Writing an abstract for a dissertation report done by housing studies students: a note

Some basic study materials about writing an abstract for a dissertation report done by housing studies students:

1. About abstract writing (video).

2.  Example 1

Local housing prices and mortgage refinancing in US cities

Ming‐Long Lee, R. Kelley Pace 

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide additional evidence that housing prices significantly impact aggregate refinancing and thus directly influence mortgage termination.

Design/methodology/approach

Regression analysis is applied to examine refinancing activity in US cities.

Findings

The evidence shows that positive appreciation in housing prices provides the borrower with positive incentives to refinance in response to the associated increased borrowing capacity when mortgage rates have declined. On the other hand, depreciation in housing prices may depress refinancing.

Research limitations/implications

Housing price movements, not only collateral constraints on refinancing but also the disincentive to engage in cash‐out refinancing caused by depreciation as well as the incentive for cash‐out refinancing brought by appreciation, should be included in modeling total termination risks of mortgage‐backed securities.

Originality/value

In contrast to previous studies, this paper provides empirical support for both the incentive and the disincentive to engage in cash‐out refinancing produced by housing price changes, in addition to support for the traditional collateral constraint effect of housing prices on refinancing.

Keywords

Housing
 
Mortgage companies
 
Pricing policy
 
United States of America
• 
  
• 3. Example 2
• Nonprofit perceptions of local government performance in affordable housing
• Robert Mark Silverman 
• 
  
• Abstract
• Purpose
• The purpose of this paper is to examine how executive directors of nonprofit organizations perceive local government performance in affordable housing. It builds on a larger body of research concerning the affordable housing activities of government and community‐based nonprofit housing organizations at the local level.
• Design/methodology/approach
• This analysis is based on a national survey of neighborhood housing services (NHS) organizations funded by Neighborworks® America. The survey included questions about local government performance in affordable housing and perceptions of factors influencing local government funding decisions. Survey data were supplemented with information gathered from the Neighborworks® America website.
• Findings
• The findings of this paper indicate that NHS organizations are not completely satisfied with local government performance. Local government performance in affordable housing received lower grades than other levels of government, as well as intermediary organizations and private financial institutions. This dissatisfaction is expressed through nonprofit fields in which these organizations are embedded. These fields have witnessed declining governmental support for affordable housing and expanding influence from philanthropic organizations and the private sector.
• Originality/value
• This paper highlights the need for government to assume a broader and more activist role in affordable housing policy. In essence, government needs to assume a more activist stance and forge stronger partnerships with nonprofits in response to the growing influence of intermediary organizations and the private sector in nonprofit fields. This would temper some of the excesses brought on by the devolution and nonprofitization of affordable housing policy and neoliberal influences on public policy more generally.
• Keywords
• Housing
 
• Non‐profit organizations
 
• Local government
 
• United States of America
 
• Public policy

• 
  
• *** A related reading

Relationship between broad research topic, specific research problem and specific research question(s)

Relationship between broad research topic, specific research problem and specific research question(s)

Video 1: on research topic and problem

Video 2: on research problem and research question(s)

e-resource on data analysis for research methods

e-resource on data analysis for research methods

1. for quantitative research

2. for qualitative research

3. for mixed methods research

Data analysis methods for quantitative research: e-learning resources

 Data analysis methods for quantitative research: e-learning resources:

1. Descriptive and inferential statistics

2. Statistical tests for data analysis in research (also study "choosing a statistical test").

3. Multidimensional data analysis [MDA] with Excel pivot table. (articles) [MDA is mainly descriptive in nature]

Reference

A total list on data analysis

A note on housing issue and housing research questions, with a video example on sub-divided flats (HK)

A note on housing issues and housing research questions, with video example on sub-divided flats (HK)

Study the video on sub-divided flats (HK) to justify the choice of housing issue and housing questions to study:

The video link.

The housing issue and associated research questions are:

1. The housing issue (at the theme level): the sub-divided flat issue in HK

2. Research questions: 

Research question 1 : what are the major environmental factors that influence the sub-divided flat issue in Hong Kong?

