Jan-Erik Lane, David McKay, and Kenneth Newton
- Published in print:
- 1996
- Published Online:
- January 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780198280538
- eISBN:
- 9780191601934
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019828053X.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Reference
This book presents comprehensive political, social and economic statistics on the 24 OECD countries. The book is divided into two main sections. The first section features comparative tables covering ...
More
This book presents comprehensive political, social and economic statistics on the 24 OECD countries. The book is divided into two main sections. The first section features comparative tables covering all countries. It contains data on population structure, employment, economy, industry, public expenditure and taxation, government structure, and electoral data. The second section covers the most significant features of government and politics. It provides information on state structure and offices, parties, government constitutions, electoral and voting systems, and basic materials about economic interest, organisations and the media.Less
This book presents comprehensive political, social and economic statistics on the 24 OECD countries. The book is divided into two main sections. The first section features comparative tables covering all countries. It contains data on population structure, employment, economy, industry, public expenditure and taxation, government structure, and electoral data. The second section covers the most significant features of government and politics. It provides information on state structure and offices, parties, government constitutions, electoral and voting systems, and basic materials about economic interest, organisations and the media.
Jan‐Erik Lane, David McKay, and Kenneth Newton
- Published in print:
- 1996
- Published Online:
- January 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780198280538
- eISBN:
- 9780191601934
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019828053X.003.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Reference
This introductory chapter begins with a brief description of the purpose of this book. It then presents an overview of statistics on OECD countries. The rationale behind the authors’ decisions on ...
More
This introductory chapter begins with a brief description of the purpose of this book. It then presents an overview of statistics on OECD countries. The rationale behind the authors’ decisions on what variables and statistics to include is explained.Less
This introductory chapter begins with a brief description of the purpose of this book. It then presents an overview of statistics on OECD countries. The rationale behind the authors’ decisions on what variables and statistics to include is explained.
Herbert Obinger, Peter Starke, Julia Moser, Claudia Bogedan, Edith Gindulis, and Stephan Leibfried
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199296323
- eISBN:
- 9780191700774
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199296323.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
This book gives a twist to the longstanding debate on the impact of economic globalization on the welfare state. It focuses on several small, advanced OECD economies in order to assess whether (and ...
More
This book gives a twist to the longstanding debate on the impact of economic globalization on the welfare state. It focuses on several small, advanced OECD economies in order to assess whether (and how) the welfare state will be able to compete under conditions of an increasingly integrated world economy. Small states can be seen as an ‘early warning system’ for general trends, because of their dependence on world markets and vulnerability to competitive pressures. The book's theoretical part integrates the literature on the political economy of small states with more recent research on the impact of globalization on social policy to generate a set of ideal-typical policy scenarios. It systematically tests these scenarios against the experience of four countries: Austria, Denmark, New Zealand, and Switzerland. The comparative analysis of reform trajectories since the 1970s in four key policy areas — pensions, labour market policy, health care, and family policy — provides substantial evidence of a new convergence in welfare state patterns. This amounts to a fundamental transformation of the welfare state from the old Keynesian welfare state positioned ‘against the market’ to a new set of supply-side policies ‘with’ and ‘for’ the market. Yet one of the big lessons to be learned from this study is that the transformation does not match the doomsday scenario predicted by neo-classical economists in the 1990s.Less
This book gives a twist to the longstanding debate on the impact of economic globalization on the welfare state. It focuses on several small, advanced OECD economies in order to assess whether (and how) the welfare state will be able to compete under conditions of an increasingly integrated world economy. Small states can be seen as an ‘early warning system’ for general trends, because of their dependence on world markets and vulnerability to competitive pressures. The book's theoretical part integrates the literature on the political economy of small states with more recent research on the impact of globalization on social policy to generate a set of ideal-typical policy scenarios. It systematically tests these scenarios against the experience of four countries: Austria, Denmark, New Zealand, and Switzerland. The comparative analysis of reform trajectories since the 1970s in four key policy areas — pensions, labour market policy, health care, and family policy — provides substantial evidence of a new convergence in welfare state patterns. This amounts to a fundamental transformation of the welfare state from the old Keynesian welfare state positioned ‘against the market’ to a new set of supply-side policies ‘with’ and ‘for’ the market. Yet one of the big lessons to be learned from this study is that the transformation does not match the doomsday scenario predicted by neo-classical economists in the 1990s.
