The Impact of ISO 9000 Diffusion on Trade and FDI: A New Institutional Analysis

The effects of ISO 9000 diffusion on trade and FDI have gone understudied. We employ panel data reported by OECD nations over the 1995-2002 period to estimate the impact of ISO adoptions on country-pair economic relations. We find ISO diffusion to have no effect in developed nations, but to positively pull FDI (i.e., enhancing inward FDI) and positively push trade (i.e., enhancing exports) in developing nations

Using multimedia concept maps to enhance the learner experience in business law

Students&rsquo; learning experience can be affected by difficulties in understanding the interrelationships between concepts and also between topics. Concept maps have been used in many disciplines (Kremer &amp; Gains, 1996) to structure information and express relationships between them. Their holistic approach with multiple pathways through the learning resource can make relationships and linkages between topics and subtopics obvious, and contribute to a meaningful and positive learning experience. This paper outlines the development and formative evaluation of two hypermedia concept maps which led to the development of a series of eleven concept maps to enhance the learning experience of students in a first year undergraduate business law unit.As part of the Stage 1 formative evaluation, two concept maps were developed together with supporting multimedia resources and trialled on the learners. Feedback was also obtained from technical staff. This phase was designed to assess and control the quality of the learning resource as well as the impact it had on the learning experience. The paper closes by discussing how information gained in Stage 1 was used in Stage 2 as a basis to modify the initially trialled maps and to develop the other supporting maps.<br /

Strengthening the World Trade Organization – Critical Demands for Imperative Success: Identifying Politically Viable Options for Incremental Reform

The multilateral trade regime and the World Trade Organization (WTO) are a major success story of global governance. In few other domains have states managed to cooperate as successfully in the last 70 years as in global trade affairs. Since the 1990s, the multilateral trade regime – with the WTO at its centre – nonetheless goes through a crisis. The crisis culminated in 2016 with the collapse of the Doha Round. The crisis puts into question the WTO’s ability to effectively and efficiently govern global trade. Stakeholders, moreover, increasingly challenge the legitimacy and accountability of the WTO. The main purpose of the study is to review E15 work to identify weaknesses in the WTO’s institutional setup and related reform proposals. As institutional aspects received comparatively little attention, the study draws also on other academic and policy publications to complement E15 work. The underlying rationale is that the current crisis has various – including institutional – causes. An institutional reform may thus contribute to overcoming the WTO’s current problems. The political climate does not allow for wholesale amendments to the WTO Agreement. The study therefore focuses on incremental reform proposals rather than grand and ideal-type solutions. The study focuses on three main challenges and reform areas

The influence of the environmental factors on the adoption of the International Accounting System IAS/IFRS : case of Iraq

Purpose: This research aims to study the impact of local environmental factors on the adoption of International Accounting system in Iraq. So the main objective of the research can be the evaluation of the role of local environmental factors in selecting the best method to adopt International Accounting Standards (IAS), and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Design/methodology/approach: The researchers prepared a questionnaire contains 28 paragraphs which were coded and divided into 7 parts showing the independent variables of the study (the environmental factors) and the dependent variable (the adoption of IAS/IFRS) Findings: The results of the research show that the local environment factors can effect on the choice of the country to adopt the best method of IAS/IFRS adoption, and the statistical analysis results show that there is a very good level of agreement for the participants about the effect of local environment factors on the adoption of IAS/IFRS. Practical implications: The research offers insights to the need to activate national standards and principles that are appropriate to the local environment in order to adapt with the requirements of IAS/IFRS adoption. Originality/value: The research presents significant pragmatic evidence in terms of its meticulous approach towards checking the robustness of results.peer-reviewe

Revitalizing Multilateral Governance at the World Trade Organization Report of the High-Level Board of Experts on the Future of Global Trade Governance. Bertelsmann Policy Brief 2018

If international trade is not governed by rules, mere might dictates what is right. The World Trade Organization (WTO) serves as a place where trade policy issues are addressed, disputes arbitrated, legal frameworks derived and enforced. Through these functions, the WTO ensures that the rules of trade policy are inspired by fairness and reciprocity rather than national interest. It is more important than ever to vitalize the global public good that it rep-resents against various threats that have been undermining it. Therefore, the Global Economic Dynamics project of the Bertelsmann Stiftung has called into life a High-Level Board of Experts on the Future of Global Trade Governance. Composed of eminent experts and seasoned trade diplomats, it elaborated a series of feasible policy recommendations that will increase the effectiveness and sali-ence of the WTO. We hope that this Report provides helpful suggestions in a time marked by increasing trade disputes and protectionism and instead contributes to stronger multilateral institutions and fora.1 The Bertelsmann Stiftung owes a debt of gratitude to Prof Bernard Hoekman, the Chairman of the Expert Board and author of this report. His invaluable expertise and experience, guidance and ability to bridge controversial opinions have been crucial in defining the work of the Board. We would also like to express our sincere thanks to all our Board Members, who generously contributed their expertise, time and networks. Without their dedication, this Report would not have been possible. Finally, we would like to thank Robert Koopman and Aik Hoe Lim of the WTO for their support throughout the whole process and Christian Bluth of Bertelsmann Stiftung for managing this common endeavour

The Revolution of Mobile Phone-Enabled Services for Agricultural Development (m-Agri Services) in Africa: The Challenges for Sustainability

The provision of information through mobile phone-enabled agricultural information services (m-Agri services) has the potential to revolutionise agriculture and significantly improve smallholder farmers&rsquo; livelihoods in Africa. Globally, the benefits of m-Agri services include facilitating farmers&rsquo; access to financial services and sourcing agricultural information about input use, practices, and market prices. There are very few published literature sources that focus on the potential benefits of m-Agri services in Africa and none of which explore their sustainability. This study, therefore, explores the evolution, provision, and sustainability of these m-Agri services in Africa. An overview of the current landscape of m-Agri services in Africa is provided and this illustrates how varied these services are in design, content, and quality. Key findings from the exploratory literature review reveal that services are highly likely to fail to achieve their intended purpose or be abandoned when implementers ignore the literacy, skills, culture, and demands of the target users. This study recommends that, to enhance the sustainability of m-Agri services, the implementers need to design the services with the users involved, carefully analyse, and understand the target environment, and design for scale and a long-term purpose. While privacy and security of users need to be ensured, the reuse or improvement of existing initiatives should be explored, and projects need to be data-driven and maintained as open source. Thus, the study concludes that policymakers can support the long-term benefit of m-Agri services by ensuring favourable policies for both users and implementers

Shared Value in Emerging Markets: How Multinational Corporations Are Redefining Business Strategies to Reach Poor or Vulnerable Populations

This report illuminates the enormous opportunities in emerging markets for companies to drive competitive advantage and sustainable impact at scale. It identifies how over 30 companies across multiple sectors and geographies design and measure business strategies that also improve the lives of underserved individuals