Reviewing Proposals for a World Environmental Organisation

Since the Earth Summit in Rio 1992, several calls have been made for a world environmental organisation (WEO), and only during the last year, in the run‐up to Rio+10, five more have been added. In total, we have found 17 proposals for a WEO. We review, compare, and briefly discuss rationales, models, tasks, organisational set‐up, relations to multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) and organisations such as UNEP and the WTO, as well as the role of principles, compliance and the interest of developing countries. We conclude that a majority of proposers is in favour of an autonomous coordinating agency, that is, a medium level of integration. Frequently the WTO is mentioned as a precursor agency on which a WEO should be based. We question the effectiveness of a ‘WTO for the environment’ and suggest that other models ought to be considered.     

An Asian Perspective on a World Environmental Organisation

We analyse the possible response from Asian developing countries (ADC) to the proposal for the formation of an international legal entity called World Environmental Organistion (WEO) designed to facilitate the internalisation of global environmental externalities. We argue that the WEO must recognise the fundamental indivisibility of the economic growthenvironment agenda in these countries. If suitable side payments in the shape of tariff concessions, relaxation of non‐tariff barriers and transfers of technology and cash are made and the WEO is seen to be relevant to the environmental problems of ADC, they may well participate in such a venture.     

World Environmental Organisation: A Latin American Perspective

This paper offers insight into environmental problems that Latin American countries are currently facing. It also looks at how their domestic and global spheres are intertwined, and subsequently outlines pending roblems that would need international support from a World Environmental Organistion (WEO). One of the hardest and most important tasks of such an Organisation would be to render the Northern and the Southern environmental agendas compatible. While opinions concur on what the principle environmental problems in Latin America are – eforestation and natural resources degradation – the perception of these problems is quite different between North and South. For the former, the most important impact of the situation is the reduction of CO2 capacity and the biodiversity loss, while the main concern in Latin America is the poverty stricken economy behind the deforestation process and the vulnerability of the population that results from such phenomenon. Advancing simultaneously on both these tracks seems essential for a genuine improvement in environmental performance in the region.     

Participation in Green Consumer Policies: Deliberative Democracy under Wrong Conditions?

In policy debates about reducing environmental and social harms, political consumerism is often called for by actors from a broad political spectrum. This paper examines traits of deliberative democracy in cases where instruments of political consumerism (eco-labelling, certificates and standards) are developed. The empirical cases are processes surrounding eco-labelled, standardised forestry, food and electricity in Sweden. In green forestry certification, deliberative processes have taken place close to deliberative democracy ideals. Yet, these processes have been made possible because of equal power levels, although power, according to deliberative theory, should be irrelevant. In organic food labelling, a smothering consensus climate has enabled deliberation, although such a policy condition is at odds with certain deliberative democracy ideals. In electricity labelling, its deliberative processes were embraced by everyone, although the problem scope was narrowly defined, whilst fundamental problems were not addressed. If deliberative democracy researchers become involved in critical frame reflection in consumer-oriented policy making, changes can be made that help reduce environmental harms and strengthen public engagement in political consumerism.     

An Internalisation‐based World Environmental Organisation

We evaluate the possibilities for a new World Environmental Organisation (WEO), with our discussion motivated both by recent calls for such an organisation in light of WTO trade and environment conflicts and the relative absence of internalisation of global externalities. We propose an organisation building upon the idea of facilitating Coasian deal on the global environment. We motivate the establishment of such an organisation by itemising the ways in which global environmental deals are presently restrained by various impediments, including free riding, property right ambiguities, and mechanisms for authentification and verification. We indicate how such a WEO might help in each of these areas, stressing the differences from the WTO which is a much narrower bargaining framework.     

Ethics in the transnational corporation; the “moral buck” stops where?

This paper addresses two issues. The first issue relates directly to transnational corporations, while the second issue is broader and relates to all diversely held companies. To address the first issue I cite three representative instances where wanton environmental damage has signalled a lack of moral judgment on the part of a transnational corporation. I conclude from these instances that ethical considerations are not given adequate weight in corporate investment decisions. This leads to the second issue. Who should be making ethical decisions within the corporate milieu? I conclude that neither management nor the typical shareholder should be expected to exercise moral judgment because they are not free agents. They have fiduciary responsibilities that must override personal moral suasion.     

What's Wrong with Computer-Generated Images of Perfection in Advertising?