Olivier Cadot, Antoni Estevadeordal, Akiko Suwa-Eisenmann, and Thierry Verdier
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- May 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780199290482
- eISBN:
- 9780191603471
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199290482.003.0010
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, International
This chapter focuses on the difference between free trade agreements with rules of origin and customs unions. The first part develops a model to assess the trade and production in intermediate and ...
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This chapter focuses on the difference between free trade agreements with rules of origin and customs unions. The first part develops a model to assess the trade and production in intermediate and final goods under these two forms of preferential trading arrangements. The second part performs a cross-sectional econometric analysis of bilateral trade in finished motor vehicles and parts in the OECD area. The findings suggest that ROO can be an effective barrier against third-party suppliers of intermediate goods, and that the ‘border effect’ on trade is mitigated within customs unions.Less
This chapter focuses on the difference between free trade agreements with rules of origin and customs unions. The first part develops a model to assess the trade and production in intermediate and final goods under these two forms of preferential trading arrangements. The second part performs a cross-sectional econometric analysis of bilateral trade in finished motor vehicles and parts in the OECD area. The findings suggest that ROO can be an effective barrier against third-party suppliers of intermediate goods, and that the ‘border effect’ on trade is mitigated within customs unions.
Edeltraud Roller
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- February 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780199286423
- eISBN:
- 9780191603358
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199286426.003.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Economy
This introductory chapter defines the questions and goals of the study, and provides a brief overview on the state of research regarding the performance of democracies. It seeks to answer two ...
More
This introductory chapter defines the questions and goals of the study, and provides a brief overview on the state of research regarding the performance of democracies. It seeks to answer two questions: Is the effectiveness of western democracies in decline and do institutions matter for political effectiveness? The continuous decline in the effectiveness of democratic systems was a prominent theme in various crisis theories (ungovernability, legitimation crisis) since the 1970s. Since the early 1990s, it has been taken up by globalization theories. The assertion that institutions matter for political performance reaches back to the emergence of the —new institutionalism— in the early 1980s. The most relevant precursor for this study of the performance of democracies is Arend Lijphart’s Patterns of Democracy (1999). His book along with other contributions from the fields of comparative public policy and comparative sociology on the quality of life is used to clarify the contribution of this study on the institutional basis of political performance, and to elaborate to what extent it goes beyond the current state of research.Less
This introductory chapter defines the questions and goals of the study, and provides a brief overview on the state of research regarding the performance of democracies. It seeks to answer two questions: Is the effectiveness of western democracies in decline and do institutions matter for political effectiveness? The continuous decline in the effectiveness of democratic systems was a prominent theme in various crisis theories (ungovernability, legitimation crisis) since the 1970s. Since the early 1990s, it has been taken up by globalization theories. The assertion that institutions matter for political performance reaches back to the emergence of the —new institutionalism— in the early 1980s. The most relevant precursor for this study of the performance of democracies is Arend Lijphart’s Patterns of Democracy (1999). His book along with other contributions from the fields of comparative public policy and comparative sociology on the quality of life is used to clarify the contribution of this study on the institutional basis of political performance, and to elaborate to what extent it goes beyond the current state of research.
Richard Whitley
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199205172
- eISBN:
- 9780191709555
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199205172.003.0004
- Subject:
- Business and Management, Political Economy
The changes in the prevalent postwar business systems of many OECD economies can be analysed by extending the analysis of the four ideal types of institutional regimes presented in Chapter 2 to ...
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The changes in the prevalent postwar business systems of many OECD economies can be analysed by extending the analysis of the four ideal types of institutional regimes presented in Chapter 2 to incorporate two further features that affect the priorities and strategies of leading firms, and to identify the nature of the dominant coalitions that support these types. This chapter discusses these features of institutional regimes and the key groups associated with them, together with their impact on prevalent growth strategies.Less
The changes in the prevalent postwar business systems of many OECD economies can be analysed by extending the analysis of the four ideal types of institutional regimes presented in Chapter 2 to incorporate two further features that affect the priorities and strategies of leading firms, and to identify the nature of the dominant coalitions that support these types. This chapter discusses these features of institutional regimes and the key groups associated with them, together with their impact on prevalent growth strategies.
