Public University In China Research Articles

Recent Personnel Reforms of Public Universities in China and in Italy: A Comparison

Purpose of the present research is an investigation of the most recent personnel reforms of higher education institutions in China and in Italy. A one-to-one comparison between the two realities would have been unrealistic, given the enormous differences between the two Countries in size and historical development. We focused our analysis on some basic issues common to both higher education institutions, such as the degree of the academic autonomy from the political power in the academic governance and the quality of the knowledge production and transfer to the society. The Sun Yat-Sen and the Guangzhou Universities in the Guangdong Province of China, and the Universities of Padua and Ca’ Foscari in Venetian Region of Italy, have been chosen as case studies.In China the personnel reforms introduced by the central government in the period 1995-2014, were accompanied by a relevant financial support by the central and regional authorities, thus helping the national universities to attain high standards of excellence in the technological domain. Those remarkable financial investments by the central and regional authorities are paying off, contributing to the technological advancement of the Country.As for the Italian public universities, a very innovative reform law was introduced by the ‘Ministry of Education, University and Research’ in December 2010, which granted a high level of governance autonomy to those institutions. Unfortunately, the great financial crisis that hit the Country in the same period of time caused a strong reduction of the public funds to universities and a consequent brain drain of young post graduates toward Northern Europe and North America.In spite of this temporary shortage of funds, Italian public universities have maintained their high level of excellence in science, technology and humanities, as evidenced by the increasing number of their bilateral cooperation agreements, concerning student mobility and joint research activities, with foreign universities all over the world, China included.

Factors affecting smartphone dependency among the young in China

ABSTRACTWith rapid adoption of smartphones globally, the negative consequences of excessive smartphone use and dependency, especially among the young, has garnered more public attention recently. This study investigated the factors influencing smartphone dependency among the young. Using the Individual Media Dependency (IMD) perspective, this study proposed an extended IMD model to examine the influencing roles of six IMD goals, three psychological traits (self-esteem, leisure boredom, and sensation seeking), and smartphone use on smartphone dependency. A survey based on stratified random sampling was used to collect data from young smartphone users at one main public university in China. Structural equation modeling was then employed to examine the fit of the data to the model. The results identified four smartphone dependency symptoms, i.e. inability to control cravings, escape, feeling anxious, and productivity loss, and revealed the mechanisms between IMD goals, psychological traits, and smartphone dependency. The results showed that different IMD goals had significant impacts on different aspects of smartphone use, while smartphone use did not have a direct effect on smartphone dependency. The study provided important information, as it was among the first few to provide valuable references for both academicians and practitioners concerning smartphone dependency, which is still rarely explored in China.

Factors influencing students’ satisfaction in using wireless internet in higher education

PurposeIn this age of exponential knowledge growth, where wireless internet is playing a dominant role, the concerned authorities of higher education have to ensure that this tool remains within the reach of the students. However, there has been as yet little research indicating its success in China. This paper aims to examine factors that influence students’ satisfaction (SAT) in using wireless internet in higher education for the purpose of learning. The second aim of this study is to identify if gender has a moderating effect on students’ SAT in using wireless internet in higher education.Design/methodology/approachData from a total of 283 students from five colleges of a comprehensive public university in China (Foreign Language Studies, Business, Education, Biology and Chemistry, and Mathematics and Engineering) were collected for this study. The reliability and validity of the measurement scale were established through a Rasch model using Winsteps version 3.94. The technology satisfaction model (TSM) was validated applying structural equation modelling (SEM) using AMOS to test the causal relationships among the constructs.FindingsThe results of this study revealed that students’ SAT was directly influenced by perceived usefulness (PU) and ease of use of wireless internet. Besides, students’ perceived ease of use (PEU) and usefulness were directly affected by their computer self-efficacy. On the other hand, students’ computer self-efficacy had an indirect effect on their SAT mediated by ease of use and perceived usefulness, respectively. The findings also discovered that gender did exert effect as a moderating variable towards students’ SAT in using wireless internet in higher education.Practical implicationsThe TSM was shown to be a useful model to measure students’ SAT in using wireless internet in a different culture.Originality/valueTo achieve this aim, a TSM on the potential factors contributing to student SAT was developed from the literature and validated in this study. Whereas, the TSM has been developed and validated in Malaysia.

