published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Transport Policy and Planning / Master / Master of Arts in Transport Policy and Planning

published_or_final_version / abstract / Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

An examination of the influence of medieval numerology and number theory upon the works of the Gawain poet, this essay seeks to connect the importance of numbers to the construction of the four poems. By examining such number theories as the Divine Proportion and marriage numbers, as well as Pythagorean number concepts of masculine and feminine numbers, a clear connection between the literature and the number can be found. The poet not only seeks to use numbers to impart important Christian doctrine to his readers in a subconscious way, he also demonstrates an extreme pre-planning of every line and layout of each poem upon the page. Continuing in current critical traditions of examining this manuscript as whole, "Pearl, " "Patience, " "Cleanness, " and "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" are shown to join together in an interweaving of connectivity through number pattern and the repetition of important numerological concepts.

近年來，社會資本成為了西方學者熱門的研究焦點。然而，以發展中國家為實證例子的相關研究卻相當匱乏。就中國的情況而言，由於改革開放初期下的制度法規常未成熟，非正規的文化規範及社會網路(關係)便成為建設世界工廠、提供靈活而低成本的生產運作的重要元素。本論文以港資跨境企業為研究對象，實地考證珠江三角洲的從改革開放以來的工業發展變遷。作者於二零一零至二零一一年間走訪香港及珠三角，與十名港資企業家及其他有關的專業界別人士作深度訪談。 / 研究結果顯示社會資本在珠三角工業發展過程發揮了關鍵的作用。由於改革開放初期的制度法規積弱，港資企業家大多利用跨境社會網路與珠三角的地方領導接洽，從而在當地設置生產基地。及至中國加入世界貿易組織以後，如何靈活運用社會資本及應付新興的制度力量更成為港資企業的重要議題。隨著中國的制度法規在產業轉型升級的路上更見成熟，部分一直過度依賴地方關係及制度漏洞而生利的企業將被淘汰。為解決現時的發展困局並防止當地工業被連根拔起，地方之間必須尋求更緊密的跨境協作。最後，本文揭示珠三角未來的工業發展將取決於企業如何升級社會資本、積極應付新的制度及市場挑戰、更替舊有的社會關係網路。 / In the past decades, scholars have been conceptualizing the asset of social capital in the contemporary West. However, its empirical reference to the developing countries is particularly missing. In the context of China, with a lack of substantial formal institutional support in the early reform period, it is the traditional Chinese cultural norms and informal social ties (guanxi) that constructed the "world factory" renowned for low operation cost and flexible production. This research studies the industrial dynamics of the Pearl River Delta since the economic reform in 1978, with a particular attention to the transborder manufacturing establishments operated by entrepreneurs from Hong Kong. In-depth interviews and field investigation are conducted with ten transborder entrepreneurs and some other involved officials in 2010 and 2011. / Research findings support the claim of social capital as a significant asset to enterprise development in the context throughout the period. In the early reform period with weak institutional infrastructure but strong preexisting personal and social ties across the mainland-Hong Kong border, transborder manufacturing establishments were emerged in the cultivation of guanxi among Hong Kong entrepreneurs and cadre-affiliates in the PRD as enterprise social capital. Meanwhile, the resilience in mobilizing enterprise social capital and particularly the institutional force has been more important to the sustainability and promotion of these transborder enterprises in the post-WTO China. The institutional turn towards techno-economic restructuring is going to eliminate many of the obsolete transborder enterprises, whose vested interests entangled in local guanxi networks and institutional holes have now been dissipated. Tighter collaboration across the border is urgently needed to simultaneously smash the regional lock-in and prevent the hollowing-out of industries in the region against recent global economic downturn. Eventually, it is believed that the reinventing of enterprise social capital, in the acknowledgement of institutional and market force but also informal guanxi networks, is crucial to the future trajectory of the industrial development in the PRD. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Leung, Chiu Yin. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 137-154). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts also in Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgements --- p.iv / Table of Contents --- p.v / List of Figures --- p.vii / List of Tables --- p.viii / Chapter Chapte One --- Introduction / Chapter 1.1 --- Research Background --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Scope of Study --- p.2 / Chapter 1.3 --- Research Objectives --- p.5 / Chapter 1.4 --- Thesis Outline --- p.6 / Chapter Chapter Two --- Literature Review / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.8 / Chapter 2.2 --- Firm Dynamics --- p.8 / Chapter 2.3 --- Social Capital Theory --- p.16 / Chapter 2.4 --- The Chinese Context --- p.22 / Chapter 2.5 --- Summary --- p.29 / Chapter Chapter Three --- Methodology / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.31 / Chapter 3.2 --- Conceptual Framework --- p.31 / Chapter 3.3 --- Research Design --- p.34 / Chapter 3.4 --- Data Collection --- p.35 / Chapter 3.5 --- Date Analysis --- p.38 / Chapter Chapter Four --- Transborder Venture Creation in the Early Reform Era: Process of Social Capital Building / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.40 / Chapter 4.2 --- Background Conditions --- p.42 / Chapter 4.3 --- Firm Emergence --- p.52 / Chapter 4.4 --- Summary --- p.65 / Chapter Chapter Five --- Sustaining Enterprise Development against the Latest Challenges: Theorizing the Dynamics of Social Capital / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.68 / Chapter 5.2 --- Case Study --- p.70 / Chapter 5.3 --- Locating the Dynamics --- p.86 / Chapter 5.4 --- Theorizing Enterprise Social Capital --- p.96 / Chapter 5.5 --- Institutional Turn --- p.105 / Chapter 5.6 --- Summary --- p.122 / Chapter Chapter Six --- Conclusions / Chapter 6.1 --- Discussion of Results --- p.p.124 / Chapter 6.2 --- Contributions and Limitations --- p.130 / Chapter 6.3 --- Remarks for Future Research --- p.133 / Bibliography --- p.135

