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The Politics of the Eurozone Crisis in Southern Europe: A Comparative Reappraisal
by Leonardo Morlino Cecilia Emma SottilottaThis book provides an in-depth account of the politics of the Eurozone crisis in Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Cyprus and Malta, mapping the positions expressed by the governments of Southern EU countries during the Eurozone crisis negotiations, including Greece’s bailout deal, the so-called “Six Pack” and the “Fiscal Compact” and exploring the process of domestic preference formation. The book relies on original data resulting from fieldwork conducted in the context of the EU Commission- funded Horizon 2020 project “The Choice for Europe since Maastricht”.
International Business and Emerging Economy Firms: Volume I: Universal Issues and the Chinese Perspective (Palgrave Studies of Internationalization in Emerging Markets)
by Marin A. Marinov Svetla T. Marinova Jorma A. Larimo Tiina LeposkyHow do firms from emerging economies strive for the internationalization of their business? This comprehensive two-volume collection tackles this question by taking a closer look at underexplored issues, including bottom of the pyramid (BoP) business models, value creation and co-creation, employee commitment and the ‘born global’ concept. Taking both a geographic and thematic approach to the topic, the first volume addresses universal challenges such as inclusive innovation, the ethics of corporate leadership, and knowledge management, and also places a special emphasis on China. Providing an overview of the strategies and operations involved in internationalizing Chinese firms, this book is an essential read for those researching emerging markets and globalization in general, as well as Asian Business more specifically.
Bayesian Optimization and Data Science (SpringerBriefs in Optimization)
by Francesco Archetti Antonio CandelieriThis volume brings together the main results in the field of Bayesian Optimization (BO), focusing on the last ten years and showing how, on the basic framework, new methods have been specialized to solve emerging problems from machine learning, artificial intelligence, and system optimization. It also analyzes the software resources available for BO and a few selected application areas. Some areas for which new results are shown include constrained optimization, safe optimization, and applied mathematics, specifically BO's use in solving difficult nonlinear mixed integer problems. The book will help bring readers to a full understanding of the basic Bayesian Optimization framework and gain an appreciation of its potential for emerging application areas. It will be of particular interest to the data science, computer science, optimization, and engineering communities.
Wealth: The Ultra-High Net Worth Guide to Growing and Protecting Assets
by Richard P. RojeckWith few exceptions, books on personal finance focus on investing. And with few exceptions, these same books focus on the general public. This book takes a comprehensive approach to the subject, directed to the ultra-high net worth reader, filling this void. While there is no shortage of experts in legal, tax, investment, and other matters, in many ways, ultra-high net worth individuals are underserved, even as they are confronted with potentially increasing challenges to the growth and protection of their wealth. Planning strategies lacking a foundation of client-driven values and purpose, coordination and a mechanism for ongoing review and maintenance result in suboptimal outcomes. As a Certified Financial Planner Professional with over 30 years of experience serving individuals with substantial wealth, Richard Rojeck presents an alternative approach, one based upon a comprehensive planning process. He addresses the eight key planning areas for the ultra-high net worth individual, describing the top strategies within each. He challenges you to assess your current planning and provides guidance on how to select an often-missing member of the advisory team. With a readable and approachable style, this book will help you more effectively grow and protect your assets for yourself, your family, and your charitable causes.
International Trade Finance: A Pragmatic Approach (Finance and Capital Markets Series)
by Tarsem Bhogal Arun TrivediThe 21st century has witnessed swift change in every sphere of the human endeavour. Regulatory re-alignment, digitalisation and economic and political developments have contributed to paradigm shift in banking, trade, finance and the shipping industry virtually transforming the landscape. International Trade Finance is an essential tool for bankers, exporters/importers, shippers, consultants, teachers and students navigating the procedures of international trade finance. The book addresses basic topics relating to international trade including letters of credit mechanism, collections of bills, trade customs and practice. New to this revised edition, it covers SWIFT updates, supply chain system, UKEF, Blockchain technologies, the implications of BREXIT, NAFTA, Mexico, Canada and other bilateral agreements and their implications, the US sanctions, terrorist financing and anti-money laundering provisions, and a check list to control financial crime risks in trade finance. The extended metaphor of the book is that of an arm chair tour covering fundamentals to the nuances of the hard core of the subject matter and enabling the readers to deal with complicated implementation issues in a forthright and comprehensive fashion.
