Books in the Business and Public Policy series

Why and under which conditions do companies voluntarily adopt high social and environmental standards? Christian R. Thauer argues for the importance of internal drivers of corporate social responsibility and suggests a transaction cost economics-based explanation, using examples from firms in the automotive and textile industries in South Africa and China.

Combining insights from international relations theory with institutional approaches from organization theory and public policy, this book provides a complete explanation for the adoption of corporate social responsibility (CSR), showing how global norms influenced CSR adoption in the mining industry. Global normative developments have clearly had an important influence on major mining companies: by the mid-2000s, the majority had adopted sustainable development as a normative frame for their CSR policies and practices. However, there is significant variation between firms in terms of the timing, degree of commitment, and the willingness to assume a leadership role in promoting global standards for the mining industry. The author finds that attributes internal to the firm, including the critical role of leadership, and the way in which management responds to the institutional context and operational challenges faced in different countries are important influences on CSR adoption and important factors explaining variation.

A rigorous examination of the politics of corporate social responsibility in the United States. Through the use of case studies and interviews with 'Fortune 500' company executives, this book shows how politics affect American firms' choices, even in the wake of the 2007-2009 financial crisis.

This book makes several contributions to the study of development. It debunks the view that oil leads to undesirable outcomes: the weakening of state capacity, authoritarianism, fewer public goods, and economic stagnation. It demonstrates that, after controlling for the institutional determinants of oil, it turns out to be a blessing.

Oil is one of the world's most important commodities. This book is the first systematically to document and explain why governments across advanced industrialized democracies have changed the strategies they use to govern their oil markets over the last three decades.

Aimed at students and researchers in sociology, political science, management, and communication, this book illuminates how elite consultants have adopted grassroots advocacy tactics for paying clients. Rather than being dismissed as mere 'astroturf', these consultants' campaigns should be seen as having real effects on political participation and policymaking.

This book examines the roots of corporate social responsibility activities and their various impacts on corporate reputation and behaviour. It is intended for political scientists, sociologists, and business and public policy readers who seek to find a model of robust corporate governance and public-private partnership in light of recent scandals.

This book explores India's rise on the global economic stage from the perspective of both international and domestic interests and activities. Sinha argues that the impact of globalization on India since 1990 needs to be understood not just in terms of national policy, but also in terms of changing trade capacities and private sector reform.

This book examines the roots of corporate social responsibility activities and their various impacts on corporate reputation and behaviour. It is intended for political scientists, sociologists, and business and public policy readers who seek to find a model of robust corporate governance and public-private partnership in light of recent scandals.

An optimistic view of the climate problem, drawing on law, policy, and social science to show how the private sector can bypass government gridlock, reducing carbon emissions by a billion tons annually. This book will appeal to scholars, business and advocacy group managers, policymakers, and anyone interested in climate change.

A comparative analysis of how international organizations have engaged in public-private partnerships, explaining the rise and outcomes of global partnerships across multiple policy domains.

Building on unique data, this book analyses the efficacy of voluntary programs for sustainable buildings and cities, a prominent strategy to mitigate climate change. It evaluates the performance of thirty-five voluntary programs from the global north and south, including certification programs, knowledge networks, and novel forms of financing.

Since 1945, the liberal-democratic model spread across the globe, ultimately prevailing over communism. Today, a new statist-authoritarian model is on the rise. Rather than rejecting capitalism, authoritarian leaders harness it to uphold their rule. Anyone interested in understanding how this process is unfolding will be interested in this book.

A rigorous analysis of fiscal incentives, arguing that politicians choose to employ economically inefficient policies to claim credit for economic development. This book will be of interest to researchers and teachers in the fields of political science, economics, public policy, urban development and management.

Why do governments open their economies to multinational enterprises (MNEs)? Using quantitative and qualitative analysis, Bauerle Danzman demonstrates how large domestic firms push to liberalize foreign direct investment (FDI) policies to ameliorate financing constraints, often to the detriment of smaller competitors.