Wong Yuen Fun. / "Architecture Department, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Master of Architecture Programme 2005-2006, design report." / Includes bibliographical references. / Chapter A. --- Theory and History / Chapter A-1. --- Evolution of Interiority / Chapter A-2. --- Evolution of Bigness / Chapter A-3. --- Evolution of Shopping / Chapter B. --- Fron Mall to Village / Chapter B-1. --- Shopping Malls along Railways / Chapter B-2. --- The Mall / Chapter B-3. --- Points of Arrival / Chapter B-4. --- Internal Circulation / Chapter B-5. --- Sectional Journey / Chapter B-6. --- Interior? Exterior? / Chapter C. --- From Village to Mall / Chapter C-1. --- Urban Village / Chapter C-2. --- Mall in the Village / Chapter D. --- Design

published_or_final_version / abstract / Urban Planning and Environmental Management / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Pour de nombreux pays, la sécurité alimentaire est le défi majeur que l’agriculture doit relever, tout en assurant la durabilité environnementale. L’intensification durable de la production et la prévention des pertes de récoltes sont des éléments clés pour augmenter les productions et garantir leur régularité, l’utilisation massive d’intrants (Engrais, pesticides) est le plus souvent la solution la plus facile et la sure à court terme. Ces pratiques d’intensification entrainant des consommations parfois excessives d’engrais et de produits phytosanitaires ont un impact négatif sur l’environnement et la santé, ce qui pose aujourd’hui le problème de la durabilité de ces modes de production. Assurer la sécurité alimentaire par des processus d’intensification et la durabilité environnementale semblent être alors en opposition. Les conséquences sur l’environnement et la santé humaine de l’intensification des pratiques agricoles avec l’utilisation croissante de produits chimiques ont amené la société civile, et les pouvoirs publics à s’interroger sur la pérennité de ce système de développement et à interroger le monde scientifique pour proposer d’autres modes de production permettant un développement durable. Comment mettre en place des systèmes de production agricole durables dans les territoires, tout en répondant aux objectifs d’accroissement de la production pour assurer un niveau acceptable de sécurité alimentaire. Cette question aujourd’hui, s’inscrivant dans un contexte de changement climatique est devenue centrale pour les responsables des politiques. L’agriculture est associée à la notion de territoire, la durabilité environnementale à une problématique collective, ce qui modifie les paramètres de formulation des actions de politiques publiques. Il faut aujourd’hui construire des démarches de gestion intégrées et collectives de l’agriculture dans ses territoires, en prenant en compte les acteurs locaux et les potentialités et les spécificités de l’environnement physique. Pour construire un projet collectif, il est donc nécessaire de comprendre les représentations que les usagers et parties prenantes dans la gestion et l’utilisation de l’écosystème se font de sa dynamique et des interactions entre règles d’usages et comportements des acteurs locaux. Quels outils et méthodes doivent mettre en place les décideurs dans les territoires pour répondre à ces objectifs ? Le cadre de travail se situe à l’interface de différents champs scientifiques ; agronomie, géographie et économie. Une modélisation du fonctionnement du territoire comme instrument de support au dialogue semble être appropriée pour une telle démarche ; devant permettre de simuler différentes alternatives et de permettre des regards croisés. La première partie de la thèse va s’attacher à une revue de littérature des instruments et méthodes existant dans ce domaine, notamment en termes d’indicateurs de caractérisation et de solutions alternatives en terme de production. Le choix en terme de méthode générique s’oriente pour l’instant vers l’élaboration d’outils de simulation spatialisés, collectifs et interactifs. L’objectif est de pouvoir construire une méthode d’élaboration de plans stratégiques agricoles permettant de poser les fondements d’une politique publique territorialisée. Le terrain d’application sera la région de la Bekaa au Liban , qui est une zone d’intensification agricole au Liban, et contribuant de manière très importante à la production agricole du Liban. / For many countries, food security is the biggest challenge facing agriculture, while ensuring environmental sustainability. Sustainable intensification of production and preventing crop losses are key element to increase production and ensure their consistency, massive inputs (fertilizers, pesticides) use is most often the easiest and the safe solution in the short term. These intensification practices resulting sometimes in increasing excessive consumption of fertilizers and pesticides have a negative impact in both environment and human health, which today pose the problem of the sustainability of these production methods. Ensuring food security through process intensification and environmental sustainability seem to be in opposition. The impact on the environment and human health from the intensification of agricultural practices with the increase in using chemicals has carry civil society and governments to query the sustainability of this development system and to question the scientific community to provide other types of production for sustainable development. How to build sustainable systems of agricultural production in the territories, while responding to the objectives of increased production to ensure an acceptable level of food security. This question as part of climate change today has become central to policy makers. Agriculture is associated to the concept of territory, environmental sustainability to a collective problem; modify the parameters for the formulation of public policy actions. We must now build integrated management approaches and collective agriculture in these territories, taking into consideration the local stakeholders, the potentialities and the specifications of the physical environment. To build a collective project, it is crucial to understand the representations that users and stakeholders in the management and the ecosystem uses should be done in dynamics and interactions between rules of practice and behavior of local actors. What tools and methods must implement policy-makers in the territories to meet these goals? The framework is at the interface of different scientific fields; agronomy, geography and economics. A model of the operation planning as an instrument of support for the dialogue seems to be appropriate for such approach; possible to simulate different alternatives and allow viewpoints. The first part of the thesis will focus on a literature review of existing instruments and methods in this area, particularly in terms of indicators of characterization and alternative solutions in terms of production. The choice in terms of generic method is oriented on elaborating of tools in spatially, collective and interactive simulation. The goal is to build a method for developing an agricultural strategic planning to allow the basis of a territorial public policy. The field of application will be the Bekaa region in Lebanon, which is an intensive farming area in Lebanon, and contributing very significantly to agricultural production in Lebanon.

