Dragon in a Three-Piece Suit is an innovative sociological examination of what is perhaps the main engine of economic reform in China, the large industrial firm. Doug Guthrie, who spent more than a year in Shanghai studying firms, interviewing managers, and gathering data on firms' performance and practices, provides the first detailed account of how these firms have been radically transformed since the mid-1980s. Guthrie shows that Chinese firms are increasingly imitating foreign firms in response both to growing contact with international investors and to being cut adrift from state support. Many firms, for example, are now less likely to use informal hiring practices, more likely to have formal grievance filing procedures, and more likely to respect international institutions, such as the Chinese International Arbitration Commission. Guthrie argues that these findings support the de-linking of Western trade policy from human rights, since it is clear that economic engagement leads to constructive reform. Yet Guthrie also warns that reform in China is not a process of inevitable Westernization or of managers behaving as rational, profit-maximizing agents. Old habits, China's powerful state administration, and the hierarchy of the former command economy will continue to have profound effects on how firms act and how they adjust to change. With its combination of rigorous argument and uniquely rich detail, this book gives us the most complete picture yet of Chinese economic reform at the crucial level of the industrial firm.

Introduction: China and globalization -- Part I: Macro-level dynamics and institutional change -- China's opening and institutional change -- The shift toward the wholly foreign owned enterprise structure -- Law Guanxi: Chinese law goes international and foreign investors go local -- Part II: Micro- and meso-level dynamics and institutional change -- The diffusion of pay-for-performance institutions -- Dismissal and labor turnover -- "Remade in China": foreign investors and Chinese actors negotiate institutional change -- Appendix: List of interviewees.

Another imaginative story in bestselling author Kathryn Kaleigh's Becquerel time travel series. A love ripped from the pages of time. With his life's direction pulled out from under him, veteran Air Force officer Reed Smith finds himself in the little Colorado town he considers home. His plan — to regroup. To find a new direction. But when he meets who he believes to be a historical reenactor, named Andrea, he finds his world turned upside down. And what he believes to be a game turns out to be something else entirely. The responsible one in her family, pioneer Andrea Auclair, has little time for enjoyment. Especially keeping four younger siblings safe after dragging them across the country. When Reed shows up in her life, she discovers more to life than responsibility. But Reed is different from other men and even though she does not understand him, she finds him irresistible. When two very different people from two very different worlds are brought together by fate, only destiny can predict what will happen. From its unexpected opening to the romantic happily-ever-after ending, this novel is quintessentially classic time travel romance.

A steamy dragon shifter romance filled with humor, second chances, and naughty, dragon-sex shenanigans. Susannah Men cheat and lie. They take more than they give. Promise the world and deliver dusty pocket lint. They’re no good for the long haul of life. But sex? Sure, men are good for steamy romps and spicy hookups. I’m ready to accept that dating’s for dummies, but I’m not giving up sex. No way. And look who just stopped to offer me a lift: a sexy mechanic with all sorts of skills. He’s no knight in shining armor, and he’s not offering a fairy-tale happily ever after. He’s all about the here, the now, and the f*cking. I’m one hundred percent ready for that ride. Archer I’m a liar. My friends think I’m screwing women left and right. The truth? I’ve been celibate for over a hundred years. The woman I picked up on the side of the road thinks I’m a mechanic. I’m not. I just happened to live through the invention of the horseless carriage and have a knack for repairs. She thinks I’m broke. Wrong again. Centuries of living lends itself to a fat bank account. I thought I gave away my heart years ago, but evidence suggests otherwise. That sad, disused organ beats faster for a foul-mouthed history professor who drives an unreliable, shiny red Volkswagen Bug. I want to be honest, but I’m sitting on so many secrets I’m not sure where to start. Worse, I don’t think she wants the truth: I’m a dragon, she’s a witch, and I might be falling in love with her. A woman who’s been let down by life and love meets a dragon who’s ready to shine up his tarnished scales for her, but they’ve got one hell of a past to overcome if they’re going to find their long-haul, forever love.

An accessible, introductory text on contemporary China, this book covers the social, economic, and political factors responsible for China's revolutionary changes, and interweaves this structural analysis with a consideration of social changes at the micro and macro levels.

Three steamy dragon romances filled with humor and naughty, dragon-sex shenanigans! This collection includes… DRAGONS DO IT DIRTIER A sex-starved bookkeeper who’s afraid to trust her heart and a reluctantly honorable whisky-distilling dragon. Are they fated mates or just a steamy romp? A humorous dragon shifter romance with all the sex and lots of laughs! DRAGONS DO IT NERDIER A blocked writer looking for inspiration meets a badass nerd dragon. She’s reluctant, but he’s ready to woo her…until he realizes life with him is full of unavoidable dangers. DRAGONS DO IT NAUGHTIER A woman who’s been let down by life and love meets a dragon who’s ready to shine up his tarnished scales for her, but they’ve got one hell of a past to overcome if they’re going to find their long-haul, forever love.

