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Objective: Clarifying the distinctions between art-based creative activities in the domains of occupational therapy and art therapy in the context of stroke rehabilitation, while also describing the effects of art-based creative activities on stroke rehabilitation. Design: Scoping review. Data source: A systematic search was performed in nine databases (Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and four Chinese database) from their inception to December 2023. Review methods: The study included randomized and non-randomized controlled trials involving art-based creative activities, as well as qualitative research providing detailed intervention measures. The study focused on stroke patients, with primary outcomes related to patients' physiological recovery, psychological well-being, ADL, etc. Data extraction included information on intervention strategies and study results. Results: Seventeen studies were included, extracting six similarities and differences in creative activity between two domains. Creative activities were observed to have positive impacts on daily living activities, limb motor function, fine motor ability, and emotional well-being in stroke patients. Conclusion: Creative activities, whether in occupational therapy or art therapy, involve providing participants with tangible crafting materials for the creation of artistic works. Future stroke rehabilitation practices should tailor activities and intervention focus based on patients' rehabilitation needs, preferences, and cultural background. The current comprehensive analysis provides initial support for the potential positive role of creative activities in stroke rehabilitation, but further in-depth research is needed to confirm their effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on evaluating the quality of reporting in palliative and end-of-life care intervention studies regarding social characteristics like socioeconomic position, race, religion, and main language of participants. Topics include the findings that a significant proportion of studies do not report these characteristics adequately, with a tendency to use broad categories that may not capture the diversity of participants, hindering efforts to address inequalities in palliative care.

This paper analyzes China's impact on Australia-U.S. relations from 1949 to 1996, including how far Australia's China policy followed the American lead. The conclusion: American influence was dominant, but Australia's own initiative was enough to belie the suggestion that it was no more than a blind follower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, Richard Hill addresses the topic of China supposedly undermining Australia's national security and way of life, and causing ructions on university campuses. He writes that Chinese infiltration, or so it seems, is everywhere, from excessive housing investments and land buy-ups to dodgy dinner dates with ALP officials; and from Confucian Institutes (as fronts for espionage activities) to the take-over of student unions by Chinese students. Concern has even arisen over the spread of Chinese takeaways and the growing demand for Mandarin courses, both clearly promoting Chinese influence across the nation. Hill goes on to say that three journalists from the "Sydney Morning Herald/The Age" (Baker, Hunter & Bonyhady, 2019) took the brave step of striding into the murky world of Chinese students to expose the shadowy goings on. Hill opines that following some general observations on 'the Chinese issue', their report morphs into a more general discussion of how Australian universities deal with international students -- no trivial matter, given their contribution to university coffers. Apparently, to no surprise, not all of these student visitors are happy campers. Hill asserts that after all, Australian journalists inform the public, that these students have to fork out up to three times more for their education than domestic students, often live in dilapidated and over-crowded accommodation, and feel estranged, lonely and depressed. Many of them struggle with the most basic English, which makes reading turgid academic texts and assignment completion tough going. Worried by such questionable investigative reportage, Hill shares a slightly amended version of a letter he wrote directly to the journalists. He concludes that 'corruption risks' notwithstanding, it has become glaringly obvious that Australian universities are massively over-reliant on overseas students for their income and face an epic implosion when this revenue stream dries up, which it will once China and India build up their own sectors.

Driven by both economic and geopolitical imperatives, negotiation of the Australia-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) has been slow and difficult. The negotiation process has reached an impasse since the latest round took place in March 2012. Major reasons for this include difficulties encountered in negotiating on agriculture, services, investment, and government procurement contracts and surrounding populist resistance from both Australian and Chinese domestic constituencies. Following more than eight years of negotiations and establishment of closer trade related ties, there is a lot at stake for both countries in the outcome of these discussions. This paper examines these issues and of the way forward towards a workable negotiation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of student satisfaction in higher education settings highlight the contribution of teaching, learning and assessment, institutional status, and the personal factors of self-efficacy, preparedness, and sense of community. Transnational partnership research has identified that similar student satisfaction factors are experienced by mainland Chinese students enrolled in English-language degrees. However, there are certain challenges related to foreign language skill development, intercultural exchange, and lack of local contextualization. This paper provides insights into the interplay among satisfaction factors in the transnational context of an Australian-China higher education partnership for Chinese students studying a Business degree in their home country. In addition, the paper highlights the value added to the student experience by the expeditious use of local Chinese exemplars and translanguaging across the two languages to explain the more complex concepts presented in the course content. In so doing, the paper sheds some light on the role of local, native speaking staff in the teaching and learning process and their contribution to student satisfaction, a known retention benefit to higher education institutions.