Chen, Yanyan. / "Septembet 2011." / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 135-148). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Background --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Research Problem and Objective --- p.2 / Chapter 1.3 --- Research Significance --- p.3 / Chapter 1.4 --- Methodology --- p.5 / Chapter 1.5 --- Organization of Thesis --- p.14 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- State Rescaling and Regional Planning: Concepts and Issues in the Western Countries and China --- p.16 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.16 / Chapter 2.2 --- The Reworking of State Power --- p.16 / Chapter 2.3 --- The Rescaling Concept --- p.19 / Chapter 2.4 --- "The State Rescaling Concept, Regional Development and Rescaling Process in Regions" --- p.24 / Chapter 2.5 --- The Regional Scale of Politics: Expressions of State Rescaling --- p.29 / Chapter 2.6 --- The State Restructuring and the Rise of Regions in China: A Review --- p.32 / Chapter 2.7 --- Summary --- p.36 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Conceptualizing Spatial Planning as a Process of State rescaling: towards an Analytical Framework --- p.38 / Chapter 3.1 --- Conceptualizing the Spatial Planning as a Process of State Rescaling --- p.38 / Chapter 3.2 --- Regional Planning in China --- p.44 / Chapter 3.3 --- Towards a Theoretical Framework --- p.53 / Chapter 3.4 --- Summary --- p.58 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- The State in Transition: A Need for Planning Coordination in Cross-boundary Railways --- p.61 / Chapter 4.1 --- Changing Political Economy --- p.61 / Chapter 4.2 --- Institutional Structure in Planning Regional Railways --- p.71 / Chapter 4.3 --- Pearl River Delta: the Railway Planning Context --- p.82 / Chapter 4.4 --- General Propositions on Planning Coordination of Regional Railways in China --- p.86 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Planning the Pearl River Delta Intercity Railway: Institutional Form and the Planning Mechanisms --- p.90 / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.90 / Chapter 5.2 --- Planning the PRD Intercity Railway: an Introduction of Three Planning Phases --- p.90 / Chapter 5.3 --- The Planning Process of the PRD Intercity Railway: Interaction among Multiple Jurisdictions --- p.96 / Chapter 5.4 --- The Scalar Changes of Central-provincial-local State: State Rescaling Process --- p.122 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Conclusion --- p.128 / Chapter 6.1 --- Major Findings --- p.128 / Chapter 6.2 --- Suggestions for Further Studies --- p.133

University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Department of Communication

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning