Individualization of Marriage and Work Life Choices

Hiromi Tanaka,Catherine W. Ng 숙명여자대학교 아시아여성연구원 2012 Asian Women Vol.28 No.1

Current social changes in post-industrialized societies include the rise of alternate ways of living. One notable development in this light is the increase in the number of single-person households. This article intends to offer insights on the social meaning of the changing patterns of individualized ways of living among never-married employed women. In so doing, we aim to contribute to academic discussions on individualization and life-course or biographical changes, which so far have not adequately reflected non-Western experiences. Based on qualitative studies of never-married employed women in Hong Kong and Tokyo, we examine their life choices on marriage and work to better understand how individuals craft their ways of living. Our analysis reveals that individualization of women’s lifestyles does not necessarily involve a dramatic surge in individual autonomy or the erosion of the traditional marriage institution. We argue that in East Asian late modernity biographical freedom for women is still constrained by the conventions that characterized the first modernity.

Entrepreneurship and Leadership

NG, Catherine W.,NG, Evelyn G. H. Asian Center for Women's Study ; Ewha Womans Unive 2007 Asian Journal of Women's Studies(AJWS) Vol.13 No.1

It has been proposed that women view their businesses as a cooperative network of relationships rather than a separate economic entity and they integrate business into life, rather than life into business. We conducted three case studies of female micro-business owners in the services sector in Hong Kong, and found that the "integrated view" model explains not only their definitions of success, but their networking and leadership styles as well. All three dimensions were influenced by their perception of a quality life and by the importance they placed on their relationships with customers, staff, business associates, friends and family. We also found that leadership is paramount to business survival and success. Our informants aimed at repeated business dealings and referrals from satisfied customers. By investing in their employees and motivating them to provide high quality goods and services, they were able to delegate work and thus give themselves more time for their multifarious interests.

The Concpet of State Feminism and the Case for Hong Kong

Catherine W.NG,Evelyn G. H. NG 이화여자대학교 아시아여성학센터 2002 Asian Journal of Women's Studies(AJWS) Vol.8 No.1

Comparative studies of anti-sex-discrimination law enforcement agencies and state feminism mechanisms tend to focus on western societies, with little mention of cases in Asia. Hong Kong is one of the few Asian regions that have anti-discrimination laws and a statutory Equal Opportunities Commission. This paper is an examination of Hong Kong’s conditions for and level of state feminism. Through this case study, we hope to understand the extent to which western models of state feminism can be applied in Asian contexts. Our analyses indicate that while Hong Kong has half the antecedent conditions for an influential and enabling state feminist office, it is a low feminist state. In Hong Kong, where democracy is in its infancy, there are three particular elements that pose a major challenge to feminist agendas; namely, the governing elite, the business sector and the legislature. The three mutually reinforce each other in sustaining patriarchal patterns.

Entrepreneurship and Leadership: Case Studies of Female Micro-business Owners in Hong Kong

Catherine W. NG,Evelyn Gaik-Hoon NG 이화여자대학교 아시아여성학센터 2007 Asian Journal of Women's Studies(AJWS) Vol.13 No.1

It has been proposed that women view their businesses as a cooperative network of relationships rather than a separate economic entity and they integrate business into life, rather than life into business. We conducted three case studies of female micro-business owners in the services sector in Hong Kong, and found that the “integrated view” model explains not only their definitions of success, but their networking and leadership styles as well. All three dimensions were influenced by their perception of a quality life and by the importance they placed on their relationships with customers, staff, business associates, friends and family. We also found that leadership is paramount to business survival and success. Our informants aimed at repeated business dealings and referrals from satisfied customers. By investing in their employees and motivating them to provide high quality goods and services, they were able to delegate work and thus give themselves more time for their multifarious interests.

The Concept of State Feminism and the Case for Hong Kong

NG, Catherine W.,NG, Evelyn G. H. Asian Center Women's Studies Korean Women's Instit 2002 Asian Journal of Women's Studies(AJWS) Vol.8 No.1

Comparative studies of anti-sex-discrimination law enforcement agencies and state feminism mechanisms tend to focus on western societies, with little mention of cases in Asia. Hong Kong is one of the few Asian regions that have anti-discrimination laws and a statutory Equal Opportunities Commission. This paper is an examination of Hong Kong's conditions for and level of state feminism. Through this case study, we hope to understand the extent to which western models of state feminism can be applied in Asian contexts. Our analyses indicate that while Hong Kong has half the antecedent conditions for an influential and enabling state feminist office, it is a low feminist state. In Hong Kong, where democracy is in its infancy, there are three particular elements that pose a major challenge to feminist agendas; namely, the governing elite, the business sector and the legislature. The three mutually reinforce each other in sustaining patriarchal patterns.

Single Working Women and Motherhood : The Personal and the Political

NG, Evelyn G. H.,NG, Catherine W. Ewha Womans University Press 2013 Asian Journal of Women's Studies(AJWS) Vol.19 No.1

Hong Kong has one of the lowest fertility rates in the world and the number of single women continues to increase. We examined this phenomenon in the context of state moral projects and prevailing workplace culture to account for the decline. We propose that the contradictions in the behavior of Hong Kong women can be explained by theoretical discussions on formal legal rights at one end, and at the other, promotions of traditional family core values. We analyzed narratives of three single middle-class professional women with children to gain insight into how they negotiated and crafted their alternative, unconventional work-family scripts. We found that while they held a mix of traditional and modern notions and successfully coped with their scripts, there was disinterest in seeing themselves as part of an evolving community that is an alternative to the conventional norm of the heterosexual couple. 現時香港的生育率為全球最低之一,而單身女性的人數亦持續上升。我們在本文從香港政府提倡傳統家庭道德觀的角度,以及本港社會的主流職場文化,分析生育率下降的原因。我們認為香港婦女行為出現矛盾的情況,可從兩個理論層面解釋:一方面是法律制度賦予女性的權利;另一方面是傳統家庭核心價值的拉力。我們就三位單身中產階層母親的訪談內容進行分析,探討她們在履行職場與家庭角色之間的掙扎和努力,以實踐她們另類的雙職生涯模式。我們發現她們對個人和家庭角色的看法部分源自傳統觀念,部分則屬現代思維,但她們都能成功應付雙職生涯角色的要求。儘管如此,她們並不認同個人屬於傳統夫婦制度之外逐步形成的非主流社群。

Single Working Women and Motherhood: The Personal and the Political

Evelyn G. H. NG,Catherine W. Ng 이화여자대학교 아시아여성학센터 2013 Asian Journal of Women's Studies(AJWS) Vol.19 No.1

Hong Kong has one of the lowest fertility rates in the world and the number of single women continues to increase. We examined this phenomenon in the context of state moral projects and prevailing workplace culture to account for the decline. We propose that the contradictions in the behavior of Hong Kong women can be explained by theoretical discussions on formal legal rights at one end, and at the other, promotions of traditional family core values. We analyzed narratives of three single middle-class professional women with children to gain insight into how they negotiated and crafted their alternative, unconventional work-family scripts. We found that while they held a mix of traditional and modern notions and successfully coped with their scripts, there was disinterest in seeing themselves as part of an evolving community that is an alternative to the conventional norm of the heterosexual couple.