Blockchain as an Instrument for Human Rights Business Practice

Over the last decade, a promising technology has raised global attention: blockchain. Predictions and testimonies to its potential are promising. However, despite this proliferation of material, there continues to be limited empirical analysis of its positioned values and a demonstrated need to understand and overcome the limitations of the technology. This thesis analyses two current applications of blockchain for human rights business practice and argues that in order for its true value to be realized, traditional legal and regulatory functions and systems of accountability must not be substituted with technology. With a literature review supplemented with primary research, I gather qualitative analysis to reveal avenues to be taken into consideration for future applications of the technology in supply chain initiatives as well as current evolutions of blockchain’s current applications

Organic Agriculture in Bhutan: Barriers Going to 100%

This study seeks to provide an overview of organic agriculture in Bhutan. In an effort to promote sustainability and achieve the goals set by a Gross National Happiness inspired government, Bhutan has pledged to go 100% organic by 2020. This pledge is at odds with the country’s goal to increase self sufficiency and food security. I look at the barriers to going organic, the programs and initiatives in place to overcome or mitigate those barriers, and the path of least resistance in the future. I asked farmers, scholars, researchers, and members of the government for their opinions on the prospects of a 100% organic Bhutan. Through their answers, I hope to have identified what prevents Bhutan from becoming organic, what is pushing the movement forward now, and what is most important for the movement in the future

After COVID-19: supply chain change

Worldwide indexes confirm supply chain disruptions are ‘historically high’ and as the Economist makes clear ‘uncertainty lies ahead.’ After Covid 19, and now in the context of the war in Ukraine, “disaster” is real. The purpose of this paper is first to identify the levers, the key visible breakdowns in Covid 19 impacted supply chains. Then to identify the fulcra” that maybe “really important and relevant” to supply chain change. Resilience to pandemic breakdown in supply change are considered in five key areas. The resilience of supplier networks has been tested. Despite measured environmental benefits from reduced traffic delivery delays. Despite significant growth in the air cargo market delays are only just past their peak. The resilience of employment is being challenged as greater productivity, happier and health workers and lower emissions has demonstrated the importance of ‘the physical dimension’ of work and opportunities taken to switch occupations.The resilience of the component parts of products and services has become the new watchword as interruptions in the source and supply of critical components has promoted search for substitutes. Reshoring and reinvention identify how bringing back, with innovative technology, a skilled workforce, tax incentives, means improved innovation and product differentiation. The resilience of supply chains to adapt quickly is marked by the prominence of consulting firms who have advanced supply chain monitoring technology and weaponized the supply chain. The trend for economic spheres to develop to insulate companies from geopolitical concerns. There is an ongoing acceleration of slowbalization. The resilience of technology means reshoring of the apparel, food, and beverage industries, among others, is becoming cost-effective. Predictive control strategy, still in its infancy, with modelling and optimization is becoming the work horse for supply chain management. The paper concludes with an assessment of the levers and fulcra for supply change

Opting out and opting in : understanding the complexities of women's career transitions.

Purpose This study aims to explore the reasons why women are leaving the workplace. Are they opting out of the workforce to stay at home with their children as current media reports suggest, or are the reasons more complex as the Kaleidoscope Career Model (KCM) suggests? A second objective is to examine whether or not women’s primary career motives change over time as predicted by the KCM. Lastly, the potential barriers or boundaries faced by women pursuing boundaryless careers will be identified. Design/methodology/approach A survey was sent to 2,000 randomly selected women graduates of an international business school located in the USA. The response rate was 25 percent, or 497 women. Findings The results revealed that 47 percent of the women surveyed had stopped working at some point in their career. Numerous reasons were cited for leaving. Only 35 percent of the women who stopped working cited rearing children as their sole reason for opting out. Sixty two percent of the women reported that their career focus had changed. In line with the KCM predictions, mid career women were most interested in finding balance in their lives and the desire for authenticity increased across the lifespan. Finally, 70 percent of the women who left eventually returned to work, debunking the myth that women opt out and do not return to the workforce. Our findings show that there are barriers that make it difficult to move across organizations, especially if time is taken off between jobs. Research limitations/implications All of the respondents in this study have a graduate degree in international business; thus, the results may have limited generalizability to other populations. Nonetheless, this study provides valuable data that helps us to better understand the complexities of women’s career paths. Originality/value This study makes contributions to two different areas of career theory. First, it provides one of the first empirical tests of the KCM. In addition to showing that women are leaving companies for more complex reasons than for family reasons alone, it also shows that women’s primary career motives shift over time in the manner predicted by the KCM. Second, the study contributes to the literature on boundaryless careers by showing that there are in fact barriers or boundaries faced by women attempting to pursue careers across organizationsWomen workers; Careers;