Short‐term load forecasting is essential to power systems management. However, most existing forecasting methods fail to fully consider how to rationally integrate the intrinsic time‐related dimensions of electric load data and the decomposition methods into machine learning models so that their prediction accuracy and robustness still have much room for improvement. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a decomposition‐based multi‐time dimension long short‐term memory (DB‐MTD‐LSTM) model for short‐term electric load forecasting (STELF). In DB‐MTD‐LSTM, empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN) is first introduced to smooth non‐linear non‐stationary electric load data and constrain the modal aliasing or noise of decomposed electric load data in the traditional decomposed method. A joint relevant time dimensions method (JRTDM) is then developed using autocorrelation analysis to rationally extract the temporal characteristics of decomposed data in multiple time dimensions. An improved LSTM called MTD‐LSTM is developed by combining JRTDM with LSTM, which can effectively apply multi‐dimensional time characteristics of the decomposed load to improve the predictive accuracy and robustness. Several datasets from Australia and China are performed to check the predictive performance of DB‐MTD‐LSTM. Experimental results verify that DB‐MTD‐LSTM has better predictive accuracy and satisfactory robustness compared with state‐of‐the‐art and conventional predictive models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the evolution of the ethics committees for health research, their history, membership, and function in China and Australia is described. Investigators in each country compared the history and governance of their ethical systems based on the published evidence rather than personal opinions. Similarly, examples of challenges were selected from the literature. In both countries, the aim was to maximize the social benefits of research and minimize the risk imposed on the participants. Common challenges include maintaining independence, funding and delivering timely ethical reviews of the research projects. These challenges can be difficult where research ethics committees rely on voluntary contributions and lack a strong resource base. They must adapt to the increasingly rapid pace of research as well as the technological sophistication. Population health research can challenge the conventional views of consent and privacy. The principles of the sound ethical review are common in both countries; governance arrangements and operational procedures, however, can differ, reflecting the cultural values and norms of their host countries and in respect of legal environments. By studying the evolution and function of ethics committees in the two countries, we established the differences in the governance and health systems, while similar ethical objectives helped sustain collaborative research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Studying the roles of governments in adopting green innovations is significant for analysing the transition to a more sustainable energy system. This article presents a comparative study of policies for popularizing domestic solar water heaters in three countries: China, Israel and Australia. Expanding the analysis beyond the economics of innovation, it demonstrates the institutional dimension of green technology deployment in these three countries. By examining the diverging roles of governments in facilitating green technology adoption in existing social routines and practices, it finds that governments' motivations, support and implementation mechanisms are remarkably different in these three countries. In particular, the paper argues that solar water heater popularization has been distinguished as a business opportunity in China, energy security in Israel and environmental responsibility in Australia. In addition, the institutional settings have a real impact on governments' roles in adopting green innovations, in terms of the policy instruments chosen and implementation mechanisms. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine if high versus low ethnocentric consumers differ in their attitudes toward buying domestic and foreign brands of underwear that are made domestically or in foreign countries. Design/methodology/approach – Australian residents recruited through a mall intercept participated in this study through a self-completed questionnaire. Fishbein's Multi-Attribute model was used as the measure, along with repeated-measures ANOVA and t-tests, to examine whether the groups differed in their attitudes toward buying underwear with "Made in Australia", "Made in the USA", and "Made in China" labels. Findings – The findings generally indicated that there is no significant difference between high and low ethnocentric consumers in attitude towards underwear that are made in Australia and the USA. On the other hand, high ethnocentric consumers viewed domestically made and branded underwear as more durable, easier to care for, better priced, more colourful, more attractive, more fashionable, of stronger brand name, more appropriate for occasions, and more choices of styles. Domestically-made but foreign-branded underwear is viewed as easier to care for and better priced. Practical implications – The study suggests that China should improve its country image as compared to such developed nations as Australia and the USA in terms of production and manufacturing standards. The study also purports that American underwear brands with strong presence in the global fashion world that have not already established operation in Australia can consider entering the market. Originality/value – The paper fills the gap in the ethnocentrism literature by validating the study in Australia and focusing on the attitudes of high ethnocentric (and low ethnocentric) consumers. It also examines underwear, which is a common product category in apparels but inherently deficient in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kyoto Protocol continues to provide a binding framework for global warming prevention. However, it will be supplanted by the Paris Agreement in 2020. Unlike the Kyoto Protocol, where only developed countries take responsibility for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, the Paris Agreement involves all countries who have signed the accord. Following the Paris Agreement, it has been agreed that global warming will be kept within a 2°C increase from pre-industrial levels. In this paper, the implications of this policy reform on Japan, China and Australia are discussed. Utilizing the" Clean Development Mechanism" (CDM) in the Kyoto Protocol, many Japanese firms have used foreign direct investments (FDI) to conduct reforestation in areas outside Japan in order