Organizations In Asia Research Articles

Leadership in faith‐based nonprofits

AbstractThis case study illustrates the unique challenges of leading a faith‐based nonprofit organization within a multifaith constituency in Asia. The core themes of the case are based on research conducted with the staff, executive team, and board members of an international faith‐based nonprofit organization in Asia. Specifically, the case focuses on three identity‐based leadership dilemmas in relation to (1) creating a shared sense of organizational identity, (2) talent management, and (3) board governance. By describing the challenges faced by the CEO, the case shows how a strong faith‐based identification can positively bind an organization together, but also result in organizational blind spots with unintended consequences.

Abstract 2226: International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC)

Abstract The International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) is one of most ambitious biomedical research efforts since the Human Genome Project. The ICGC is coordinating an international-scale research effort to obtain a comprehensive description of genomic, transcriptomic and epigenomic changes in the major forms of cancer. This information will lead to better ways of diagnosing, treating and preventing cancer. The ICGC was launched in April 2008, with the announcement of the proposed strategies and policies to the international scientific community to enable funding agencies and research groups to plan their participation within the ICGC. As of December 2009, the ICGC has received commitments from funding organizations in Asia, Australia, Europe and North America for the following cancer genome projects: breast cancer, Her2+ (France); breast cancer, multiple subtypes (United Kingdom); chronic lymphocytic leukemia (Spain); gastric adenocarcinoma (China), hepatocellular carcinoma, alcohol and associated etiologies (France); pediatric brain cancers - medulloblastoma and pilocytic astrocytoma (Germany); hepatocellular carcinoma, viral etiologies (Japan); oral cavity cancer (India), and pancreatic adenocarcinoma (Australia and Canada). Furthermore, the latest call for proposals published in the Health Theme of the European Union's 7th Research Framework Programme includes a research topic to support European participation in the ICGC. The ICGC projects will complement a large US-based pilot project called The Cancer Genome Atlas, which oversees projects related to glioblastoma multiforme, squamous carcinoma and serous adenocarcinoma. Over time, additional nations and organizations Each project is expected to involve specimens from approximately 500 patients. Over the next ten years, the ICGC expects to produce comprehensive catalogues of the full range of genetic mutations involved in 50 types of cancer, with key factors being the ability to detect all mutated cancer genes, data at the level of individual DNA bases, application of common standards for pathology and technology and comparison data from matched, non-tumour tissue. The ICGC's informed consent and ethical oversight policies state that cancer patients enrolled in an ICGC-related study should be informed that their participation is voluntary, that their clinical care will not be affected by their participation and that data obtained from analyses using their samples will be made available to the international research community. ICGC projects will use common standards of data collection and analysis. The ICGC will make its data rapidly and freely available to the global research community. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2226.

Development of enterovirus 71 vaccines

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) was first isolated in 1969 in California, USA. Several epidemic outbreaks with high mortality rates have occurred in European and Asian Countries (Bulgaria in 1975, Hungary in 1978, Malaysia in 1997, Taiwan in 1998 and China in 2008). EV71 CNS involvement may be associated with neurological sequelae, delayed neurodevelopment and reduced cognitive functioning. Since poliovirus was nearly eradicated by vaccination, EV71 is now considered as one of the top candidates for new vaccine development against human enteroviruses. Recently, several EV71 vaccine candidates, including live-attenuated virus, inactivated whole virus, recombinant viral protein, virus-like particle and DNA vaccines, have been evaluated in animals but no clinical trial has yet been conducted. Based on historical experiences with poliovirus vaccines and animal studies, the inactivated whole-virus vaccines are feasible and could be licensed readily, so these are targeted for preparing clinical trials in several organizations in Asia.

The role of Asia–Pacific organizations in maintaining regional security

Abstract There are two regular regional security organizations in Asia—the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)—through which regional states are involved in managing security pertaining to Eurasia and the Asia–Pacific, respectively. Since 2001, Asia–Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders’ meetings have addressed aspects of economic security. Whereas the SCO seems well institutionalized and purposeful, the ARF appears weakly structured and ineffective. This is because, while member states of the SCO are generally trustful of one another and hold in common most security objectives, concerns, and norms in the organization, many member states of the ARF have uneasy relations among themselves and share few security objectives, concerns, and norms in the forum. Moreover, while the SCO represents priority multilateral foreign and security policy interests for the People's Republic of China (PRC) and Russia, its two most important constituents, the ARF represents a secondary or fall-back position for the bilateral-first foreign and security policy relations of its major players like Japan, United States, and the PRC.

Managing ethical behaviour in construction organizations in Asia: How do the teachings of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism and Globalization influence ethics management?