Jan‐Erik Lane, David McKay, and Kenneth Newton
- Published in print:
- 1996
- Published Online:
- January 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780198280538
- eISBN:
- 9780191601934
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019828053X.003.0002
- Subject:
- Political Science, Reference
This section presents population data on OECD countries. It features tables on mid-year estimates, population growth, population density, age structure, birth rate, life expectancy, infant mortality ...
More
This section presents population data on OECD countries. It features tables on mid-year estimates, population growth, population density, age structure, birth rate, life expectancy, infant mortality rates, and urban concentration.Less
This section presents population data on OECD countries. It features tables on mid-year estimates, population growth, population density, age structure, birth rate, life expectancy, infant mortality rates, and urban concentration.
Jan‐Erik Lane, David McKay, and Kenneth Newton
- Published in print:
- 1996
- Published Online:
- January 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780198280538
- eISBN:
- 9780191601934
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019828053X.003.0003
- Subject:
- Political Science, Reference
This section presents statistics on the social structure in OECD countries. It features tables on ethno-linguistic structure, religious structure, income distribution, labour force, migration, index ...
More
This section presents statistics on the social structure in OECD countries. It features tables on ethno-linguistic structure, religious structure, income distribution, labour force, migration, index of social progress, and human development index.Less
This section presents statistics on the social structure in OECD countries. It features tables on ethno-linguistic structure, religious structure, income distribution, labour force, migration, index of social progress, and human development index.
Jan‐Erik Lane, David McKay, and Kenneth Newton
- Published in print:
- 1996
- Published Online:
- January 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780198280538
- eISBN:
- 9780191601934
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019828053X.003.0004
- Subject:
- Political Science, Reference
This section presents employment statistics on OECD countries. It features tables on labour force, employment by sectors, armed forces, producers of government services, government employment, ...
More
This section presents employment statistics on OECD countries. It features tables on labour force, employment by sectors, armed forces, producers of government services, government employment, unemployment, and industrial disputes.Less
This section presents employment statistics on OECD countries. It features tables on labour force, employment by sectors, armed forces, producers of government services, government employment, unemployment, and industrial disputes.
Jan‐Erik Lane, David McKay, and Kenneth Newton
- Published in print:
- 1996
- Published Online:
- January 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780198280538
- eISBN:
- 9780191601934
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019828053X.003.0005
- Subject:
- Political Science, Reference
This section presents economic data on OECD countries. It features tables on GDP per capita, real GDP per capita, origin of GDP, inflation rates, external dependency exports and imports, real GDP ...
More
This section presents economic data on OECD countries. It features tables on GDP per capita, real GDP per capita, origin of GDP, inflation rates, external dependency exports and imports, real GDP growth, and real GNP growth.Less
This section presents economic data on OECD countries. It features tables on GDP per capita, real GDP per capita, origin of GDP, inflation rates, external dependency exports and imports, real GDP growth, and real GNP growth.
Jan‐Erik Lane, David McKay, and Kenneth Newton
- Published in print:
- 1996
- Published Online:
- January 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780198280538
- eISBN:
- 9780191601934
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019828053X.003.0006
- Subject:
- Political Science, Reference
This section presents public finance statistics for OECD countries. It features tables on taxes, social security contributions, government final consumption, current disbursements and receipts, ...
More
This section presents public finance statistics for OECD countries. It features tables on taxes, social security contributions, government final consumption, current disbursements and receipts, transfers, social expenditures, educational expenditures, military expenditures, official development assistance, and deficits.Less
This section presents public finance statistics for OECD countries. It features tables on taxes, social security contributions, government final consumption, current disbursements and receipts, transfers, social expenditures, educational expenditures, military expenditures, official development assistance, and deficits.
Jan‐Erik Lane, David McKay, and Kenneth Newton
- Published in print:
- 1996
- Published Online:
- January 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780198280538
- eISBN:
- 9780191601934
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019828053X.003.0007
- Subject:
- Political Science, Reference
This section presents data on government structures in OECD countries. It features tables on chamber systems, electoral systems, elections, constitutional development, human rights, elected ...
More
This section presents data on government structures in OECD countries. It features tables on chamber systems, electoral systems, elections, constitutional development, human rights, elected governments, government formation and dissolution, and female representation in parliaments.Less
This section presents data on government structures in OECD countries. It features tables on chamber systems, electoral systems, elections, constitutional development, human rights, elected governments, government formation and dissolution, and female representation in parliaments.
