Technical journals have played an important role in keeping the nation's planners up to date with the latest developments in technology and management. This is particularly true as industry reaches new levels of sophistication and specialization, since the journals can pinpoint and report in depth on topics which may have immediate practical application.
Three of the top economic and management publications in the Republic of China enjoy government support. Their order of appearance, starting with Harvest and continuing with Economy Today, Management, Computers and Information and Newton, reflects the country's progress from an agricultural to an industrial economic base. The increasing emphasis on management and technology has served to upgrade product quality.
Harvest, published twice a month for the past 33 years, is Taiwan's oldest specialist magazine whose customers today include potted plant enthusiasts and foresters as well as farmers and agricultural specialists. Since most readers have limited formal education and reading ability, editor-in-chief Liang O stresses simple language and practical information so that farmers can immediately achieve the best results after digesting the contents.
Harvest's front cover and its basic goals have changed little over the past three decades, although the information it conveys has kept up with technical and social development. For instance, in the 1950s, Taiwan's agriculture was backward, and Harvest helped out by introducing techniques to augment rice yields. Nowadays, more meat, fish, fruits and vegetables are consumed, and a surplus of rice has built up. Harvest has therefore led the way in urging farmers to plant new crops, and given advice on how to do so.
A current development in agriculture, according to Editor Liang, is strong public demand for high-quality vegetables. "Consumers usually buy the freshest, greenest and least blemished foods, so the farmers are using more pesticides to meet the demand. Most pesticides are biodegradable or easily washed off, but some are not. So we urge farmers not to spray, and consumers not to be so particular. The blemishes may not be as harmful as the pesticides."
Today's Economy, first published in 1967, is an official organ of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and its affiliates. The magazine's four goals, as described by Political Vice-Minister Wang Chao-ming, are as follows: (1) to proclaim the government's economic policy, (2) to analyze and explain current economic issues, (3) to present articles by the Ministry's staff and (4) to introduce the Ministry's most prominent officials. When Today's Economy was established it had an editing committee, which invited specialists to help out. Members of this production team were outstanding in all aspects of publishing, including wording, pictures and cover design, and the magazine soon built up a big following. But since it was an official publication, and at the same time carried advertising, it was subject to criticism and misunderstanding. As a result, all advertising was withdrawn and the magazine became the Ministry's intradepartmental newsletter.
In 1981, Vice-Minister Wang said he hoped the magazine could regain its former respect and circulation by being turned once again into a business enterprise. He decided to recruit capable young people who could improve the contents and the readability of the magazine so it could eventually become an independent organization.
Management magazine, published by Harvard Management Service since 1973, is the ROC's leading management newsletter. Company President Liang Hung-kao explains: "The name of the game in management is taking a company's available assets and making the best use of every resource. Management is of prime importance, since it represents the power of the company. It must bring all resources into play to the greatest possible extent, by means of professional knowledge and techniques, to the greatest benefit of the business."
Current circulation is 10,000 copies per issue, and to meet demand, an extra issue is being printed each month. Like most specialized journals, Management suffers from a lack of talented staff.
Information & Computers, a semi-official magazine, was founded in 1980 by the magazine's current assistant editor, Li Ming-feng. It consists to a large extent of translations of foreign articles on the latest developments and knowledge in the field of computers. Subscribers are mainly engineering students and computer operators. Li Ming-feng said: "Beginning this year, we are expanding our range of topics, and each issue will discuss a major subject. We are also trying to focus on the present situation and problems in the nation's information industry."
The science magazine Newton is devoted to illustrations and charts with easily understood captions which put forward scientific theory and introduce new technology.
The idea for the magazine came in June last year when the Provincial Publishing Company's chief, Kao Yuan-ching went to Japan on a fact-finding trip. Among the periodicals he found, he considered Newton to be the most attractive, and decided to translate it into Chinese for distribution in the ROC. By the end of the year he had reached an agreement under which he would pay royalties to reprint the photographs with texts translated into Chinese. Newton's inaugural Chinese-language edition came out in May this year, and sales are already booming, mainly among science and engineering college and high school teachers and students.
Staff members of these technical journals consider themselves pioneers in presenting new concepts and knowledge. Under their guidance, management and science in the Republic of China are being kept in the mainstream of technical progress.
[Picture Caption]
1. Technical journals introduce new concepts and knowledge while promoting social development. 2. Harvest, an agricultural journal with the longest history and largest readership of all the journals, has been well received by the farming community. 3. The retail counter of Harvest's sales department stocks many books on agriculture, but Harvest is the only journal that it carries.
1,2. Today's Economy, which has been published for 16 years, flourished for a time, but then its quality and popularity diminished. Political Vice Minister Wang Chao-ming is now working hard to bring it back to its past excellence. 3. Management magazine's president Liang Hung-kao uses modern management techniques to direct the magazine. 4. Printed well and highly priced, Management's readership is comprised mainly of managers.
1. Information & Computers emphasizes unique cover designs. 2. Besides relating computer knowledge, Information & Computer magazine uses computers in its dealings with its subscribers. 3. Editors of Information and Computers magazine at work. 4. Newton magazine is organizing a conference to discuss scientific knowledge in order to increase its fame and promote circulation. 5. Newton uses illustrations to introduce scientific principles in the hope that its readers will obtain a greater understanding of the subject matter.
2. Harvest, an agricultural journal with the longest history and largest readership of all the journals, has been well received by the farming community.
3. The retail counter of Harvest's sales department stocks many books on agriculture, but Harvest is the only journal that it carries.
1,2. Today's Economy, which has been published for 16 years, flourished for a time, but then its quality and popularity diminished. Political Vice Minister Wang Chao-ming is now working hard to bring it back to its past excellence.
1,2. Today's Economy, which has been published for 16 years, flourished for a time, but then its quality and popularity diminished. Political Vice Minister Wang Chao-ming is now working hard to bring it back to its past excellence.
3. Management magazine's president Liang Hung-kao uses modern management techniques to direct the magazine.
4. Printed well and highly priced, Management's readership is comprised mainly of managers.
1. Information & Computers emphasizes unique cover designs.
2. Besides relating computer knowledge, Information & Computer magazine uses computers in its dealings with its subscribers.
3. Editors of Information and Computers magazine at work.
4. Newton magazine is organizing a conference to discuss scientific knowledge in order to increase its fame and promote circulation.
5. Newton uses illustrations to introduce scientific principles in the hope that its readers will obtain a greater understanding of the subject matter.
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