{based on the research philosophy lens of positivism}

Suggest research methods to use {should be mainly grounded on positivism}

Research question 2: What is the experienced residential quality of life of sub-divided flats in Hong Kong? 

{based on the research philosophy lens of interpretivism}

Suggested research methods to use {should be mainly grounded on interpretivism}

e-resource on data analysis methods for qualitative research

e-resource on data analysis methods for qualitative research

1. qualitative content analysis

2. Thematic analysis (also study thematic analysis with Excel and the six steps on thematic analysis).

3. Qualitative coding (also study the video on codes, categories and themes; also study the deductive and inductive approaches on coding).

4. Narrative analysis (another briefing).

5. Discourse analysis

6. Data analysis spiral

7. Analysing your interviews/ also on a how-to briefing.

8. The hermeneutic cycle.

9. Analyzing ethnographic data.

Reference

A total list on data analysis

Research philosophies and their affiliated research methods: a note

In my lecture, when I said that different research philosophies favor different research methods, very often, students asked me for specific examples. The specific examples are provided in the following two online articles:

1. A reading about interpretivism and its favored research methods.

2. A reading with examples of research methods related to positivism and interpretivism.

A basic summary on research methods ideas for MBA and housing studies students

A basic summary on research methods ideas for MBA and housing studies students

1. research methodology = (i.e. covers) research philosophy + research methods 

2. Research method = (i.e. covers) data gathering method + data analysis method

3. Interview research design can be grounded on positivism (e.g. structured interview) or interpretivism (e.g. unstructured interview)

4. Data gathering method can be primary (first-hand) or secondary (second-hand).

Additional reference
A master note of e-resource on research methods (videos).

The focused way on research conceptualization for busy research students: a note

The focused (basically highly simplified) way on research conceptualization for busy research students: a note of the method as proposed by me:

{note that research conceptualization done in this way may be considered by some dissertation supervisors to be too simple; it is then up to the dissertation project student to enhance the dissertation proposal so as to be considered appropriate by both the dissertation supervisor and the research student, e.g. MBA students doing final year dissertation projects.}

A focused way on research conceptualization is done with the following title template:

An investigation on the causes, impacts and useful solutions on _(the core topic)__ of __(the organizational unit of analysis)___: a case study research

An example of a project title, making use of the title template, could be:

An investigation on the causes, impacts and useful solutions on _high staff turnover__ of __the sales team of ABC Insurance Company___: a case study research

In this case, the research objectives, as derived from the project title, are:

Research objective 1: to evaluate the causes on high staff turnover of the sales team of ABC Insurance Company

Research objective 2: to evaluate the impacts on high staff turnover of the sales team of ABC Insurance Company

Research objective 3: to formulate useful solutions to address high staff turnover of the sales team of ABC Insurance Company

In addition, the focused way method ,as I propose, offers two diagram tools to further develop the research proposal work; they are as follows:

Diagram tool 1: The literature review tree on the focused dissertation project title statement:

Diagram tool 2: The research methods tree on the focused dissertation project title statement:

Note that the research methods tree (diagram tool 2) is constructed by mapping chosen research methods onto the literature review tree (diagram tool 1)

Research methods to use for research students who are socially excluded: a note

Research methods to use for research students who are socially excluded: a note:

In one of my research methods lectures, I said that it is expected that students doing dissertation projects preferably should employ two primary research methods in their dissertation projects. At that point, a student raised her objection; she said that she could not do so because she has no friends, not on friendly terms with her company colleagues and university classmates, and she did not communicate with her family members.

This is a quite interesting and rare case to me; essentially, the student is severely socially isolated. My suggestions to socially isolated students are as follows:

1. Formulate a research project that makes more sophisticated employment of observational research (notably covert observation). The precondition is for the student to spend more learning effort on observational research.

2. The student could also explore the possibility to conduct research interview on "strangers"; some of the students' classmates may still be willing to participate in the student's research interview.