The Modern Portuguese Economy in the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries (Palgrave Studies in Economic History)
by Luciano AmaralThis book offers insights into the behaviour of the Portuguese economy in relation to economic growth from the twentieth century to the present. How did the 1891-92 crisis and World Wars impact Portugal economically? How did the Portuguese economy behave during the 'Golden Age' of economic growth in postwar Europe? What have the effects of the European Monetary Union been? Amaral examines long-running trends in the development of the modern Portuguese economy in order to help us understand various growth phases of the modern period. This title is important reading for economic historians and economists researching economic growth, crises, stablisation and monetary unions.
Employing People with Disabilities: Good Organisational Practices and Socio-cultural Conditions
by Ewa Giermanowska Mariola Racław Dorota SzawarskaDeveloping better employment and management practices for a diverse workplace is quickly becoming a major concern amongst most modern organisations; however, a lack of research into good practices has a limiting effect. Dealing specifically with disabilities, this pioneering work is based on international research spanning several European countries to demonstrate best practice. Aiming to fill a gap in knowledge, the authors offer interdisciplinary insights into managing diversity in the workplace, taking into account various social and cultural contexts. Providing analysis and recommendations for adapting organisational practices to different workplace settings, this Palgrave Pivot is a vital read for scholars of HRM and diversity management, as well as policy-makers and practitioners.
Public Private Partnerships: Construction, Protection, and Rehabilitation of Critical Infrastructure (Competitive Government: Public Private Partnerships)
by Simon Hakim Robert M. ClarkThis book discusses Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and their potential to protect and maintain critical infrastructure in a variety of global governmental settings. Critical infrastructure is defined as essential services that underpin and support the backbone of a nation's economy, security, and health. These services include the power used by homes and businesses, drinking water, transportation, stores and shops, and communications. As governmental budgets dwindle, the maintenance of critical infrastructure and the delivery of its related services are often strained. PPPs have the potential to fill the void between government accounting and capital budgeting. This volume provides a survey of PPPs in critical infrastructure, combining theory and case studies to provide a comprehensive view of possible applications. Written by a diverse group of international experts, the chapters detail PPPs across industries such as transportation, social infrastructure, healthcare, emergency services, and water across municipalities from the US to New Zealand to Hong Kong. Chapters discuss objectives and legal requirements associated with PPPs, the potential advantages and limitations of PPPs, and provide guidance as to how to structure a successful PPP for infrastructure investment. This book is of interest to researchers studying public administration, public finance, and infrastructure as well as practitioners and decision makers interested in instituting PPPs in their communities.
Employment Relations in Outsourced Public Services: Working Between Market and State
by Anna MoriExamining the consequences of the outsourcing of public services, this book explores the transformation of working conditions, employment relations and the role of the state under marketisation strain. It places these developments in a wider framework that incorporates the legacy of the national models of public administration and employment relations regimes in the public sector. Adopting a comparative perspective by focusing on Italy, Denmark and Britain, the author investigates and questions the influential interpretation of a spreading neo-liberal trajectory in public service working conditions and employment relations, and reveals significant diversity across countries mediated by national institutional configurations. Discussing the interplay between the austerity agenda in the aftermath of the financial crisis and the swelling of outsourcing practices in public services, this book responds to the scholarly call for an integrated approach towards institutions and actors. A valuable read for researchers examining human resource management, labour studies and public administration, this book provides a comprehensive overview of employment relations in outsourced public services.
