In the past three decades China’s rapid transition from a closed economy to become the factory of the world has astonished economists all over the world. Surveys among sourcing practitioners show that China is the most interesting market for sourcing and research points to lower costs as the main reason.This dissertation is an exploratory study of the role of the intermediary for Swedish small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) that source from China. Three questions are discussed. The first question concerns why Swedish SMEs choose to source from China. Although costs are a major factor for the companies, it is usually other triggers that cause the change in strategy, such as management interest or pressure from a large customer. The second research question concerns how Swedish SMEs choose to source from China and how the role of the intermediary is related to this process. The study shows that finding a good supplier is not difficult. The companies use informal channels, references and sometimes unorthodox methods such as following the supplier of the raw material to find suppliers that deliver high quality goods. The problem is however to maintain a steady quality and on time delivery which is why intermediaries are introduced late in the relationship. The cases in this study show example of five different intermediated strategies; Direct, Service,Traditional, RepO and FICE/WFOE. The traditional intermediated strategy is the only strategy where there is little or no relation between buyer and supplier, whereas the other four strategies involve different degrees of interaction between all three actors in the dyad; the buyer, the supplier and the intermediary.The third research question concerned the role of the intermediary. The study shows that the respondents are influenced by their structural view on what role the different forms of intermediaries may take. Although the respondents discuss the importance of having a long-term view on the relationship with the supplier they continuously allow intermediaries to enter the relationship on a short-term basis for quality control. These quality control centers (QC) commonly work on a fixed commission based on services that has to be specified. When the buyers are trying to change their strategy to look for an intermediary with higher involvement they usually turn to internal intermediaries (i.e. subsidiaries). When deciding on a long term intermediary the buyer usually looks for competences that supplement their own knowledge – that is Chinese language, good knowledge of the Chinese market but also technological competence. What the western owned intermediaries in China stresses however is the need to find intermediaries to supplement the suppliers’ competences, so that they are able to translate the needs of the buyer’s customer and becomes a physical reminder that they are sent from the buyer. The case of QC, shows that if a company let the relationship with the intermediary develop through interaction they can become just as involved.The study is based on interviews with key informants at Swedish SMEs andat different types of intermediaries in China. The empirical data are presented infive themes developed through an iterative process of theoretical studies anddata collection. The first two themes are directly related to the first tworesearch questions. The third theme focuses on the sourcing process andactivities of four small Swedish design companies. The fourth theme displayshow the intermediaries in China discuss their role. Finally, the fifth theme pictures the supply chain of one focal company at five points in time when they are in the process of changing their supply chain to increase transparency. / Disputationen sker fredagen den 30 mars kl. 13.00 i sal B1014 på Internationella Handelshögskolan, Högskolan i Jönköping

