This thesis examines the evolution of Canadian pension politics over the last twenty-five years in order to understand why, after creating a public contributory plan in 1965, the state refused to extend its reach further in the 1980s and rather opted to regulate employer-sponsored pensions. This thesis develops an analytical framework which differs from previous studies. It postulates that pension politics can be best understood through the analysis of conflict within and between the non-governmental, intergovernmental and intragovernmental arenas. The study reveals that the provision of replacement income through public arrangements interfered with profitable activities in the business community and led to major confrontations. It also explains why there has been much less resistance to state intervention which aims to protect the elderly from outright poverty From 1960 to 1980 pension politics has evolved from a positive-sum game to a zero-sum game. While the creation of the CPP/QPP left ample room for private activities in this domain, a further extension of these arrangements in the 1980s would have seriously curtailed and transformed the role of business interests. This thesis challenges the view that the process of intergovernmental negotiations was a prime determinant of the failure of business interests in the 1960s and their success in the 1980s. Rather it is the failure of the insurance industry to gain the support of the rest of the business community and its attempt to derail the process which led to its failure in the first instance and its capacity to draw support and make significant counter-proposals which allowed the private sector to play an important role in the second instance. While the proposal for an expanded CPP drew business interests closer together, it pulled elements of the federal government apart. It is this deadlock, rather than intergovernmental bickering, which delayed the reform process. Finally, the regulation of employer-sponsored pensions was not preceded by open intergovernmental confrontation but came as a result of an adjustment process and negotiations rapidly led to concrete results although they held a greater potential for failure. Federalism does not seem to have seriously biased the nature of the pension policy-making process. / Arts, Faculty of / Political Science, Department of / Graduate

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published_or_final_version / Asian Studies / Master / Master of Arts

published_or_final_version / Comparative Asian Studies / Master / Master of Arts

by Tak-hung Fung. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1990. / Bibliography: leaves i-v. / ABSTRACT / CHAPTERS / Chapter 1. --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 2. --- News framing / Chapter 2.1 --- The Concept of News Frames --- p.4 / Chapter 2.2 --- The Formation of News Frames --- p.5 / Chapter 3. --- Routine Mode Vs Crisis Mode / Chapter 3.1 --- Definition of Crisis --- p.14 / Chapter 3.2 --- Framing the News: Routine and Crisis --- p.15 / Chapter 3.3 --- Routine Mode vs Crisis Mode: A Comparison --- p.19 / Chapter 4. --- The Press Structure in Hong Kong / Chapter 4.1 --- The Political Press --- p.21 / Chapter 4.2 --- The Commercial Press --- p.22 / Chapter 4.3 --- Framing Chinese News: The Routine Mode --- p.23 / Chapter 5. --- "Hypotheses, The Case and Methodology" / Chapter 5.1 --- Hypotheses --- p.27 / Chapter 5.2 --- The Case --- p.28 / Chapter 5.3 --- Research Method --- p.31 / Chapter 6. --- Dissensus in Routine Mode: The First Stage / Chapter 6.1 --- Key Events During the First Stage --- p.34 / Chapter 6.2 --- The Leftist Press --- p.35 / Chapter 6.3 --- The Commercial Press --- p.43 / Chapter 6.4 --- The Rightist Press --- p.46 / Chapter 6.5 --- Summary --- p.49 / Chapter 7 --- From Routine To Crisis: The Second Stage / Chapter 7.1 --- Key Events During the Second Stage --- p.54 / Chapter 7.2 --- The Leftist Press --- p.55 / Chapter 7.3 --- The Commercial Press --- p.68 / Chapter 7.4 --- The Rightist Press --- p.74 / Chapter 7.5 --- Summary --- p.77 / Chapter 8 --- Consensus In Crisis / Chapter 8.1 --- Key Events During the Third Stage --- p.79 / Chapter 8.2 --- Framing The Crisis --- p.79 / Chapter 9. --- Return To Normalcy / Chapter 9.1 --- The Leftist Press --- p.90 / Chapter 9.2 --- The Commercial Press --- p.95 / Chapter 9.3 --- Reporting the Anniversary Under the Routine Mode --- p.96 / Chapter 10. --- The Newsroom In Crisis / Chapter 10.1 --- The Leftist Press --- p.99 / Chapter 10.2 --- The Commercial Press --- p.108 / Chapter 10.3 --- The Rightist Press --- p.112 / Chapter 11. --- Discussion and Conclusion --- p.113 / BIBLIOGRAPHY