to offset emissions produced by Japan. Although this mechanism might be weakened by the Paris Agreement, the contribution to reforestation by Japanese firms using FDIs have not always been significant as they were oriented towards business interests rather than environmental goals. Most of these FDIs were carried out by electrical power companies, trading firms, paper manufacturing companies and companies using paper. In addition, the newly planted trees tended to be cut down every 7 years for chip pulp used in paper production which was then exported by Japanese firms. Trees can only effectively absorb CO2 when they are grown for longer terms. Therefore, these Japanese FDI projects can be viewed with suspicion in regards to reducing CO2 emissions. In addition, the expected shift from nuclear power to thermal power in Japan following the 2011 Fukushima Disaster will likely mean uranium imports from Australia will shrink in favor of coal. This will not only impact the Australian economy but may also have negative effects on Japan's attempts to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Both Japan and Australia had failed to ratify the Paris agreement before its implementation although they signed it afterwards. This has substantially weakened their negotiation powers with regards to climate change. However, Chinese leadership on climate change has continued to strengthen, particularly after President Donald Trump announced the USA's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and TPP and the EU's instability following Brexit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Since the 1980s, and especially after China's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1991, international educational collaborations have developed in China. Spurred by economic, cultural and educational factors, joint programs have become an essential supplement to Chinese education. Despite the obvious and diverse benefits brought about by joint programs, various challenges arise. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the benefits and challenges generally and then in a more targeted way through the lens of one Sino-Australian partnership.Design/methodology/approach – This paper uses a case study of one joint Australia-China program to explore the development, benefits and challenges of joint programs in China and suggest how to improve the overall quality of the joint programs which will further international collaboration of educational institutions in China.Findings – Joint programs are a strategic component of the expansion and globalization objectives of the Chinese government. They offer more opportunities for Chinese students to receive an overseas education, enhance the research profile of Chinese universities and promote new ways of teaching and learning. For the Australian government, transnational education and the model of joint programs are helping to build Australia's research reputation, develop alternative teaching and learning ideas and promote global citizenship. Challenges include linguistic issues, financial problems, inefficient management, program assessment, qualifications, skills of teaching staff and different ways of thinking.Practical implications – Enhancing pedagogical quality within a business paradigm is a unifying imperative.Originality/value – The paper presents a new case study analysis for joint program educators and decision makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because they have taken the lead in providing transnational accounting programs in China, Australian universities have a corresponding responsibility to deliver programs of the highest quality. One of the challenges this poses for transnational accounting education is how to engage with the local Chinese context. This paper addresses this challenge by presenting a teaching note on teaching the Australian conceptual framework for financial reporting to Chinese students in the context of China's convergence with International Financial Reporting Standards. The teaching note attends to the special circumstances of transnational Chinese students and other challenges in teaching Western accounting theories. It justifies a comparative approach to engaging Chinese students in understanding the financial reporting framework in an Australian context whilst simultaneously identifying links to Chinese accounting practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The papers in this volume seek to broaden the concept of ‘varieties of unionism’ by comparing the labour movements of six countries in the Asia-Pacific region: China, India, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Australia. While there is a great diversity of economic, socio-cultural and ethnic factors which have influenced the nature of industrial relations and unionism in each country, all have experienced the impact of globalisation on their labour markets to varying degrees. The repertoire of revitalisation strategies used by unions in Asia are similar, in many ways, to those adopted in western market economies, but their specific forms differ. The authors of the studies in this volume examine the factors which have helped and/or hindered union revitalisation in each of the countries studied. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study explored the information literacy (IL) development of international higher degree research (HDR) students from China as they undertook their research studies in an Australian university. International HDR students need advanced IL skills to complete their research degree. However, IL research and training in western countries has tended to regard international HDR students no differently from their undergraduate counterparts. That is, there has been a focus on basic information skills rather than considering the more complicated and advanced IL needs within a research context. The project presented in this paper aimed to explore this gap. Three international PhD students from China participated in this research. A biographical approach was used to collect the data, and a total of 222 reflective accounts were collected from the participants over a period of fifteen months. In these reflections, they recorded significant life and study experiences at the University of Western Sydney. This approach allowed the participants freedom to express their thoughts and feelings without interruption and enabled them to speak frankly and freely without prejudice. The approach to data analysis underpinning this study was based on Bruce's (1997) relational model of IL. The findings indicate that these international HDR students experience significant difficulties in developing their IL skills during their research studies in their western university. The complex nature of research study, which demands high levels of IL, significantly