Jan‐Erik Lane, David McKay, and Kenneth Newton
- Published in print:
- 1996
- Published Online:
- January 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780198280538
- eISBN:
- 9780191601934
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019828053X.003.0008
- Subject:
- Political Science, Reference
This section presents statistics on political parties and elections in OECD countries. It features tables on national election participation, political parties, electoral strength of parties, number ...
More
This section presents statistics on political parties and elections in OECD countries. It features tables on national election participation, political parties, electoral strength of parties, number of parties in parliament, and electoral volatility in national elections.Less
This section presents statistics on political parties and elections in OECD countries. It features tables on national election participation, political parties, electoral strength of parties, number of parties in parliament, and electoral volatility in national elections.
Jan‐Erik Lane, David McKay, and Kenneth Newton
- Published in print:
- 1996
- Published Online:
- January 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780198280538
- eISBN:
- 9780191601934
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019828053X.003.0009
- Subject:
- Political Science, Reference
This section presents statistics on political communications in OECD countries. It features tables on domestic and foreign lettermail, telephones per hundred inhabitants, radio broadcasting, and ...
More
This section presents statistics on political communications in OECD countries. It features tables on domestic and foreign lettermail, telephones per hundred inhabitants, radio broadcasting, and newspapers.Less
This section presents statistics on political communications in OECD countries. It features tables on domestic and foreign lettermail, telephones per hundred inhabitants, radio broadcasting, and newspapers.
Ian McAllister
- Published in print:
- 1999
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780198295686
- eISBN:
- 9780191600043
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198295685.003.0009
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
A major conclusion of this book is that there are few consistent trends in popular support for the political community but there is high and perhaps even growing support for democratic values and ...
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A major conclusion of this book is that there are few consistent trends in popular support for the political community but there is high and perhaps even growing support for democratic values and declining support for regime institutions and political leaders. Earlier chapters have traced these patterns with respect to democracy worldwide, and, in particular, regions of the world. This one focuses specifically on the role of public policy in shaping popular support for democratic institutions among OECD countries. The data are aggregate indicators across twenty‐four of the twenty‐nine member countries of the OECD in 1997, as well as individual‐level data from the same twenty‐four countries based on the 1990–1 World Values Survey. The different sections of the chapter are: Explaining Institutional Confidence; Evidence for Trends in Institutional Confidence; The Role of Democratic Experience; Policy Outputs and Confidence: A Macro Analysis; Policy Outputs and Confidence: A Micro Analysis; and Discussion and Conclusions.Less
A major conclusion of this book is that there are few consistent trends in popular support for the political community but there is high and perhaps even growing support for democratic values and declining support for regime institutions and political leaders. Earlier chapters have traced these patterns with respect to democracy worldwide, and, in particular, regions of the world. This one focuses specifically on the role of public policy in shaping popular support for democratic institutions among OECD countries. The data are aggregate indicators across twenty‐four of the twenty‐nine member countries of the OECD in 1997, as well as individual‐level data from the same twenty‐four countries based on the 1990–1 World Values Survey. The different sections of the chapter are: Explaining Institutional Confidence; Evidence for Trends in Institutional Confidence; The Role of Democratic Experience; Policy Outputs and Confidence: A Macro Analysis; Policy Outputs and Confidence: A Micro Analysis; and Discussion and Conclusions.
Rudra Sil and Christopher Candland
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780199241149
- eISBN:
- 9780191598920
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199241147.003.0011
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
This concluding chapter considers what is gained by juxtaposing the varied analyses within a common framework intended to analyse the effects of distinctive institutional legacies on the responses to ...
