King W. Chow

King W. Chow examines the problems of compensation for college faculty
in China, as well as possible difficulties in Hong Kong after 1997 when
Hong Kong will be restored to China. He describes the super-optimizing
solutions approach as a viable strategy for policy analysts.

Education is a necessary underpinning for economic development and
has not received its deserved attention. Chow notes that the average level
of education in mainland China is less than five years and that almost
one-quarter of one billion Chinese are illiterate. There is a lack of motiva-
tion for good performance, and it is difficult to recruit competent college
faculty. Compared with the national average, college teachers seem to
make sufficient income, but this is misleading because other residents
can take part-time jobs or grow produce for themselves. There are fewer
options available to faculty. Taxi drivers and waiters can make six times
more per month than college faculty. Chow utilizes the Super-Optimum
Solutions (SOS) approach to help identify the source of the problem and
remove it. He describes changing the teacher/student ratio and, by so
doing, making education accessible to students. Another suggestion is
requiring tuition increases so as to permit higher salaries for faculty. He
questions whether teacher work load would be unreasonably increased
or whether tuition charges would unduly burden parents. SOS permits
an unflinching assessment of the most negative consequences, which can
then be reevaluated. Chow compares U.S. and Chinese teaching loads
and argues that the compensation for increased work loads is justified
and that the income promotes social prestige, as well as positive
motivation.

Chow then turns to Hong Kong as it approaches the new status of being
a Special Administrative Region in 1997, when it is projected that more

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