Newsletter No. 30

No.30 May 1992- cuHK Newsletter- change curriculum in the belief that a single set of courses could satisfy representatives of many different cultural backgrounds. Specific examples were drawn from recently imposed required courses at several universities in the States. Professor of Accountancy Gives Inaugural Lecture P rofessor Ferdinand A. Gul, professor of accountancy, gave his inaugural lecture entitled ‘Accounting Information Systems, I nd i v i dual Differences and Human Behaviour' on 24th April. His lecture focused on two issues that confront researchers studying the relationship between accounting information, individual judgment and decision making: how one should systematically study judgment and decision making, and what factors there are that affect such processes. He presented the Brunswik lens model as an elegant way of studying judgments and decision making since it facilitates the measurement of the weights placed on the different cues relied upon in the judgment process and the making of accurate judgments. The factors that can affect decision making were identified as cognitive styles, personality, culture and demographic variables. Prof. Gul then went on to explain how such variables affected different aspects of accounting decision making. CUHK Runs Advanced Management Programme for MBA Students of Pittsburgh T he Asia Pacific Institute of Business and the Faculty of Business Administration jointly organized an advanced management programme for 37 executive MBA students of the University of Pittsburgh from 13th to 16th April at the MBA Town Centre. Entitled ‘Asia-Pacific Challenge (Hong Kong and China)', the programme aimed at enhancing the participants' understanding of various aspects of business and management practices in Hong Kong and Southeast Asian countries. The four-day programme consisted of lectures, case studies and panel discussions. Tutors were drawn from staff of the Faculty of Business Administration, key executives from local businesses, and senior government officials. Participants examined many critical issues related to China's economic reform, and visited a joint-venture production factory in Shenzhen. BA Faculty Participates in the Training of Trainers in China T he Faculty of Business Administration has been invited by the World Bank to design and teach courses for a ‘Training for Trainers' programme to improve the management skills of cadres from the less developed regions of China. The programme, which began on 4th May at the Shenzhen Agricultural Science Research Centre, is financed by the United Nations Development Programme. The objective is to prepare trainers for the economic development of poor areas in China. The cadres to be trained come from different parts of China and are expected to transfer the skills they learn to the people in their home provinces, most of which are still underdeveloped. The World Bank will provide its own specialists to teach courses on planning, management, and training- needs assessment. The University's Faculty of Business Administration will be responsible for designing courses on development economics and marketing as well as adult learning and teaching methods. 3