How the World-Class University Project Affects Scientific Productivity? Evidence from a Survey of Faculty Members in China

Using a survey of faculty members from 30 public universities in China, this study examines the influence of the world-class university (WCU) project on faculty member’s scientific productivity under the perspectives of globalization and national demands. In general, the results support the globalization dimension of the WCU project in China. The WCU project exhibits a positive effect on international publications, but has no significant impact on domestic publications and technology transfer. In addition, it is found that a high level of WCU funding is associated with more patents, while a low level of WCU funding has no influence on patents. The study also explores the indirect effects of the WCU project. It is found that the WCU project has enhanced the effect of non-government research funding on academic publications. Moreover, the WCU institutions put emphasis on attracting talents from abroad, but there is no evidence that researchers from abroad are more productive than domestic researchers in science and engineering fields.

Structured group sandplay to improve the resilience of college students: A pilot study

This study explored the effect of structured group sandplay method (SGSM) on the resilience of Chinese college students. The subjects were 19 first year university students, selected from a local public university in China. These students were individuals with a typically low level of psychological resilience. A mixed quantitative-qualitative, process-outcome research methodology was used. An experimental control group pretest/posttest design was implemented, with eight intervention sessions given to the experimental group, within which six sessions were SGSM, while qualitative data was collected during the intervention process. Multiple assessments—Ego-resilience scale (ERS), University Personality Inventory (UPI), Sandplay Test of Resilience (STR), and text analysis—were used to measure the effect of SGSM. Statistical analyses of pre- and posttests of ERS, UPI, and STR all showed a positive effect. Moreover, a design of introspection on the main components of resilience contained in SGSM was used to explain and elaborate the mechanisms of SGSM.

The moderating role of social media usage in the relationship among multicultural experiences, cultural intelligence, and individual creativity

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the moderating role of social media usage in the relationship among multicultural experiences, cultural intelligence, and creativity.Design/methodology/approachThis study conducted a questionnaire survey in three public universities in China and obtained 310 useful responses from international students.FindingsThe authors categorized social media usage into informational and socializing usage. Findings show that socializing social media usage strengthens the relationship between multicultural experiences and cultural intelligence, whereas informational social media usage does not strengthen such relationship.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings suggest that practitioners, such as managers or university administrators, should focus on well-designed multicultural activities in the development of individual creativity. They should also acknowledge the enabling role of cultural intelligence in developing individual creativity and realize that social media usage should be differentiated from the outcomes of its usage.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the knowledge on the moderating role of social media usage in the relationship between multicultural experiences and creativity based on experiential learning theory. The study presents the relationship among multicultural experiences, cultural intelligence, and creativity. Moreover, by investigating the moderating roles of informational and socializing social media usage, the authors presented that an IT contingent view of multicultural experiences is helpful in understanding the relationship between multicultural experiences and cultural intelligence.

The governance in the development of public universities in China

ABSTRACTThis paper examines institutional governance of the public university in China, investigating the extent to which government has sponsored the autonomy of universities since the inception of the opening up reforms of 1978. The paper sets out to explain how the party governance system of China is interconnected with aspects of the university’s governance, little commented upon in academic literature outside of China. In particular, it explores how the Presidential Accountability System under the leadership of the University Committee of Communist Party (UCCP) operates.

