The fiercest storm of the winter slammed the northeastern United States on Thursday, bringing snowfalls expected to be a foot (30 cms) deep, forcing cancellation of thousands of flights and closing schools. The storm, which came a day after temperatures had been a spring-like 50 to 60 degrees (10 to 16 C), had wind gusts up to 50 miles per hour (80 kph) and left roads and sidewalks dangerously slick in densely populated cities such as New York, Boston and Philadelphia. Some areas saw periods of “thunder snow,” a violent burst of weather featuring both snow and lightning, which could drop as much as 4 inches (10 cms) of snow per hour. Some coastal roads around Boston were closed as wind-driven waves washed over them. All flights at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport were halted on Thursday morning due to the storm’s intensity. More than half of the flights into or out of the three major New York-area airports as well as Boston Logan International … [Read more...]

A Hong Kong psychiatrist recently said in a Facebook post that some primary school children diagnosed with mild symptoms of attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) were using prescribed medication – which are essentially stimulants – to enhance their attention and, in turn, their academic performance. He claimed that this was becoming a problem in some schools. Predictably, the post raised a hue and cry, with parents and others lamenting that the exam-driven school system was turning our children into drug addicts. But beyond the potential side effects of the medication, there appears to be something morally wrong here. Should we blame the parents and teachers for pushing children so hard? Or condemn the psychiatrists and pharmaceutical companies for pushing their drugs? Critics are quick to disparage the Territory-wide System Assessment and its new facade, the Basic Competency Assessment research study, as well as education secretary Eddie Ng Hak-kim. But the issue … [Read more...]

The ongoing saga over the Territory-wide System Assessment (TSA) for schools is unnecessary. Had it not been for the wilful neglect of the government, this could have been an opportune moment for not only a review of the system, but a revamp. Following a report on a trial of the revised TSA submitted last year, Education Secretary Eddie Ng Hak-kim announced that the recommended “professional enhancement arrangements” under the trial would be extended to all primary schools in 2017. The fine-tuning, however, does little to address the plethora of concerns parents and schools have. The announcement about reviving the TSA followed recommendations drawn up by a review committee. However, it has to be asked whether the recommendations are worth adopting. We do not need a year of experimentation to tell us how the fine-tuned version would turn out. The review should have gauged the views of stakeholders. If recommendations fell short of expectations, as the government would have … [Read more...]

The University of Hong Kong’s vice-chancellor Peter Mathieson, who last week announced his resignation in the middle of his term, said he would not extend his stay at the school until his successor has been hired – a procedure expected to take at least a year and a half. Mathieson, who is leaving by January next year, explained he could not delay his departure as he had a contractual agreement with Edinburgh University, which he said wanted him to start next year. He revealed one or two people had written him offering to take over his job at HKU, but said it was not up for him to decide his successor. HKU’s council was to start a global search for the next vice-chancellor by setting up a search committee, he said, noting he would not get involved in the process. In response to criticisms suggesting he was irresponsible to quit his job in the middle of the term, Mathieson said he understood the sentiment. “I am not saying that I necessarily agree with it,” … [Read more...]

Ever since July 5th of 2016 where my first speech on One-Belt-One-Road ( OBOR ) was delivered in Singapore, I subsequently gave many similar speeches in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Macau, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Shanghai and Taichung. I also delivered three SKYPE lectures to Guwahatiand New Delhi in India and Melbourne in Australia. I became interested in OBOR not because anyone had ordered me to do so. I was simply fascinated, in fact mesmerized, by the fact that if it were successful, it could be transformative for China. In my mind, it would be a millennium mindset transformation for the Chinese to reach out to the world, as what President Xi Jinping referred to as “cultural communication.” In fact, I could go further to say that I also felt deeply that it could also transform humanity for the better. As an academic, this was way too much lure for me not to spend time thinking about the issue. Between January 31 and February 6 of 2017, I ventured out of Asia and delivered four … [Read more...]

Health technology start-up CXA Group plans to collaborate with Chinese conglomerate Fosun International to launch a new insurance platform on the mainland that automates employee health care programmes and creates a marketplace for so-called wellness providers. Rosaline Chow Koo, the founder and chief executive of Singapore-based CXA, said the alliance will see its operations expand into Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen this year. The company will directly work with Shanghai Zhongheng Insurance Brokers, a part of the Fosun group. The development follows CXA’s announcement on Wednesday of a successful Series B investment round worth US$25 million, led by B Capital Group and Singapore's EDBI. Other high-profile investors include Philips Healthcare and RGAx, a subsidiary of the Reinsurance Group of America. “What we are is an insurance broker with a technology platform,” Koo said. CXA says it uses health screening and lifestyle risks information, sensors and … [Read more...]