在本論文中我們使用複雜系統研究方法，分析增長、分配和相關的基本社會經濟問題，經濟系統在本文中被視為包含巨大自由度的複雜系統。 / 我們首先提出了一個無代表性經濟行為人的非同質的Poisson 創新增長模型以證明長期可持續的經濟增長的最終引擎來自於變異型的創新（非研發型），此機制是和持續增長的社會無序度一致的唯一機制。我們也討論了創新的異質特性。我們並且證明了各個部門的生產率分佈並非退化為單一的社會平均生產率，而是服從Maxwell‐Boltzmann 分佈，這一結果表明總需求對總產出存在真實的重要作用。我們隨後從複雜系統角度研究了經濟分配的問題。我們證明在封閉系統中，即使在很弱的假設前提下，收入或財富的分配不可避免得向兩極化的方向演化。隨後我們使用連續時間的Simon‐Yule 過程分析開放系統的經濟分配問題，此開放系統以新部門的不斷產生和遞減的代際影響力為特徵。我們證明了在此開放系統排除了分配兩極化的可能，代際類型穩定性必然在一定階段崩潰。 / 隨後我們研究了路徑依賴、無限方差和雙參數Poisson‐Dirichlet 過程。我們發現主流的新古典宏觀經濟學的建模方法在此框架內無穩固的數學基礎。 / 我們從更一般和更哲學的角度分析了一些涉及經濟學研究方法和範式的基本問題。我們主張複雜系統研究方法不僅在包括物理學和生物學的自然科學領域具有啟發性，在經濟、金融和其他社會科學領域裡同樣如此。我們認為，各式經濟系統儘管存在各自的特殊性，但總是沿著從低熵態向高熵態的方向演化，並在社會經濟生活各個領域出現不斷增長和發展的複雜的耗散結構。複雜系統方法的引入有助於對許多經濟謎題提供科學的解釋。除了傳統的經濟研究對象，在同一分析框架內，我們分析了現代企業制度、城市、政治和司法制度以及宗教等相關問題。 / In the essays we employ the complex system perspective to analyze growth, distribution and related fundamental socioeconomic issues where the economy is viewed as a complex system with large degrees of freedom. / We first propose a non-homogeneous Poisson innovation growth model with no representative agent to show that the ultimate engine of sustainable economic growth stems from mutation-style innovation (not R & D style), which is the only mechanism consistent with ever-increasing degree of social disorder. Heterogeneous innovation impacts are also investigated. And we show that sectoral productivity distribution in an economic system does not degenerate to the social average productivity level but follows the Maxwell- Boltzmann distribution instead, which in turn implies that aggregate demand has real impacts on total output. / The economic distribution issue is then investigated from the complex system perspective. We show that in closed economic systems, under weak assumptions, distribution in income or wealth inevitably evolves into polarization. Then we employ the continuous-time Simon-Yule process to analyze distribution in an open economic system with innovation and decreasing intergenerational influence. We show distribution polarization is impossible thereof and intergenerational type stability breaks down definitely at certain threshold phase. / Third, we study infinite variance, path dependence and two-parameter Poisson-Dirichlet model. We find that mainstream neoclassical modeling approach has no sound mathematical foundation within our framework. / Then from a more general and philosophical perspective, we analyze several fundamental issues concerning economic research methodology and paradigm. We argue that the complex system perspective is insightful not only in natural sciences such as physics and biology, but also in economics, finance and other social sciences. We state that all economies, despite their particularities, evolve from low entropy (ordered) macrostate to high entropy (disordered) macrostate with the increasing emergence and development of complicated dissipative structures in every aspect of socioeconomic life. The introduction of the complex system perspective also helps to provide scientific solutions to many economic puzzles. Besides traditional economic research issues, we also analyze modern enterprises, megacities, political systems, judiciary systems and religions within our framework. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Wang, Zhendong. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 120-125). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese. / Chapter 1 --- Economic Growth --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Structure Matters! --- p.5 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Disorder Matters! --- p.9 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- Consequences of the Neoclassical Approach --- p.10 / Chapter 1.1.4 --- Bose-Einstein Economy --- p.17 / Chapter 1.2 --- Sectoral Productivity Distribution --- p.22 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Why Does it Matter? --- p.22 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution --- p.37 / Chapter 1.3 --- Innovation, Mutation and Growth --- p.46 