Effects of a Dyad's Cultural Intelligence on Global Virtual Collaboration

Research problem: The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of the cultural intelligence of a dyad (a team of two persons) on its global virtual collaboration processes and outcomes. Research question: Does a dyad's cultural intelligence have an effect on global virtual collaboration processes and outcomes? If yes, which effects does that cultural intelligence have? Literature review: We review literature on the management of cultural diversity in global virtual collaboration and cultural intelligence. The literature suggests that cultural diversity in global virtual teams is mainly managed with rigid approaches, which are ineffective in many situations. Leveraging cultural intelligence has the potential to improve global virtual collaboration. However, its effects at the team level or in a virtual setting are not yet clear. Methodology: We used a collaboration simulation with 70 participants recruited from two public universities in China and Germany to study the effects of cultural intelligence. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through questionnaires, voice recorders, and computer logs. Bale's interaction process analysis was used to code the voice recordings, and ordinary least-squares regression was used to test the hypotheses. Results and conclusions: The results indicate that cultural intelligence has an effect on global virtual collaboration; the lower cultural intelligence and the higher cultural intelligence in a dyad exert different effects on global virtual collaboration. Specifically, the lower cultural intelligence significantly influences the frequency of collaborative behaviors, which further influence group satisfaction. In contrast, the higher cultural intelligence significantly influences the deliverable quality. The findings advance the understanding of the effects of cultural intelligence at a dyad level and on proximal behavioral outcomes. The study has practical implications for global virtual collaboration practitioners and collaborative virtual environment designers. The study is limited by using student subjects and a self-report measure of cultural intelligence, as well as by examining global virtual teams in their simplest form. Future studies are suggested to examine contingency factors on the relationships between cultural intelligence and global virtual collaboration processes and outcomes.

Determinants and Outcomes of Professional Vitality: Evidence from China

The processes underlying professional vitality in the workplace based on organizational variables such as perceived organizational support and career satisfaction, have received little attention from researchers. We proposed professional vitality as a positive dimension in career development and empirically examined its determinants and outcomes. Within our conceptual framework, light was shed on the effect of professional vitality as a critical component in career satisfaction. We collected data from 218 students enrolled part-time in the Master of Business Administration course at a large public university in China. The results showed that perceived organizational support and trust were closely connected to the students' professional vitality and career satisfaction. Moreover, we found that professional vitality played a partial mediating role between perceived organizational support, trust, and career satisfaction. The theoretical and practical implications for future research are discussed.

Determinants and Outcomes of Professional Vitality: Evidence from China

The processes underlying professional vitality in the workplace based on organizational variables such as perceived organizational support and career satisfaction, have received little attention from researchers. We proposed professional vitality as a positive dimension in career development and empirically examined its determinants and outcomes. Within our conceptual framework, light was shed on the effect of professional vitality as a critical component in career satisfaction. We collected data from 218 students enrolled part-time in the Master of Business Administration course at a large public university in China. The results showed that perceived organizational support and trust were closely connected to the students’ professional vitality and career satisfaction. Moreover, we found that professional vitality played a partial mediating role between perceived organizational support, trust, and career satisfaction. The theoretical and practical implications for future research are discussed.

Quasi-Experimental Evidence of Peer Effects in First-Year Economics Courses at a Chinese University

The authors of this article implement a quasi-experimental strategy to estimate peer effects in economic education by exploiting the institutional setting in a large public university in China, where roommates are randomly assigned conditional on a student's major and province of origin. They found significant impacts of peer academic quality, measured as roommates’ average scores on the national College Entrance Exam, on first-year economics students’ scores in first-year microeconomics, macroeconomics, and accounting courses. They also found nonlinearity in peer effects: Roommates’ academic ability has significant effects for academically weak students but not for academically strong students.

