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The post-1945 world was shaped, regulated and led by the transatlantic order, based on a set of values, interests, arrangements and institutions emerging from the strategic alliance between the United States and Western Europe. The West won the Cold War and eventually extended its umbrella over the Central and Eastern European countries, after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The ideological core of the liberal democracy has been the corner-stone of the Western system and the engine for a long era of success and hegemony. More than a simple review of the current theories focusing on the end of the Atlantic order but definitely less than a comprehensive answer to the major interrogations of a changing world, this article assumes the modest purpose of emphasizing some questions, real arguments as well as a few dilemmas (and sometimes illusions!) related to the nowadays large perception of a definitive transfer of the 'gravity centre' from Atlantic to Asia-Pacific co-ordinates. Key words: West, United States, Europe, Atlantic, Asia-Pacific, The approach of this paper is not necessarily lining up with the current thesis naming the decline of the North-Atlantic order but it takes into consideration multiple evidences of a [...]

Almost three years into his administration, observers continue to debate the nature of President Obama's overall foreign policy approach. What is the 'Obama doctrine'? Some say it is a policy [...]

The real science of political economy, which has yet to be distinguished from the bastard science, as medicine from witchcraft, and astronomy from astrology, is that which teaches nations to [...]

International technology cooperation promises to help countries exploit the potential of new innovations, but commercial rivalry between companies and governments raises obstacles to it. In this article, I present and solve a model of international technology cooperation. The formal analysis shows that a technology agreement must address two issues. First, governments must be able to induce companies to innovate. Second, governments must credibly commit to penalizing companies for failing to share new information produced through research. Based on these observations, I show that the potential for technology cooperation is maximized in symmetric settings between equally capable governments and companies. In practice, this observation warrants a policy focus on countries and industries that are already on a level playing ground. I also consider extensions to multinational companies and adverse selection problems. The formal analysis provides a solid foundation for practical policy implementation. KEY WORDS: international cooperation, technology policy, commercial rivalry, game theory, Introduction Clean energy technology is essential to mitigate global warming, but commercial rivalry between countries has proven a major impediment to international cooperation on new technology innovations. For example, in [...]

This article describes a project in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to develop an in-house career coaching program to support and develop young employees recruited on an affirmative action initiative. [...]

Garrett W. Brown has argued that donor voting caucuses produce a deliberative deficit between donor and non-donor members in the Global Fund International Board. Although we agree with this assessment, in our research on low-transaction cost alternatives to cope with consistent deliberative conditions (i.e. low-cost arrangements to bring about the exchange among Board members in a certain way) we have found that deliberation and interest-based preference maximisation are not necessarily mutually exclusive, as long as we manage to stop donor members from behaving like monopolists. To this end, we have to open up the Board from its present state of non-transparency, so that new input can be obtained from new constituents. This will also soften the current principal-agent structure that links members to their donors, easing the transition to market-driven governance rules that provide for the replacement of Board members if they do not fulfil the new constituents' expectations. Keywords: deliberative democracy, Global Fund, governance rules, multisectoralism, preference maximisation, voting caucuses, Introduction The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (hereafter the Global Fund) has attracted attention from scholars and policy makers concerned with multisectoralism and public-private partnerships to mobilise [...]

What impact will the rise of China have on the existing international system? This article attempts to provide some clues for a better understanding of this issue by examining China's [...]

We study the relationship between a multinational corporation (MNC) and a domestic firm under demand uncertainty. The MNC possesses a superior production technology, but the domestic firm is better at predicting market demand. We examine the MNC's preference for, and the ownership structure of, an international alliance (IA) and find, inter alia, that binding borrowing constraints have serious implications for the results. Interestingly, a firm's preference for and profits in IA do not necessarily increase as its advantage in market information or production technology increases. We also consider a dynamic setting with technology spillover and show that whether technology spillover hinders or facilitates IA once again depends on the nature of the credit market. JEL Classification: F23, L24, D86, 1. Introduction International inter-firm business cooperation as a means to reach a foreign marketplace has been rapidly increasing in popularity and has been growing hand in hand with the overall [...]

This commentary attempts to make a conceptual evaluation of the phrase 'model partnership' as a definition of US-Turkey relations. Against the background of much debate about the 'viability' or 'possibility' of 'model partnership' it argues that 'model partnership' as an empty signifier does not represent either the ideal or the fully accomplished state of Turkish-American relations. The current problems in the bilateral relations derive from the gradual transformation in the nature of Turkish-American relations from a hierarchical relationship into a complementary one, i.e. from a 'strategic partnership' to a 'model partnership' As we are going through a structural change, 'policy recommendations' alone will not suffice to remedy the broader problem of necessary adjustments. The option for a 'model partnership' is still on the table, however, it requires a serious, engaged, and conceptual discussion as the two sides adjust to and negotiate the new form of the relationship., During his first bilateral intercontinental trip after his election, President Barack Obama visited Turkey in April 2010. During his visit he used the expression 'model partnership' to define US-Turkey relations. [...]

The past decade has seen several lurches back and forth between discussions of cooperation and conflict between Iran and the United States and NATO in Afghanistan. In the late 1990s, [...]

The Arctic, located directly between the United States and the Soviet Union, was on the front lines of the Cold War. Nuclear submarines prowled the Arctic Ocean while long-range bombers [...]

The United States of America, Norway, Denmark and Canada are conducting a united and coordinated policy of barring Russia from the riches of the shelf. It is quite obvious that [...]

ARCTIC GIMMICKS The Arctic is widely presented as the object of a geopolitical race for natural resources, oil and gas in particular, with Russia as the main driver. Russia is [...]

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.03.043 Byline: Johannes Siegrist (b), Rebecca Shackelton (a), Carol Link (a), Lisa Marceau (a), Olaf von dem Knesebeck (c), John McKinlay (a)(b) Abstract: Work-related stress among physicians has been an issue of growing concern in recent years. How and why this may vary between different health care systems remains poorly understood. Using an established theoretical model (effort-reward imbalance), this study analyses levels of work stress among primary care physicians (PCPs) in three different health care systems, the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany. Whether professional autonomy and specific features of the work environment are associated with work stress and account for possible country differences are examined. Data are derived from self-administered questionnaires obtained from 640 randomly sampled physicians recruited for an international comparative study of medical decision making conducted from 2005 to 2007. Results demonstrate country-specific differences in work stress with the highest level in Germany, intermediate level in the US and lowest level among UK physicians. A negative correlation between professional autonomy and work stress is observed in all three countries, but neither this association nor features of the work environment account for the observed country differences. Whether there will be adequate numbers of PCPs, or even a field of primary care in the future, is of increasing concern in several countries. To the extent that work-related stress contributes to this, identification of its organizational correlates in different health care systems may offer opportunities for remedial interventions. Author Affiliation: (a) New England Research Institutes, Inc, Health Services and Disparities Research, 9 Galen Street, Watertown, MA 02472, United States (b) Department of Medical Sociology, University of Duesseldorf, Germany (c) Department of Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany Article Note: (footnote) [star] This project is supported by Grant No. AG 16747 from the National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, United States of America. We also thank Markus Bonte, Martin Roland, and Stephen Campbell for their input. The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Multinational engineering consultants, contractors, and real estate developers work on projects in various countries, encountering many challenges that arise from cross-national differences. These projects frequently bring together diverse participants in an unfamiliar environment. In these situations, firms are exposed to different 'institutions'--regulations, norms, and cognitive-cultural beliefs--that can increase misunderstandings, delays, and costs. Knowledge of these institutional elements is critical to create a project that is both locally sustainable and profitable for the firm. Departing from institutional theory and the knowledge- based view of the firm, we conduct exploratory research based on interviews from informants in 15 firms to identify the methods that multinational real estate developers, contractors, and engineers use to transfer and mobilize institutional knowledge for their global projects. We contribute to theory by adding to the developing literature that uses institutional theory to examine differences on global projects and by analyzing the specific methods firms use to transfer institutional knowledge internally, across projects and divisions. Ultimately, this research, combined with the work of others, can develop new processes for firms engaged in international projects to enhance their mobilization of institutional knowledge, and thereby improve the outcomes of international projects. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0000110 CE Database subject headings: Organizations; Business management; International factors; Knowledge-based systems. Author keywords: Institutional differences; Institutional knowledge; International business; Knowledge management; Organizations.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2009.10.012 Byline: Fulvio Castellacci Keywords: Internationalization; International cooperations; R&D outsourcing; Innovation; Service industries; Survey data Abstract: The paper presents the results of a new survey on the international activities of Norwegian enterprises in the service industries. The survey focuses on three main internationalization channels: international sales, international cooperation and R&D outsourcing. The empirical analysis studies the relevance of these channels, and investigates the related strategies, objectives and determinants. International sales and collaborations emerge as the two most relevant channels, whereas the scope for R&D outsourcing seems to be far more limited. The analysis of the determinants of international activities leads to three main results: (1) the innovative capability of firms matters for their international performance; (2) the various internationalization channels seem to be complement, rather than substitute, strategies to compete in foreign markets; and (3) sectoral specificities greatly affect firms' internationalization strategies and performance. Author Affiliation: Department of International Economics, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), POB 8159, Dep. 0033 Oslo, Norway Article History: Received 11 December 2008; Revised 25 October 2009; Accepted 27 October 2009