For my MBA students, a research topic theme that is feasible to be studied this way is "to evaluate the quality of servicescape of XXX and YYY shopping malls from the shoppers' perspective". This is just one example for illustration purpose.

In terms of the agile literature review approach (ALRA), the core-focus-domain avoids management-concerns items in zone 2 (organizational capabilities) and zone 3b (solutions related).

The condition of social exclusion does not directly affect research students' ability to take up secondary research.

In short, it is still possible for socially excluded students to participate in dissertation project works; for them, the dissertation project can be done.

The ALRA way on research conceptualization: a note

The agile literature review approach (ALRA) way on research conceptualization: a note

The first time a research student takes up a research project to do, he/she has little idea of how to come up with a preliminary project proposal topic. Very often, it is not clear how to identify and firm up on the research project title, research objectives, and research questions, etc..

The university requires research students to fill in an research project application form in around 300 words and then a project proposal in 1,500 words. It sounds like a small task to draft something in 300 words, but it is fundamentally not clear what the dissertation project topic should be? And initial attempts to do so very often receive the project supervisor's feedback on the proposal as "too complicated",  "too messy", "inappropriate" and/ or "without adequate justification of the proposal ideas", etc.

The conventional advice mainly comes from the topic of research conceptualization. Those advice could only be understood with certain intellectual competence gained via certain level of learning effort on the underlying subject of research methods and subject areas (e.g. various business management subjects for the MBA students). Otherwise, those advice remains quite abstract and vague to research project students. Additional help is available from the research practice guidelines from the agile literature review approach (ALRA). As such, the ALRA can be considered as a recent knowledge domain on research conceptualization. It is not clear when the ALRA is more widely recognized in the academic community as a valuable sub-knowledge domain in research conceptualization study.

On the academic literature review tree (ALRT) on theoretical framework-A in the ALRA (academic-oriented project)

On the academic literature review tree on theoretical framework-A (ALRT) in the ALRA (academic-oriented project)

In order to provide a concrete visual output of the literature review in the agile literature review approach ((academic-oriented project), I now propose the diagram called the academic literature review tree on theoretical framework-A (ALRT). As a revision, an example of theoretical framework-A is presented as follows:

The the academic literature review tree on theoretical framework-A adds a few tree branches with hanging academic ideas. The academic ideas are identified via the literature review of the researcher; these ideas are attached to the tree branches of research gap items of theoretical framework-A. As such, specific clusters of academic ideas are explicitly indicated as relevant for investigation on particular research gaps of the framework. This is portrayed in the following diagram of the academic literature review tree on theoretical framework-A (ALRT):

Regarding the ALRT diagram, there are two main research gaps (i.e. research gaps 1 and 2) and 1 minor research gap (i.e. research gap 3). Each research gap has its own tree branch and attached academic ideas. Specifically, the tree branch on research gap 1 is called tree branch 1; the three branch on research gap 2 is tree branch 2; lastly,tree branch 3 is attached on research gap 3. The diagram of the ALRT is inserted in Chapter 2 (literature review) of the dissertation report, so that research-gap focused literature review discussion can be discussed as related to each of the research gaps one by one in the chapter.

On research conceptualization: e-study materials (videos)

 On research conceptualization: e-study materials (videos)

1a. On research conceptualization

1b. Research conceptualization

1c. Research conceptualization technique.

2. On research objectives, research problems and research questions.

Also study the blog note on the ALRA way on research conceptualization.

An exercise about zoning in the agile literature review approach

 An exercise about zoning in the agile literature review approach (ALRA) diagrams:

{zone 1: environmental drivers; zone 2: organizational capabilities; zone 3a: outcomes-related; zone 3b: solutions-related}

The following management-concern items belong to which zone in the ALRA diagrams:

1. Management unclear about the quality status of team spirit of the sales team of ABC Ltd.

It belongs to zone _______.

2. Management concerned about the impact of increasing consumers' price-sensitivity on toys products towards profitability depression of ABC Ltd.

It belongs to zone _______.

