TNAG-2329-FCO40-3373-Hong-Kong-contacts-with-academics-and-writers-1991 — Page 235

B. Ownership Reform Programme

Objectives of the Project

The Centre is the main research and coordination base of a three-year (1988-91) international collaborative research project on 'Ownership Reform and Economic Efficieney in China'. The objectives of the project

are to:

Analyse the behaviour of state-owned enterprises with special reference to efficiency in use of resources, responsiveness to market demand and impacts on macroeconomic performance;

- Compare alternative models of enterprise ownership and control, industrial organisation and competition or regulatory frameworks in various Western market and Eastern European reforming socialist economies;

- Upgrade the research (analytical and policy-making) competence of Chinese colleagues in these issues.

The Project is funded by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the ESRC (UK) and the Leverhulme Trust (UK).

List of Researchers

The Project involves collaboration among three teams: (1) Oxford University; (2) Economics Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing; and (3) University of California/San Diego and University of Michigan, USA.

Participants in the Oxford-led team are: Professor W. Brus (Project Advisor); Dr. S. Gomulka, London School of Economics; Mr. D. Hay, Jesus College; Dr. C. Lin (lead researcher and co-ordinator); Dr. A. Matits, University of Economics, Budapest; Dr. D. Morris, Oriel College; Dr. J. Prasnikar, University of Ljubljana; Professor A. Wood, Institute of Development Studies, Sussex.

Research Activities

Members of the Oxford team conducted field research at various times. in 1988 and 1990. During October to December 1988, surveys of 400 state enterprises were conducted by the State Statistical Bureau on behalf of the Project. In early December 1988, a Workshop involving all members of the European team was held at Oxford to discuss the strategy and timetable of research, division of labour among team members and questionnaire revision. In February 1989, Oxford hosted an international workshop (involving Chinese and U.S. participants and all European team members)

8