced the major stages in the evolution of relations between state and religions in Taiwanese society and then argue that the state had yet to reach a consensus up until 2008 on the legislation of religion because of disagreements between different religious actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the associations of societal trust and distrust with customer orientation. This paper also examines the impact of the above associations on organizational and HRM aspects of cautiousness, culture for change and job satisfaction in the banking industry. Design/methodology/approach - The data for this paper were collected from 812 bank employees in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the USA. Based on the suggestions in the literature this paper provides evidence to support the assertion that concepts of trust and distrust are not part of the same continuum. Findings - The results show a positive association between trust and customer orientation, and provide support for the conceptual distinction between societal trust and distrust. In addition, the study shows that the presence of a culture for change in banks moderates the relationship between societal trust and customer orientation. The results also suggest the overall importance of exercising cautiousness in the banking industry. Research limitations/implications- Limitations of this research include collection of data from single sources (bank employees) and the cross-sectional nature of the design. Implications of the results are: the distinction between trust and distrust and its implications for management of trust in organizations; the connection between trust, customer orientation and company performance; specific issues relating to banks - e.g. importance of culture of change, cautiousness and trust. Practical implications - Impact of developing trust in banks is not just for the quality of the relationships among bank employees. It is also perceived by the bank's customers and will have positive implications for the performance of the bank. Also, minimizing or removing "distrust" before expecting a working environment characterized by trust can be achievable. Also, importance of creating a culture that is conducive to change is a key component of a developing and maintaining trust in organizations. Originality/value - The evidence that shows the conceptual distinction between trust and distrust is a key finding. Also, cross national data on banks in which trust is shown to be connected to customer orientation and by implication to bank's performance in a unique finding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a portion of the results of a research project that explores the possibilities of using Mandarin children's literature for cultural understanding between the students of Taiwan and Mainland China, this paper discusses in depth what existing U. S. research may or may not help in constructing Mandarin reading lists and thus provides insights for applications in other settings. It also comes up with a new strategy for cultural understanding with twin texts from two cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The proportion of hospital deaths has declined in the past few decades, while the proportions of nursing home deaths have increased. This trend of increasing deaths in long-term care facilities underlines the importance of improving end-of-life care provisions in these settings to meet individual preferences and needs. Under these circumstances, a comprehensive understanding of end-of-life care preferences in local nursing home residents can help healthcare professionals and policymakers develop strategies to increase the advance directive completion rate and quality of care. This study aimed to explore and compare advance directive and end-of-life care preferences of nursing home residents in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Methods: A structured questionnaire was developed by the research team to investigate advance directive and end-of-life care preferences in older Chinese nursing home residents. Nursing home residents with frail or pre-frail status and over the age of 64 were invited to participate in the study, and information on demographics, functional status, advance directive experiences, and end-of-life care expectations was collected through questionnaire interviews. Results: A total of 325 eligible participants from 32 facilities completed the survey, including 238 older residents in Hong Kong and 87 in Taiwan. A significantly lower proportion of the Hong Kong residents had completed an advance directive compared with the Taiwanese (3 vs. 13%, p = 0.001). Among participants who did not have an advance directive, 46% of the Taiwanese participants said they would consider completing one in the future, compared with 20% of the Hong Kong participants (p < 0.001). A total of 79% of the Hong Kong participants and 80% of the Taiwanese participants responded that prolonging life in the given hypothetical dying scenario was "not important" (p = 0.76). Only 14% of participants in Hong Kong and 18% of participants in Taiwan reported prior occurrence of end-of-life care discussions with family members or health professionals (p = 0.37). Conclusions: This paper adds evidence in support of improving end-of-life communication and the advance directive completion rate in nursing homes in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Further research is necessary to explore cross-cultural differences in end-of-life preferences