published_or_final_version / Literary and Cultural Studies / Master / Master of Arts

published_or_final_version / Chinese Historical Studies / Master / Master of Arts

The Best MPhil Thesis in the Faculties of Architecture, Arts, Business & Economics, Education, Law and Social Sciences (University of Hong Kong), Li Ka Shing Prize, 2008-2009. / published_or_final_version / Chinese / Master / Master of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Chinese Historical Studies / Master / Master of Arts

published_or_final_version / Chinese / Master / Master of Philosophy

<p>The increase of foreign direct investment in China has resulted in the presence of a number of Western expatriates working in Sino–foreign joint ventures. These expatriate managers have to make things work in absolutely new settings. Therefore, without cross-cultural trainings, they may have very stressful experience in China. Understanding of the Chinese culture and Chinese society may ultimately save much frustration and money. With our thesis therefore we would like to explore how companies manage training processes before sending expatriates to China, and prepare them for further knowledge transfer to the employees in China. This has lead us to the following research question: “How do the Western companies manage process of sending expatriates to China?”</p><p>The research is based on the experiences of three companies: IKEA, Texol Technical Solutions and NCR and demonstrates possible means that can be engaged by the companies to facilitate adjustment processes of their expatriates in China. The empirical data were gathered from interviews with managers from the mentioned companies. In order to analyze our empirical findings we present literature that was structured as follows: Training in the international context, training in the Chinese context and communication between expatriate and local employees. Both the literature review as well as our empirical data with analysis aspire to provide the reader with an in depth study of the importance of the selection of the right candidates and the provision of trainings, as it can help both to understand the unique Chinese cultural and business characteristics environment as well as effectively and efficiently to operate in China.</p><p>In our conclusions we present our findings regarding the following issues: support for the expatriates; training of the Chinese employees and importance of communication. Based on our analysis we introduce our recommendations for the three companies, including: Selection of the right candidates, presence of action plans, motivation and incentives, trainings, contact with the company and other expatriates during the assignment and importance of repatriation.</p>

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This study seeks to explore the articulated views and behavior of an important segment of Chinese population-- politically conscious intellectuals--toward the United States over the period of 1945-1950. During this period, warm Chinese feelings toward America as demonstrated during World War II when the United States was China's critical ally gradually switched to suspicion and resentment. Chapter 1 reviews Chinese intellectuals' views of the United States as developed during the first half of the twentieth century, and argues that the United States fluctuated, in the eyes of many urban educated elite, between inspiration and threat. Chapter 2 discusses the emergence of critical Chinese attitudes toward the United States government soon after WWII, as politically articulate Chinese began to question the role the American government played in China's internal political disputes. Chapter 3 examines the Shen Chong incident, and contends that ardent student demands for the immediate departure of American troops from China and for an end to American involvement in Chinese politics disturbed the American observers, discredited the Chinese Nationalist Party and benefitted the Communist cause. Chapter 4 focuses on the strong Chinese reaction toward the "reversed" American occupation policy in Japan in 1948, and concludes that the U. S. government had lost the heart and support of many Chinese intellectuals before the Communist takeover. Chapter 5 treats the CCP's full exploitation of Chinese intellectuals' various grievances against the United States government in mobilizing the large-scale Resist America, Aid Korea campaign. Vehement intellectual insistence that the United States government refrain from interfering in China's political struggles during the period in question developed in the broader political and social context of Chinese patriotic passion for national identity and unity. Chinese obsession with national self-determination persists down to the present day. This study hopes to shed light on a specific political phenomenon and its relevance to Chinese political values and the dynamics of Sino-American relations.

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