An integrative model of Stead et al. (1990) helps managers’ understanding of why employees behave ethically or unethically in business organizations and what they can do to influence this behaviour. Stead’s model has been well received and widely used in the business management sector. This paper discusses the key principles of Stead’s model in the context of construction organizations in Asia and how the teachings of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism and Globalization influence the understanding of ethical behaviours in Asian organizations.

Working Together for Migrants' Empowerment

This article provides an overview of the experience of the Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA), a network of migrant organizations in Asia, in building alliances with trade unions in the promotion of migrants' rights. MFA members have had different levels of engagement with trade unions in addressing migrant workers' issues. A more concerted approach to working with trade unions started in 2003. MFA's cooperation with trade unions in Indonesia and Singapore is highlighted in the paper.

Boundaries and Organizations in Asia: An Introduction

Boundaries and Organizations in Asia: An Introduction

Understanding seeking from electronic knowledge repositories: An empirical study

Knowledge is a critical resource that can help organizations to sustain strategic advantage in competitive environments. Organizations in Asia and elsewhere are turning to knowledge management (KM)...

Understanding seeking from electronic knowledge repositories: An empirical study

AbstractKnowledge is a critical resource that can help organizations to sustain strategic advantage in competitive environments. Organizations in Asia and elsewhere are turning to knowledge management (KM) initiatives and technologies to leverage their knowledge resources. As a key component of KM initiatives, electronic knowledge repositories (EKRs) are deployed by organizations to store codified knowledge for future reuse. Although EKRs have been used for some time, there is a lack of understanding of what motivate employees' usage of an EKR. This study formulates and empirically tests a theoretical model relating potential antecedents to EKR usage for knowledge seeking. The model was operationalized and the survey instrument subjected to a conceptual validation process. The survey was administered to 160 knowledge professionals in public‐sector organizations in Singapore who had accessed EKRs in the course of their work. Results reveal that perceived output quality directly affects EKR usage for knowledge seeking. Further, resource availability affects EKR usage for knowledge seeking particularly when task tacitness is low and incentives affect EKR usage particularly when task interdependence is high. Implications of these results for further research and improving EKR implementation are discussed.

Governing Third Sector Organisations in Asia: Comparative Notes from a Six Asian Country Study

In Northern countries, in addition to a fiduciary approach to organisational governance emphasising the board's role as steward of public funds and tax concessions provided to the organisation, a corporate governance approach emphasising the role of the board in providing an organisation with strategic leadership is receiving currency now. This model is being suggested for third sector organisations (TSOs) everywhere. The question is does this corporate model of governance apply to third sector organisations in Asia? In order to approach the question logically we tried to to know how governance of third sector organisations in Asian countries work. Our premise is that the third sector organisation governance refers to performance of the following functions: Setting directions and strategies for the organization; Identifying and ensuring the type and quality of goods and services; Defining and maintaining relations between the 'board', staff, beneficiaries, and the fund givers, and other external stakeholders. Relating the organisation to its wider society: the government, the financiers, the members and other stakeholders. This paper is based mainly on the first (legal environment report) and second (key informant survey) steps of the project. A questionnaire survey of around 30 key informants drawn from the third sector, business sector, government sector, and international organisation in six widely varied countries in terms of culture, history, colonial past, economic institution, political system (i.e. China, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam) was undertaken. The initial analyses show that three factors influence TSO governance: legal environment, relations with the government (and other stakeholders), and internal structure of the organisations. This paper highlights issues related to these three factors. In the next phase the analyses, with governance surveys around 500 TSOs in the participating countries, are to deal with questions like how and to what extent and form the traditional system of governance impact on TSO governance, is there or why there is a variation of TSO governance across fields of activity, or the size and sources of income, what are the relationships between governance and accountability, and governance and performance in TSOs? These are to be reported in the later part of the project to be completed by Samiul Hasan and Jenny Onyx (with the help of Mark Lyons and researchers in each of the participating countries).

A Study of Record Management system and organization in Asia － India, Singapore, Vietnam －

We treated Asia's records management and system based on India, Singapore and Vietnam. We research the main content and characteristics of the law of records management of each country. We research them from the viewpoint of organization and specialists-training system and records management system. Finally we compare each country and talk about current events and points. We can find out good chances of mutual association through understanding each country. It will be helpful to settle a suitable records management system for our country.

Challenges Facing Chinese Planners in Transitional China

The Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) joined planning organizations in Asia (APSA), Europe (AESOP), and Australia and New Zealand (ANZAPS) to organize the Global Planning School Congress (WPSC 2001) in China in 2001. While there have been a number of reports about transitions in China, the host country, rarely can we find information about Chinese urban planners, the hosts. Rapid economic and social changes left Chinese planners unprepared to confront new issues from day-to-day work to more fundamental problems such as the value of planning in a market economy. This article analyzes challenges facing Chinese planners in the transitional period and provides up-dated information about the planning profession in China. It also adds new materials in a comprehensive sense to the much broader topic, “What do planners do?”

Historical dictionary of international organizations in Asia and the Pacific

Historical dictionary of international organizations in Asia and the Pacific

Book Review

Book Review

Book Reviews : Henry S.R. Kao, Durganand Sinha and Bernhard Wilpert (eds), Management and Cultural Values: The Indigenization of Organizations in Asia, New Delhi: Sage Publications, 1999, pp. 336

Book Reviews : Henry S.R. Kao, Durganand Sinha and Bernhard Wilpert (eds), Management and Cultural Values: The Indigenization of Organizations in Asia, New Delhi: Sage Publications, 1999, pp. 336

Integrating Western Change Management Concepts into Voluntary Welfare Organisations in Asia

Voluntary welfare organizations in Asia are under increasing pressure to change from its traditional ways of operations to ones that will keep pace with client needs in modernizing societies. The rapidly changing Asian economic, social, and technological environment presents both opportunities and problems. Healthcare organizations, in particular, face increasing pressures to contain costs while maintaining quality services. The increasing complexity of Asian nations necessitates organizations networking with others in related fields. This paper examines how an Asian voluntary welfare organization in Singapore adapted western management concepts about organizational primarily from Lewin (1975) and Senge (1994) to help implement a necessary development process. Senge (1994) helped to provide a strategy for change whilst Lewin (1975) helped in explicating the resisting forces and how these can be overcome. But most importantly, ongoing consultation with staff, managers and Board informed the ongoing dialectics which related theory to practice.

Asia's Security Challenges. Edited by Wllfried A. Herrmann. Commack, N.Y.: Nova Science Publishers, 1998. xi, 345 pp. $59–00.

The Asia-Pacific Region has changed from a region of permanent crisis to a major economic growth area of the world. This is mainly based on the stability of the region despite some conflict potentials. Consequently the influence of new challenges for national security is of great importance for the analysis of the future developments of this region. Security is one of the crucial needs for the individual as well as the nation or state. A comprehensive security approach is recognised by most of the Asian nation states, but most of the regional organisations in Asia are lacking it. Nevertheless, the coming era of globalisation, increasing interdependence, closer communication networks, and a growing ecology factor will show the need for closer co-operation and more regionalisation in order to fulfil the requirements of the nation state towards its inhabitants. The chapters contained in this volume provide an invaluable guide to a modified security approach in Asia, which can be the first step of building a common Asian security thinking. The covering of major security challenges as well as the regional security panoramas and the selected country profiles provide a crucial overview concerning this complex problem.

WWW Cache Control Mechanism in the AI3 Satellite Network

We propose a WWW cache control mechanism that adapts the traffic of satellite links and latency to retrieve a WWW object for the user. To prefetch a WWW object effectively reduces the latency of a satellite link; however, this technique also generates massive traffic and should be controlled. We use a control mechanism where the rim cache will decide whether to prefetch an object after observing the current traffic of satellite links in real time. The cache then decides which object should be prefetched, based on the users' access patterns. In addition, the hub cache distributes the frequently-accessed objects with multicast transmissions and improves hit ratio on rim caches. We adopted the mechanism for the AI3 satellite network, which connects several research organizations in Asia, and conclude that the proposed system improved the hit ratio of the cache 15% while reducing the mean retrieval time of an object 20%, compared to a conventional cache system.

Verifying and validating a land use — transport — environment model

This paper verifies and validates an urban land use‐transport‐environment educational model, CityPlan, developed by the authors. CityPlan is designed as an educational tool for analysing interactions between urban land use, transport and the environment. To ensure the model can replicate existing cities, verification and validation of the model are required before its application. Verification of the model was carried out using data for the city of Adelaide, Australia. Estimated parameters from the verification study are then applied to another Australian city, Melbourne, to validate the model. The validation of the model has shown that CityPlan can replicate data describing city growth over the study period at a reasonable accuracy level. CityPlan has been applied in various institutions and organisations in Asia, Europe and North America. The application of the model has shown that CityPlan is a very useful tool to assist people in understanding the complexity of land use, transport and environmental interaction. This paper presents the verification and validation results of the model. The application of CityPlan is also discussed.

Tele-Teaching

As computers and telecommunications stretch across the globe and merge into compunications, new opportunities arise for activities that cross national boundaries and become transformed into something never before possible. This chapter provides an overview of one of these activities, which is poised to undergo a fundamental transformation within the next decade — information technology (IT) in education. This chapter first presents an overview of the literature on IT in education, distance education, and the potential convergence of on- and off-campus education. A characterisation of the higher education sectors in Australia and Asia is then presented, as well as the current trend of Australian universities to establish off-shore ties with organisations in Asia to deliver international, “information-age†education. The impacts and opportunities of IT for education in general, for Asia’s emerging economies, and for Australia (as an education provider) will also be examined, along with some initial strategy recommendations.