Coordinations in business interactions between Hong Kong Chinese, Mainland Chinese and western actors

Hong Kong firms continue to play an important role in the development of mainland China trade. This paper studies the nature of coordinations in triadic interactions between Hong Kong Chinese intermediaries and mainland Chinese sellers, and buyers from the West, and their impact on relationships development. Contrary to popular belief, the results presented here identify that interactions between Hong Kong intermediaries and mainland Chinese sellers tend to include relationships based on price and authority. These interactions tend to be classical in nature, and serve to hinder the development of relationships. On the other hand, interactions between buyers from the West and Hong Kong intermediaries tend to be relational in nature. They include different forms of personal relationships, which tends to be positive for the development of relationships. A new plural form of international business relationship triad is also identified.

Naturopathic and Western herbal medicine practice in Australia - a workforce survey

Background: Despite substantial growth in the use of complementary medicine, no comprehensive national study has been undertaken of the naturopathic and Western herbal medicine component of the healthcare workforce in Australia. This study aimed to examine the nature of these practices and this currently unregulated workforce in Australia. Methods: A comprehensive survey questionnaire was developed in consultation with the profession and distributed nationally to all members of the naturopathic and Western herbal medicine workforce. Results: The practices of herbal medicine and naturopathy make up a sizeable component of the Australian healthcare sector, with approximately 1.9 million consultations annually and an estimated turnover of $AUD 85 million in consultations (excluding the cost of medicines). A large proportion of patients are referred to practitioners by word of mouth. Up to one third of practitioners work in multidisciplinary clinics with other registered sectors of the healthcare community. The number of adverse events associated with herbal medicines, nutritional substances and homoeopathic medicines recorded in Australia is substantial and the types of events reported are not trivial. Data suggest that practitioners will experience one adverse event every 11 months of full-time practice, with 2.3 adverse events for every 1000 consultations (excluding mild gastrointestinal effects). Conclusion: These data confirm the considerable degree of utilisation of naturopathic and Western herbal medicine practitioners by the Australian public. However, there is a need to examine whether statutory regulation of practitioners of naturopathy and Western herbal medicine is required to better protect the public. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Business communication in interactions between mainland Chinese and western firms through Hong Kong Chinese intermediaries

Purpose-The paper aims to analyse the nature of business communication and its influence on relationships development between Hong Kong Chinese intermediaries sourcing from Mainland Chinese sellers involved in manufacturing for sale to Western buyer firms. Design/methodology/approach-A case study-driven methodology with purposeful sampling is applied to yield maximum variation in the sampling to elicit underlying tendencies and generative mechanisms that exist within and across the multiple cases of relationships. Findings-The paper finds that Mainland Chinese sellers and Hong Kong Chinese intermediaries tend not to have the close ties that might be expected. Mainland Chinese sellers constrained their use of social information, requiring Hong Kong Chinese intermediaries to use commercial information transfers to evaluate the trustworthiness of their Mainland Chinese partners. An ingroup/outgroup bias exacerbates the modesty bias of the Mainland Chinese and also hinders learning through the transfer of technical information within these Chinese interactions. On the other hand, Western buyers tend not to prefer social information interactions with their Hong Kong Chinese intermediaries, requiring these intermediaries to emphasise commercial information interactions to evaluate the trustworthiness of their Western buyers. Research limitations/implications-This research uses a restricted sample of case study respondents. Representative sampling across multiple contexts will assist in testing the generality of the findings. Practical implications-For the West to source increasingly attractive manufactures from Mainland China, Hong Kong intermediaries will remain fundamentally important even though this creates further interactions. The aggregate of these multiple exchange arrangements is less problematic than would be the case if Western business were to deal directly with the Mainland Chinese. Originality/value-This article sheds light on the nature of business communication interactions in a group of relationships between Hong Kong Chinese intermediaries and Mainland sellers, and buyers from the West. Implications for relationships development among the Chinese and Western actors are identified with propositions framed to guide further investigation.

Futures dreaming outside and on the margins of the western world

In this article, we challenge the hegemony of western science fiction, arguing that western science fiction is particular even as it claims universality. Its view remains based on ideas of the future as forward time. In contrast, in non-western science fiction the future is seen outside linear terms: as cyclical or spiral, or in terms of ancestors. In addition, western science fiction has focused on the good society as created by technological progress, while non-western science fiction and futures thinking has focused on the fantastic, on the spiritual, on the realization of eupsychia-the perfect self. However, most theorists assert that the non-west has no science fiction, ignoring Asian and Chinese science fiction history, and western science fiction continues to 'other' the non-west as well as those on the margins of the west (African-American woman, for example). Nonetheless, while most western science fiction remains trapped in binary opposites-alien/non-alien; masculine/feminine; insider/outsider-writers from the west's margins are creating texts that contradict tradition and modernity, seeking new ways to transcend difference. Given that the imagination of the future creates the reality of tomorrow, creating new science fictions is not just an issue of textual critique but of opening up possibilities for all our futures.