Chinese Educational Policy Research:The Arduous Formation of a Research Paradigm

Purpose:Through combing the 40 years’history of the development of Chinese educational policy research,this article attempts to sort out the efforts and lessons learned by researchers in the field of education policy in China.Design/Approach/Methods:As one of the earliest scholars engaged in the study of Chinese education policy,based on the academic publications,symposia,and thematic research,the author has found efforts in four directions in the field:proposals for policy-oriented research and research-oriented policy,disciplinization-based endeavors,empirical research on theory-guided educational policy,and guidance on major educational policy research topics and a think tank for educational policy decisions.Findings:This article argues that there is now a correspondence among the ideas,themes,forms,and frameworks of the educational reform promulgated by the government in recent years that have appeared in educational policy research,but there is no clear demarcation of what makes an educational policy researcher;no stable academic community has been formed that might strive together toward the foundation of a disciplinary paradigm,the rational organization of academic ideas,and the establishment and handing over of a theoretical framework to a succeeding generation.Originality/Value:This article takes a step back to claim that a paradigm for Chinese educational policy research is still nascent in the arduous process of formulation.

Research Report on China's Policy toward Central/East European Countries

With the admission of eight Central/East European countries in May 1, 2004 in sight, realization of the objective of EU’s first phase eastern extension will signify a major step toward the concept of "a Europe kept far away from war" through promoting regional integration.

The F-measure for Research Priority

Purpose： In this contribution we continue our investigations related to the activity index （A/） and its formal analogs. We try to replace the AI by an indicator which is better suited for policy applications. Design/methodology/approach： We point out that fluctuations in the value of the AI for a given country and domain are never the result of that country＇s policy with respect to that domain alone because there are exogenous factors at play. For this reason we introduce the F-measure. This F-measure is nothing but the harmonic mean of the country＇s share in the world＇s publication output in the given domain and the given domain＇s share in the country＇s publication output.Findings： The F-measure does not suffer from the problems the AI does Research limitations： The indicator is not yet fully tested in real cases R＆D policy management： In policy considerations, the AI should better be replaced by the F-measure as this measure can better show the results of science policy measures （which the AI cannot as it depends on exogenous factors）. Originality/value： We provide an original solution for a problem that is not fully realized by policy makers.

Editorial: Food Legume Diversity and Legume Research Policies

This special issue is focused on grain legumes,which belong to the Fabaceae family.Legumes are the second largest family of plants in the world after the grasses and are key components of manmade and natural ecosystems[1–3].They provide the environmental service of nitrogen fixation,so essential to soil construction and fertility maintenance,and are thus essential to agricultural systems[4,5].Different species of legumes range from huge trees to shrubs

Effect of the Policies to Prevent Drug Shortage and Stabilize Drug Prices in Medical Institutions

Objective To evaluate the effect of some policies to prevent drug shortage and stabilize drug prices,and to provide reference for improving relevant policies.Methods With a combination of random stratified sampling and quota sampling,532 medical institutions in 20 provinces were selected to carry out questionnaire surveys.Then,a comparative analysis was made to study the changes of drugs on the shortage list and drugs on non-shortage list before and after the release of the policy of ensuring supply and stabilizing prices.Results and Conclusion The policy played an important role in curbing the growth of drug shortage in the medical institutions,but it did not curb the growth of drugs on non-shortage list.Besides,the drugs on non-shortage list showed an overall fluctuation and upward trend.Meanwhile,from the perspective of drug prices,the price stability problem of drugs on the shortage list and on the non-shortage list became more serious,and the average price increase was 256% and 239%,respectively.The implementation of policies related to the supply and price stability of drugs prevents the growth trend of drug shortages in the list of medical institutions,which has been recognized by most medical institutions.However,there is an increasing trend in the number of drugs on non-shortage list.In addition,the price increase of drugs on both the shortage list and non-shortage list is severe.Some medical institutions report that they have difficulties in using the information reporting system of drug shortage and the classification,grading and the alternative use of drug shortages.It is recommended to strengthen the management of price stabilization of drugs on the shortage list.Further attention should be paid to the supply and price stabilization of drugs on non-shortage list.At the same time,trainings in the classification and substitution of drug shortage and information reporting system should be actively organized,thus comprehensively improving the capabilities of medical institutions at all levels to deal with the problem of drug shortage.

Visualization of Disciplinary Profiles: Enhanced Science Overlay Maps

Purpose： The purpose of this study is to modernize previous work on science overlay maps by updating the underlying citation matrix, generating new clusters of scientific disciplines, enhancing visualizations, and providing more accessible means for analysts to generate their own maps Design/methodology/approach： We use the combined set of 2015 Journal Citation Reports for the Science Citation Index （n of journals = 8,778） and the Social Sciences Citation Index （n = 3,212） for a total of 11,365 journals. The set of Web of Science Categories in the Science Citation Index and the Social Sciences Citation Index increased from 224 in 2010 to 227 in 2015. Using dedicated software, a matrix of 227 × 227 cells is generated on the basis of whole-number citation counting. We normalize this matrix using the cosine function. We first develop the citing-side, cosine-normalized map using 2015 data and VOSviewer visualization with default parameter values. A routine for making overlays on the basis of the map （＂wc 15.exe＂） is available at http：//www.leydesdorff.net/wc 15/index.htm. Findings： Findings appear in the form of visuals throughout the manuscript. In Figures 1 9 we provide basemaps of science and science overlay maps for a number of companies, universities, and technologies. Research limitations： As Web of Science Categories change and/or are updated so is the need to update the routine we provide. Also, to apply the routine we provide users need access to the Web of Science. Practical implications： Visualization of science overlay maps is now more accurate and true to the 2015 Journal Citation Reports than was the case with the previous version of the routine advanced in our paper.Originality/value： The routine we advance allows users to visualize science overlay maps in VOSviewer using data from more recent Journal Citation Reports.

Challenges facing the USA in matching Germany on advanced manufacturing for green growth

This study explores the relative strength of public policies promoting advanced manufacturing by comparing the government programs and capacities of two world leaders in science and technology:the USA and Germany.Based on insights from’varieties-of-capitalism’literature and using process tracing methodology,this study identifies significant differences in today’s pursuit of advanced manufacturing.The German model of Rhine capitalism has strength due to its long tradition of diversified quality work,built on a long-term commitment to government-industry collaboration,with significant indirect public support provided by vocational training and research institutes.The American model of Manchester capitalism has been challenged by the loss of millions of low-skilled manufacturing jobs due to outsourcing and competition from Asia.The study finds that the“Manufacturing USA”policy initiative of the Obama era,although directly inspired by Germany’s Fraunhofer institutes,is hampered by the contextual and institutional circumstances identified.With biobased carbon fibers offering the potential of a novel,low-cost material,pursued with research and development(R&D)efforts in both countries,it provides a measure for evaluating policy outcomes,and the study confirms Germany’s technological lead.In addition,the study’s process-tracing methodology reveals that significant legacies from German knowledge creation in the past have spilled over to American science and technology,and may continue to do so,lured by government funds.Further studies on advanced manufacturing should test the robustness of these findings.