Migration decision-making: Narratives of Polish and Swedish nurses in Norway

Master's thesis in Migration and Intercultural RelationsMy research project uses narrative accounts to investigate the link between social structures and Polish and Swedish nurses’ decisions to work in Norway. I aim to answer the following questions: * What are the most significant influences on Polish and Swedish nurses’ decisions to work in Norway? a. What effects do Norwegian recruitment and labor immigration policies have on Polish/Swedish nurses’ decisions and experiences? b. What role does Norway, as a destination, play in their decision to work abroad? c. What is the importance of other factors, such as networks, culture, and imaginations?submittedVersio

Microfinance as a Poverty Reduction Tool—A Critical Assessment

This paper attempts to provide a critical appraisal of the debate on the effectiveness of microfinance as a universal poverty reduction tool. It argues that while microfinance has developed some innovative management and business strategies, its impact on poverty reduction remains in doubt. Microfinance, however, certainly plays an important role in providing safety-net and consumption smoothening. The borrowers of microfinance possibly also benefit from learning-by-doing and from self-esteem. However, for any significant dent on poverty, the focus of public policy should be on growth-oriented and equity-enhancing programs, such as broad-based productive employment creation.microfinance, poverty, employment, growth

GLOBAL SOURCING OF SERVICES: HOW WELL ARE THE NEW EU MEMBER STATES COPING WITH THE CHALLENGES? (PART I)

increasingly drawn the attention of economists and politicians, as well as the public. Particularly in the light of the recent waves of EU enlargement these countries have been considered as highly attractive locations for offshored services both from a European and global perspective. While a fairly large amount of anecdotal evidence documents the NMS high potentialities in terms of service offshoring, academic research on this topic is limited. This paper aims to contribute to this discussion. Drawing on recent literature on the complex issue of service globalisation, the paper investigates NMS trade and FDI flows in services over the period 1995-2007 to find evidence of enhanced offshoring-related activities in these countries. The focus is on NMS-10, i.e. NMS-12 excluding Cyprus and Malta. Given the shortcomings of available statistical data and instruments for gauging the scale and impact of services offshoring, the paper adopts a three-tier approach based on BoP trade and FDI statistics, complemented by alternative sources of information. Notwithstanding the caveats associated with this kind of empirical exercise, the paper documents an accelerated pace of offshoring-related activities in the selected NMS, under both forms: international outsourcing and captive offshoring. Its findings show that the fast growing exports in some individual service categories in recent years, coupled with the favourable ongoing changes in the structure and performance of NMS services trade are largely driven by enhanced offshoring activities hosted by their economies. Further, the paper highlights the NMS capabilities to cope with the challenges raised by the increasingly competitive global offshoring landscape, as measured by competitiveness indicators. Finally, the findings of the paper confirm that current anecdotal information and consulting companies-based projections on NMS growing attractiveness as targets of offshoring decisions by TNC originating both inside and outside EU-15 are widely backed up by available statistical data. The paper is organised in two parts under the same title.globalisation, services, international trade, FDI, New EU Member States

Maintaining the Integrity of Organic Milk

The meteoric growth of organic dairying is one of the rare success stories found in agriculture today. The business has been built over the past two decades and nurtured by family farmers collaborating with consumers hungry for organic food.For those farmers involved in dairying, organics has been a true lifeline. Those able to make the difficult three-year transition to organics have been rewarded by top commodity prices at the farmgate and a living wage -- something that stands in stark contrast to the intense price squeeze that has driven many of their conventional neighbors from the business. In addition, organic dairy farmers are enjoying explosive growth in demand for their products.Consumers have been willing to pay premium prices in the market for certified organic dairy products with the understanding that the food has been raised in a sustainable, environmentally sound manner and that they are helping support and keep family farmers on the land. Many consumers assume that humane animal husbandry practices are employed by organic farmers and they may believe that their food is more nutritious.Organic dairy products are also a "gateway" food to other organic products. Consumers recognize such familiar products as milk and cheeses, frequently sampling organic varieties first before moving on and experimenting with other organic commodities.But this success story is now at risk; it is threatened by powerful economic interests that covet their share of the organic pie and who are willing to twist, manipulate and even ignore federal organic regulations in their rush to cash in. Some agribusiness giants are depending on consumers not knowing the difference between their product and those produced with ethics and integrity.This report aims to pull back the veil and allow consumers to easily identify those organic dairy products that have been produced with the best organic practices. By using the Web-based rating tool found on our Web page (www.cornucopia.org), you will be able to identify the brands and products found in your region and examine their ranking, score, and how well they meet key criteria covering organic management practices. The survey rates 68 different organic dairy brands and private label products found across the country.The good news that we can report is that the vast majority of all name-brand organic dairy products are produced from milk from farms that follow accepted legal and ethical standards.However, consumers should also recognize that an increasing amount of milk used in certain organic dairy products is coming from factory farms that are employing suspect practices that skirt organic regulations and impact nutrition and livestock. A growing number of new factory farms -- housing thousands of cows in confinement conditions -- are in development because of strong organic commodity prices, growing consumer demand, a shortage of certified organic milk, and a reluctance by federal regulators to enforce the current organic rules.This report will help consumers make purchasing decisions separate from industry chaff and PR