and its applications in predicting decision-making and the quality of end-of-life care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The feasibility of using the SF-36 in non-Western cultures is important for researchers seeking to understand cultural influences upon health status perceptions. This paper reports on the performance of the Taiwan version of the SF-36, including the implications of cultural influences., Methods: A total of 1191 volunteered subjects from the general population answered the translated SF-36 Taiwan version, which was developed following IQOLA project protocols., Results: Results from tests of scaling assumptions and reliability generally were satisfactory. Convergent validity, as assessed by comparing the SF-36 to a mental health oriented inventory, was acceptable. Results of principal components analysis were similar to US results for many scales. However, differences were seen for the Vitality scale which was a stronger measure of mental health than physical health in Taiwan. Results are compared to those from other Asian studies and the U.S., Conclusion: The results raise important questions regarding cultural influences in international studies of health status assessment. Further research into the conceptualization and components of mental health in Asian countries is warranted.

This paper investigates the moderating effect of national cultural contexts on the relationship between social networks and opportunity recognition. Data obtained from Taiwan and the United States support the proposition that cultural contexts, specifically the individualism-collectivism dimension, moderate the relationship between tie strength, structural holes, and opportunity recognition. Results indicate that in the United States, tie strength is negatively associated with opportunity identification and structural holes are positively associated with opportunity identification; whereas in Taiwan we find the opposite. The results also show that the interaction effect between bridging ties and tie strength on opportunity recognition varies depending on the cultural context. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To facilitate comparison across cultures, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been developing a universal measure of quality of life (QOL) called the WHOQOL Questionnaire. This questionnaire contains 24 facets organized into six broad domains: physical, psychological, level of independence, social relationships, environment, and spirituality/religion/personal beliefs. The standard WHOQOL is designed for cross-cultural comparison. However, to obtain a valid QOL measure that can be applied in diverse populations, cultural adaptation of the WHOQOL has been encouraged. Each culture is permitted to add culture-specific questions, called national items, so that the questionnaire can also reflect cultural attributes. Three Chinese versions of the WHOQOL have been developed for China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. National items were selected for each version according to the criteria proposed by the WHOQOL Group. The purpose of this paper is to compare the Taiwan version to the China and Hong Kong versions. The questionnaire development process, response scale generation, psychometric properties (reliability and validity), national items, and population means were all examined. Results indicated that not only is cultural adaptation of WHOQOL measures necessary for individual cultures, but also for sub-cultures, as these differences must be considered in order to provide effective health care and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the implications of the processes of globalization, localization, and Sinophilia for school music education, with a focus on Hong Kong and Taiwan. Hong Kong and Taiwanese students are expected to become multicultural with respect to Western classical music, traditional Chinese music, other forms of world music, and their local classical and folk music. This study's findings, however, suggest that the processes of globalization, localization, and Sinophilia are unequal determinants of the cultural transformation of Hong Kong and Taiwanese music education. The survey, which was completed by 1,750 Hong Kong and 1,674 Taiwanese secondary school students between March and May 2004, shows that students from both communities much prefer Western classical and popular musics to their respective local folk music, local classical music, and traditional Chinese styles. This paper argues that globalization operates as a homogenizing force in transmitting Western classical music and popular music in schools. Nonetheless, using globalization and localization together, we can stimulate the values of pluralism and emphasize cultural diversity through school music education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extant U.S. domestic literature provides evidence that if administered in an unbiased manner, merit pay can be a significant motivator. However, the same literature shows that judgment biases can lead to over-rewarding of ‘favored failures,’ individuals who receive favorable treatment despite their poor performance. The cross-cultural literature provides evidence that collectivist societies treat some portion of ‘merit’ pay as salary rewarding both successful and unsuccessful performers with some merit pay. There has been no test in this literature of the treatment of ‘favored failures’ but theoretical arguments and evidence from the cross-cultural