Global civil society: lessons from ocean governance

Late 20th century ideas about governance of the world's oceans may provide clues to the role of “civil society” in the 21st century. The UN Convention on Law of the Sea has radically changed traditional ideas about “national sovereignty”, shifting its focus from territorial to functional, imposing on states the duty to cooperate and pay taxes, requiring the sharing of sovereign rights, and transcending sovereignty with the “common heritage” concept. The proliferation of nongovernmental organisations operating on the international stage is empowering all elements of a burgeoning global civil society. In some pioneering experiences in international relations, nongovernmental representatives sit on a par with delegates from governments. Most of the elements of global civil society—NGOs, international business, the community of scientists, worldwide media, and local communities—are not yet focused on the kinds of globalization that can narrow the rich–poor gap and promote sustainable development, but in the new century, a more global civil society can play a more constructive role.     

Mutual development : Towards new criteria and indicators

The processes of globalization driving restructuring in all countries are harbingers of a new dialogue about paths to development. This development will not be based on the old model of macroeconomic management, but on a broader, systemic view beyond economics—Mutual Development. This article examines a range of social indicators, quality-of-life indicators, and new forms of regional and national accounting, and their applicability in the planning and implementation of Mutual Development based on precepts of grassroots action, cultural diversity, and global sustainability.     

Land use, economy and ecology Needs and prospects for co-evolutionary development

This article examines new developments which may pose a threat to coevolutionary development in Europe, and scrutinizes in particular the current agricultural policies of the European Community (EC). With the help of a threefold typology—ecological, traditional and modern—the likely perceptions and behaviour of farmers in the face of external change are discussed. On this basis the authors identify research needs, and draw up an extensive research agenda which will have to be addressed if ecologically sustainable agricultural development and land use are to be promoted.     

The ambiguities of globalization

Current discussions of globalization are flawed by confusing two issues: (1) the economic competition among sovereign nation states—so-called “global competitiveness”—which is used as an excuse to reduce social support budgets; and (2) the value of worldwide international organizations set up on a non-state basis—humanitarian, environmental or human rights NGOs, professional, sporting, labor or whatever. Opposition to “globalization” in the first sense is no obstacle to support for the second (NGO) development: on the contrary, NGOs can be the best instrument for countering inhuman governmental policies. The cogency of these economic arguments rests, this paper argues, on confusing two interpretations of the terms “global” and “globalization”. In multinational businesses or other global enterprises, these terms imply that the economic role of governments will be reduced, and global competition will take place between corporations: Fuji vs Kodak, Boeing vs Airbus, Compaq vs Toshiba. In governments, by contrast, the same terms imply a continued—even, enhanced—economic role for governments, so that global competition takes place, rather, between countries: Britain vs Germany, Japan vs the United States, Europe vs America. Business and Government talk at cross-purposes. The steps that multinational corporations take to reduce other “non-wage” labor costs—notably, their taxes—are seen by politicians and journalists as unpatriotic. Rather than follow business onto the global stage, defenders of environmental and labour interests retreat to the domestic stage, and leave governments to bring the corporations into line. If tackled on this level alone, the economic arguments are, indeed, hard to undercut: addressed “one nation state at a time” (so to say) matters of “comparative advantage” tempt rival governments to engage in competitive cost cutting, and the costs of social services are an obvious target for cost cutting, e.g. in France or Sweden. Tackled on a wider (“global”) level, however, the same issues can be stated in terms less damaging to labour and environmental interests. A Global Labour Office capable of looking the World Trade Organization in the eye, for instance, could set standards protecting those interests as strongly as those insisted on by international agencies for “transparency” in accounting, “fair” competition and the like. Excessive cutbacks in social protections, indeed, can then be judged to be “unfair” competition, and penalized as such.     

Fundamentals of a new economic paradigm in the information age

Mechatronic technology is becoming dominant, and the capitalist market economy is becoming replaced by an economic framework of self-management and information sharing. As services and information become major traded goods at the global level, new economic structures based on globally networking eco-share regions are emerging. This article posits the development of a ‘MuRatopian’ economy—the new social design of the information age. Five actors-prosumer, co-worker, self-financer, inhabitant and villager—are replacing the nation-state in eco-share regions, with full employment, fair income distribution, economic efficiency and incentive, freedom and participatory democracy, all facets of a superior global economy of the information age.     

Scientific and technical change in the USSR

The rapid development ot science and technology, a historical Soviet goal, would bring radical changes—for which the leadership may be unprepared. The complex programme, an ambitious forecast and plan for the period 1980–2000, is nearing completion. Its measures are designed to relieve a potential labour shortage, to ensure energy and resource supplies, to increase agricultural productivity, and to raise living standards. Success depends on major structural changes, which in turn require the adoption of more flexible organisation, the extension of planning horizons beyond the traditional five-year term, and the acceleration of technical innovation. There is considerable scope for international collaboration and the creative potential of the Soviet economy should not be underestimated.     