contributes to these difficulties, as do the different language and culture of international students which pose additional challenges to their information use. This article concludes with recommendations for research supervisors and librarians to consider in the provision of IL education for international students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students at Victoria University (VU) in Melbourne, Australia, undertake their study in an English language context and they have a range of support options to assist with English language development. VU has partner universities in China (Sichuan University, Henan University and Liaoning University). VU's programs in China often have fewer language support options than programs in Melbourne. The Australian Government's Transnational Quality Strategy requires that educational programs on- and offshore provide students with a comparable learning experience. Given the relative lack of English speaking opportunities available to VU's students in China, the university is exploring how technologies might achieve a greater comparability of the student experience. This paper reports on a pilot program that uses Elluminate to conduct English conversations between students in China and Australia. The perceived lack of English competence of international students has been an ongoing issue in Australian higher education while the 'English corner' is 'a characteristically Chinese approach to informal practice' (Jin & Cortazzi, 2002) that helps students learning English in a foreign context to develop their English language proficiency. How might the idea of 'English corner' be used with educational technologies to encourage international students to practise and develop their English? This paper discusses a pilot program at VU that combines the idea of the English Corner together with the online conferencing tool Elluminate and a blog developed in WordPress, to engage Chinese students offshore in English language conversations. Through Elluminate and the Global English Corner blog, a pair of student peers in Melbourne conducts semi-structured conversations with groups of students offshore. In Elluminate, students can both hear and see each other -- and they can simultaneously txt chat, share documents, images and websites and use the collaborative whiteboard function of Elluminate -- to have dynamic conversations in real time. Preliminary findings of this pilot that uses technology to emphasise the societal aspects of learning -- including language learning -- will be presented. The discussion will consider how a more widespread English Corner program could aid the transition of international students in Australia, encourage the interaction of local students and international students, increase opportunities for international students to practise English and achieve a greater comparability of language support options on- and offshore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia attracts international nursing students from China to maintain its economic advantage and to alleviate the projected nursing shortage; conversely, China needs its best and brightest citizens who have trained abroad in nursing to return to cope with current challenges within its healthcare system and nursing education. This paper explores whether China can lure its foreign-trained nurses home to achieve its goals; whether China or Australia will win the nursing talent war; and do Chinese nursing students want to remain abroad or return home. The insight gained can support the development of successful human capital investment for all parties involved. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

China's remarkable economic development has had profound domestic and international effects. Among the most important of these is China's growing impact on the region of which it is an increasingly important and influential part. For countries such as Australia, which has rapidly become deeply economically integrated with - even dependent on - China, this presents a major and much-discussed challenge as it tries to balance economic and strategic priorities. Australia provides an important and revealing illustration of how China's elites view key states in its region, which have assumed a growing economic and even strategic importance. This paper aims to develop a more comprehensive overview of the way the strategic, economic and political dimensions of the Sino-Australia relationship are understood in both countries. It also highlights the importance of realist thinking in both Australia and China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on notices regarding several law reforms in the U.S., Australia and China. The notice regarding the U.S. evidence identification law reform examines the issue of untested sexual assault kits in police evidence rooms in order to develop lasting solutions. Another notice has been submitted in response to the legal privilege and tax advice in Australia. The last notice examines the rules of evidence in criminal cases in China.

In the context of the rise of China, Southeast Asian countries and Australia have begun shifting towards an accommodation policy. Robert Ross examines the accommodation policy in South Korea, Mochizuki discusses Japanese accommodationists, and Manicom and O'Neil show some evidence of Australian accommodation of Chinese strategic preferences. The scholarship has, however, narrowly focused on and overestimated the role of security. Through a study of the origin, process, structural conditions and impacts of accommodation policy, this paper broadens the concept of accommodation to capture its multiple meanings and practices. It finds that a selective accommodation policy and strategy toward the rise of China developed in Australia is a sign of the changing power relations under which the mainstream paradigms of containment and engagement, hard balancing or bandwagoning, have proved inadequate to the task of dealing with China, and that economic interdependence has driven the politics of accommodation in Australia and several Asian countries. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose - This paper aims to analyse available multimodal transport route variations for iron ore shipments from northwest Australia to northeast China, focusing on a major iron and steel manufacturer. Design/methodology/approach - The research is focused on a case study and uses an established cost model as a framework, for the first time, in the context of heavy bulk cargo shipments. Field interviews and a questionnaire form the principal methods of primary data collection. The characteristics of bulk iron ore transport flow are analysed against traditional criteria and an appraisal of the transport infrastructure in north east China is made, considering both road and rail options, and various possible combinations for transport being evaluated. All factors affecting modal choice in the region are examined, including cargo volume, weight, and value, transport distance, transit time, transport costs and schedule reliability. Findings - The volumes of iron ore moved are large, with a high weight-to-volume ratio, and shipments are regular. The research initially confirms that sea and rail transport combinations are the most appropriate for the movement of iron ore. However, where rail transport corridors are congested, provided that the transport distances are not too great, road haulage appears to be an effective substitute and the most competitive multimodal transport route, at least in the short to medium term, is found to be a rail-sea-road combination via Port Bayuquan in China. Research limitations/implications - The research focuses on the delivery of iron ore to one major steel manufacturer in northeast China; so findings may not be transferable to other companies or circumstances. Practical implications - The paper first demonstrates that, for heavy, high volume cargoes concentration of flows on to one corridor, perhaps under the control of one service provider, maximises scale economies, but works against competition and route/mode choice. Second, it demonstrates that, for long haul shipments of iron ore, port variations and modal differences for inland transport yield only marginal differences in overall logistics costs. Originality/value - An assessment of high volume/heavy/low value cargoes such as iron ore has not previously been undertaken using this cost model. This paper therefore provides an original analysis of such supply chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australian universities are increasingly engaged in transnational education, which is the off-shore provision of higher education. Providing courses entirely off-shore is a challenge to both students and instructors. This paper reflects on seven years of experience providing a MEd TESOL (Master of Education in Teaching English to Speakers of other Languages) in China. Reflecting on practice is becoming recognised as a valid approach to research as it is can accommodate the unpredictability of classroom teaching. In this programme, issues were identified, solutions implemented and then evaluated in a cyclical manner. Three main challenges were identified relating to teaching and learning on this programme: intercultural awareness, assignment writing and maintaining student engagement. After trialling possible solutions to these challenges, a unit for credit was provided focussing on academic writing and academic expectations. This unit is informed by theorising in academic literacies and the socio-cultural perspective on academic writing. The unit was supported by a web interface and students kept reflective dialogic journals for 10 weeks after the face-to face delivery of the unit. Through the unit of study and the web support problems with academic assignments such as plagiarism and the need for resubmission were. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers world news briefs related to music and technology. The Electronic Music Studies Network presented its seventh conference from June 21-24, 2010 with the Shanghai Conservatory in Shanghai, China. The University of Technology Sydney hosted the New Interfaces for Music Expression conference from June 15-18, 2010 in Sydney, Australia. The International Society for Music Information Retrieval (ISMR) held its 11th international conference in Utrecht, Netherlands on August 9-13, 2010.

This study investigated the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation of 179 Chinese background students at two Australian universities in 2007. Students from mainland China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore completed an OEDC model questionnaire with a focus on motivation which is regarded as the driving force behind learning. This paper seeks to discover the motivation of Chinese background students in taking courses or units at Australian universities, in order to shed some light on curriculum design for Australian universities. Quantitative and qualitative approaches were used in this study. The findings of this study can be used to assist in the curriculum development for Australian universities, and can also suggest effective teaching methods for Chinese background school students in higher education of Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the results of a series of material performance tests undertaken to compare Chinese and Australian 500 MPa reinforcing steel. After providing some background to modern high strength reinforcing steel, this paper compares the chemical and mechanical requirements of the reinforcing steels in Chinese codes with those in Australian standards. The results of tensile strength and ductility tests are reported. From the requirements of the standards and the analysis of the test data, several conclusions are drawn. Small differences in the chemical composition cause some differences in mechanical properties. Because of the higher percentage of carbon, the tensile strength of Chinese reinforcing steel is generally higher than that of Australia's normal ductility (N) reinforcing steel. The ductility of Australia's normal ductility reinforcing steels is somewhat less than that of Chinese reinforcing steels, due to the higher percentages of the chemicals phosphorous and sulphur. However, because of the lower value of Ceq and carbon content, the weldability of Australian steel is higher than Chinese steel. By adding the trace elements V, Nb and Ti into the steels, the seismic ability of Chinese steels has been improved. Both Chinese and Australian reinforcing steels tested had adequate yield stress levels. In each country the test results indicated that the tested steel achieved the requirements of the applicable standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines international patent application decisions of nine agricultural biotechnology firms from 1990–2000 in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Patent Office, Japan and South Africa. The data reveal a low frequency of international applications despite an initial United States' application, indicating very low values for patents abroad. The results indicate that invention quality plays an important role in firms' decisions to patent abroad and that a single international application is a good predictor of multiple international applications. Further, significant country fixed effects suggest wide differences in business climates and patent enforcement among countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wilson A, Gyi AA. International Journal of Nursing Practice 2010; 16: 92–98 The status and perspective of diabetes health education in China: Inspiration from Australia This paper discusses possible approaches to improving diabetes care and developing effective education models in China based on the experience of diabetes education in Australia. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in China is increasing rapidly. China is currently second on the list of the top 10 countries with the highest diabetes burden. Enormous impact of diabetes on China health system is daunting and the urgent action is needed. Diabetes education is the keystone of diabetes care and structured self-management education is considered to be the key to successful outcomes. Although many diabetes education programmes have been initiated in China, barriers have been identified for implementation of the programmes. These include: lack of public awareness of diabetes; lack of standards of practice for diabetes educators; and lack of evaluation programmes to assess their performance. We suggest four possible approaches to addressing the current problems of diabetes education in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Civil Engineering & Management is the property of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The past 18 months have seen Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Australian resource sector become an issue of policy interest. There are two big questions that the prospects of a significant rise in FDI from China into the Australian resources sector have raised. Is the surge of FDI into Australian mining and energy consistent with achieving the traditional gains from foreign investment? And are there any particular problems associated with investment from foreign state-owned enterprises or state-managed sovereign wealth funds? These are among the questions addressed in this paper. The paper argues that there are no issues that cannot be dealt with under the umbrella of the established test of 'national interest' in managing the growth of Chinese FDI into the Australian minerals sector. It argues that a confusion has been introduced into policy over the questions of state ownership and supplier-buyer relations in respect of Chinese investments and that clarifying these issues is likely to be important to Australia's capturing the full benefits from the growth of Chinese resources demand and longer term economic and strategic interests in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safety is a major concern in the construction industry because fatalities and injuries from construction work bring great losses to individuals, organizations, and societies as a whole. This paper aims to understand how construction personnel perceive safety risks in China as compared with those in Australia. Postal questionnaire surveys were used to collect data on safety risk perceptions from the two nations. The safety risk factors were assessed using a risk significance index based on the likelihood of occurrences and the impacts on safety performance. The survey results revealed that in China the main perception of safety risks came from human-and/or procedure-related issues, with “low/no safety education” paramount, followed by “inadequate fire prevention and electrical prevention procedures,” etc. In contrast, the major safety risks perceived in Australia were related to the environment and physical site conditions with “contamination of land, water and air” ranked first, followed by “unforeseen excavation of soil,” etc. To minimize construction safety risks in China, this paper suggests that the government should develop collective legislation and safety protection procedures, and enforce safety education and training to all site participants. Risks related to environmental and site conditions were generally realized by the Australia construction industry, which were not highly acknowledged in China. This may also bring imminent attention in this regard to the Chinese government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the way in which onshore asylum seekers lobby to stay in the host country permanently, and how they interact with local institutions. This study is based on a multi-method case study of about 45,000 Chinese nationals in Australia, mostly students, who sought to stay after the so-called political disturbance of 1989 in China. The students succeeded in obtaining residence by pursuing intensive lobbying activities over a period of about four years from June 1989 to November 1993, becoming the largest onshore migration intake in Australian history. This paper is concerned with how the students and their organizations negotiated the changing stance of the Australian government towards asylum seekers, and the way in which the students harnessed resources in the campaign. It examines the strategies adopted by the students, the roles of the main local institutions in the issue, and analyses the permissiveness of local polities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe harm associated with high-risk injected opiate use and the threat of the HIV epidemic among injecting drug users has become a worldwide problem. Twenty years ago, in the face of a rapid increase in mortality rates among injecting drug users and the upcoming threat of HIV, the first harm-reduction programs were implemented in the Western world. This paper is a literature review describing four forms of harm reduction currently in use in Europe, North America, and Australia. Each represents a reasonable counterapproach to the threat of increased prevalence of HIV among injecting drug users in transitional and developing countries. The paper attempts to explain the concepts behind the most commonly used types of harm reduction and provides a brief overview of the advantages and disadvantages of each and the reasons for their implementation. The main focus of the review is on the definition and the practical aspects of harm reduction; it includes a brief introduction of Chinese harm-reduction efforts and their implications.Acta Pharmacologica Sinica (2009) 30: 513–521; doi: 10.1038/aps.2009.30; published online 6th April 2009 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a research paper on the implementation of Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects. It states that the study involves a questionnaire survey in Hong Kong, China, Australia and Great Britain to investigate the reasons for implementing PPP projects. It mentions that respondents were required to rate the importance of nine identified reasons for PPP project implementation. It notes that the study aims to obtain public's interest to understand the government approach in implementing PPP projects. Moreover, the respondents' rankings showed that Great Britain centered on financial elements of PPP projects while Australia and Hong Kong were more linked to overall performance.