escalation of commitment literature suggests that collectivist societies may be less subject to the ‘favored failures’ control problem. A ‘face’ effect may offset the effect of collectivism in Chinese societies. Using a behavioral experiment and subjects from countries that are at the extremes of Hofstede's (2000) individualism-collectivism spectrum (Taiwan, United States) this paper finds that evaluators (subjects) from the more individualist U.S., overall provide less merit less often to poor performers than the collectivist Taiwanese. The U.S. evaluators also display significantly greater judgment biases than the Taiwanese for poor performers to whom they have a prior commitment. Thus, both societies have biases but from different angles and, as such, present employers with different control issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is twofold: (1) to investigate crisis communicative strategies (CCSs) in a Chinese context, and (2) to develop a model integrating the measures, categories, and continuum of CCS. A survey of public relations and public affairs managers from Taiwan''s top-500 companies was undertaken to examine actual experiences of handling crises. The results showed that five crisis communicative strategies emerged from the factor analysis, i.e., denial, diversion, excuse, justification, and concession. The cultural implication of the new factor, i.e., diversion, accordant with the theme of strategic ambiguity in the business literature, is explored. Moreover, this paper suggested placing the five CCSs in a two-continuum matrix, i.e., defense-accommodation and specification-ambiguity. The paper concludes with a discussion of practical applications, theoretical contribution, and cultural implications of the results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A growing mass of research contributes to our understanding of how biological and cultural diversity are related in complex and important ways. This paper presents an assembling process of biodiversity and cultural diversity on an island, Kin-men (Quemoy), based on 1600 years of its environmental history. The study shows that the island's biocultural assemblages are a result both of external relations with the island's surrounding environment and internal relations within the island's changing human ecology. Distant political powers and economic forces are the two major external influences that have affected the flow of natural and cultural elements to and from the island, while ‘screening effects’ and ‘isolation effects’ are two factors that explain internal interactions. The island's biocultural assembling processes reveal that the openness of the island facilitates increase in the diversity of biocultural elements, while its less disturbed isolated condition fosters natural succession and co-evolution. The study suggests that biocultural assemblages and the associated processes of co-evolution and nature–society interactions are accomplished through the intermittent opportunities purposively provided by or inadvertently found in the openings and closures of boundaries, setting the scene for both boundary crossings and bounded shelter, by intent or chance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper identifies the major precursors and pathways to prostitution for contemporary Taiwanese girls and the socioeconomic and cultural changes that have facilitated the shift in pathways over the past 10 years. Special attention is paid to the case of Taiwanese aborigines, who have particularly suffered systemic disruption due to prostitution. Analysis of case files and interviews provide quantitative and qualitative data that highlight the role of filial piety and the shift from indenture to runaway as the major pathway in Taiwan. Discussion includes relation of these findings to juvenile entry into prostitution in other countries, directions for future research, and policy recommendations for Taiwan's government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The feasibility of using the SF-36 in non-Western cultures is important for researchers seeking to understand cultural influences upon health status perceptions. This paper reports on the performance of the Taiwan version of the SF-36, including the implications of cultural influences. Methods: A total of 1191 volunteered subjects from the general population answered the translated SF-36 Taiwan version, which was developed following IQOLA project protocols. Results: Results from tests of scaling assumptions and reliability generally were satisfactory. Convergent validity, as assessed by comparing the SF-36 to a mental health oriented inventory, was acceptable. Results of principal components analysis were similar to US results for many scales. However, differences were seen for the Vitality scale which was a stronger measure of mental health than physical health in Taiwan. Results are compared to those from other Asian studies and the U.S. Conclusion: The results raise important questions regarding cultural influences in international studies of health status assessment. Further research into the conceptualization and components of mental health in Asian countries is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the need for making connections between and among cultures, especially among Aboriginal and dominant cultures. The context of the paper is one in which we compare and contrast three Aboriginal cultures: the Adnyamathanha people of South Australia, the Sechelt people of Canada, and the Paiwan