Evaluating National Capacity for Direct Participation in International Accounting Harmonization: France as a Test Case

This article evaluates national capacity for direct participation in international accounting harmonization through its principal current formal institutional forum, the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), with France as a test case. The objective is to derive propositions by which individual nation states, their indigenous accounting professions and other significant elements of their institutional framework might: (a) evaluate their present national capacity to contribute to international accounting harmonization; and (b) address policy issues relevant to development and deployment of capacity for effective engagement. The objective of the framework of analysis employed is to infer essential or desirable attributes for direct participation in international accounting harmonization by reference to the observed attributes of the initial IASB appointments. The likelihood and sustainability of direct French participation in the process is then assessed in relation to those attributes.     

Reclaiming the future : Futures studies in Africa

This article considers the status of futures studies and research in Africa. Compared to the position two decades ago, African planning services today represent a real achievement, and can act as the basis for advanced public policy analysis. Futures studies in Africa can act to stimulate and extend the national planning function, and also provide a unified approach at the regional and continental levels. Futures studies can never be value-free—Africans embarking on futures studies must first rediscover their past and assert their present before they are able to ‘reclaim their future’.     

International Futures (IFs) and integrated,long-term forecasting of global transformations

The International Futures (IFs) long-term global forecasting system, with a development history spanning 40 years, has deep roots in world modeling and integrated assessment modeling. Its highly integrated models span demographics, economics, education, health, governance, agriculture, energy, infrastructure and the environment. The open-source system is available for stand-alone use and on the web with an interactive interface and a large supporting database. IFs users represent education, government (national and international), non-governmental organizations, firms, and policy research organizations. This paper uses IFs to provide Base Case forecasts of global transformations that appear to be unfolding in human development (special attention to education and aging), social development (distribution and power), and the relationship of humans with their environment (advancing mastery and sustainability challenges). It illustrates scenario analysis with alternative forecasts of global poverty, carbon emissions, global patterns of national governance, the human development index, and food and agricultural development. The paper concludes by noting that such modeling and forecasting, while much advanced since the 1970s, still marries craft-like art with advancing science.     

Sustainable development and the market : A framework for analysis

The environment has been confined to the margins of most research in the social sciences, particularly theoretical work on development. One consequence is that the environment has lacked an historical focus, which would allow us a broader, more comparative view of how nature is transformed under the impact of capitalist development. The object of this article is to sketch out such a framework, beginning with ‘autochtonous’ societies, in which sustainability, rather than development, is the key characteristic. The role of the market in transforming such societies is explored through a typology of social and environmental systems. In the light of the transformation of environmental goods, made necessary by market accumulation, the role of ‘environmental management’ is considered, and found to be inadequate. Sustainability, as a concept, needs to be related to the role of the market within the process of development itself.     

我国农企海外并购问题与对策研究

随着人们生活水平的提高和对健康生活方式的追求,农业企业迎来新一轮的发展契机。在当前的海外并购浪潮中,农业企业也不甘落后,紧跟国家政策的步伐,抓住并购良机整合海外优质资源,加快产业链整合的速度。然而,在农业企业“走出去”的过程中,难免会遇到各种问题和困境,本文基于农企海外并购的现状,分析其存在的问题,并试图分别在企业和政府的角度来提供建议。     

Does external uncertainty matter in corporate sustainability performance?

Motivated by the prevalence of corporate sustainability and the rise of uncertainty at the national level, we investigate the impact of three sources of uncertainty; namely, economic policy, climate change, and political instability, on firms' sustainability performance. Using a sample of 6804 firms from 72 countries spanning 15 years, our study revealed that uncertainty due to climate change, economic policy, and political instability negatively affects firms' sustainability performance. This finding is in line with the real options theory that uncertainty in an external environment discourages firms' long-term investment (e.g. investment in corporate sustainability). In addition, the results show that the option for delay in sustainability investment moderated the relation between uncertainty at the national level and firms' sustainability performance. Firms with better sustainability performance had higher firm value when facing uncertainty. Interestingly, firms with higher profitability performed better in sustainability when facing uncertainty at the national level.     

Multinationals and cash holdings

This study examines the relationship between cash holdings and the level of multinationality for a large international sample of firms from 40 countries. We consider two dimensions of diversification, geographical and industrial, and find a direct negative relation between both geographic and industrial diversification and cash holdings. This finding is consistent with the diversification argument that multinationals' headquarters plan their investment and cash needs in an efficient way across geographically diversified operations. We further examine whether there is a trade-off between two diversification strategies. The evidence shows that the effect of industrial diversification is negligible once firms are geographically diversified. By performing country-level tests, we also document some new evidence of international differences for the impacts of tax systems, investor protection, political stability, stock market development, economic size and growth, and national culture on the separate and joint effects of geographic and industrial diversifications.     

American anticipations : Is the future what it used to be? American views, 1945–1985

This article is the last in the present series. It ends most appropriately by noting the many big bangs that have marked the rapid development of futures literature in the last 40 years. They have given new phrases to the English language—Think-tank, Future Shock, Thermonuclear Warfare — which have sent special messages to our times. In their different ways they say that the future is not what it used to be. As the rate of change accelerates, the problems and the difficulties seem to go on increasing. As this article seeks to show, the beginning of the answers starts from the effort to arrive at a clear picture of the most probable future.     

