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In the modern era, China's rural credit landscape is transforming at a dizzying rate, but, in terms of financial development, these changes represent a second attempt in the past 100 years to reform China's credit institutions and provide credit access to farmers. The first period was during the Republican era, between 1912 and 1949, which saw the first attempts at formalizing rural credit with the Industrial and Agricultural Banks. This book uses primary data and papers to present a full picture of the difficult conditions China faced during the Republican era in order to explain the myriad reforms to the country's rural credit system. Fu and Turvey build a narrative around these developments based on the foundation of thousands of years of dynastic rule in order to explore the specific impacts of drought, floods, famine, communist insurgencies, Japanese expansionism, and more on credit access, supply and demand. They consider powerful personalities--such as J.B. Taylor, John Lossing Buck, Paul Hsu and Timothy Richards--and influential institutions--from Nanking and Nankai Universities to the China International Famine Relief Commission--that sought ways to end the cycle that trapped the vast majority of Chinese farmers in poverty. This rich, wide-ranging, and stimulating work will appeal both to readers focused on present day China and those who want to understand China's rural economy and credit policies in an historical context.

We investigated the prevalence of Chinese children's imaginary companions (ICs) and the internal variables of IC types (personified object or invisible friend) and child–IC relationship qualities (egalitarian or hierarchical child–IC relationship). Participants were 266
children aged 4 to 6 years. Only in the 5-year-old group was the proportion of children with ICs significantly higher among girls than among boys, implying that the relationship between gender and IC was not consistent across age groups. Children from families in the highest annual income
group engaged in more IC play than did children from families in the lowest annual income group, indicating a relationship between family socioeconomic environment and children's imaginary play. IC types were not associated with child–IC relationship qualities in any of the age groups,
implying that these qualities may represent different dimensions of IC play as early as 4 years old.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an in-depth analysis and review of effective and meaningful practices in reporting and communicating student learning in K-12 within the framework of assessment for learning. The timeliness of this topic is derived from the launch of the new curriculum in British Columbia (B.C.), which promotes innovations in both assessment and reporting. To accomplish this goal, research in assessment, grading and reporting student learning from the last two decades is explored to provide information on ways to report and communicate student learning within the changing demands of the new curriculum. Our review of research suggests the need for policy change with respect to developing new systems that are anchored in competency, mastery-oriented and evidence-based learning. There is great potential to change and expand assessment, reporting and communication processes at all levels which are supported by the increased availability of digital technologies, ongoing and personalized assessment, and emerging innovative practices we have noted in B.C. To conclude we recommend digital portfolio practices as they offer a promising direction for creating new processes that complement existing systems in communicating student learning and support competency-based curriculum.Keywords: Assessment for Learning; Communicating Student Learning; Grading; Reporting; Digital PortfoliosL'objectif de cet article est d'offrir une analyse et une critique approfondies des pratiques efficaces et significatives portant sur l'établissement de rapports et la communication de l'apprentissage par les élèves de la maternelle à la douzième dans le cadre de l'évaluation au service de l'apprentissage. Le caractère opportun de cette question découle du lancement du nouveau programme d'études de la Colombie-Britannique (C.-B.) qui favorise l'innovation tant dans le domaine de l'évaluation que celui du reportage. Ainsi, nous nous sommes penchés sur la recherche portant sur l'évaluation, l'attribution de notes et le reportage de l'apprentissage des élèves au cours des vingt dernières années afin d'être en mesure de rendre compte des résultats d'apprentissage et de les communiquer dans le contexte de l'évolution des exigences du nouveau programmes d'études. Notre examen de la recherche fait ressortir le besoin d'un changement de politiques quant aux nouveaux systèmes en cours de développement et reposant sur la compétence, la maitrise, et l'apprentissage fondé sur des données probantes. Le potentiel pour changer et étendre les processus d'évaluation, de reportage et de communication est grand à tous les niveaux qui sont appuyés par la disponibilité croissante de technologies numériques, de l'évaluation continue et personnalisée et de pratiques novatrices émergeantes que nous avons notées en C.-B. En guise de conclusion, nous recommandons des pratiques numériques de portefeuille car elles offrent une orientation prometteuse pour la création de nouveaux processus qui complètent les systèmes existants visant la communication de l'apprentissage des élèves et qui appuient un programme d'études basé sur les compétences.Mots clés: évaluation au service de l'apprentissage; communication des résultats d'apprentissage; attribution de notes; portefeuilles numériques

PurposeAdopting an evidenced‐based approach, this paper seeks to examine the usage of external business services by small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in China.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical data are based on the first large‐scale survey of small businesses (around 500 in each city) and service providers (90‐200 in each city) designed and organised by the authors in Chengdu, Lanzhou and Shenzhen between November 2005 and March 2006, as part of a DFID project. The three cities were selected to enable the market conditions to be assessed in cities that are at different levels of economic development.FindingsThere is a variety of business services market in China. Using logistic models it is found that firm size, sector, exporter and growth‐intention appear to be important factors influencing demand side of services. It is also indicated that professional staff, referral via local SME bureau and networking appear to be the main variables influencing supply‐side behaviour.Research limitations/implicationsIn order to specify the nature of business service market, it is important to understand the needs of (small) firms and how these are currently being addressed. This will enable policy measures to be designed that meet the needs of businesses.Originality/valueThis is an empirical study that utilises the logistic model to examine the relationship of service usage with demand variables and supply variables. In this context, the value of the research is to assess the supply‐demand gap in a developing country.

Cloud-based tools are increasingly used in research processes. In this paper, we illustrate the practice of one research team making use of multiple cloud-based applications in preparing, analyzing, and sharing research data, as well as in collaborative writing and display of results. Important research ethics considerations are also explored as a foundation for this practice. We believe that our detailed description of the steps involved can be of help to researchers, particularly novice researchers who may lack research funds to have qualitative interviews transcribed. This mashed-up use of free cloud-based software makes data preparation from qualitative interviews cost-effective, more efficient, thorough, and collaborative.

In the modern era, China's rural credit landscape is transforming at a dizzying rate, but, in terms of financial development, these changes represent a second attempt in the past 100 years to reform China's credit institutions and provide credit access to farmers. The first period was during the Republican era, between 1912 and 1949, which saw the first attempts at formalizing rural credit with the Industrial and Agricultural Banks. This book uses primary data and papers to present a full picture of the difficult conditions China faced during the Republican era in order to explain the myriad reforms to the country's rural credit system. Fu and Turvey build a narrative around these developments based on the foundation of thousands of years of dynastic rule in order to explore the specific impacts of drought, floods, famine, communist insurgencies, Japanese expansionism, and more on credit access, supply and demand. They consider powerful personalities-such as J.B. Taylor, John Lossing Buck, Paul Hsu and Timothy Richards-and influential institutions-from Nanking and Nankai Universities to the China International Famine Relief Commission-that sought ways to end the cycle that trapped the vast majority of Chinese farmers in poverty. This rich, wide-ranging, and stimulating work will appeal both to readers focused on present day China and those who want to understand China's rural economy and credit policies in an historical context.