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This paper systematically investigates the impacts of openness on regional innovation in China, especially the role of absorptive capacity in mediating the spillover effect brought about by openness. Based on provincial-level data over the period 1997-2007 and adopting patents as indicator of innovation, the empirical results show that the estimated patents-R&D elasticity is lower than that for OECD countries, while there is a significant R&D spillover effect across regions in China. Technology import overall has no significant influence on fostering innovations, but it is significantly positive for coastal regions. Openness to trade, in terms of FDI and high-tech product exports, is witnessed to exhibit a significantly positive impact on promoting regional innovation. Crucially, the effects of technology imports and FDI on innovations vary significantly between coastal and non-coastal regions. Using human capital as a proxy for absorptive capacity, we find it helps in learning external sources of knowledge and then contributes to innovations. Moreover, absorptive capacity is expected to play an important role in mediating the spillover effect brought about by openness to trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taiwan’s paradox of family decline is examined with a household-based convoy, which allows us to explore the paradox from two perspectives, namely, the modified extended family and the household-based convoy. The modified extended family refers to the reunion of spatially separated families covering two generations. The household-based convoy is an extension of the modified extended family that includes relatives and friends with whom there is frequent contact. A probability sample survey with 1,979 cases completed is used to answer two questions: (1) Has there been a change in Taiwan’s family function because of structural change? (2) Is the family’s function being replaced by relatives and friends with whom there is frequent contact? The results of this study show that the coverage of the modified extended family is as high as 81%, indicating a high coherence among spatially separated households covering two generations. The proportions of the respondents who have provided five types of support including sick care, household chores, advice, regular allowances, and irregular allowances to non-coresiding parents are mostly around 40%. Moreover, the members of a modified extended family do have independent functions in relation to most types of support. These findings all lend evidence to refute the view that the family is declining in Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on role theory, a household-based convoy (HbC) was proposed as a support system comprised of four kinds of networks: household types, family, kinship, and friendship. To test the feasibility of the support network concept, data from the 2001 Taiwan Social Change Survey were used to derive a latent structure with four latent classes. These classes consisted of the "pre-family convoy," "pro-social convoy," "mature convoy," and the "extended convoy." Their network characteristics revealed that the four latent classes corresponded to stages in the family life course. Moreover, these convoy subtypes had differential intergenerational support functions. Respondents from the pre-family and the pro-social convoys were found to provide fewer types of support to their parents but received more types of support from them. The findings also indicate that the household-based convoy is a role-related support network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]