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research assignment has investigated the overall nature of the investment climate in the People's Republic of China (PRC).The investment climate was analysed using a Political Risk Analysis (PRA) framework, whereby the PRC was scrutinised closely for its most defining socioeconomic features and, especially, for its most salient political risk factors. Based on this, the assignment evaluated this climate with specific relevance to the investment plans of the South African company SAB-Miller. Since its accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO)in 2001, the PRC has intensified its economic restructuring process, a necessary and inevitable process, in order to comply with the terms of the WTOframework. This period of adjustment has heightened the anxiety over the strength of the Chinese economy, and the repercussions and/or opportunities for the multinational SAB-Miller.To remedy this uncertainty, this assignment has drawn up an in-depth qualitative scenario, in order to forecast the major trends of the PRC's short-term socio-political future. The main findings of the assignment indicate that a 'high-road' scenario is the most likely to occur in the PRC in the short-term. Clearly, this favourable forecast 1S dependent on the continuation of the current economic and socio-political restructuring process in the PRC. With regards to the main macro-political risks factors, the assignment draws attention to several critical areas of concern. Firstly, the lack of legitimatisation from the 'bottom-up' is a worrying feature, especially in light of the growing economic disparities between citizens and between provinces. Secondly, the financial and governmental sectors need a thorough restructuring, according to WTO criteria. Thirdly, the fragmentation of the market inside the PRe undermines the potential of the PRC government to diffuse the benefits of economic growth and to absorb the downsides of globalisation. Micro-specific risk factors for the company SAB-Miller are focussed predominantly on the speed and the depth of the implementation of the guidelines of the WTO. Especially with regards to the lowering of intra-provincial trade barriers and the efficacy of the distribution networks. Lastly, SAB-Miller should eliminate any risk factors, which may originate from inside the company's behaviour, such as the effects of its adopted labour policies. Lastly, it should maintain a clear level of transparency in their associations with governmental institutions. Throughout the assignment, these risk factors will be investigated and related to the overall political risk climate and utilised to draw conclusions concerning the potential of the investment plans of SAB-Miller. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie werkstuk het die beleggingsklimaat van die Volksrepubliek China (VRC) ondersoek. Die beleggingssklimaat is ontleed deur gebruik te maak van 'n model vir Politieke Risiko Analise (PRA), waarby die VRC sorgvuldig onderwerp is aan 'n ondersoek van sy mees kenmerkende sosio-ekonomiese faktore en van die belangrikste risiko faktore. Hierop gebaseer, het die werkstuk ook die beleggingsklimaat ontleed met spesifieke betrekking tot die beleggingsplanne van die Suid Afrikaanse maatskappy SAB-Miller. Sedert toetreding tot die Wêreld Handelsorganisasie (WHO) in 2001, het die VRC sy transformasie proses versnel ten einde te voldoen aan die WHO se toelatingskriteria. Hierdie tydperk van aanpassing het kommer gewek oor die Chinese ekonomie asook oor die gevolge daarvan vir die maatskappy SABMiller. Om hierdie onsekerheid aan te spreek het die werkstuk 'n kwalitatiewe scenario voorgestel, ten einde die hoofpunte van die VRC se sosio-ekonomiese kort-termyn toekoms vooruit te skat. Die gevolgtrekking van hierdie werkstuk toon aan dat 'n 'high-road' scenario die waarskynlikste is gedurende die kort termyn. Dis ook duidelik dat die gunstige vooruitskattings afhanklik is van die voortsetting van die huidige sosioekonomiese transformasie proses van die VRC. Met betrekking tot die vernaamste makro-politieke risiko faktore het die werkstuk aandag gegee aan verskeie kommerwekkende aspekte. Eerstens, die gebrek aan elektorale regmatigheid van die 'grond-af, waarskynlik in die lig van die toenemende ekonomisiese verskille tussen burgers asook tussen provinsies. Tweedens, moet die finansiële- en staatssektore grondig herstruktureer word volgens die WHO riglyne. Derdens, ondermyn die fragmentasie van die mark van binne China die mag van die VRCse regering om die voordele van die ekonomiese groei gelykmatig te versprei, asook om die nadele van Globalisasie te absorbeer. Mikro-spesifieke risiko faktore vir die SAB-Miller maatskappy het hoofsaaklik gefokus op die spoed en die diepgang van die implementering van die WHO riglyne. In besonder met betrekking tot die hoë interprovinsiale handelsbelemmerings en die optimale effektiwiteit van die verspreidingskakels. Laatstens, moet SAB-Miller enige risiko faktore elimineer wat as gevolg van die maatskappy se eie gedrag kan onstaan, byvoorbeeld die maatskappy se arbeidsvoorwaardes. SAB-Miller moet ook 'n duidelike aanspreeklikheidsfunksie daarstel, in hulle betrekkinge met Chinese staatsinstellings. Deur die hele werkstuk word hierdie risiko faktore ondersoek en in verband gebring met die algemene politieke risiko klimaat, en word ook gebruik om gevolgtrekkinge te maak aangaande die potensiaal van SAB-Millerse beleggingsplanne.