people of Taiwan. In the act of making connections, we suggest that several themes need to be addressed. The first theme is cultural memory: connections with land. Immersing oneself in the three Aboriginal cultures highlighted here, it is clear that cultural memory (oral history) is deeply tied to connections with land. The second theme is cultural performance: creating and living connections. Rather than conceptualizing visual products as art, we suggest cultural performance as a concept which embraces the integrated nature of culture. Culture is performed through the participation of creators and viewers within a cultural context. The third theme is one of cultural translation: connections for art education. Coming to understand another culture is an act of cultural translation, an act that can only represent a partial understanding from a personal perspective. Through recognizing and respecting cultural memory and cultural performance, art educators may be better able to act as cultural translators alongside members in cultural groups wishing to engage students in learning about their cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The researcher investigated how the teachers at the preschool integrated the vision of the preschool, educational goals, and community resources to develop and implement the local culture curriculum as well as what problems they encountered in the process. Thereafter, the researcher developed strategies that can be used to solve such problems. The researcher discovered that the most important aspects of the local culture curriculum were (1) its ability to pique the children's interest in history and the humanities through the lens of the children's experiences at the market, and (2) its integration of local culture and the community, specifically through interactions between young children and adults at a vegetable market. The implementation of the local culture curriculum involved the following steps: (1) establishing a thematic network; (2) planning the activities, including exploring the children's previous experiences and adjusting the curriculum and teaching methods accordingly; (3) conducting the activities, including visiting and participating in work at the market; (4) evaluating the activities; and (5) creating thank you cards and formulating plans for store renovation. Some of the obstacles the teachers encountered in the development and implementation of the vegetable-market-themed local culture curriculum were (1) shortages of preschool teachers willing to teach outdoor courses, (2) concerns about young children's safety, and (3) young children's lack of experience. Finally, on the basis of my conclusion, the researcher developed the following culturally responsive education strategies: (1) integrating aspects of local culture and the community into courses, (2) situating local culture courses in learning areas, (3) developing local culture curriculum that are rich in humanities, and (4) developing local culture curriculum based on parent–teacher cooperation to overcome teacher shortages at preschools. The results of this study may serve as a reference in the development of a local culture curriculum and other strategies to cultivate young children's cultural identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we examine how the interplay between economic resources and gender may explain the division of household labor in Taiwan, a society with the rich heritage of Chinese culture. As one of the few studies on the division of household labor among married couples in non- western settings, our analyses show both the similarities and differences between Taiwanese and American couples. Specifically, we found that men's share of household labor was explained by their income, education, gender ideology, and the number of children, which is relatively similar to previous findings in the United States. On the contrary, none of the above factors shows significant effects on women's share of household labor. Instead, we found that higher occupational status decreases women' share of household labor. Moreover, we found that unemployed husbands share less household labor and women with equal or higher occupational status relative to their spouses perform more household labor in extended families, indicating that couples in these households try to neutralize their unconventional roles through household labor participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Shared decision making (SDM) is a patient-centered nursing concept that emphasizes the autonomy of patients. SDM is a co-operative process that involves information exchange and communication between medical staff and patients for making treatment decisions. In this study, we explored the experiences of clinical nursing staff participating in SDM. Methods: This study adopted a qualitative research design. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 21 nurses at a medical center in northern Taiwan. All interview recordings were transcribed verbatim. Content analysis was performed to analyze the data. Results: The findings yielded the following three themes covering seven categories: knowledge regarding SDM, trigger discussion and coordination, and respect of sociocultural factors. Conclusions: The results of this study describe the experiences of clinical nursing staff participating in SDM and can be used as a reference for nursing education and nursing administrative supervisors wishing to plan and enhance professional nursing SDM in nursing education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education for sustainable development (ESD) is promoted as one important component in the endeavor toward sustainable development. Goal 4 in the Sustainable Development Goals (UN in Sustainable development goals—17 goals to transform our world, 2017) in particular targets the role of ESD in this respect. The importance of cultural specificity in ESD is emphasized in numerous international policy documents, but there are few cross-cultural studies that focus on the broad context of sustainable development and ESD. The current study investigates the sustainability consciousness of grade 12 students (age 18–19) in Taiwan (N = 617) and Sweden (N = 583) and discusses the implications for ESD policy and practice. The findings indicate that significant differences exist between the two samples, both with respect to their sustainability consciousness and within the three sub-constructs of knowingness, attitudes and self-reported behaviors. The differences are considered in light of the cultural value orientations of the East Asian and Western European regions. Implications for ESD are discussed from the perspective of cultural specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research aims: This study aims to examine the influential paths and internal relationships of organisational power, organisational culture and organisational cohesiveness. Design/Methodology/Approach: The Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) is used to analyse the survey data collected from 222 practitioners who are from five cosmetology industries based in Taiwan. Research findings: This study reveals that: (1) both organisational power and organisational culture individually creates significant impacts on organisational cohesiveness, and (2) organisational culture plays an important role as a mediator between organisational power, and organisational cohesiveness. Theoretical contribution/Originality: This finding encourages the need for more positive organisational culture to be built to enhance organisational cohesiveness which contributes to the achievement and performance of both the individuals and the organisations at large. Practitioner/Policy implications: The interactive factors' effect overwhelms the single-factor effect, where individuals develop their organisational cohesiveness, even if each single factor functions separately. In reality, organisational culture needs to be the first priority factor to be developed in a workplace so as to build cohesiveness. Research limitations/Implications: This study is conducted based on a fundamental assumption, hence the limitation lies in that the surveyed sample may or may not fully understand the question/items provided in the questionnaire. This could affect the level of honest answers revealed through their perceptions. Future studies may consider taking the qualitative approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To develop and validate a Taiwanese version of the Health Enhancement Lifestyle Profile (HELP-T) for community-dwelling older Taiwanese adults (≥ 55 years). Methods: The original Health Enhancement Lifestyle Profile (HELP) is a 56-item self-report questionnaire measuring various aspects of health-related lifestyles in older adults. The standard cultural-adaptation procedure was used for questionnaire translation and modification. A field test was conducted for culturally specific item selection, rating-scale analysis, and psychometric validation of the HELP-T in a sample of 274 community-dwelling older adults via classical test theory. Results: The 59-item HELP-T is culturally adapted from the original 56-item HELP. The original 6-point rating scale was modified to a 3-point scale for easy use by Taiwanese older adults. The HELP-T had good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.82). The test-retest reliability for the total score was high (0.92), and moderate to high (range: 0.57–0.92) for subscales. The construct validity was supported by the significant correlations between each subscale and the total score (Spearman’s rho = 0.41–0.67, p < 0.0001) and by the ability of the scores to significantly discriminate between participants with different levels of self-rated health (p = 0.0001). Conclusions: The HELP-T is a suitable clinical tool for assessing and monitoring lifestyle risk factors, establishing client-centered lifestyle intervention goals, and determining the outcomes of lifestyle interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human resources are increasingly crucial to the growing economies of East Asia, which are striving to diversify economically toward higher value-added product-markets to continue their growth. Human resource management (HRM) in Taiwan, based on Confucianism and influenced by Western management research and practice, has been experiencing a major paradigm shift of sorts in recent years. With Taiwan’s rapid economic growth followed by its industrial and institutional transformation, HRM in the region has been developing to cope with the increasingly competitive and fast-changing business world. As such, this study reviews HRM’s development in Taiwan over the recent decades. The reviewed studies were gathered from work published from 1990 to 2016 appearing in the Social Sciences Citation Index or Taiwan Social Sciences Citation Index Chinese journals. A detailed discussion of HRM development in Taiwan is made, along with a summarizing scheme and some comparison to HRM in other