A developer that stalled rental talks with a Southern district kindergarten has indicated it may be willing to delay its plans and enter negotiations with the school. Good Health Anglo-Chinese Kindergarten in Ap Lei Chau told parents in a notice that its contract with Hutchison Estate Agents would end on July 31, adding that it had tried to discuss matters relating to recontracting with the landlord since May last year but to no avail. Dozens of parents were left scrambling for a new place for their children. “The next school year begins in September and it is difficult to find a suitable kindergarten for our children,” said ­Simon Lee, a parent of a K2 pupil, adding its location and quality of education was why he chose the school in South Horizons. The Democratic Party said it had received around 20 calls for assistance, while an Education Bureau spokeswoman said it had received 12 enquiries. She also noted preliminary figures showed there were sufficient vacancies at … [Read more...]

The government has dismissed a research report ranking Hong Kong only fifth last year among leading fintech hubs, saying the study did not directly compare financial technology development but rather financial and business environments as a whole. During a Legislative Council meeting on Wednesday, finance sector legislator Chan Chun-ying asked the government why Hong Kong ranked three spots behind rival Singapore – which ranked second – in the report by global accounting firm Deloitte. Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Professor Chan Ka-keung said the report did not specifically compare fintech development but rather compiled results from three organisations which ranked the competitiveness of financial centres, their innovation capacity and business environment. The three organisations each had their own “unique research approach” and took different criteria into consideration, and so “a direct summation of their results may not be … [Read more...]

Hong Kong students with lofty academic aspirations are blessed with choice in the UK. Recommended by Britannia StudyLink (BSL), Mander Portman Woodward (MPW) is one of those rare independent organisations offering bespoke fifth and sixth form education where those academic dreams can transform themselves into reality. Three Colleges, three historic cities and one culture of success in suitably informal, thoroughly professional and attractively modern educational environments … Formed in London in 1973 by three Cambridge University graduates, the MPW Group has worked tirelessly over the past few decades to transform itself into one of the most esteemed British independent college brands. MPW comprises three fifth- and sixth-form colleges in London, Birmingham and Cambridge which all offer a full range of modern resources and facilities. In terms of student enrolment, 1,100 students are on roll each year. A more than respectable proportion of these are British students (75%) and … [Read more...]

Communication skills are essential for the successful future of a student. In Hong Kong, schools often focus on reading and writing, but the ability to present oneself deserves just as much attention. Many students do not feel confident making speeches in public, but this critical and expressive skill is very important in modern day life from school to workplace. Here are some tips on how to develop your child’s communication skills. 1. Give your child time Give your child time to answer, creating an encouraging environment for them to express their feelings. One of the best ways to challenge your child is to sign up for a public event within a supportive environment 2. Read stories with your child Story reading gives your child more exposure to speech sounds and language structure, and also generates topics to discuss and develops imagination. 3. Be a good role model If you want to build strong speech and language skills in your child, you need to show that you have the skills … [Read more...]

Why do so few women end up in physics, mathematics and other fields traditionally associated with “brilliance”? Part of the answer may lie in what happens to girls by the time they’re out of kindergarten. A new study finds that six-year-old girls are less likely than boys to think members of their own gender can be brilliant – and they’re more likely than boys to shy away from activities requiring exceptional intelligence. That’s a serious change from their attitudes at five, when they’re just as likely as boys to think their own gender can be brilliant, and just as willing to take on those activities for brilliant children. The results, described in the journal Science, shows how early these gender stereotypes begin to affect the self-perception and behaviour of girls – and they may limit their aspirations and careers into adulthood. “If we want to change young people’s minds and make things more equitable for girls, we … [Read more...]

There has been significant press regarding the availability of school places in Hong Kong’s international schools, mostly in regards to the lack of spaces and the need for new schools to accommodate incoming expatriate families. Fortunately, a number of new schools and campuses are in the pipeline, and 2018 should see an increase in availability that will give comfort to companies looking for inward investment. So, how is the educational landscape in Hong Kong changing? In an environment where demand for school places exceeds supply it is difficult to believe that all schools will feel the pressure to be the best, as full enrolment is virtually guaranteed. In an environment where supply exceeds demand, however, it is a very different story. Only the best will survive. From here on out, every school will need to have a clear definition of what “the best in class” looks like, and have strategic goals that will lead the educators in that school to be the greatest they … [Read more...]

( Client details have been modified to protect confidentiality. ) Q: What do you think helped you to stand out during the application process? A: I’m not entirely sure, but my sense is it’s because I did my own thing versus following the crowds. I also think because I wasn’t at an international school, I really had to work a lot harder to find resources, create opportunities, and find the right mentors to help me work towards my goals. Q: Do you really think there is a huge difference between going to an international school versus a local school? Yes. International schools have a lot of resources, their student bodies are more diverse, and their matriculation statistics are generally better for U.S. and UK schools. That said, my personal point of view is that any student can make it if they really want, regardless of where they go to school. I do appreciate that the local school education system trained me well with my logical thinking and analytical skills. Q: So, … [Read more...]