Nickolas Landry; Martial Arts instructor, model citizen, and former Navy SEAL. Years ago, after leaving the Navy, he was confronted by an ancient little man from Japan, who claimed that Nick was destined to serve as the Guardian of mankind. His duty, until the end of times, is to safeguard humanity from the forces of darkness. This destiny came with a warning, explained by Masamoto that this duty would destroy the life Nick knows. When the time came, after years of training, Nick learned first hand how true the warning was. He believed that he possessed the strength and ability to protect his life and the loved ones in it. On the eve of his wedding, he was shown how wrong he was, when his bride to be was taken from him, along with Masamoto, losing her life because of his destiny. How does a man give his life to save the rest of mankind? Sure, he could've walked away and denied his destiny. But, how could he carry on with his life knowing that the future of mankind is doomed on Earth? Nickolas Landry is not that kind of man, but with the end of times near, he will soon learn the extent of this so-called destiny that has consumed his life, and what it will truly cost him. Allies have been made, with more to come to fight at his side, on this eve of doom. It is then that Nick will discover what the ultimate sacrifice is to save the word.

"Originally published in Great Britain in 2017 by Canongate Books Limited"--Title page verso.

Old flames still burn hot. He’s only ever had one weakness. Nathaniel Clarke has a secret. Before he became the owner of an occult bookshop on Bookseller's Row, he was a prince of the kingdom of Paragon. Now the dragon shifter is the high priest of the Order of the Dragon, a society of the most powerful supernatural beings in London. He’s only ever had one weakness, and he hasn’t seen her in a decade. She’s only ever been good at one thing. American pop singer Clarissa Black survived by singing on street corners before Nathaniel came into her life and unlocked the latent magic inside her. Despite their passionate affair, she refused Nathaniel’s proposal in order to pursue her music career. Her multiplatinum albums have made her a star but one with few people she can trust. One curse will change two lives forever. When Clarissa’s voice fails her during a show in London, it’s an excuse to reconnect with the man who remains her deepest regret. Nathaniel is reluctant to open old wounds but can’t refuse Clarissa’s plea for help or the passion her nearness awakens in him. But as he closes in on breaking the curse, Nathaniel learns the cause of what ails her is tangled with the deadly past he left behind. * * * Topics: dragon shifter romance series, paranormal romance dragon shifters, romantic fantasy dragon shifters, fantasy romance dragon shifters, shapeshifter romance series, witch romance series, paranormal romance witches, romantic fantasy witches, fantasy romance witches, romance saga, romantic suspense, romance series, romantic family saga, new release, shapeshifter romance with sex, romance ebook, top romance reads, bestselling, contemporary fantasy in London, urban fantasy in London, HEA, Genevieve Jack, Genevieve Jack dragons, magic, love, strong heroine, alpha hero, steamy romance, emotional romance, new adult paranormal romance, forbidden romance, romance fiction, top ebooks in romance, top ebooks in paranormal, romance books, romance, award winning romance Perfect for fans of Alisa Woods, Christine Feehan, Jessie Donovan, M. Flynn, Mac Flynn, Thea Harrison, Gena Callahan, Milly Weaver, J.K. Harper, Anna Craig, Michelle M. Pillow, Mandy M. Roth, JR Ward, Kresley Cole, Ilona andrews, Jayne faith, Renee Rose, Vanessa Vale, Brenda K Davies, Layla Nash, Sherilee Gray, Abigail Owen, Donna Grant, Terry Bolryder, T. S. Joyce, Zoe Chant, Charlene Hartnady, Eve Langlais, Evangeline Anderson, Milly Taiden, Alexandra Ivy,

JeromeASF, the YouTube sensation, debuts his Bacca character on the printed page with this action-packed Minecraft adventure for all ages. Bacca has it all. The most celebrated (and furry) star in the Overworld, he’s the person others look to for help building their dungeons, mazes, and castles. He has a girlfriend, LadyBacc, and his most prized possession of all—a diamond axe called Betty. One day, Bacca is approached by a mysterious dragon . . . made entirely of diamonds! The dragon is from a new biome—a secret land few have ever seen—where a special object has been stolen. A seemingly impossible set of riddles and challenges stands in the way of getting it back, but if Bacca can help, the dragon promises he’ll receive a new weapon even better than Betty. Is he willing to risk everything and push his crafting skills to their very limits? As his millions of YouTube fans already know . . . of course he is! He’s Bacca! Perfect for Minecraft fans of all ages, Bacca and the Riddle of the Diamond Dragon showcases the YouTube Minecraft star that fans around the world have come to love: funny, creative, and just a little bit crazy! Sky Pony Press, with our Good Books, Racehorse and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of books for young readers—picture books for small children, chapter books, books for middle grade readers, and novels for young adults. Our list includes bestsellers for children who love to play Minecraft; stories told with LEGO bricks; books that teach lessons about tolerance, patience, and the environment, and much more. In particular, this adventure series is created especially for readers who love the fight of good vs. evil, magical academies like Hogwarts in the Harry Potter saga, and games like Minecraft, Terraria, and Pokemon GO. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.