3. The negative impact of high-pressure corporate culture on employee retention and stress of ABC Ltd.

It belongs to zone _______.

4. Management unclear how to effectively enter the new market of India in 2023.

It belongs to zone _______.

5. Management concerned about the adequacy of the present sales force management competence of ABC Ltd.

It belongs to zone _______.

6. Management not clear how to introduce an effective mentoring system in ABC Ltd in 6 months' time.

It belongs to zone _______.

7. Management unclear about the present competitive advantage status of ABC Ltd.

It belongs to zone _______.

8. Management worried about the adequacy of strategic alliance competence of ABC Ltd.

It belongs to zone _______.

9. Management concerned about the impact of covid-19 on the supply chain infrastructure reliability facing ABC Ltd.

It belongs to zone _______.

Refinement of management-concerns items: illustrative example 3

Refinement of management-concerns items: illustrative example 3. This note covers examples in zone 1, zone 2, zone 3a and zone 3b.

Example 1: "gold price appreciated" (zone 1 [environmental drivers] item)

Refined as: "Management concerned about the impact of gold price increase on depressing consumer demand on jewelry in Hong Kong" [MC1]  {MC means management concern}

Subsequently, the converted theoretical framework item is" to evaluate the impact of gold price increase on depressing consumer demand on jewelry in Hong Kong"

Example 2: "product innovation capability" (zone 2 [organizational capabilities] item)

Refined as: "Management concerned about the adequacy of the product innovation capability of ABC jewelry ltd (HK)" [UMC 2]  {UMC means urgent management concern}

Subsequently, the converted theoretical framework item is "to evaluate the adequacy of the product innovation capability of ABC Jewelry Ltd (HK)"

Example 3: "low staff morale" (Zone 3a [outcomes-related])

Refined as: "Management concerned about the low staff morale status (including impacts) at the jewelry stores of ABC jewelry Ltd (HK)" [MC3]

Subsequently, the converted theoretical framework item is "to evaluate the low staff morale status (including impacts) at the jewelry stores of ABC jewelry Ltd (HK)"

Example 4: "VIP promotion"(Zone 3b [solutions-related])

Refined as: "Unclear how to further strengthen the VIP promotion policy of ABC Jewelry Ltd (HK)" [MC5]

Subsequently, the converted theoretical framework item is "to figure out how to further strengthen the VIP promotion policy of ABC Jewelry Ltd (HK) "

A related reading:

* Wordings used in the management-concerns diagrams and the theoretical framework diagrams.

A note on archival research and historical documents, with e-resources

 A note on archival research and historical documents, with e-resources, in the context of research methods study.

1a. What is archival research.

1b. Archival research.

2. Archival research tips.

3. Personal and historical documents.

4. Using documents in research.

5. Historical and archival research.

6. Qualitative research with archival data.

On the topic of "evidence": study resource

 On the topic of "evidence": study resource

Video resource

1. What is evidence.

2. Where to find evidence.

3. How to provide evidence.

4. Quality of evidence.

5. Assessing evidence.

On the two types of dissertation report template for housing studies

 On the two types of dissertation report template for housing studies:

Type 1: the consulting-oriented type.

Type 2: the academic-oriented type.

A study note on the ethnographic approach and its associated topics with e-learning materials

 A study note on the ethnographic approach  and its associated topics with e-learning materials:

A diagram on the ethnographic approach and its associated topics:

The topics in the diagram with embedded e-learning materials:

A: the ethnographic approach

B. Participant observation

C: Thick description

D. Hermeneutics

E. Phenomenology

F. Qualitative research

A related reading: On research methodology and research method: a note.

Related video: analyzing ethnographic data.

On the long and short forms of management-concern items (zone 1) in the ALRA

On the long and short forms of management-concern items in the ALRA:

In my blog notes on examples of formulation of management-concern items [for zone 1], I have pointed out the relevant considerations involved, which are item expression structure, the variable nature of the items, with hints on linkages with other management-concern items (re: example 1), the management-concern in nature of the items, and specific organizational unit of analysis standpoint (re: example 2). The examples subsequently illustrate how to provide management-concern items formulated with meaning clarity and analysis-facilitation strengths. Nevertheless, high clarity of management-concern item formulation has its cost; it is quite lengthy; putting a set of lengthy items in a management-concerns diagram could be a bit overwhelming for readers to digest. Thus, there is a need to distinguish two forms of management-concern items: the long form and the short form. Two examples are provided in the following table:

The long form of management-concern items	The short form of management-concern items
1.1: Unclear how to introduce effective AI application(s) in  the service operation of ABC Ltd, notably on  tedious task automation	1.2: Unclear on effective AI application in ABC service operation
2.1: Unclear about the AI impacts on service operation on the XXX business sector with special regard to its competitive landscape	2.2: Unclear AI impacts on the competitive landscape of the XXX business sector

Using the short form of management-concern items, in lieu of the long form, to construct the management-concerns diagram makes the diagram less wordy, thus easier to grasp the overall situation as portrayed by the management-concerns diagram. The management-concerns items, in long form, are then employed in the description of the management-concerns diagram in dissertation report writing. Thus, the management-concerns items in the diagram can still be clarified in the report writing.

Note: the the task of item formulation for zone 3a (outcomes-related) is more straightforward, thus the issue of long and short forms does not arise in most situations. Examples of zone 3a items are:

Example 1: worried about the high staff turnover at the retail outlets of ABC Ltd.

Example 2: unhappy about the present business performance as well as its prospect of the Consulting Division of ABC Ltd.

The same situation applies to zone 3b (solutions-related) items. It is straightforward. Examples of zone 3b items are:

Example 1: Unclear how to formulate an effective AI system to support the staff recruitment function of ABC Ltd.

Example 2: Unclear how to improve the existing marketing communication program of ABC Ltd.

A related reading: example 3.

Converting a factual statement into a management-concern item [in zone 1]: example 2

Converting a factual statement into a management-concern item: example 2: a conversation between Student L and Dr. X

Student L: Dr. X, I have formulated a zone 1 management-concern item as follows: "AI can help to replace the job or work that are tedious or duplicated". Could you comment on its appropriateness?

Dr. X: L, could you clarify what is the underlying management concern from the standpoint of your organizational unit of analysis (e.g. The Service Operation Department of ABC Ltd)?

Student L: The management concerns are: (I) that they are unclear about the opportunities and challenges facing the Service Operation Department of ABC Ltd's AI automation, notably on tedious tasks in the service operation of ABC Ltd, and (II) that they are unclear about the AI impacts on service operations on the XXX business sector, thus also on the XXX sector's competitive landscape". {note: ABC Ltd belongs to the XXX business sector}.

Dr. X: In this case you could consider the following two management-concerns items which are clearer in expression for analysis purpose: 

(I) "Unclear how to introduce effective AI application(s) in  the service operation of ABC Ltd, notably on  tedious task automation" (a Zone 3b [solutions-related] item).

(II) "Unclear about the AI impacts on service operation on the XXX business sector with special regard to its competitive landscape" (a Zone 1 [environmental drivers] item).

An additional reminder: these two items (I and II) can be converted into theoretical framework items with clear meaning:

(I) becomes "to evaluate how to introduce  effective AI application in  the service operation of ABC Ltd, notably on tedious task automation" (Zone 3b item in the theoretical framework)

(II) becomes "to evaluate  the AI impacts on service operation on the XXX business sector with special regard to its competitive landscape"

These two theoretical framework items are also useful to serve as an agenda to do literature search, as the key words in these two item statements can be used for literature search purpose:

Key words for (I): "Artificial Intelligence application for service operation"; "Artificial intelligence application adoption"; "Artificial intelligence application implementation". or more broadly, "information system introduction" and "information system adoption".

Key words for (II): "Artificial intelligence application" "AI impact on competitive landscape"; "Business impact of AI" and "competitive landscape".

Finally, a reminder: management-concern items can be urgent (urgent management concern [umc]) and not urgent (management concern [mc]).

Related readings: on example 1 [for zone 1 items] and the long/short forms of management-concerns items. Also study example 3.

Note: for zone 2 [organizational capabilities] items, the item formulation is more straightforward as compared with that of zone 1[environmental drivers]. Zone 2 items are mainly about the weaknesses and inadequacy of certain organizational capability domains, such as human resource management competence, IT management competence, etc. Examples of items for zone 2 are:

Example 1: Management concern item 1 (Zone 2): Worried about the diminishing human resource management competence of ABC Ltd.

Example 2: Management concern item 2 (Zone 2): Uncertain about the adequacy of New Product Development competence of ABC Ltd.

A related reading:

* Wordings used in the management-concerns diagrams and the theoretical framework diagrams.

Converting a factual statement into a management-concern item [zone 1]: example 1

Converting a factual statement into a management-concern item [for Zone 1]:  example 1:

Very often, students have difficulty to formulate a proper management-concern item in the construction of a management-concern diagram. For example, an item not appropriately formulated can be:

Item as "automation solution replace low-tech workers". 

Comment: This item does not clearly indicate a management-concern. It is mainly a factual statement (in the form of full sentence), which does not reveal why management should be worried or exited about it. For example, it does not indicate how it affects which area of organizational competence of an organization in which way". Thus, it is a poorly formulated management-concern item. 

If the item is converted into: "Impact of automation solutions advancement on the low-tech worker requirements of ABC Ltd", then it becomes clearer that the management concern is about "the impact of xxx" (an external environmental driver item [zone 1]; it is also a variable, not a full sentence)..... on "low-tech worker staff requirements (a factor related to workforce competence (organizational capabilities item [zone 2]). Better still, the full statement is : "management concern about the impact of automation solution advancement on the low-tech worker  requirements of ABC Ltd".

In terms of expression, thus, convert a statement in the form of full sentence into an object item: e.g. "The generation z is getting more interested in nonalcoholic drinks" [a factual statement in the form of sentence] should be rewritten as "Increasing interest by generation z to buy nonalcoholic drinks" [an item in the form of a variable, an object]. Better still, the researcher concern can be more clearly elaborated as: "Impact of increasing market demand on nonalcoholic drinks by the generation z on the sales performance of ABC Ltd". This item, in this case, is a Zone 1 item (environmental drivers).

For my illustration, I mainly demonstrate the way to formulate a management-concern item and it does not mean that I accurately guess the true intention behind the item formulation of the student in this case.

Another comment: this management item can now be converted into a theoretical framework item as: "to evaluate the impact of automation solution advancement on the low-tech worker requirements of ABC Ltd". This now constitutes a research objective statement. On the other hand, to convert a factual statement into a theoretical framework item is not feasible, also with unclear analysis intention and incorrect sentence structure: "to evaluate automation solution replace low-tech workers".

The discussion in this blog note is related to the subject of the agile literature review approach (ALRA); the disccussion is primarily applicable on zone 1 (environmental drivers) items with outgoing arrows, but without incoming arrows. See the diagram below:

Related readings: 

* on example 2 and long/short forms of management-concerns items.

* Wordings used in the management-concerns diagrams and the theoretical framework diagrams.

Research methodology and research method: a note

Research methodology and research method: a note

Research methodology = know-why (A) on know-how (B) [research method(s) choice + research method design choice] + know-how

Know-why: justification on (B) is based on:

Item 1. Research philosophy choice, which justifies a specific view [considered as appropriate by you] on (i) ontology (nature of reality) and (ii) epistemology (nature of knowledge and how learning (gaining justified belief [knowledge)

Item 2. Based on item 1 and your preliminary understanding of a particular topic of interest [based on preliminary literature review and other exploratory study], you (i) choose a specific research issue(s) and (ii) formulate your research objective(s) and research question(s) in a particular way. {In addition, knowledge of problem-exploration skills and consulting skills are useful to make decision on what specific research issue(s) to address. Such decision on issue choice is value-laden, not value-neutral.}

 

Based on items 1 and 2, you now justify your decision on (B) [research method(s)  choice + research method design choice]

In short: research methodology = Research methodology = know-why (A) [justification on B] + know-how (B)

A cognitive mapping study of “the impact of covid-19 on the Hong Kong society in 2023”

 A cognitive mapping study of “the impact of covid-19 on the Hong Kong society in 2023”

The following news article is from Hong Kong Free Press (re: https://hongkongfp.com/2023/09/20/hong-kongs-wealth-gap-widens-as-city-sees-polarised-post-covid-recovery-ngo-oxfam-says/)

Quote

Hong Kong’s wealth gap widens as city sees ‘polarised’ post-Covid recovery, NGO Oxfam says, by KELLY HO12:51, 20 SEPTEMBER 2023

Hong Kong’s poorest made almost 60 times less than the wealthiest in the first quarter of 2023, marking the widest income gap in the city in decades, a study by Oxfam’s local office has found.

In the first four months of 2023, the median monthly income of the poorest 10 per cent of households in Hong Kong stood at HK$2,300, 57.7 times less than the wealthiest 10 per cent, which earned HK$132,600, Oxfam Hong Kong said on Tuesday citing data from the Census and Statistics Department.

The overall median household income was HK$29,500 per month, marking a 1.7 per cent increase compared to before the pandemic.

The overall poverty rate reached 20 per cent in the first quarter, meaning more than 1.36 million people were living poverty in Hong Kong, the NGO said. The wealth gap showed that although the city had returned to normalcy following the pandemic, the path to economic recovery for low-income and high-income families was “sharply divided,” it said.

“Despite society returning to normal, the problem of income inequality is becoming increasingly serious. The slow recovery of low income families have sounded alarm bells for the whole society,” said Karlina Tsang, director general of Oxfam Hong Kong.

Oxfam’s study found that nearly 210,000 people – or 6.4 per cent of the city’s population with a job – were living in poverty despite being employed. More than 80 per cent of this group were employed in low-skilled jobs, with one in 10 workers in the retail, accommodation, and food services sectors experiencing working poverty.

The city reported a 3.1 per cent unemployment rate in the first quarter, which fell from 3.5 per cent in the preceding quarter. The government said in a economic report in May that unemployment and underemployment continued to improve, but Oxfam said on Tuesday that employment remained “precarious,” as some working in low-paid positions were laid off or dismissed after the pandemic.

The NGO said the widening income disparity was partly due to the loss of low-skilled jobs after the pandemic, pointing to a lower demand for cleaners. Some members of low-income households also lost their jobs as operations were digitalised in the post-Covid era, Oxfam said.

The government should adjust the minimum wage annually to catch up with inflation and offer better income protection, Oxfam said. A more generous minimum wage could also help the city attract potential labour force, it said.

The authorities should also promote the concept of a “living wage,” whereby people are paid enough to cover their basic needs, such as accommodation and urgent medical fees for them and their families, Oxfam said.

“Before importing foreign labour, our organisation calls on the government to adjust the minimum wage, create jobs for the most disadvantaged groups, and offer incentives to support employment at the grassroots level,” Tsang said.

One potential incentives would be improving childcare services, the NGO said, which could allow women from low-income families, who were previously unable to join the workforce owing to their duties as caretakers, to find jobs.

End quote

The following cognitive map is constructed by me based on the news article above:

 

There are 4 categories of items:

Category A: Direct impact of covid-19

Item 1: Impact of covid-19

Item 2: Lower demand for cleaners

Item 3: More operation being digitalized

Category B: Immediate outcomes

Item 4: Reduce low paid jobs

Item 7: Improve participation in the labour market

Category C: Ultimate outcomes

Item 10: Increasing poverty rate, including working poverty

Item 11: Widening income gap in HK

Category D: Policy-related options

Item 5: Import more foreign labour

Item 6: Improve childcare services support

Item 8: More support of basic needs for the poor, e.g. accommodation

Item 9: More generous minimum wage