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1 – 10 of over 2000
Article
Publication date: 3 October 2016

Fiona Moore

This paper aims to explore and discuss the use of the flexible, discursive nature of ethnic identity as a means of facilitating the construction and use of transnational knowledge…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore and discuss the use of the flexible, discursive nature of ethnic identity as a means of facilitating the construction and use of transnational knowledge networks.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper examines the influence of “intangibles” on international business (IB), using a case study examining how Taiwanese people in London construct and use their professional networks for knowledge management. The methodology is ethnographic, including participant-observation, interviews and archival research.

Findings

Taiwanese businesspeople in London used their ethnic identity for networking, not only within the Taiwanese community, but also combined different identities to network through different groups. The findings suggest that the flexible nature of identity provides a means by which knowledge networks can be constructed across borders, providing insight into the actual processes through which knowledge is transferred in IB.

Research limitations/implications

An identity approach can add a more nuanced analysis of real-life situations to the more traditional culture-focused approach. Greater methodological variety is needed if IB studies are to incorporate more complex perspectives on cross-cultural management, and to develop this study’s conclusions.

Practical implications

Managers who are aware of the complexities of ethnic identity can exploit these among themselves and their employees to seek out new sources of knowledge.

Originality/value

This paper provides insight into the means and processes through which transnational networks are constructed and knowledge shared across borders, and the seldom-analysed role of identity, in this case ethnic identity, in these phenomena.

Details

critical perspectives on international business, vol. 12 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1742-2043

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 18 December 2020

Kevin Kai-wen Chiu

This chapter offers a case study of the distinctive political activism in Taiwanese metal by analysing the intertextuality of Just Not Meant to Be (還君明珠) (2015) by Crescent Lament…

Abstract

This chapter offers a case study of the distinctive political activism in Taiwanese metal by analysing the intertextuality of Just Not Meant to Be (還君明珠) (2015) by Crescent Lament (恆月三途). From the perspective of a cultural insider, the author examine the socio-cultural dynamics underlying this activism and explain how Taiwanese metal attempts to tackle the troubled past of Taiwan. The author brings attention to Just Not Meant to Be's commentary about the activism it takes part in, and reflect on problematics inherent to political activism in Taiwanese metal. Finally, the author explicates the problematics in the context of metal subculture in general. Pivotal throughout this chapter are the questions: Why does Taiwanese metal replicate forms of domination it seeks to counter? What can metal subculture in general learn from Taiwanese metal and its political activism?

Details

Multilingual Metal Music: Sociocultural, Linguistic and Literary Perspectives on Heavy Metal Lyrics
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83909-948-9

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 7 September 2018

Dean Karalekas

The China threat is the first and most obvious answer when it comes to the question of threat perception in Taiwan, but the issue encompasses much more. The ruling elite for years…

Abstract

The China threat is the first and most obvious answer when it comes to the question of threat perception in Taiwan, but the issue encompasses much more. The ruling elite for years considered the subject population a threat, for example, and even the nature and severity of the China threat varies greatly depending on an individual’s identification. How do those who identify as Taiwanese see the consequences of an attack from China? There is a very different threat perception among the Taiwanese population, who view annexation by China in much the same way as their Mainlander counterparts would see annexation by Japan, for example. Persons self-identifying as Taiwanese do not view themselves as being culturally the same as the people across the Taiwan Strait, having grown apart from them (in a cultural sense) over the past 120 years that they have been separated. Moreover, after Taiwan’s long history of being colonized by one alien power after another – from the Dutch and Spanish, to Koxinga, and then the Manchu dynasty; by the Japanese; and finally by the KMT (for being colonized is how many Taiwanese perceive the ROC period) – finally the inhabitants of the island have the opportunity to chart their own future, and enjoy a newfound sovereignty and identity separate from that of any colonizing power: thus the prospect of being colonized by China is anathema, and therefore a much greater existential threat for them than for Mainlanders.

Details

Civil-Military Relations in Taiwan
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78756-482-4

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 January 2004

Shu‐Cheng Chi, Hwa‐Hwa Tsai and Ming‐Hong Tsai

This study samples 78 business decision‐makers whose cases were part of an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) process, i.e., the Public Construction Commission (PCC), which…

Abstract

This study samples 78 business decision‐makers whose cases were part of an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) process, i.e., the Public Construction Commission (PCC), which operates under the government in Taiwan, between 1997 and early 2000. The authors propose an interaction between two variations of trust—category‐based trust and experience‐based trust—and hypothesize that decision‐makers’ perceived identity with new versus old government ideology and past justice experiences (with the PCC) would jointly affect their decision preferences. The results partially support these hypotheses. The authors emphasize the critic role of trustworthiness of the third‐party ADR providers. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of the findings.

Details

International Journal of Conflict Management, vol. 15 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1044-4068

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 June 2019

Shu-Li Wang

The purpose of this paper is to trace the development of indigenous heritage rights in Taiwan. It examines how this pursuit is intertwined with the global indigenous movement…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to trace the development of indigenous heritage rights in Taiwan. It examines how this pursuit is intertwined with the global indigenous movement, national political interests and rising local cultural awareness.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper focuses on the rise of indigenous rights in Taiwan by looking at political shifts, indigenous museums and changing frameworks through which heritage is understood. The paper uses two case studies: one is the implementation of a heritage protection law in Taiwan; the other is the launch of indigenous museums.