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Non-homogeneous Poisson Innovation Model --- p.46 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Stochastic Combinatorial Models --- p.58 / Chapter 1.4 --- Policy Evaluation Benchmark --- p.60 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Cities --- p.61 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Politics and Judiciary Systems --- p.62 / Chapter 1.5 --- Conclusions --- p.65 / Chapter 2 --- Inequality and Distribution --- p.66 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.66 / Chapter 2.2 --- The Closed System --- p.71 / Chapter 2.3 --- Intergenerational Family Stability --- p.77 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Introduction and Background --- p.78 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Model: Continuous-time Simon-Yule Process with Infinitely Many Types --- p.79 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Conclusions --- p.84 / Chapter 3 --- Infinite Variance, Path Dependence and Large Deviations --- p.90 / Chapter 3.1 --- Infinite Variance --- p.91 / Chapter 3.2 --- The Poisson-Dirichlet distribution --- p.92 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Size-biased Sampling --- p.94 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Path Dependence --- p.96 / Chapter 3.3 --- Consequences --- p.97 / Chapter 4 --- Methodology, Paradigm and Political Economy --- p.99 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.99 / Chapter 4.2 --- Methodology and Paradigm --- p.101 / Chapter 4.3 --- Philosophy --- p.104 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Entropy and the Arrow of Time in Economics --- p.104 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Life, Dissipative Structures, Order and Disorder --- p.108 / Chapter 4.4 --- More Applications --- p.111 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- The Spending Multiplier and Tax Multiplier --- p.112 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Religion --- p.114 / Chapter 5 --- Conclusion and Policy Implications --- p.116 / Bibliography --- p.120

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M.A. (Communication Studies) / Negotiation is at present a key concept in South Africa. It is also a comprehensive one. This is the motivation for this study. In South Africa negotiation is not only a relevant subject, but also a complex one which necessitates further examination. In this study the subject is reduced by focusing on political negotiation from a communication perspective. The dynamics of negotiation and negotiation communication are examined by means of a literature study. From this, and through empirical observation, applications concerning the South African political negotiation process are made. Perspectives on political negotiation in the South African context are given as an introduction: the current political situation, the development of negotiation as choice of policy and the state of the negotiation process. With this background in mind the concept. of negotiation and approaches to the study of the negotiation process are described. Communication is a key element in this process and its role in negotiation as well as its relationship with other elements of the process are analysed. Eventually there is a return to the South African political context with the demonstration of the dynamic role of communication in negotiation in this context. Through this an attempt is made to give explanations for political negotiation communication in South Africa and on this basis guidelines about the subject are suggested. By emphasizing the importance of communication in political negotiation in South Africa and by highlighting essentials in this dynamics, an attempt is made to provide a contribution to the understanding of the complex, but relevant subject of negotiation in South Africa.

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published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Comparative Literature / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy