Hong Kong

Areas covered in this course will include: the history of energy law; basic principles of energy law; theoretical perspectives on regulations as part of the modern legal system; regulatory issues for different types of energy; the common law rules of ownership; statutory ownership of sources; the law relating to the development of sources and technology; international energy investment law; soft regulatory laws in developing countries; alternative regulatory instruments; market mechanics; the role of law and the development of renewable energy technologies; national and supranational regulatory changes; regulatory developments in China; environmental regulations of energy and natural resources; territorial disputes over energy sources; nuclear power and the law; regulations of company structures and/or performance; regulating the largest (energy) companies in the world.

This course examines Chinese views of reality, human nature, language, wisdom and the relation of each to human society. The main texts are Daoist texts from the classical period, but Neo-Daoism, Buddhism and Neo-Confucian metaphysics are also discussed.

This course explores how Europe's different political systems function and examines major current political, economic, and social challenges. The course introduces a variety of key ideas, concepts, and texts that have shaped European political thought. The first part of the course reads works by Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau to understand some of the ideational foundations of European politics. The course utilizes key texts and notions that frame the rationale for the process of European integration and the development of the EU to provide understanding of the tensions surrounding the legitimacy of government, the constitutional and political arrangements in several European countries, the complex structure of the EU and its interlinkage with domestic political systems in its member states among others. In a second part of the course, attention focuses on a number of conflicts and challenges that Europe currently faces. Themes include the dynamics of democratic politics in Europe; immigration, Islam, and the revival of populism in Europe; as well as the so-called politics of memory. This course highlights how European societies are coming to terms with major problems, how this influences the conduct of politics on the continent, and what kind of lessons can be learned.

This course introduces the entrepreneurial process of the technology industry in general. It examines the fundamental aspects of launching a technology entrepreneurial venture to complement the research and development activities in science and technology. The course explores the common practices in venture development process such as opportunity identification and verification, to technology transfer and commercialization. Topics on legal subjects (intellectual properties and patent laws) and simple financing and strategic approach in the business plan are covered. Lectures by local entrepreneurs is one of the important components of this course, in order to further nurture an entrepreneurial mindset via learning from real-life examples in this specific industry of technology.

Using contemporary sociological and political theories of identity, gender, and sexuality, this course explores major transformations in the realm of sexual intimacy in modern times to examine newly emerged ethical issues, moral dilemmas, and social conflicts over sexual intimacy. Four inter-related domains are used to examine issues: democracy, human sexual rights, and citizenship - how these issues are important in talking about intimate relationships; mass media and popular culture - how private matters become increasingly subject to public scrutiny; economy and consumption - how intimacy is increasingly commodified and commercialized; and science, medicine, and computer technology - how medical and computer technologies foster new pleasures, bodies, and practices and the problems that arise from this.

This course explores the ideology, institutions, and process of the Chinese political system and studies the socio-economic consequences of over five decades of communist rule. It is organized into three sections. The first section explores the political history of the People's Republic of China and the critical challenges confronting the country. Focus is on the key developments in Chinese politics in the 1990s. Section two covers the organization and functions of major political institutions such as the Communist Party and the government apparatus, and the dynamics of important political processes such as policy making and political participation. Section three covers the key issues and challenges in governing China such as the demands of political democracy, the changing relations between state and society, and China's prospect as a great power in the 21st century. Text: Tony Saich, GOVERNANCE AND POLITICS OF CHINA. Assessment: final exam (60%), 2,500-word essay (30%), and tutorial presentation and participation (10%).

This course surveys the field of international business from a managerial perspective. The course briefly examines the context and environment of international business and explores the management of an international business, considering issues on both a micro- and macro-level. It also examines general issues affecting international management such as ethics, social responsibility, and women in international firms. Topics include international management in North America, China, and other countries; culture and culture gaps in international management; competitive strategies, company-situation analysis; global markets; entry market modes; international strategic alliance; multinational e-commerce; international human resource management; motivation and leadership theories; and current issues in international management. Text: Cullen and Parboteeah, MULTINATIONAL MANAGEMENT. Assessment: attendance (5%), project (13%), project presentation (10%), quizzes (27%), midterm exam (20%), final exam (25%).

This course is a continuation of Intermediate Accounting I. Topics examined include debt financing, equity financing, income taxes, leases, dilutive securities and earnings per share calculations, and derivatives and hedging activities. While the primary emphasis will be on Hong Kong practice, financial accounting and reporting practice in U.S. and China will also be discussed from time to time throughout the semester. We will also discuss the accounting principles and standards based on International Accounting Standards (IAS). Since 1993, IAS has been the basis for all new standards adopted in Hong Kong. In addition, IAS is providing the framework for the development of accounting standards in China