Green Building in Developing Countries: Policy, Strategy and Technology (Green Energy and Technology)
by Zhonghua GouThe book reveals how green buildings are currently being adapted and applied in developing countries. It includes the major developing countries such as China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Pakistan, Cambodia, Ghana, Nigeria and countries from the Middle East and gathers the insights of respected green building researchers from these areas to map out the developing world’s green building revolution. The book highlights these countries’ contribution to tackling climate change, emphasising the green building benefits and the research behind them.The contributing authors explore how the green building revolution has spread to developing countries and how national governments have initiated their own green building policies and agendas. They also explore how the market has echoed the green building policy, and how a business case for green buildings has been established. In turn, they show how an international set of green building standards, in the form of various techniques and tools, has been incorporated into local building and construction practices. In closing, they demonstrate how the developing world is emerging as a key player for addressing the energy and environmental problems currently facing the world.The book helps developers, designers and policy-makers in governments and green building stakeholders to make better decisions on the basis of global and local conditions. It is also of interest to engineers, designers, facility managers and researchers, as it provides a holistic picture of how the industry is responding to the worldwide call for greener and more sustainable buildings.
Fintech and Islamic Finance: Digitalization, Development and Disruption
by Nafis Alam Lokesh Gupta Abdolhossein ZameniFinancial Technology (Fintech) has revolutionized the financial world as one of the fastest-growing segments in both the technology and financial sectors. With the usage of underlying principles of Blockchain technology, Fintech is bringing the financial community together and making financial services accessible to everyone. Fintech has far-reaching implications for Islamic finance such as banking, investment, insurance (takaful) and wealth management, which are benefitting from this usage. This book provides a comprehensive review of how Fintech is shaping the Islamic finance industry through three key aspects: Digitalization, Development and Disruption. The book will provide insight on the Shariahtech (Fintech in line with Shariah principle) and its application in the Islamic finance industry. The book also gives an overview of Blockchain and Fintech evolution and how they act as the building blocks of the digital financial landscape.Readers of the book will also get a detailed discernment on the Islamic viewpoint on cryptocurrency as well as the application of the smart contract in different Islamic financial services. The book provides students, academics and researchers with a detailed description of the Blockchain and Fintech application in Islamic finance.
Brands and Cultural Analysis
by Arthur Asa BergerThis book, written in an accessible style with numerous illustrations and with drawings by the author, discusses what brands are and the role brands play in American society and consumer cultures, in general. The book uses a cultural studies approach and draws upon concepts and theories from semiotics, psychoanalytic theory, sociological theory, discourse theory, and other related fields. It also quotes from a number of important thinkers whose ideas offer insights into various aspects of brands. Brands has chapters on topics such as what brands are, their role in society, brands and the psyche, brands and history, language and brands, the marketing of brands, brands and logos, the branded self, San Francisco and Japan as brands, brand sacrality, multi-modal discourse analysis and brands, and competition among brands.
The Quest for a Divided Welfare State: Sweden in the Era of Privatization
by John LapidusThis book deals with the quest for a divided welfare state in Sweden. The prime example is the rapid rise of private health insurance, which now constitutes a parallel system characterized by state subsidies for some and not for others. This functions as a kind of reverse means-testing, whereby primarily the upper classes get state support for new types of welfare consumption. Innovatively, Lapidus explains how such a parallel system requires not only direct and statutory state support but also indirect support, for example, from infrastructure built for the public health system. He goes on to examine how semi-private welfare funding is dependent on private provision and how the so-called 'hidden welfare state' gradually erodes the visible and former universal welfare state model, in direct contrast to its own stated goals. Who benefits from privatized welfare? How are the privatization of delivery and the privatization of funding linked? How does this impact public willingness to pay tax? All of these questions and more are discussed in this accessible volume.
Karl Marx’s Life, Ideas, and Influences: A Critical Examination on the Bicentenary (Marx, Engels, and Marxisms)
by Marcello Musto Shaibal Gupta Babak AminiSince the latest crisis of capitalism broke out in 2008, Marx has been back in fashion, and sometimes it seems that his ideas have never been as topical, or as commanding of respect and interest, as they are today. This edited collection arises from one of the largest international conferences dedicated to the bicentenary of Marx’s birth. The volume contains 16 chapters authored by globally renowned scholars and is divided into two parts: I) On the Critique of Politics; II) On the Critique of Political Economy. These contributions, from multiple academic disciplines, offer diverse perspectives on why Marx is still so relevant for our times and make this book a source of great appeal for both expert scholars of Marx as well as students and general readers who are approaching his theories for the first time.