select economies in East Asia, including those of Mainland China and Hong Kong which share the same cultural lineage and values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study identifies the cultural influences on the adoption of mobile commerce based on the comparative cases of Taiwan and Malaysia, so as to give insights to mobile operators' global entries. Using Hofstede's five cultural orientations as moderators in conjunction to Davis' technology acceptance model (TAM), the combined model has been tested by the confirmatory factor analysis for measurement validity and the multiple regression approach for the moderation effect of cultural influences on the adoption of novel mobile services. This results show that uncertainty avoidance (UA), individualism (ID), and long-term (LT) orientation have significant influences on the influence of perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease-of-use (PEOU) regarding the adoption intentions of mobile commerce. However, the power distance (PD) and masculinity (MA) have different effects in Taiwan and Malaysia. These results not only supplement the explanation of the technology adoption, but also hold strategic implications for the global expansion of mobile operators by emphasizing on local preferences and their differentiation advantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a data set of 220 Taiwanese public firms with 2,200 observations over a ten-year period representing Taiwan's economic takeoff period in the late 1990s, as well as six follow-up interviews conducted with top managers several years hence, this research examines the propensity of an important change variable for firms: the turnover of boards of directors. Specifically, it examines the relationship between board turnover and the organization's environment, firm performance, and the largest shareholder's control during a key period of economic transition and growth for Taiwan. The results show that substantial changes in board composition, though still not especially common in Taiwan, do occur, even in closely held companies. Turnover in the board is negatively related to the largest shareholder's control power as well as firm performance. Board changes however, are not related to the environmental munificence and dynamism. These results are rather consistent with related research on firms in ethnic Chinese communities which suggests that top management and board turnover while not common, does sometimes occur, and more recent institutional and industrial change in Taiwan is likely encouraging further governance reform. This has implications for important facets of firm governance and change, as well as expanding our knowledge about firms domiciled in an ethnic Chinese community, particularly during times of economic transition and growth. Follow-up interviews with four top managers from our sample, along with one consultant and one government official in Taiwan provided additional confirmation and clarification of our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background We investigated the association of early life social factors—maternal age, single motherhood, socioeconomic position, birth order and family size—with future risk of suicide in Taiwan.Methods Using a nested case-control design, we used linked data from Taiwan’s Birth Registry (1978–93) and Taiwan’s Death Registry (1993–2008) and identified 3984 suicides aged 15–30 years. For each suicide, 30 controls matched by age and sex were randomly selected, using incidence density sampling. Conditional logistic regression models were estimated to assess the association of early life risk factors with suicide.Results Younger maternal age (<25 years), single motherhood, lower paternal educational level and higher birth order were independently associated with increased risk of suicide. Stratified analyses suggest that lower paternal educational level was associated with male, but not female suicide risk (Pinteraction = 0.02). Single motherhood was a stronger risk factor for suicide in female than in male offspring [odds ratios (95% confidence interval) = 2.30 (1.47, 3.58) vs. 1.50 (1.01, 2.20), Pinteraction = 0.12]. There was a suggestion that in families with large sibship size (&geq;4 siblings), the excess in suicide risk was greater among later born daughters compared with later born sons (Pinteraction = 0.05).Conclusions Our findings provide support for the results of European studies, suggesting that early life social circumstances influence future risk of suicide. Factors specific to Taiwanese culture, such as a preference for male offspring, may have influenced gender-specific patterns of risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sociologists have long been interested in the effects of sibship structures. Although previous research generally focuses on the impacts of sibship characteristics on educational outcomes, these characteristics may also affect individuals' decisions about marriage by shaping their resource availability, parental expectations, or social skills and contacts. Using a nationally representative sample from Taiwan, we examine how sibship size, birth-order rank, and sibship sex composition are associated with men's and women's transitions to first marriage. The analysis shows that men who have no male siblings tend to accelerate their rates of entering marriage. By contrast, women with more siblings or in earlier birth positions are likely to do the same. We argue that the findings for women reflect the influences