Asian Americans are one of the fastest growing minority groups in the United States. One of the stereotypes associated with Asians is that they are more likely to choose careers in science, medicine, and engineering rather than social science, inclusive of social work, mass communication, or humanities (Leong & Serafica, 1995; Tang et al., 1999). This occupational stereotyping of Asians is not just a myth in that descriptive studies have shown that only a few Asians choose social work as a career (Lennon, 2005; NASW, 2006). Few studies exist on Asian Americans who do not choose Asian stereotypical career choices, such as social work. Acknowledging this lack of research, the present study was developed to explore the relationships between factors that may influence Asian Americans who choose social work as their career. Based on social cognitive career theory (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994), it was hypothesized that acculturation and family immigration status influenced parental involvement, perceived career barriers, and career outcome expectations of Asian American social workers. A cross-sectional survey design utilizing mixed methods was used in this study. The sample was derived from the members’ database of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). Among 1,802 of Asian American social workers in the NASW database, those aged 65 or older were excluded and 900 Asian social workers were randomly chosen for this study. A total of 370 Asian American social workers participated in this study with 41 percent of a return rate. Quantitative data were collected through standardized measurements: the Social Work Career Influence Questionnaire (Biggerstaff, 2000); Suinn-Lew Asian Self-Identity Acculturation Scale (Suinn, Rickard-Figueroa, Lew, & Vigil, 1987); Career Barriers Inventory Revised (Swanson, et al., 1996); and eight items from Tang et al.’s (1999) Asian American Career Development Questionnaire. Also, qualitative data were obtained through two open-ended short questions. The data were collected through a combined method of an online survey with option of a paper mail-return questionnaire. Results of the study found significant group differences among family immigration status groups on perceived likelihood and perceived hindrance of career barriers. The 1st generation group perceived the greatest career barriers and the 3rd or higher generation group perceived the least career barriers among the family immigration status groups. However, there was no significant multivariate effect of acculturation on perceived likelihood and hindrance of career barriers, parental involvement, desire to be a therapist, prestige of the profession, and social change mission of the profession. Qualitative data included participants’ diverse perspectives on what factors influenced Asian Americans’ selecting or not selecting social work as a career. Implications and limitations of this study, as well as suggestions for future research, are discussed.

近年來，世界青年就業問題持續發酵，中國大陸與台灣學生的就業問題也同樣嚴重。拋開大環境下的客觀原因，學生自身也存在不少問題，比如就業意識不強，就業能力不足等。生涯成熟度是個體在完成與其年齡相應的職業生涯發展任務的心理準備程度，是衡量個體生涯發展水平的有效工具，為提高學生就業能力和相關機構開展就業輔導提供理論基礎。目前，對生涯成熟度的研究逐漸增多，但針對兩岸學生的比較研究還為數甚少。因此展開這方面的研究是有意義的。 本研究爬梳整理了歸於生涯成熟度的的相關文獻，借鑑成熟的生涯成熟度量表，并進一步篩選，以此問卷對1404名政治大學和南京大學的學生進行生涯成熟度調查。研究結果發現：1.本次研究的學生樣本總體生涯成熟度處於較為成熟的狀態；2.學生生涯成熟度並不存在學校的差異；3.學生生涯成熟度存在性別的差異，男性的生涯成熟度高於女性；4.學生生涯成熟度存在教育程度的差異，受教育程度越高，生涯成熟度越高；5.學生生涯成熟度存在年級的差異，大學期間，兩者之間存在正相關關係，但大學延畢生的生涯成熟度最低；研究所期間，生涯成熟度隨年級增長而下降；6.學生生涯成熟度不存在文理專業的差異；7.學生生涯成熟度存在在校成績的差異，兩者為正相關關係；8.學生生涯成熟度存在學生幹部的差異，有學生幹部經驗的學生生涯成熟度高於沒有經驗的學生，擔任班級幹部的學生生涯成熟度高於其他類型的學生幹部；9.學生生涯成熟度不存在社團經驗的差異；10.學生生涯成熟度存在工作經驗的差異，有工作經驗的學生生涯成熟度高於沒有經驗的學生。生涯成熟度隨著工作時間的增長呈現「S」型增長；11.學生生涯成熟度不存在獨生子女的差異；12.學生生涯成熟度存在家庭經濟狀況的差異，家庭經濟較差的學生生涯成熟度最高；13.學生生涯成熟度不存在母親教育程度的差異，存在父親教育程度的差異，父母教育程度越低，生涯成熟度越高；14.學生生涯成熟度不存在學生生源的差異。 / In recent years, the youth employment is becoming more and more serious. Apart from the objective reasons, students’ inadequate employment competitiveness and consciousness also account for the status quo. Career maturity is the level of preparedness, an individual reaches when dealing with his/ herage- appropriate career development tasks. So, career maturity is an effective measurement to test individual’s career developmentlevel and provides the theoretical basis for practical study. Now, more and more people start to research the career maturity, but the research specifically aimed at the comparison of Chinese Mainland and Taiwan is rare. Therefore, the study is inevitably. Based on related literature review on career maturity, referring to the Career Maturity Questionnaire, the study discusses the career maturity and its affecting factors of students of Nanjing University and National Chengchi University. The results are as following: 1. Students’career maturity are not high;2. Campus, major, club experience and the sources of students bear little influence on career maturity;3. There is significant difference in gender;4. There is significant relation between students’ career maturity and their education degree;5. The career maturity differences in grades;6. The career maturity is in positive relation to academic score;7. The students who have the student leader and work experience get higher career maturity than others;8. The fact of being the only child or not does not relate to career maturity significantly;9. Family economic background impacts students’ career maturity;10. Parents’ education level has negative correlation with career maturity.

The challenges of sustainability and its complexities born out of overexploitation of resources, leading to climate change issues, food wastage, and scarcity, economic and health-related dilemmas, has yet to find their solution in top-down models, taking the form of hierarchical control (rulers), as such, researchers have considered other alternatives to how communities can tackle these issues, and one of such approach is the bottom-up model. Recent research and literature on collective action have focused on sequencing events like regime changes, riots, revolutions, protests, and the founding of social movement organizations. This study ethnographically investigated the relevant factors for collective action and factors influencing individual cooperation in the local community initiative, Food Rescue Gotland, through a four-week participant observation with eight in-depth interviews. The relevant factors identified in this context were a sense of community, passion for sustainability, good atmosphere for work, committed volunteers and trust, availability of resources and goodwill ambassadors, ease of participation, small size, effective communication, and good structure. Significant factors influencing individual cooperation include knowledge about sustainability, a sense of belonging, and a shared sense of community. This study contributes to the broader literature on successful collective action for sustainability in the context of local community initiatives. It contributes further to the replicability of this kind of local community initiative in other communities and awareness of its impact on Gotland Island, Sweden.