Findings

In Taiwan, heritage is often associated with political ideology, power relations and resource distribution. The development of heritage discourse is inseparable from the international heritage trend as well as the local political situation.

Originality/value

The pursuit of indigenous heritage rights in Taiwan is supported on the one hand by the government so as to define a distinctive Taiwanese culture and on the other to meet the demands of Taiwan’s indigenous movement. Two case studies are provided to examine the pros and cons of current indigenous heritage projects in Taiwan.

Details

Asian Education and Development Studies, vol. 8 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-3162

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 April 2013

Brian C. Imrie

This research seeks to provide guidance for the global manager by determining the manner through which social interaction influences service quality evaluation. Furthermore, the…

1266

Abstract

Purpose

This research seeks to provide guidance for the global manager by determining the manner through which social interaction influences service quality evaluation. Furthermore, the paper aims to explore the function of economic development in altering the role of social relationships in service quality evaluation.

Design/methodology/approach

Consistent with the critical realism paradigm a multi‐method design is adopted for this study. Sociologist Pierre Bourdieu's structuralist perspective of culture is utilised as the analytical framework.

Findings

The findings challenge both marketing and sociology theory that propose that individuals are less focussed on nurturing inter‐personal relationships as they are empowered economically. Indeed it is found that social networks (i.e. social capital) perform a key role in service quality preference formation and dissemination. The evidence suggests that economic development has not mitigated the influence of social relationships upon service consumption.

Research limitations/implications

The paper identifies a research agenda towards developing a measure of service quality that more comprehensively probes the social element of the service encounter. In order to more fully explore the impact of economic capital on the service quality construct it is identified that a longitudinal study is required that focuses upon nations as they transition from developing to developed nation status.

Practical implications

This study has significant implications for marketing managers seeking to build a presence in Taiwan or other similarly profiled Confucian based societies. It is advised that strategists should adopt a customised strategic plan when operating within Taiwan and similarly profiled cultures. In particular this study encourages a focus upon nurturing inter‐personal relationships and leveraging these relationships to effectively communicate to target markets in Confucian societies.

Originality/value

This study adopts a sociological perspective of the cultural influence upon the service quality evaluation process.This approach is presented as preferable to the national values‐oriented studies that have dominated research in the area.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 51 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 7 September 2018

Dean Karalekas

To understand Taiwan society, it is important to develop an appreciation for the competing forces in the identity question. This is often boiled down to Chinese vs Taiwanese, but…

Abstract

To understand Taiwan society, it is important to develop an appreciation for the competing forces in the identity question. This is often boiled down to Chinese vs Taiwanese, but it goes much deeper than that, with implications for political identification and aspirations for the future of the island nation. Most previous studies look at ethnicity and ethnic identification within the context of a multicultural, multiethnic society such as the United States or Canada. The dynamic is extremely different in a largely homogeneous society (despite self-identification as either Mainlander or Taiwanese, both are, in strict racial terms, considered Han Chinese) such as that in Taiwan, and indeed most East Asian countries. Perspective matters as well: While the Taiwanese identity is growing according to recent polling data, both the Chinese in China and those who identify as Chinese in Taiwan tend to view the Taiwanese (Hokkien speakers) themselves as just another group of Han Chinese people. The migration of Chinese people to Taiwan did not begin until the 17th century, when the Dutch colonialists attracted (and in some cases, kidnapped) Chinese farmers from Fujian and Guangzhou provinces to work the plantations they had established. Thus, the Taiwanese people today are the descendants of these and subsequent waves of immigration during the Qing dynasty, along with a high degree of intermarriage with the indigenous population. These differing paradigms of self-identification have a tremendous importance in perception of the ROC military, the threat it faces, and the role it ought to play in society.

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 26 December 2023

Dorothy Ai-wan Yen, Benedetta Cappellini, Jane Denise Hendy and Ming-Yao Jen

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe challenges to ethnic minorities in the UK. While the experiences of migrants are both complex and varied depending on individuals' social…

Abstract

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe challenges to ethnic minorities in the UK. While the experiences of migrants are both complex and varied depending on individuals' social class, race, cultural proximity to the host country and acculturation levels, more in-depth studies are necessary to fully understand how COVID-19 affects specific migrant groups and their health. Taiwanese migrants were selected because they are an understudied group. Also, there were widespread differences in pandemic management between the UK and Taiwan, making this group an ideal case for understanding how their acculturation journey can be disrupted by a crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative data were collected at two different time points, at the start of the UK pandemic (March/April 2020) and six months on (October/November 2020), to explore migrant coping experiences over time. Theoretically, the authors apply acculturation theory through the lens of coping, while discussing health-consumption practices, as empirical evidence.

Findings

Before the outbreak of the pandemic, participants worked hard to achieve high levels of integration in the UK. The pandemic changed this; participants faced unexpected changes in the UK’s sociocultural structures. They were forced to exercise the layered and complex “coping with coping” in a hostile host environment that signalled their new marginalised status. They faced impossible choices, from catching a life-threatening disease to being seen as overly cautious. Such experience, over time, challenged their integration to the host country, resulting in a loss of faith in the UK’s health system, consequently increasing separation from the host culture and society.

Research limitations/implications

It is important to note that the Taiwanese sample recruited through Facebook community groups is biased and has a high level of homogeneity. These participants were well-integrated, middle-class migrants who were highly educated, relatively resourceful and active on social media. More studies are needed to fully understand the impact on well-being and acculturation of migrants from different cultural, contextual and social backgrounds. This being the case, the authors can speculate that migrants with less resource are likely to have found the pandemic experience even more challenging. More studies are needed to fully understand migrant experience from different backgrounds.

Practical implications

Public health policymakers are advised to dedicate more resources to understand migrants' experiences in the host country. In particular, this paper has shown how separation, especially if embraced temporarily, is not necessarily a negative outcome to be corrected with specific policies. It can be strategically adopted by migrants as a way of defending their health and well-being from an increasingly hostile environment. Migrants' home country experience provides vicarious learning opportunities to acquire good practices. Their voices should be encouraged rather than in favour of a surprising orthodox and rather singular approach in the discussion of public health management.

Social implications

The paper has clear public health policy implications. Firstly, public health policymakers are advised to dedicate more resources to understand migrants' experiences in the host country. Acknowledging migrants' voice is a critical first step to contribute to the development of a fair and inclusive society. Secondly, to retain skilful migrants and avoid a future brain-drain, policymakers are advised to advance existing infrastructure to provide more incentives to support and retain migrant talents in the post-pandemic recovery phase.

Originality/value

This paper reveals how a group of previously well-integrated migrants had to exercise “coping with coping” during the COVID crisis. This experience, over time, challenged their integration to the host country, resulting in a loss of faith in the UK’s health system, consequently increasing separation from the host culture and society. It contributes to the understanding of acculturation by showing how a such crisis can significantly disrupt migrants' acculturation journey, challenging them to re-acculturate and reconsider their identity stance. It shows how separation was indeed a good option for migrants for protecting their well-being from a newly hostile host environment.

Details

International Marketing Review, vol. 41 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-1335

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 23 October 2020

Ryan Brading

Diversity and uncertainty summarise Taiwan’s Generation Z. Diversity because the background of fewer than 3.4 million Taiwanese, which is less than 20% of the overall population…

Abstract

Diversity and uncertainty summarise Taiwan’s Generation Z. Diversity because the background of fewer than 3.4 million Taiwanese, which is less than 20% of the overall population, cannot be included in a ‘one-fits-all’ category. As a sovereign nation, Taiwan has developed through various cultural, economic, and political stages. Democratic freedom has given the Taiwanese the right and terrain to de-Sinicise their homeland and politically construct ‘Taiwanese Consciousness’. These points are essential, because this is the societal fabric given to Generation Zers. Apart from national identity, this chapter illustrates the uncertainties that Generation Zers are facing in relation to education, job opportunities, and living standards. It is suggested that conditions are easier for those that have received ‘superior’ education and have enjoyed family-economic support. Their consumer behaviour, Generation Z in the workplace, as well as voters are also carefully analysed in this chapter.

Details

The New Generation Z in Asia: Dynamics, Differences, Digitalisation
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80043-221-5

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 June 2011

Carlson Chan and Andrew Chan

In a time of global recession and customers' pejorative perceptions of financial products, international banks need to understand the determinants of behavioral intentions of…

2778

Abstract

Purpose

In a time of global recession and customers' pejorative perceptions of financial products, international banks need to understand the determinants of behavioral intentions of high‐net‐worth individuals when considering business tactics for capturing the lucrative wealth management services (WMS) markets. This paper aims to build a predictive model using the theory of planned behavior to determine behavioral intentions of Taiwanese nationals based in the People's Republic of China (the PRC) in respect of their choice and decisions about WMS providers.

Design/methodology/approach

Two‐phased sequential mix methods, based on the theory of planned behavior, are employed to investigate factors that influence the choice of wealth management services providers by Taiwanese based in the PRC. An elicitation study plus three pilot tests were administered for questionnaire development, refinement and finalization. The main study employs a cross‐sectional study of Taiwan home nationals resident in China.

Findings

A cross sectional study of 227 Taiwanese nationals based in the PRC indicated that “Feeling of trustworthiness”, “Provision of flexible services”, and “Feeling of cultural affinity” are the most crucial among the ten factors related to their intentions and decision making about choice of WMS providers.

Practical implications

The results point to managerial implications of banks' identity, deployment of expatriates, brand‐image position and a regional portfolio platform for bank management to consider entry strategies into the PRC.

Originality/value

This research is the first empirical study in investigating the attitudinal dynamics on wealth management services and their implications to international banks in the PRC.

Details

International Journal of Bank Marketing, vol. 29 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-2323

Keywords

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