Advertisers often use computers to create fantastic images. Generally, these are perfectly harmless images that are used for comic or dramatic effect. Sometimes, however, they are problematic human images that I call computer-generated images of perfection. Advertisers create these images by using computer technology to remove unwanted traits from models or to generate entire human bodies. They are images that portray ideal human beauty, bodies, or looks. In this paper, I argue that the use of such images is unethical. I begin by explaining the common objections against advertising and by demonstrating how critics might argue that those objections apply to computer-generated images of perfection. Along the way, I demonstrate an ethically significant difference between computer-generated images of perfection and the images in ordinary ads. I argue that although critics might use this fact to apply the common objections to the use of computer-generated images of perfection, the objections fail. Finally, I argue that despite surviving the common objections, the use of computer-generated images of perfection is subject to an ethical objection that is based on aesthetic considerations. Advertisers are ethically obligated to avoid certain aesthetic results that are produced by computer-generated images of perfection.     

Proposals for a new order for the commodity markets

The following article pinpoints the elements of a possible new order for the commodity markets against the background of the existing market order for raw materials and proposals for its reform which have been made public. The existing order is briefly reviewed in the first part of the article while topical reform proposals are set out in the second part. The direction in which the search for a new international market order for raw materials should point so as to accommodate the various, often sharply diverging expectations and demands of the trading partners is indicated in the final part.     

Labelling fashion markets

The present article discusses how an ethical and environmental labelling system can be implemented in fashion garment markets. Consumers act in markets that provide them with more information than their limited cognitive capacity allows them to handle. Ethical and environmental labelling in markets characterized by change, such as the fashion garment market, makes decision‐making even more complicated. The ethical and environmental labelling system proposed here is designed to alleviate firms' administrative burden and give consumers more choice. It proposes that information on ethical and environmentally friendly production should be combined to enable consumers to decide whether they want to contribute an extra sum for the item they purchase in the store, which would then be transferred to the workers or an environmental organization. The beneficiaries – garment workers in developing countries and environmental organizations – would decide what to do with the money. This is a simpler and more direct solution than those suggested by scholars and activists trying to solve the problems of ‘sweatshops’ and the environmental consequences of the production of fashion garments. It also reduces administration compared with existing systems. At the same time, it can be implemented alongside systems based on strict regulation of production.     

论原产地规则在反规避中的运用

原产地规则与反规避密切相关,反规避的有效开展有赖于对原产地规则的运用。考察欧美等国原产地规则在反规避中的运用,分析我国原产地规则和反规避立法的现状以及我国企业频繁遭受反规避调查的特点和原因,提出我国应将原产地规则的完善放在首位,待时机成熟后再完善现有的反规避法律。针对目前我国原产地规则存在的缺陷,认为对国产产品应制定更高的原产地标准,而对加工贸易产品应实行有区别的原产地标准。针对我国频繁遭遇反规避调查的现状,提出我国企业要吃透主要出口国特别是欧美关于反规避的相关规定,合理地回避反规避调查,避免不必要的贸易摩擦。     

Information,Incentives, and Proenvironmental Consumer Behavior

The article discusses the factors influencing proenvironmental consumer behaviors and the policy implications of knowledge about these influences. It presents a conceptual framework that emphasizes the determining roles of both personal and contextual factors and especially of their interactions. The practical usefulness of the framework is illustrated by evidence of the interactive effects of information and material incentives – typical interventions in the personal and contextual domains, respectively. The author concludes that incentives and information have different functions, so that efforts focused on only one are sometimes misplaced; however, properly deployed, they can have synergistic effects on behavior. Some policy conclusions are drawn for consumer and environmental policy.     

A QUASI‐NATURAL MEASURE OF CHOICE FREEDOM FOR BUDGET‐ AND TIME‐CONSTRAINED OPPORTUNITY SETS

In this paper I present a measure of freedom for opportunity sets which are bounded by both budget and time constraints. The proposed formula applies to the intersection of two different sets, one of which is bounded by the availability of purchasing power, while the other is bounded by the availability of leisure time. The necessity of considering both kinds of constraints stems from a definition of choice freedom in terms of capability to do rather than capability to have. A natural measure should be one that numbers all possible choice bundles making up an opportunity set. The one proposed here is quasi‐natural in the sense that it is generically so.     

