This book discusses three levels of e-government and national strategies to reach a citizen-centric participatory e-government, and examines how disruptive technologies help shape the future of e-government. The authors examine how e-government can facilitate a symbiotic relationship between the government and its citizens. ICTs aid this relationship and promote transparencies so that citizens can place greater trust in the activities of their government. If a government can manage resourc...

A Chinese Lord of the Rings and one of the all-time great fantasy novels--which Neil Gaiman has said "is in the DNA of 1.5 billion people"--now in a thrilling new translationA shape-shifting trickster on a kung-fu quest for eternal life, Monkey King is one of the most memorable superheroes in world literature. High-spirited and omni-talented, he amasses dazzling weapons and skills on his journey to immortality: a gold-hooped staff that can grow as tall as ...

From one of China's foremost authors, Jia Pingwa's Happy Dreams is a powerful depiction of life in industrializing contemporary China, in all its humor and pathos, as seen through the eyes of Happy Liu, a charming and clever rural laborer who leaves his home for the gritty, harsh streets of Xi'an in search of better life.After a disastrous end to a relationship, Hawa "Happy" Liu embarks on a quest to find the recipient of his donated kidney and a life that...

An essential masterwork from Chinese literary giant Lu Yao—winner of the Mao Dun Literature Prize—available for the first time in English.Lu Yao published only two novels before his untimely death—but their extraordinary influence catapulted the author to the top tier of Chinese contemporary fiction, establishing him as one of the most widely read and respected figures in Chinese literature.In this first-ever translation of Lu Yao’s Life, we meet G...

It is one of the greatest conflicts — and a pivotal turning point — in history... the Chinese civil war. The outcome is in the hands of one American pilot, John Hampton, a man who couldn't care less... But just as this is a critical moment in time, so, too, is it about to become a defining moment in Hampton's life. What is it that makes him see that there are things, other than money, that are worth fighting — and maybe even dying — for? The surprising answers spur him to undertake the ult...

With the radical changes in information production that the Internet has introduced, we stand at an important moment of transition, says Yochai Benkler in this thought-provoking book. The phenomenon he describes as social production is reshaping markets, while at the same time offering new opportunities to enhance individual freedom, cultural diversity, political discourse, and justice. But these results are by no means inevitable: a systematic campaign to protect the entrenched industrial...

Doing business in China is tougher than you think. Not only is the culture vastly different, but Chinas experience in manufacturing is still developing. It will be a few years before the majority of manufacturers are up to world standards. In the meantime, quality, contract laws, schedules and logistics must be closely monitored. As a result, the things Westerners must do to be successful are far different from dealing with American or European manufacturers. The best way to quickly come up t...

"Impressive... This is an evidence-based bottom-up account of the realities of globalisation. It is more varied, more subtle, and more substantial than many of the popular works available on the subject." -- Financial TimesBased on a five-year study by the MIT Industrial Performance Center, How We Compete goes into the trenches of over 500 international companies to discover which practices are succeeding in today’s global economy, which are faili...

The USA and Canada welcomes every year significant numbers of immigrant professionals who have high levels of formal education (Bachelors, Masters and Ph.D.) as well as extensive experience; yet a significant fraction of these immigrants are unemployed or underemployed. The purpose of this book is to help US and Canadian organizations make full use of the significant human capital that immigrants represent. This book will help organizations: • Modify their recruitment and selection process...

Leaders, innovators, and managers face tough challenges in an increasingly globalized world. It is growing harder to accomplish personal and organizational objectives.One of the sources of difficulty in accomplishing these objectives is the disregard of researchers, educators, and practitioners toward global leadership. Problems in the Middle East, Africa, and other parts of the world demand great leaders, and few people are answering the call.Written by an accomplished pro...

Over the last three decades the average life expectancy of a corporation in North America has dipped well below 20 years. In fact, by 1983 a full third of the 1970 Fortune 500 companies had been acquired, merged, or broken apart. In this landmark book, one of the business world's foremost pioneers, Russell L. Ackoff, delivers this indispensable guide for those hoping to beat these odds--and to better navigate the corporate challenges of the next millennium. While most business and manageme...

Managers of multinational organizations are struggling to win the strategic competition for the hearts and minds of external stakeholders. These stakeholders differ fundamentally in their worldview, their understanding of the market economy and their aspirations and fears for the future. Their collective opinions of managers and corporations will shape the competitive landscape of the global economy and have serious consequences for businesses that fail to meet their expectations.T...