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2009.10.013 Byline: Monica Ruiz-Casares (a)(b), Cecile Rousseau (a)(b), Ilse Derluyn (c), Charles Watters (d), Francois Crepeau (e) Abstract: Limited access to healthcare for vulnerable immigrant children in Europe and North America is increasingly worrisome as immigration policies harden. This paper analyzes the gap between States' obligations under international human rights law and the disparate local implementations in diverse countries. Studies that are both multidisciplinary and incorporate micro and macro level indicators are needed to reveal discrepancies between entitlements and access. It is argued that the lack of available data on the magnitude of the problem and on its individual and public health consequences stems from the conflicting situation faced by health institutions required to simultaneously protect the best interest of each child and allocate limited resources. Collaboration in research is urgently needed to assist policy-makers and institutions make informed decisions. Author Affiliation: (a) Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada (b) Sante Mentale Jeunesse, CSSS de la Montagne, Montreal, Canada (c) Department of Orthopedagogics, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium (d) School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK (e) Faculty of Law, McGill University, Montreal, Canada

The approach of the European Union external border has been made on the one hand through an analysis of the concepts of external border from the point of view of official documents and the concepts introduced by authors and specialists in the field; on the other hand, it has been made through an attempt to seize certain types of symbolic and ideological borders. As far as the first category is concerned, resorting to documents and legal regulations of European institutions has been highly important. We have also paid attention to conceptual approaches on the border, as well as on the relations 'open--close', 'inclusive--exclusive', or 'soft--hard' border. Beyond physical border irrespective of the conceptual approach from whose perspective it is analysed either within or at the European Union border, we can identify other types of 'borders'. We consider these borders symbolic and ideological as they are not palpable more often than not. From Europeanism to nationalism, from ethno-religious identities to social chasm, this wide range of approaches on symbolic and ideological borders may continue in the context of new fight against terrorism or of the implementation of an efficient European neighbourhood policy. Keywords: external border, European Union, exclusive borders, inclusive frontiers, cross-border cooperation, good neighbourhood, Introduction We can debate on the external borders of the European community considering a complex approach comprising the official point of view of the organisation, as well as that of [...]

Thoughts from the New Coeditors: Where and Why Are We Going? The transfer of editorial stewardship for a journal provides the occasion to rethink the journal's purposes and its place [...]

As the year 2015 approaches its close, it is time to revisit the Millennium Development Goals. Developed in 2000 at the UN Millennium Summit, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) focused [...]

To authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5907.2009.00381.x Byline: Brett Ashley Leeds (1), Michaela Mattes (2), Jeremy S. Vogel (3) Abstract: One feature associated with democratic governance is frequent leadership turnover. While the ease of replacing leaders improves accountability, it may impede the ability of democracies to make credible long-term international commitments. Using newly collected data that identify cases in which leaders who derive their support from different domestic interests come to power, we evaluate the effects of changes in domestic political leadership on one important aspect of foreign policy-decisions to maintain military alliances. An analysis covering bilateral alliances between 1919 and 2001 reveals that changes in societal supporting coalitions in nondemocratic states are associated with decisions to abrogate alliances prior to their scheduled end dates, but changes in societal supporting coalitions in democracies have no effect on the probability of premature alliance termination. We conclude that international cooperation is sensitive to changes in core supporting coalitions, but that this effect is moderated by democratic political institutions. Author Affiliation: (1)Rice University (2)Vanderbilt University (3)Columbia University Article note: Brett Ashley Leeds is Associate Professor of Political Science, Rice University, P.O. Box 1892-MS 24, Houston, TX 77251-1892 (leeds@rice.edu). Michaela Mattes is Assistant Professor of Political Science, Vanderbilt University, VU Station B #351817, Nashville, TN 37235-1817 (michaela.c.mattes@vanderbilt.edu). Jeremy S. Vogel is a student at Columbia Law School (jeremy.vogel@law.columbia.edu).

To authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9701.2008.01121.x Byline: Robin Pope (1) Abstract: Economists invoke Mundell (1961) in arguing for the general policy of a flexible exchange rate regime as a means of restoring equilibria after shocks. But there is a discrepancy between the intent of the general policy and attempts at its implementation as identified by specific changes in exchange rates. When we assemble the set of specific changes called for by distinct economists operating as advocates for individual countries, these are uniformly in the form of beggar-thy-neighbour advice - i.e. travesties of objectively identifying disequilibria and a menace to international cooperation and peace. This paper traces the unintended travesties to problems of complexity and uncertainty, problems that implicitly are assumed absent in Mundell (1961) rendering the situation so simple that equilibria are transparent. The problems remained essentially unaddressed when economists extended Mundell (1961) via expected utility theory since this theory also ignores the impossibility of maximising and the complexities of central bankers, private firms and others in doing the evaluation stage in reaching decisions. The problems can be overcome by modelling within SKAT, the Stages of Knowledge Ahead Theory. This paper points to experimental evidence in support of the view that under all sorts of disequilibrating shocks, currency unions outperform flexible currencies by eliminating the inefficiencies generated by exchange rate uncertainty. Author Affiliation: (1)Bonn University Article note: Address for correspondence: Dr Robin E. Pope, Bonn University, ZEIb, Walter Flex Str 3, D-53113 Bonn, Germany. Tels +49-228-731887, +49-15112407019, 49-228-4462880; Fax +49-228-2881; E-mail: robin.pope@uni-bonn.de.

The authors study the takeoff of 16 new products across 31 countries (430 categories) to analyze how and why takeoff varies across products and countries. They test the effect of [...]

It is argued that deep economic integration in the European Union reduced the effectiveness of unilateral economic policymaking which resulted in deeper international cooperation. This shows that as global integration deepens, nations will find their best interests served by deepening international cooperation on economic policies.

The role of the FBI and the CIA in U.S. counter terrorism is examined in the discussion of institutional change and international cooperation in the fight against terrorism. The close international cooperation in this area is driven by the self-interest of all the cooperating countries and the superior space-based technology for surveillance that the U.S. has.

INTRODUCTION It is a popularly accepted notion that international organizations are acquiring unprecedented levels of power. It certainly feels like international organizations are gaining importance. Perhaps this is a product [...]

This article analyzes international scientific collaboration in the context of the globalization of science and technology as a crossing point not only between local and global identities but also between scientific and socio-cultural identities. It also elucidates how international collaboration--where middle scientific actors in the hierarchical multilayered center-periphery in the globalization of science and technology obtain advanced knowledge from core science and technology--takes place and structures the global division of research labor. This article emphasizes that we should develop the context of the globalization of science and technology with dynamic and interdependent interactions between multistructured, core-periphery scientific actors. Dichotomous colonialist discourse is not a useful analytical tool in this context. The author found that sociocultural factors, including economic, cultural, organizational, and political ones, as well as the multilayered center-periphery in the globalization of science and technology, operate as forces that encourage international collaboration. Keywords: international collaboration; international scientific collaboration between British and Koreans; reenactment of colonialist discourse; the multilayered center-periphery in the globalization of science and technology; ties between center and periphery in the scientific world system

Introduction On August 5, 2005, U.S. and Canadian officials announced 'important progress' in resolving differences over a project to control flooding in Devils Lake, North Dakota. (1) This agreement is [...]

The analysis of effect of politics on international commerce and link between international conflict and bilateral trade is presented

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpolmod.2006.02.003 Byline: Ugur Soytas (a), Ramazan Sari (b) Keywords: Energy consumption; Economic growth; Global warming; Cointegration; Vector error correction; Generalized variance decompositions Abstract: Several industrialized countries have signed the Kyoto Protocol, promising to reduce greenhouse gasses (GHG) emissions. To reduce or mitigate such emissions several policies including reducing energy consumption, increasing energy efficiency, decreasing energy intensity and forestation may be possible. The viability and effectiveness of each policy may differ due to country specific factors. This paper tries to assess the impact of a change in energy consumption on income and vice versa in G-7 countries. We employ multivariate cointegration, error correction models and generalized variance decompositions and uncover Granger causality relation between energy consumption and income in all countries. However, the direction of causality seems to differ across countries. This may suggest that although they are at the same level of economic development, different policy alternatives in support of the protocol may be available in each country. Author Affiliation: (a) Department of Business Administration, Middle East Technical University, Ankara 06531, Turkey (b) Department of Economics, Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu 14280, Turkey Article History: Received 9 January 2006; Revised 30 January 2006; Accepted 6 February 2006

This article characterizes how incentives to lie affect international cooperation and the design of cooperation agreements. I study the optimal structure of cooperation agreements in an environment where the costs of cooperation fluctuate over time. Cooperation is complicated by the fact that the costs of cooperation are private information and participants can benefit from lying about them. When the extent of asymmetries of information between the cooperating governments can be measured in terms of the transparency of the political process, democracies face greater contracting opportunities than authoritarian regimes. However, this article shows that even under asymmetries of information, a limited extent of cooperation can be achieved when the design of cooperation agreements recognizes incentives to lie.