of sibship structures on household resource allocation, whereas those for men have to do with the cultural emphasis on sons' responsibility for carrying on the family lineage. Moreover, Chinese cultural norms that prescribe different roles for married sons and daughters account for the asymmetrical mechanisms revealed for men and women in Taiwan. Results from this study thus underscore the need to consider family norms and cultural contexts in explaining the transition to marriage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the gender relationship of men and women in Taiwan. Firstly, it employs power relation to explore what the gender relationship is and how this gender relationship has produced. Secondly, it describes how this gender relationship has influenced Taiwanese society. It also explains the gender inequality of both sexes in Taiwan and Taiwanese women's resistance to traditional and Western culture. Thirdly, it analyses how this gender relationship has reflected on Taiwanese women's leisure. The analysis is designed to indicate the roles held by women and men in Taiwanese society in this research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With introduction of social niche effects into a model of cultural change, the frequency of a practice cannot predict the frequency of its underlying belief. The combination of a general model with empirical data from a specific case illustrates the importance of collaboration between modellers and field researchers, and identifies the type of quantitative data necessary for analysing case studies. Demographic data from colonial-period household registers in Taiwan document a shift in marriage form within 40 years, from a mixture of uxorilocal marriages and virilocal marriages to the latter's dominance. Ethnographic data indicate marriage-related beliefs, costs, ethnic effects and colonial policies as well as the importance of horizontal cultural transmission. We present a formal model for the effects of moral beliefs about marriage and a population economic index on the decline of uxorilocal marriage. We integrate empirical marriage rates and an estimated economic index to produce five projections of the historical frequencies of one belief. These projections demonstrate how economic development may affect a cultural niche. They also indicate the need for future research on the relationship between wealth and cultural variability, the motivational force of cultural versus social factors, and the process of cultural niche construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrates how top management team (TMT) conflict impacts new product development (NPD) under cultural differences between Taiwan and the United States. Based on cultural differences, we compare Taiwan and the United States to explore how the heterogeneity of TMT composition leads to team conflict and how TMT conflict affects NPD outcomes in different stages. Several research propositions are presented and indicate that the higher TMT heterogeneity results in a higher degree of team conflict. Furthermore, cognitive conflict positively affects NPD initiation stage, but negative in the implementation stage. From a perspective of cultural differences, managers in Taiwan, compared with those in the United States, tend to sustain organizational cohesion and harmony, emphasize personal relationships, and sidestep direct conflict as much as possible. This cultural characteristic negatively affects NPD initiation, and also wears away the competitive advantages for Taiwanese companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guanxi, or social networks common in Confucian cultures, has long been recognized as one of the major factors for success when doing business in China. However, insider networks in business are certainly not confined to Asian cultures, nor is the attendant possibility for corruption. This study obtained original data to investigate current Taiwanese perceptions of (1) how guanxi is established and cultivated; (2) how guanxi actually is practiced now and people’s acceptance of it; and (3) the effects of guanxi on business operations, employment/promotion, and social justice and fairness. The researchers also hope to (4) verify some arguments made by pioneering researchers. The authors speculate on how these attitudes may affect behavior in business transactions in hopes of making readers more aware of differing cultural values that may create unexpected ethical dilemmas. They suggest that professional ethical codes should provide guidance on the practice of guanxi in a Confucian society and that special emphasis or training in interpreting those codes may be required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paul Bond is a lawyer who overheard two other lawyers at his office discussing the proposed purchase of a company by one of their clients. He proceeds to buy shares of this company. Would you rate Bond’s behavior completely fair, acceptable, unfair, or very unfair? I posed this vignette to samples of university students in China, Taiwan, and the U.S. Most students in the U.S. and Taiwan samples rated Bond’s behavior unfair or very unfair while most students in the China rated Bond’s behavior completely fair or acceptable. Perceptions of fairness are part of the culture of a country and culture affects business practices. I discuss culture, perceptions of fairness, and business practices in China, Taiwan, and the U.S. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  The objective of this study was to examine and predict the time trend of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after total hip replacement (THR). A total of 383 patients receiving primary THR at two medical centers in Taiwan during 1997 to 2000 were enrolled for the study. Face-to-face interviews were conducted by using physician-rated Harris hip score and patient-reported short-form 36-item health survey (SF-36) immediately before the surgery and at 3, 6, 12, 24, and 60 months after surgery. Data analysed by piecewise linear regression revealed remarkable improvements in HRQoL dimensions at the third month after surgery and kept improving until the threshold level of from 39 months to 81 months, at which it reached a plateau. Role limitations due to physical and emotional problems and social functioning after surgery saw the most remarkable improvements, which appear to be related to improvements in functioning in many other dimensions of health. Such interdependence of the dimensions should be examined carefully to see if improvements in social roles can help improve the overall HRQoL in a more effective manner. The results should be applicable to other hospitals in Taiwan and in other countries with similar social and cultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the quasi-religious practice of Heqi in Taiwan. Heqi's purpose of 'reflecting and reinforcing the mandates of individual success while generating a new collective ethos within an electro-spiritual field of universal love'; Therapeutic effects of Heqi wailing sounds in contemporary Taiwanese life; Heqi physics and metaphysics; Description of Heqi practice observed by the author; Critical discussion of Heqi promises and practices; Heqi founder Michael Chou.

International transfers require adaptational processes by the persons concerned that also include changes in everyday knowledge. Taking the Chinese concept of "face" as an example, changes in knowledge structures of 15 Germans in Taiwan were explored in a longitudinal study. By use of a structure formation technique, a method that was developed in the context of the "research program subjective theories", these changes were monitored over the period of one year. Despite of theoretical shortcomings of the underlying framework "research program subjective theories" the method proved fruitful for analysing personal experiences in intercultural encounters as well as documenting changes of everyday knowledge that can be interpreted as an expression of an intercultural learning process. Results further suggest that a modified version of a structure formation technique might also be used for intercultural coaching purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Active learning is defined as any instructional method that engages students in the learning process. Cultural differences in learning patterns can play an important role in engagement with active learning. We aimed to examine process models of active learning to understand what works, for whom and why. Methods: Forty-eight sixth- and seventh-year medical students with experience of active learning methods were purposively selected to participate in ten group interviews. Interactions around active learning were analysed using a realist evaluation framework to unpack the 'context-mechanism-outcome' (CMO) configurations. Results: Three core CMO configurations, including cultural, training and individual domains, were identified. In the cultural context of a strong hierarchical culture, the mechanisms of fear prompted students to be silent (outcome) and dare not give their opinions. In the training context of teacher-student familiarity alongside teachers' guidance, the mechanisms of learning motivation, self-regulation and enthusiasm were triggered, prompting positive learning outcomes and competencies (outcome). In the individual context of learning how to learn actively at an early stage within the medical learning environment, the mechanisms of internalisation, professional identity and stress resulted in recognising active learning and advanced preparation (outcomes). Conclusions: We identified three CMO configurations of Taiwanese medical students' active learning. The connections among hierarchical culture, fear, teachers' guidance, motivation, the medical environment and professional identity have been shown to affect the complex interactions of learning outcomes. Fear derived from a hierarchical culture is a concern as it is a significant and specific contextual factor, often sparking fear with negative outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While career anchors have mainly studied in the US society; this study demonstrates the difference in the career anchors of the information technology/information system (IT/IS) personnel rooted in different cultures. The survey was conducted in the PRC (202), Taiwan (145), India (223), the UAE (167), and the US (122) totaling 859 respondents. This study examines the relationship between the guanxi culture, career anchor, job satisfaction, and turnover intention among these five cultural societies' IT/IS personnel. The result shows that the guanxi culture has a different effect on each career anchor, and each one also has a different effect on job satisfaction in the five different cultural societies as well; thus, they have different results in the research model. Also discussed are the implications of the study and its contribution to the research and management practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]