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The HKCI is in the process of carrying out a mega project to compile over 60 volumes of Hong Kong chronicles,
totaling about 25 million words.
The social, cultural, and population history of Hong Kong will receive extensive coverage in this project.
The plan is to complete the project within a period of eight years (2019 – 2027),
by the 30th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China.
Besides the “Population” and “Ethnicity and Family” volumes, the HKIAPS has been newly commissioned by the Hong Kong Chronicles Institute to undertake the work of compiling the “Commerce” volume. This volume will be divided into two major sections: overview and thematic studies. This is to provide a full picture that illustrates the development, changes and current situation of Hong Kong commercial activity. As a commercial city, business activity is the central pillar of Hong Kong, while the core values of commercial development in Hong Kong include self-reliance, self-finance and free market. As Hong Kong is an export-oriented economy, commercial operation and development are affected by external circumstances. Nevertheless, as the population has kept growing, Hong Kong has gradually developed herself as an international business hub. In the development process of society and the city, the market has evolved into different types and there has emerged various distribution modes. From traditional bazaars and wet markets located in rural villages, to the establishment of supermarkets, malls, retail shops and online shopping platforms, the variation of business operation modes in different decades also reflect the changes of Hong Kong society and urbanization. The overview section focuses on business models, commercial institutions, monitoring, operation, logistics, types of markets and distribution of industry. While the thematic studies cover several manufacturing industries: grain, non-staple foods, groceries, daily life products, pharmaceuticals, capital goods and services. Every industry has its own development characteristic in each decade, they also change along with the society of that time. Besides studying the changing processes and impactful regulations of the industries, the research team will also collect business statistics, examine distribution of markets and the vital role that various chambers of commerce have played in industries’ development.■ |
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