本論文共一冊，約十二萬字，分七章十八節。 本文係以後行為主義討論重大問題的理念為研究角度，來研究中華民國的政治發展經 驗，希望能藉此研究成果鑑往知來，以為啟示。為避免研究範圍過大致難以掌握重點 的弊病，特以一九七二年至一九八三年期間，我國政治發展經驗，做為研究之對象， 其中參考GABRIEL A． ALMOND政治發展四個因果解釋，以下列五個層面為分析內容： 一、在政治發展的外環境上，主要是討論國際環境的嬗變及中共的統戰對中華民國的 影響。 二、在政治發展的內環境上。主要是討論中華民國在社會動員上的發展程度，藉此探 討社會動員對政治發展的影響，並以政治參與的高漲為焦點，討論無黨籍政治人士的 崛起及其對政治發展的影響。 三、在政治體系的功能發展上，係說明政治體系面對社會動員的發展，在功能上所做 的各種因素，包括中央民意代表的增額選舉，選舉罷免法及國家賠償法的制定，以及 中國國民黨面對無黨籍人士競爭所做提名政策的回應。 四、在政治成員的理性抉擇上，主要是探討政治成員的政治文化，申論選民歷年的投 票趨勢，以及苶黨籍政治人士的言論取向。 五、在取高執政者的領導上，則從領導的制度層面及行為層面分析 蔣經國先生的領 導特質，並探討其在精英甄補上的決策。 最後，總結歸納這一段期間，中華民國在政治發展上的成功經驗，並希望能藉此補充 修正政治發展理論的疏失。

鑑仿戰後出現之「多體制國家」─中國、韓國及德國─其國際關係運作，在傳統國際 法規下，所受之困擾。本文旨在探討這情勢；並進而企圖建構一可行之理論模式，件 為運作的法律架構。 第一章為導論，說明研究之動機、目的、範圍與方法。 第二章則就概念的界定、描述、比較與法律性質四方面，分析「多體制國家」這一概 念。 第三章則從國際法的觀點，將上章之概念予以理論化，即建構為一理論模式。 第四章則將上章理論模式中之重要原則，予以法理驗證並闡釋。 第五章則由「多體制國家」自身及外在環境的國家實踐上，批判這理論模式的可行性 。主要是以中國為例分析。 第六章為結論。

本文主要分析我國賦稅收入結構，並利用多元迴歸分析建立賦稅收入預測模式，用以 預測我國未來稅收動向，期能作為政府施政方針之參考。 第一章：緒論，共分四節，說明本文研究動機、研究目的、研究範圍及研究架構。 第二章：研究方法論及文廚探討，共分二節，就預測所採用之研究方法作一概括說明 ，並探討我國過去的研究成果。 第三章：我國賦稅收人結構分析，共分二節，首先說明賦稅收人分類標準，再就我國 賦稅收人結構依１．財政收支劃分法就國稅、省稅、縣市稅收入號比重分析２．就各 項稅課收入比重分析３．按所得稅、財產稅、消費稅三大八類標準之比重分析。 第四章：我國賦稅收入預測，共分四節，分別為 １．模型（模式認定） ２．模型之說明（參數之推定） ３．模型檢對（檢定） ４．我國來年賦稅收入之預測。 第五章：為結論與建議。

2008年元月實施的《中華人民共和國勞動合同法》，是中國大陸政府當局宣告擺脫過往提供低廉人力資源的新興國家形象，挑選更願意肩付企業社會責任的企業，轉型成為真正大國。這部勞動合同法在更全面保障勞工權益時，被資方及部分學者視為一部親勞方遠資方的法令，執行後衝擊許多外商，其中包括台商。 2008年元月實施的《中華人民共和國勞動合同法》，是中國大陸政府當局宣告擺脫過往提供低廉人力資源的新興國家形象，挑選更願意肩付企業社會責任的企業，轉型成為真正大國。這部勞動合同法在更全面保障勞工權益時，被資方及部分學者視為一部親勞方遠資方的法令，執行後衝擊許多外商，其中包括台商。 本論文針對勞動合同法對台商造成的影響進行探討，不同產業的台商受到影響的差別性，並研討台商因應之道，例如作出內部制度改革及遷徙廠房等，遷徙路線是本文探討焦點。 本論文透過與台商的深度訪談獲得相關資訊，歸納出台商在勞動合同法實施後，決定西移入中國大陸內地、南移向東南亞國家、或是向東返回台灣投資的三個遷徙路線，與作出這個決定的背後考量。 2008年台灣總統大選後再次政黨輪替，馬政府團隊重新開啟與對岸的交流，台灣當局也利用這個台商思動和兩岸融冰的時機，提供優惠政策吸引台商返台投資。勞動合同法的頒布也牽動台商在兩岸的移轉和經營的變革。 / Law of The People’s Republic of China on Employment Contracts is executed to get rid of the image of offering cheap human resource, Mainland China’s stereotype for investors in majority. After practicing the Law, the government expects to attract enterprises with more willing of taking social responsibilities to transform as the modern country. The Law protects labors’rights more completely, but is regarded a bias against investors. The consequence of practicing the Law impacts many foreign investors, including Taiwanese businessmen. This thesis discusses how the Law impacts Taiwanese businessmen, various effects to different businesses, and the responses from Taiwanese investors, such as the innovation of internal system and removal of business. Where do those Taiwanese businessmen remove their investment is the key point of this thesis. The conclusion of this thesis is based on one-by-one interview with selected Taiwanese businessmen among various businesses. If they decided to remove the investment, three routes are mostly considered: east to interior land of Mainland China, south to East Asia countries, and east to Taiwan. This thesis also indicates why they do such considerations. 2008 Taiwan Presidential Election rotated ruling party. KMT Ma government restarts the interaction with Mainland China and takes advantage of ice-breaking timing to offer favorable policies to attract Taiwanese businessmen to return to Taiwan. The execution of Law of The People’s Republic of China on Employment Contracts also affects the move of Taiwanese businessmen and the mode of business operation.