Economics, equity and sustainable development

As a fashionable catchword, ‘sustainable development’ has provoked a large but nebulous literature. In the interests of communication and relevance it is necessary to narrow down the various definitions that have been given and show how a revised conception of sustainable development can be integrated into practical decisionmaking. This article suggests one approach. Sustainable development is categorized by economic change subject to ‘constancy of the natural capital stock’—the stock of environmental assets is held constant while the economy is allowed whatever social goals are deemed appropriate. Such a rule, which has its own difficulties, accommodates the main concerns of the advocates of sustainability—equity between generations, equity within a generation, economic resilience to external shocks, and uncertainty about the functions and values of natural environments in social systems. It may also accommodate some of the concerns of the ‘deep ecology’ movement by respecting rights in nature.     

Social capital,social capacity and social carrying capacity: Perspectives for the social basics within environmental sustainability

This article aims to contribute to the continued development of a coherent theory and practical implementation of sustainable development in the social context. It does so by presenting a systematic discussion on ‘social capital’, ‘social capacity’ and ‘social carrying capacity’ under the umbrella of environmental carrying capacity regarding environmental sustainability. Based on an in-depth literature review, the relationship between social capital and human capital is assessed in detail, the overlap between the social capacity approach and different capability approaches closely discussed and the use as well as the meaning of social carrying capacity in science and in practice for environmental sustainability is more intensively explored. In summary, the results of the analysis provide for all the three assessed terms an innovative variety of possible new contributions to future policy proposals and research priorities for social sustainability regarding population growth, social riots, overwork and technical overload obeying the environmental limits.     

Not‐For‐Profit Ratios for Financial Resilience and Internal Accountability: A Study of Australian International Aid Organisations

Not‐for‐profit (NFP) financial ratio research has focused primarily on organisational efficiency measurements for external stakeholders. Ratios that also capture information about stability, capacity (liquidity), gearing and sustainability enable an assessment of financial resilience. They are thus valuable tools that can provide a framework of internal accountability between boards and management. The establishment of an Australian NFP regulator highlights the importance of NFP sustainability, and affirms the timeliness of this paper. We propose a suite of key financial ratios for use by NFP boards and management, and demonstrate its practical usefulness by applying the ratios to financial data from the 2009 reports of ACFID (Australian Council for International Development) affiliated international aid organisations.     

Institutional sustainability: ‘community’ and waste management in Zimbabwe

This article addresses sustainability as a social process. In doing so it extends beyond the Brundtland notion of present and ‘future generations’ to grapple with the divergent social worlds in which the term is constructed by different actors. It is thus concerned with how learning can take place within development interventions to enable actors to build new norms and behaviours which cut across social divides. A framework has been developed to (i) explore and make explicit the assumptions held by stakeholders; (ii) develop an awareness of the nature and practices of accountability; (iii) build an understanding of cause and effect (attribution) in relation to action. It is suggested that structured participation in these processes can help to build inter-organizational and inter-associational learning which can provide the basis for new norms and behaviours stretching beyond the formal life of any intervention (institutional sustainability). The article draws on research from Zimbabwe, however it is suggested that the framework can have applicability in many situations.     

基于国家安全视角的我国反洗钱工作研究

反洗钱与国家安全特别是非传统安全有着密切的联系。从国际上看,2001年美国"9·11"恐怖事件后,西方发达国家不断调整国家反洗钱战略,将反洗钱提高到维护国家经济安全和国际政治稳定的战略高度。从国内看,我国国家安全和社会安定面临的威胁和挑战增多,特别是各种威胁和挑战联动效应明显,面对新形势、新任务,我们要强化底线思维,以维护国家安全为核心,准确定位反洗钱工作,借助国际反恐融资体系,打击恐怖势力,加强对反洗钱国际规则和实务的研究,防范洗钱和恐怖融资风险,维护我国国家安全。     

Integrated modeling for exploring sustainable agriculture futures

Sustainable agriculture meets human needs for food, enhances the quality of life of people, protects the integrity of natural systems, and is economically profitable. Making a transition to agricultural sustainability involves difficult choices and an understanding of the complex trade-offs associated with different agricultural pathways. In this paper, we describe the development and application of a decision support tool—AgFutures—for exploring alternative futures for agricultural sustainability in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. The main core of the model is simulation of future land-use changes in different scenarios and assessment of social, economic and environmental consequences under these scenarios. Evolution of land-use is simulated as a result of not only biophysical conditions but also as a result of human behaviour and choices, specifically related to lifestyle, agricultural management practices and institutional policies. Eight different scenarios are generated and compared for their impacts on sustainability in the Lower Mainland.AgFutures helps users to identify desirable future scenarios and the set of choices and trade-offs that they are willing to accept. Identification of these allows decision-makers to formulate policies that would lead to achieving the goals of sustainable agriculture. The novel aspect of this model lies in its design and methods, which represent a balance between the need for rigour and the need for a tool that can be used by a wide array of users.