The research reported in this paper examined spoken mathematics in particular well-taught classrooms in Australia, China (both Shanghai and Hong Kong), Japan, Korea and the USA from the perspective of the distribution of responsibility for knowledge generation in order to identify similarities and differences in classroom practice and the implicit pedagogical principles that underlie those practices. The methodology of the Learner's Perspective Study documented the voicing of mathematical ideas in public discussion and in teacher-student conversations and the relative priority accorded by different teachers to student oral contributions to classroom activity. Significant differences were identified among the classrooms studied, challenging simplistic characterisations of 'the Asian classroom' as enacting a single pedagogy, and suggesting that, irrespective of cultural similarities, local pedagogies reflect very different assumptions about learning and instruction. We have employed spoken mathematical terms as a form of surrogate variable, possibly indicative of the location of the agency for knowledge generation in the various classrooms studied (but also of interest in itself). The analysis distinguished one classroom from another on the basis of "public oral interactivity" (the number of utterances in whole class and teacher-student interactions in each lesson) and "mathematical orality" (the frequency of occurrence of key mathematical terms in each lesson). Classrooms characterized by high public oral interactivity were not necessarily sites of high mathematical orality. In particular, the results suggest that one characteristic that might be identified with a national norm of practice could be the level of mathematical orality: relatively high mathematical orality characterising the mathematics classes in Shanghai with some consistency, while lessons studied in Seoul and Hong Kong consistently involved much less frequent spoken mathematical terms. The relative contributions of teacher and students to this spoken mathematics provided an indication of how the responsibility for knowledge generation was shared between teacher and student in those classrooms. Specific analysis of the patterns of interaction by which key mathematical terms were introduced or solicited revealed significant differences. It is suggested that the empirical investigation of mathematical orality and its likely connection to the distribution of the responsibility for knowledge generation and to student learning ourcomes are central to the development of any theory of mathematics instruction and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper employs ethnographic method to theorise about the ethnic contribution networks enabled by major Australian political parties, with specific regard to Chinese Australian formations, and in the context of globalisation's impact upon 'de-nationalising' political institutions. The paper expands upon the notion of the contribution network by situating it within network theory literature, asserting the need for stability in the diffuse forms of resource exchange indicates that it is sustained by mixed and weak network ties. The character of the contribution network as a significant mode of political engagement by ethnic Chinese network actors, moulds participation in the political process that is both party ambivalent and politically apathetic. Its impact upon Chinese Australian political incorporation raises important questions about the role of progressive political theory, which through the politics of recognition has sought to legitimate modes of group representation, including clientelistic formations, as a means to enhancing the political inclusion of marginalised Australian migrant and ethnic communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fieldwork is valued as an essential element in social work education. A partnership between students, agencies and universities is essential to a practical learning experience. Although this article is primarily concerned with issues surrounding field education in just one Australian university, this paper also makes comparisons with cases in Hong Kong where appropriate. Several aspects of field education including the dynamics of power in the fieldwork relationship, roles and status of field educators, on-going training provided for field educators and ways to strengthen collaborations will be discussed. The purpose of this analysis is to look at the basic principles of good fieldwork practice. 實習是社工教育中不可或缺的一環；學生、機構和大學的合作，乃重要的學習體驗。這篇論文不但檢視了環繞澳洲實習教育的議題，還將它們與香港的情況比較。討論範圍包括幾方面：實習關係中的權力互動、實習教育者的角色及地位、為實習教育者提供的持續訓練，以及各種加強合作的方法。這個比較分析的目的是要檢視良好實習的基本原則。 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I use the Monash Multi-Country model – a dynamic Computable General Equilibrium model of China, Australia and the Rest of the World – to analyse the effects of removing border protection on wheat and rice in China. The analysis points to the possibility that removing border protection on wheat and rice may lead to an increase in rural income in China. This is mainly due to the following two factors. First, removing border protection on wheat and rice not only leads to a contraction in agricultural activities, but also leads to an expansion in manufacturing and services activities. Second, on average, rural households in China obtain over half of their income from manufacturing and services activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese investment in Australia is emerging as an important part of the Australia-China economic relationship. This paper overviews the major characteristics of Chinese investment in Australia up to the present: its volume, form, sectoral distribution, and major players. It then discusses the policies that have been driving recent increases in investment and those that are likely to have a more profound impact over the longer term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The launch of negotiations for an Australia-China free trade agreement (ACFTA) started on 18 April 2005, following completion of the joint feasibility study that showed substantial economic and trade benefits for the two countries. The paper reassesses these benefits by means of an empirical analysis with a view to providing improved inputs for informed debate on the benefits and costs of an ACFTA from the perspective of Australia and China. The implications of the findings for policy uses are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the ongoing international debate concerning the efficacy or otherwise of the NPT and IAEA in preventing or managing nuclear proliferation, Australia's undertaking to enter a nuclear cooperation agreement with the People's Republic of China (PRC), once identified as a “strategic competitor” of Australia's major alliance partner the United States (US), suggests that Australia's approach to proliferation issues is being re-evaluated. This paper argues, utilising an analysis of the relationship between the evolving US approach to nuclear issues and Australian policy, that the Howard government's evolving approach to nuclear issues can be characterised as an attempt to balance the competing imperatives of maintaining Australia's reputation as a nuclear non-proliferation standard bearer, regional strategic and economic considerations and the weight of the Australia-US alliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The paper aims to investigate the detailed relationships between Chinese cultural values (Confucian dynamism, individualism, masculinity, and power distance) and work values (self-enhancement, contribution to society, rewards and stability, openness to change, and power and status) in an integrated model. Further attempts are also made to explain the above relationship in terms of different cultural exposure experiences. Design/methodology/approach - The sample was collected from China (selected from after-work classes for Chinese businessmen in China) and Australia (overseas Chinese living or working in Sydney) by questionnaires. Altogether, 185 respondents took part in the study. SEM was used to test the relationship between Chinese cultural values and work values, and difference analysis was employed to test the impact of respondents' Western cultural exposure experiences. Findings - Interesting results are found concerning Chinese employees' cross-cultural work values. The study not only confirms the impact of cultural values on work values, but also brings some new thoughts on Hoftstede's belief that instead of high masculinity and individualism, Confucian dynamism is the main cultural value to foster self-enhancement and most work value of Chinese employees. Research limitations/implications - Because China is a complex country, the limited Chinese sample should not be taken as representative. The current study did not differentiate respondents' demographic differences. Hence, some demographic variables may have produced some of the inter-group differences reported in this study. Practical implications- The findings provide useful input for managers who are seeking to develop effective working relationships with Chinese counterparts. Originality/value - This paper enriches existing Chinese values studies and serves as a starting point for future research concerning the detailed relationship between Chinese cultural values and work values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper brings together the findings of the previous papers in this volume and makes comparisons between the findings from each of the four regions considered. The findings of these comparisons suggest that there are particular characteristics of effective teachers and teaching in mathematics that can be ascribed to Eastern cultures and some other characteristics that can be best ascribed to Western cultures. However, perhaps more strikingly, there are many similarities in the ways in which teachers from the four regions see effective mathematics teaching and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is effective teaching in mathematics? How do teachers in Australia, Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR and the US view effective teaching in mathematics? What are the similarities and differences in the views of teachers from the East and West on effective teaching? This paper provides theoretical and methodological bases for addressing these questions, which are dealt with in empirical studies described in the papers of this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reveals differences in primary school education practices experienced by selected university students in China and Australia. This research utilised a case study approach and found the education experiences differed greatly between Chinese and Australian students. In addition, the paper analyses how these vastly diverse experiences on the part of students contribute to different worldviews in the context of collective and individualist cultures. An enriched in-depth understanding as to how education is served as a tool for preserving cultural and societal values may be an outcome of this research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese communities maintained a variety of institutional networks linking Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and southern China over the first half of the twentieth century. This paper explores one of these networks, the Australasian branch network of the Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuo Min Tang or KMT). By focusing on two institutional initiatives of the Australasian Kuo Min Tang--one in China and one in Australia--the paper asks whether there was anything distinctively Australasian about Chinese-Australasian networks besides their location in the South Pacific. Reflecting on the life of a contemporary Chinese-Australian journalist, the paper draws connections between the institutional history of the KMT and personal observations on what it may have meant to be Chinese Australian in China and Australia over the first half of the twentieth century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The objective of this paper is to compare the management style of marketing managers in Australia with the counterparts in the People's Republic of China (PRC). Design/methodology/approach - Based on the differences in cultural dimensions and context, five hypotheses related to management decision-making styles were developed and tested by questionnaire survey. Sixty seven valid Australia samples and 104 valid Chinese samples were obtained through mail survey and personal interviews, respectively. Findings - Results show that PRC managers have significantly higher scores in the five management style dimensions (namely: information utilization, complexity, group decision-making, risk acceptance and technology orientation) than their Australian counterparts. Research limitations/implications - The research is limited by the small sample size. The findings may be limited by measurement equivalence issues and further investigation of management style differences across more countries is clearly needed. Practical implications - The findings of this study provide useful insights into the differences in the management style of marketing managers in the two countries. It is possible to predict management style differences based on a comparison of cultural differences in a systematic way. Originality/value - This paper contributes to the literature in international marketing and management It is imperative for managers to understand how cultures affect the management style of the managers they interact with as well as their own. The study serves as a guideline for studying other cultures, which is especially relevant for companies that are seeking to expand their strategic alliance operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thesis of this paper is that governments of some otherwise enlightened states are increasingly fearful of acknowledging the restraints imposed on them by existing international law. They are also reluctant to enter into new commitments by way of international conventions that would expand the reach of international law. The paper asks whether these fears are based on a true understanding of international law or on some distorted view of it. It will draw comparisons and some contrasts between Australia and the United States in their reactions to a number of recent events as well as to some enduring situations of contemporary relevance. Had time (and the limits of my research) permitted, one might also have examined public attitudes toward international law in China, Japan, and Russia in this context, where similar fears appear to be entertained. France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, also enlightened states, appear by contrast to belong to a group more dedicated to international law. As Robert Kagan has recently remarked, the experience of two world wars at close quarters, and the formation of the European Union, have made the European countries more dedicated to process, where the United States is more interested in results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]