The main concern of this thesis is the development of political and economic relations between the PRC and the KSA. The relations that officially developed after the establishment of diplomatic relations are the focus of analysis of the thesis. By examining the historical and statistical data, the thesis assesses the factors that have cultivated and maintained the Sino-Saudi political and economic relations, as well as the implications of these bilateral links. In analysing the relations, a theoretical conception of complex interdependence has been used. The thesis first provides background on China’s policy towards the superpowers and the Middle Eastern countries between 1949 and 1989, and looks at how China and Saudi Arabia related to each other over this period. The thesis then argues that over the first decade (1990-2000) of Sino-Saudi diplomatic relations, the two countries began to lay the basis for complex interdependence between them. It highlights a number of characteristics of complex interdependence which came to exist. The thesis then goes on to examine whether, in the second decade (2001-2010) of bilateral relations, an intensification of complex interdependence ensued. The complex interdependence approach links closely with constructivist theory in terms of how this thesis is conceived. The thesis argues that China and Saudi Arabia between 1949 and 1977 shared an understanding that their ideological positions made official links between them impossible. Over the course of the following twelve years, this understanding gradually changed. The change laid the basis for the development of diplomatic relations in 1990. In the years between 1990 and 2010, the policy responses of China and Saudi Arabia to major regional events exhibited a commonality of perception. This underpinned the development of the relationship. To identify clearly the growth of Sino-Saudi relations, the thesis is divided into three time periods: 1949-89; 1990-2000; and 2001-10. The time period 1949-89 has three distinct phases: 1949-65; 1966-77; and 1978-89. The 1949-65 and 1966-97 periods are characterised by the absence of state-to-state relations between the PRC and the KSA. However, unofficial contact between Muslims on mainland China and Saudi officials and leaders was established and largely maintained. State-to-state contact only existed between the KSA and ROC governments, which shared broadly anti-Communist sentiments. During the 1978-89 phase, hope for the establishment of diplomatic relations between the PRC and the KSA was high. Some intergovernmental contact was initiated, direct communications between the leaders of the two countries were enhanced, and a joint endeavour towards the development of diplomatic ties was pursued. The 1988 missile deal smoothly accelerated the process of developing these ties. In the 1990-2000 phase, four decades after the establishment of the PRC, Sino-Saudi diplomatic relations were established. The establishment of these diplomatic relations was daunting for the ROC, which wanted to preserve the diplomatic recognition that the KSA had granted it for the preceding 45 years. The strenuous efforts of the ROC to prevent a dramatic shift of diplomatic recognition to mainland China were in vain. The 1990-2000 phase was marked by significant growth in the newly established Riyadh-Beijing diplomatic relationship. Economic interests were at the heart of the agendas of the leaders and officials of the two countries. They began to enhance co-operation and to sign agreements related to various aspects of their bilateral relations. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Oil Co-operation was concluded in 1999. The value of Sino-Saudi total trade rose by 643 percent between 1990 and 2000 and the volume of Saudi oil exports to China increased by 6,721 percent between 1991 and 2000. After nearly ten years official diplomatic relations were established, President Jiang Zemin viewed the development of bilateral relations as impressive, while Crown Prince Abdullah seemed to suggest that there was now “an intimate relationship” between the two countries, saying that he considered the PRC to be the KSA’s closest friend. The period 2001-10 is also sub-divided into two phases: 2001-05 and 2006-10. This period exhibits the three characteristics of complex interdependence that Keohane and Nye (2000) put forward in their scholarly work: multiple channels, the minimal role of military force, and the absence of a hierarchy of issues. Security issues were largely excluded from Sino-Saudi bilateral relations, while economic interests dominated the agendas of the two countries. In the first phase (2001-05), high-level officials continued to play a leading role in bilateral economic relations. They consistently called for the participation of the private sector in expanding Riyadh-Beijing economic ties. The value of Sino-Saudi total trade continued to climb, reaching USD16.1bn in 2005, and the PRC’s oil imports from the KSA reached 22.2 million tonnes in the same year. Some joint investment projects that involved the participation of Chinese and Saudi companies in the hydrocarbons sector were successful. With regard to the construction industry, Chinese companies won four construction projects from the Saudi Arabian cement industry. The second phase (2006-10) was marked by substantial advancement in Sino-Saudi relations. Following the exchange visits of the state leaders in 2006, bilateral contacts expanded rapidly. The visits led to the formulation of more strategies, with the intention of cementing the relationship, increasing contact and concluding more agreements. The Chinese leaders called for “strategic co-operation”, “a friendly and co-operative strategic partnership”, and “strategic friendly relations”, specifically referring to economic co-operation. This second phase saw Sino-Saudi total trade increase to USD 33bn in 2009, and the volume of PRC oil imports from the KSA reached a peak of 41.8million barrels in the same year. With regard to the hydrocarbons joint ventures, in which investments were jointly made by Saudi ARAMCO and Sinopec, the projects in Quanzhou and Rub’ Al-Khali were good examples of the strong co-operation between PRC and KSA companies. The Quanzhou plant launched operation in 2009, and the gas-exploration project in Rub’Al-Khali engaged in drilling for another three years (its operation began in 2004). The achievement of SINOPEC SABIC Tianjin Petrochemical Co., Ltd, as part of the Tianjin petrochemical project, is another example of such co-operation. In non-hydrocarbons joint ventures, mutual investment increased exponentially, particularly in the mining sector.