跨越绿色——企业未来战略

在环境问题越来越受到关注的趋势下,基于绿色战略的可持续发展将成为企业发展的必然选择。绿色战略分为污染防治、产品责任/清洁生产和清洁技术三个阶段。企业实施绿色战略有三个步骤,即建立可持续发展的愿景、明确绿色战略所处的阶段和战略的具体实施。     

The paradox of new venture legitimation within an entrepreneurial ecosystem

The current rise in research on entrepreneurial ecosystems notes that many questions are still unanswered. We, therefore, theorize about a unique paradox for entrepreneurs trying to establish legitimacy for their new ventures within and beyond an entrepreneurial ecosystem; that is, when pursuing opportunities with high levels of technological or market newness, entrepreneurs confront a significant challenge in legitimizing their venture within an entrepreneurial ecosystem, while those entrepreneurs pursuing ventures using existing technologies or pursuing existing markets have a much easier path to garnering legitimacy within that ecosystem. However, the diffusion of that legitimacy beyond the ecosystem will be wider and more far-reaching for those pursuing the newer elements compared to those using existing technologies or pursuing existing markets, thus, creating a paradox of venture legitimation. Prior research outlines approaches for new venture legitimacy but it is unclear when these approaches should be applied within and beyond an entrepreneurial ecosystem. To address this paradox, we integrate ideas from the entrepreneurship and innovation literature with insights from the legitimacy literature to describe how different types of venture newness employ different legitimation strategies which results in different levels of legitimacy diffusion beyond an ecosystem. We conclude with a discussion of our concepts and offer suggestions for future research efforts.     

CSR politics of non‐recognition: Justification fallacies marginalising criticism,society, and environment

Business is frequently criticized for not taking social and environmental responsibility. Large companies respond with CSR activities and some also with formulating justifications for their actions. This could indicate that business opens up to the criticism. I do, however, not observe such openness in the current study, but how companies use “CSR justifications” to fend off criticism. While companies use justifications as tool for creating legitimacy, I distinguish five justification fallacies. These failures in dealing with criticism cause a marginalisation of criticism, society, and environment. The fallacies found are neglecting criticism, shareholder primacy, organisation‐centricity, conflict avoidance, and progressivism. I contribute to the use of Habermasian ethics in the business ethics literature by showing how CSR justifications could play a part in a rational discourse. The concept justification fallacy, and the five fallacies can provide a framework for analysing corporate rhetoric more generally. Managers have fundamental difficulties in handling ethics and do not reflect on their reasons for working with CSR. They should be more careful when formulating justifications. In our situation of increasing affective polarisation, business needs to be more constructive than merely to marginalise criticism.     

Loyalty in e-Tailing

Abstract

Internet retailers that attempt to establish a steady customer base by offering the lowest price are not basing their expectations on firm ground. An alternative to low-price strategies is to develop and maintain a loyal customer base. In this paper, we present a framework for developing loyalty via the Internet. Internet strategies should be developed based upon the firm's competencies and an analysis of the current loyal customer base. The components of the Internet exchange-such as site content, design, navigation and interactivity-are linked to convenience and risk perceptions. These in turn affect the satisfaction/loyalty and performance. Continuous evaluation of customers' perceptions of value determines the adjustments that need to be made to the existing retention activities. The benefits of Internet loyalty are discussed, along with directions for future research.     

我国城镇居民消费行为研究分析

城镇居民消费是我国消费经济理论研究的重点,也是我国启动内需的中坚力量,但目前缺乏对城镇居民消费行为研究的系统梳理和归纳。文章在对相关文献进行重新整理和深入分析的基础上发现,现有研究主要基于宏观、微观两大视角对城镇居民消费行为进行分析,由于研究前提、研究方法、研究变量、要素选择的不同,研究结论并未达成一致。现有研究的不足之处,一是大量研究都在借鉴和套用西方消费理论,缺乏专门针对我国城镇居民行为的理论框架;二是有限理性下城镇居民的非理性、主观性或其他新的行为特征有待后续研究继续探索和发掘,应放宽现有研究经典假设,构建城镇居民消费综合模型,进一步拓展现有研究的深度和广度。     

R-star wars: the phantom menace

The natural real rate of interest has been on a declining path for the past 30 years. I present a regime-switching analysis of the natural rate, which suggests that the current low levels are likely to persist in the near future. I identify a high global demand for safe assets as the most important factor in keeping the natural rate low. I conclude that the current low levels of the policy rate are generally appropriate, with some upside risk, and that forward guidance should be characterized by a flat policy rate path.     

从谷歌事件谈起浅析我国网络知识产权的未来走向

本文通过对谷歌退出中国大陆事件关于知识产权方面原因的分析,围绕我国网络知识产权的现状,提出关于现有存在的问题,提出应该改进的方面和未来的走向,以期我国知识产权尤其是网络知识产权更好的发展。