HKIER

Abstract

The paper aims to outline a research agenda for comparative study of the relationship between education and development in four East-Asian societies. They are Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan. Theories and researches accounting for the spectacular economic successes of these four societies, which have been labeled as the East-Asian development model, will be reviewed in the first part of this paper. They will be grouped into two approaches, namely culturalist and institutionalist. Empirical studies of Hong Kong will be taken as the major empirical references in the review. Adopting Max Weber's historical-comparative research strategy, the East-Asian development model will then be served as the ideal-typical conceptual framework in constructing the research agenda for comparative study of education in these four societies. Educational institutions of these societies will be located within the framework so as to illuminate the inter-relationship between educational policies and economic successes of these societies. Five possible areas of inquiry have been proposed. It is hoped that they will facilitate discussions and research collaborations among scholars of the East-Asian region.

摘要

N.A.