Outer Edges of the Middle Kingdom is a narrative by the author about his two years as a teacher in the People's Republic of China. Organized chronologically, the account begins in August, 1985, and ends in June, 1987. The narrator describes meeting students at Tianjin University, Tianjin, China, designing English classes for English majors, daily episodes in the classroom, and interaction with Chinese colleagues. The narrative alternates between life on a university campus and extensive trips the narrator made to various cities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Kunming, Guilin, Harbin, Hohot, and Guangzhou. Also recounted are the narrator's reactions to the student demonstrations of December, 1986, and the resulting anti-bourgeois liberation campaign of January-April, 1987.

6. SUMMARY The purpose of my thesis is to describe the administrative organization in the People's Republic of China. The reason for my research is the growing interest resulting need for its introduction to the public. The thesis is composed of five chapters, each of them dealing with different aspects of Chinese administration. Chapter One is introductory and in its first subdivision it depicts the methodology used in the process of my research and also defines basic rules for translations of terminology used in the thesis. The second subdivision addresses the issue of literature and sources used in this thesis. Chapter Two introduces the geography, population and territorial divisions of China. The next chapter is subdivided into six parts. Part One specifies the Chinese legal culture, while the second part provides an overview of the legal development in the 20th century. Part Three investigates the legal and political system of nowadays China. Part Four depicts and explains the bodies of state power, while the next part introduces the Chinese Communist Party, which in fact is the main authority when discussing the state power in China and the most important decision-making body. The last part deals with the categorization of normative acts in China. Chapter Four concentrates on administrative...

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