“School establishment always involves a lot of challenges and hard work, but it is also one of the most rewarding things you can do,” says Peter Kenny, director of Mount Kelly School Hong Kong, which is due to open in September this year, teaching a curriculum modelled after that of the sister school in the UK. On such matters, he is not just venturing an opinion, but speaking from hard-earned experience, having previously served as the founding principal of Renaissance College Hong Kong (RCHK) and, in other roles, handled essential aspects like campus design, project management, recruitment, marketing, technology implementation, and curriculum development. At RCHK, he recalls, the key issue in the period prior to opening in 2006 was whether construction would be completed on time. For Mount Kelly, similar concerns arose around delays at the New Territories campus. But solutions have been found and, by and large, things remain well on track for welcoming the first classes … [Read more...]

The European Union enacted a series of regulations in the early 2000s to improve the financial markets of member states. While the new regulations were the same across the EU, member countries implemented, supervised, and enforced the new rules individually, ideal conditions for researchers looking to compare the effectiveness of different approaches. Chicago Booth’s Hans B. Christensen and Christian Leuz and Wharton’s Luzi Hail studied the liquidity effects of two of the new regulations, finding that some countries experienced big improvements, while others saw little to no benefit. A critical determining factor: the country’s regulatory history. The researchers focused on the Market Abuse Directive and the Transparency Directive. The MAD aimed to address insider trading and market manipulation, while the TD focused on supervising and enforcing corporate reporting and mandatory disclosure rules. The goal for both directives: give investors more and better … [Read more...]

This is the first part of a two-part article. For most of the past 25 years, globalisation was seen as an unstoppable force, as sure to advance as the sun rises in the east. But increasingly, it looks more vulnerable than inexorable. Causes for concern are easy to find. For instance, the last set of World Trade Organisation negotiations over further trade liberalization, the Doha Round, was a failure; Donald J. Trump has disavowed free trade agreements such as NAFTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP); Brexit will reduce economic integration between the United Kingdom and the European Union, and possibly between the U.K. and the world; and regional opposition almost scuppered the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). Is the age of globalisation coming to an end? A brief history of globalisation While globalisation seems like a product of our times, the current wave is at least the second in the past 200 years. The first wave began in the first half of the … [Read more...]

Management teams are critical drivers of the performance of business units. Is it possible to increase performance – that is, revenue – by engaging in “collective organizational citizenship behavior” (COCB)? “Upper echelons theory” suggests that management team characteristics influence the strategic decisions that determine business performance, yet COCB – one important characteristic of team behavior that is usually shown to enhance team performance – has received little attention in the upper echelons literature to date; as investigations have tended to focus on lower-level businesses and student teams. And while the effects of internal contingency factors for the effect of COCB have been examined, external contingency factors have not been studied. This is surprising, given that business units operate in external environments that can critically influence teams’ effectiveness. COCB emerges from individual OCB, which … [Read more...]

One could be forgiven for thinking that after purchasing Uber’s China operations, Didi Chuxing— which now boasts over 300 million users and over 80% of China’s market—would be on easy street. But things are never that simple in the Chinese market. Figures from market researcher Analysys show that Didi’s active users decreased by 31% in August, from 9.35 million to 6.42 million. User frequency also fell: in September users opened it 23.25 times per month, a marked decline from 26 times two months earlier. Some of this was easily anticipated—the price war between Didi and Uber meant large subsidies were being paid out and user numbers were inflated for a time. As the subsidies ebbed away, so too did price-sensitive users. But there is much more to it than that. In early August, just before the Didi-Uber merger, the Chinese Ministry of Transportation legalized the controversial online car-hailing business but, crucially, allowed local governments to add … [Read more...]

Corporate practices continue, quite rightly, to be scrutinised around the globe. Strategies developed since the Enron scandal almost two decades ago have not abated concerns about corporate ‘abuse’. Indeed quite the contrary: things seem to be worse or continue unchecked. On almost a daily basis corporate leadership is questioned about ethical issues. The Rana Plaza collapse in Bangladesh, which killed over 1100 people, has led the authorities in India to seek arrests for murder. Apple’s recent tax avoidance debacle in Ireland further illustrates the lack of faith in governments to ensure equitable regulation. In Britain, its parliament voted in October 2016 to rescind Sir Philip Green’s knighthood after he sold the retail giant, British Homes Stores (BHS), for £1. It was sold to a former bankrupt, Dominic Chappell, who had no retail experience and his consortium then went on to collect at least £17 million from BHS’s collapse. The scandal has … [Read more...]

What a waste! So much expertise and knowledge have gone into a new US policy report on China. If Hillary Clinton had won the US presidential election, the study led by some of America’s foremost China experts and former policymakers might have become a blueprint. But since the “wrong” guy won, you can be pretty sure all of its 74 pages have already been thrown into the rubbish bin at the White House. Some local news reports claim its authors are urging a harsher US stance over Beijing’s handling of Hong Kong affairs. It’s actually nothing of the sort if you read the text as whole rather than taking a few sentences out of context. The product of 18 months of research sponsored by the Asia Society and the University of California, San Diego, contributors include such luminaries as Orville Schell, Andrew Nathan, Elizabeth Economy, Charlene Barshefsky and David Shambaugh. On Hong Kong and Taiwan, it argues the “one-China” policy, however … [Read more...]