Unravelling the influence of cognitive style on Chinese students’ classroom behaviours: the mediating effects of the structure-oriented/depth-oriented learning approach

This study was designed to investigate how cognitive style affects Chinese students’ learning behaviours in the classroom. A concept labelled as the structure-oriented vs. depth-oriented learning approach was constructed, and its mediating effects in the link between cognitive style and learning behaviour were proposed and examined in this study. Three measures assessing cognitive style, learning approach and learning behaviour in the classroom were administered to 332 undergraduates recruited from two large public universities in China. The results of data analyses revealed that Chinese students tended to be more holistic in cognitive style, and holistic style significantly predicted learning behaviour. It was also found that the structure-oriented learning approach significantly mediated the association between holistic style and learning behaviour. The findings were, in general, supportive of the major assumption of this study that cognitive style plays a role in explaining the behavioural traits presented by Chinese students in the classroom.

Understanding Chinese university students' experiences: an empirical analysis

Purpose– This study aims to analyze the relationships between Chinese students' behavioral intentions, satisfaction, service quality, perceived value, and university image. A multi-level modeling approach is used to examine the relationships between these higher order constructs. In addition, service quality consists of three primary dimensions and 13 sub-dimensions. Finally, this study compares students' perceptions of the dimensions of service quality, overall perceived service quality, university image, perceived value, satisfaction and favorable behavioral intentions based on the demographic characteristics of the sample (gender, age, year of study, and major).Design/methodology/approach– The data used in this study were based on a sample of 350 students studying at a public university in China. Data was analyzed using factor analysis, regression analysis, and analysis of variance (ANOVA).Findings– The findings support using a multi-level model consisting of three primary dimensions and 13 sub-dimensions to conceptualize and measure perceived service quality. Service quality is the main determinant of satisfaction and has a significant influence on university image and perceived value. Perceived value has a significant moderating effect on the relationship between service quality and satisfaction. Satisfaction significantly influences recommending the university and future attendance. The results of this study also indicate that students' demographic characteristics (gender, age, year of study, and major) influence their perceptions of several of the constructs.Originality/value– This is the first study synthesizing behavioral intentions, satisfaction, service quality, perceived value and university image in a Chinese university setting.

Explaining Instant Messaging Continuance Intention: The Role of Personality

The Five-Factor Model (FFM) of personality is widely used to predict cognitions, attitudes, and behaviors in management and psychological research. However, the FFM personality has seldom appeared in the information system (IS) research field. Devaraj, Easley, and Crant (2008) first introduced FFM into the context of IS acceptance. This study extends to the context of IS continuance. The proposed model is developed and empirically validated using data from a field survey in order to examine how individuals' personality traits influence their IS continuance intentions. The data were collected from a public university in China via an online survey. The findings support that user satisfaction and perceived usefulness are key to continuance intention of instant messaging use. The results also support that perceived enjoyment and perceived usefulness are positively associated with user satisfaction. Perceived enjoyment is the dominant variable affecting user satisfaction with technology use. Two personality traits of the Big Five factors (i.e., Conscientiousness and Extraversion) have direct effects on perceived enjoyment, whereas the other three (i.e., Openness to Experience, Neuroticism, and Agreeableness) have no direct effects. Our study provides an important basis for better understanding how individuals' personality characteristics influence their technology continuance.

Effects of psychological contract on organizational citizenship behavior: The mediating role of professors’ emotional labor strategy

The objective of this study was based on the social exchange theory (SET) to investigate the effect of psychological contract (PC) on organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and the mediating effects of the professors’ emotion labor strategy (ELS) on the relationship between PC and OCB. The sample was 504 professors randomly selected from 40 public universities in China. Measures of psychological contract, organizational citizenship behavior, and emotional labor strategy were administered to the respondents. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were conducted on the data collected. The results indicate a significant relationship between PC and OCB. In addition, ELS plays a significant mediating role in the relationship between PC and OCB. The results provide not only some evidence by which the nature of PC affects OCB but also a theoretical framework for investigating the mediating role of ELS in the relationship between PC and OCB. In addition, the results have important practical implications for training, motivating, and evaluating professors. Key words: Social exchange theory, psychological contract, organizational citizenship behavior, emotional labor strategy.