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This concluding chapter considers what is gained by juxtaposing the varied analyses within a common framework intended to analyse the effects of distinctive institutional legacies on the responses to common pressures frequently associated with ‘globalization.’ The chapter begins by considering some of the shared features of industrial relations that emerged in the course of industrialization in late developing and socialist states, noting some factors that make it difficult to apply models based on the experiences of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (O.E.C.D.) countries to the analysis of labour regimes elsewhere. The comparisons also reveal important differences that distinguished industrial relations in socialist countries from those in post‐colonial contexts, and the ways in which these differences may contribute to different patterns and outcomes in the transformation of industrial relations in the two contexts. The remainder of the chapter highlights similarities and differences in trends across the cases considered in the contributions to this volume, and goes on to inductively construct a theoretical scheme for tracing how varied historical inheritances in the late‐industrializing and post‐socialist economies create different sets of expectations, pressures, and challenges for economic reformers as well as for workers and organized labour. The role of unique historical factors and institutional structures is also considered, with new questions raised on the basis of specific variations that occur within or cut across the categories of post‐socialist and post‐colonial settings. The chapter concludes by suggesting that the concept of globalization is most useful when it is employed not as a universal model for projecting trajectories of institutional change but as a more restricted framework for capturing the common challenges facing labour and other economic factors in the process of economic adjustment.Less
This concluding chapter considers what is gained by juxtaposing the varied analyses within a common framework intended to analyse the effects of distinctive institutional legacies on the responses to common pressures frequently associated with ‘globalization.’ The chapter begins by considering some of the shared features of industrial relations that emerged in the course of industrialization in late developing and socialist states, noting some factors that make it difficult to apply models based on the experiences of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (O.E.C.D.) countries to the analysis of labour regimes elsewhere. The comparisons also reveal important differences that distinguished industrial relations in socialist countries from those in post‐colonial contexts, and the ways in which these differences may contribute to different patterns and outcomes in the transformation of industrial relations in the two contexts. The remainder of the chapter highlights similarities and differences in trends across the cases considered in the contributions to this volume, and goes on to inductively construct a theoretical scheme for tracing how varied historical inheritances in the late‐industrializing and post‐socialist economies create different sets of expectations, pressures, and challenges for economic reformers as well as for workers and organized labour. The role of unique historical factors and institutional structures is also considered, with new questions raised on the basis of specific variations that occur within or cut across the categories of post‐socialist and post‐colonial settings. The chapter concludes by suggesting that the concept of globalization is most useful when it is employed not as a universal model for projecting trajectories of institutional change but as a more restricted framework for capturing the common challenges facing labour and other economic factors in the process of economic adjustment.
Martin P. Wattenberg
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780199253098
- eISBN:
- 9780191599026
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199253099.003.0004
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
Presents evidence that political parties are no longer performing their function of electoral mobilization as effectively as in the past. For instance, in 18 out of the 20 countries examined, recent ...
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Presents evidence that political parties are no longer performing their function of electoral mobilization as effectively as in the past. For instance, in 18 out of the 20 countries examined, recent turnout has been lower than those of the early 1950s. Party systems that are notoriously weak have seen the most pronounced drops in electoral participation, while the presence of strong parties appears to have dampened the decline of turnout. While mass attitudes may shift gradually over time, it takes a major shock to impact a habitual behaviour like participation in elections. Recent shake‐ups in the party systems of the OECD democracies may have provided the necessary jolt to send turnout plummeting.Less
Presents evidence that political parties are no longer performing their function of electoral mobilization as effectively as in the past. For instance, in 18 out of the 20 countries examined, recent turnout has been lower than those of the early 1950s. Party systems that are notoriously weak have seen the most pronounced drops in electoral participation, while the presence of strong parties appears to have dampened the decline of turnout. While mass attitudes may shift gradually over time, it takes a major shock to impact a habitual behaviour like participation in elections. Recent shake‐ups in the party systems of the OECD democracies may have provided the necessary jolt to send turnout plummeting.
Susan E. Scarrow
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780199253098
- eISBN:
- 9780191599026
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199253099.003.0005
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
Examines how parties have fared as membership organizations over the past half century. The most comprehensive series of party‐reported membership and survey data for the OECD nations finds that ...
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Examines how parties have fared as membership organizations over the past half century. The most comprehensive series of party‐reported membership and survey data for the OECD nations finds that party membership rolls generally had decreased by the end of the 1990s. The chapter concludes by investigating the extent to which membership declines have diminished the organizational capacity of local parties and with a warning against overstating either the rise or obsolescence of membership‐based party organizing. It is true that membership parties are not what they once were, but it is also the case that strong membership parties were never as widespread as some accounts suggest.Less
Examines how parties have fared as membership organizations over the past half century. The most comprehensive series of party‐reported membership and survey data for the OECD nations finds that party membership rolls generally had decreased by the end of the 1990s. The chapter concludes by investigating the extent to which membership declines have diminished the organizational capacity of local parties and with a warning against overstating either the rise or obsolescence of membership‐based party organizing. It is true that membership parties are not what they once were, but it is also the case that strong membership parties were never as widespread as some accounts suggest.
Jarle Trondal
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199579426
- eISBN:
- 9780191722714
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199579426.003.0006
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics, European Union
Chapter 6 poses the question: Is the Commission all that different compared to other international bureaucracies? This chapter unpacks the executive arms—the bureaucratic interior—of international ...
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Chapter 6 poses the question: Is the Commission all that different compared to other international bureaucracies? This chapter unpacks the executive arms—the bureaucratic interior—of international organizations, and does so comparatively. By comparing the Commission with other international bureaucracies, the often‐claimed sui generis picture of the Commission is modified. The Commission is unique by its size, formal powers, political representation at top of the hierarchy, and by its profound impacts on domestic politics and policies. However, the Commission also shares important characteristics with other international bureaucracies—both with respect to organizational structures and actual decision‐making dynamics. This chapter argues that international bureaucracies are compound systems that blend departmental, epistemic, and supranational decision‐making dynamics. Even international bureaucracies embedded in intergovernmental organizations—like the WTO and OECD—seem to transcend intergovernmentalism in everyday decision‐making processes. The decision‐making dynamics within international bureaucracies seems to occur rather independently of the larger international organization in which they are embedded. This chapter advocates that international bureaucracies seem to share important decision‐making dynamics due to organizational characteristics of the international bureaucracies themselves.Less
Chapter 6 poses the question: Is the Commission all that different compared to other international bureaucracies? This chapter unpacks the executive arms—the bureaucratic interior—of international organizations, and does so comparatively. By comparing the Commission with other international bureaucracies, the often‐claimed sui generis picture of the Commission is modified. The Commission is unique by its size, formal powers, political representation at top of the hierarchy, and by its profound impacts on domestic politics and policies. However, the Commission also shares important characteristics with other international bureaucracies—both with respect to organizational structures and actual decision‐making dynamics. This chapter argues that international bureaucracies are compound systems that blend departmental, epistemic, and supranational decision‐making dynamics. Even international bureaucracies embedded in intergovernmental organizations—like the WTO and OECD—seem to transcend intergovernmentalism in everyday decision‐making processes. The decision‐making dynamics within international bureaucracies seems to occur rather independently of the larger international organization in which they are embedded. This chapter advocates that international bureaucracies seem to share important decision‐making dynamics due to organizational characteristics of the international bureaucracies themselves.
Stephen D. Cohen
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- May 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195179354
- eISBN:
- 9780199783779
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195179354.003.0012
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, International
This chapter provides yet another eclectic analysis, this time of the still-irreconcilable controversy surrounding the “appropriate” kinds and extent of governmental regulation of MNCs as entities ...
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This chapter provides yet another eclectic analysis, this time of the still-irreconcilable controversy surrounding the “appropriate” kinds and extent of governmental regulation of MNCs as entities and FDI as process. The initial section explains why so little progress has been made in establishing meaningful international rules covering these international business phenomena. Next is an abbreviated survey of the major bilateral agreements and voluntary codes of conduct that seek to regulate FDI-related activities to serve the common good. The conflicting attitudes towards the appropriate kinds and extent of multilateral regulations are explained in depth by examining two major loci of contention: the would-be Multilateral Agreement on Investment, and the existing Chapter 11 of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The increasing significance of activist non-government organizations as unofficial regulators of MNC behavior is examined in the concluding section.Less
This chapter provides yet another eclectic analysis, this time of the still-irreconcilable controversy surrounding the “appropriate” kinds and extent of governmental regulation of MNCs as entities and FDI as process. The initial section explains why so little progress has been made in establishing meaningful international rules covering these international business phenomena. Next is an abbreviated survey of the major bilateral agreements and voluntary codes of conduct that seek to regulate FDI-related activities to serve the common good. The conflicting attitudes towards the appropriate kinds and extent of multilateral regulations are explained in depth by examining two major loci of contention: the would-be Multilateral Agreement on Investment, and the existing Chapter 11 of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The increasing significance of activist non-government organizations as unofficial regulators of MNC behavior is examined in the concluding section.