Multi-Objective Optimization using Artificial Intelligence Techniques (SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology)
by Seyedali Mirjalili Jin Song DongThis book focuses on the most well-regarded and recent nature-inspired algorithms capable of solving optimization problems with multiple objectives. Firstly, it provides preliminaries and essential definitions in multi-objective problems and different paradigms to solve them. It then presents an in-depth explanations of the theory, literature review, and applications of several widely-used algorithms, such as Multi-objective Particle Swarm Optimizer, Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm and Multi-objective GreyWolf Optimizer Due to the simplicity of the techniques and flexibility, readers from any field of study can employ them for solving multi-objective optimization problem. The book provides the source codes for all the proposed algorithms on a dedicated webpage.
Full Protection and Security in International Investment Law (European Yearbook of International Economic Law #8)
by Sebastián Mantilla BlancoThis book provides a comprehensive study of the standard of ‘full protection and security’ (FPS) in international investment law. Ever since the Germany-Pakistan BIT of 1959, almost every investment agreement has included an FPS clause. FPS claims refer to the most diverse factual settings, from terrorist attacks to measures concerning concession contracts. Still, the FPS standard has received far less scholarly attention than other obligations under international investment law. Filling that gap, this study examines the evolution of FPS from its medieval roots to the modern age, delimits the scope of FPS in customary international law, and analyzes the relationship between FPS and the concept of due diligence in the law of state responsibility. It additionally explores the interpretation and application of FPS clauses, drawing particular attention to the diverse wording used in investment treaties, the role ascribed to custom, and the interplay between FPS and other treaty-based standards. Besides delivering a detailed analysis of the FPS standard, this book also serves as a guide to the relevant sources, providing an overview of numerous legal instruments, examples of state practice, arbitral decisions, and related academic publications about the standard.
Urban World History: An Economic and Geographical Perspective
by Luc-Normand TellierThis book seeks to deepen readers’ understanding of world history by investigating urbanization and the evolution of urban systems, as well as the urban world, from the perspective of historical analysis. The theoretical framework of the approach stems directly from space-economy, and, more generally, from location theory and the theory of urban systems.The author explores a certain logic to be found in world history, and argues that this logic is spatial (in terms of spatial inertia, spatial trends, attractive and repulsive forces, vector fields, etc.) rather than geographical (in terms of climate, precipitation, hydrography). Accordingly, the book puts forward a truly original vision of urban world history, one that will benefit economists, historians, regional scientists, and anyone with a healthy curiosity.
Business Modeling and Software Design: 9th International Symposium, BMSD 2019, Lisbon, Portugal, July 1–3, 2019, Proceedings (Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing #356)
by Boris ShishkovThis book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 9th International Symposium on Business Modeling and Software Design, BMSD 2019, held in Lisbon, Portugal, in July 2019. It contains 12 full and 11 short papers. BMSD is a leading international forum that brings together researchers and practitioners interested in business modeling and its relation to software design. Particular areas of interest are: Business Processes and Enterprise Engineering; Business Models and Requirements; Business Models and Services; Business Models and Software; Information Systems Architectures and Paradigms; Data Aspects in Business Modeling and Software Development; Blockchain-Based Business Models and Information Systems; IoT and Implications for Enterprise Information Systems. The theme of BMSD 2019 was: REFLECTING HUMAN AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY IN ENTERPRISE MODELS AND SOFTWARE SPECIFICATIONS.
The Internet of Things in the Industrial Sector: Security and Device Connectivity, Smart Environments, and Industry 4.0 (Computer Communications and Networks)
by Zaigham MahmoodThis book has a focus on the development and deployment of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) paradigm, discussing frameworks, methodologies, benefits and limitations, as well as providing case studies of employing the IoT vision in the industrial domain. IIoT is becoming an attractive business reality for many organisations such as manufacturing, logistics, oil and gas, energy and other utilities, mining, aviation, and many more. The opportunities for this paradigm are huge, and according to one report, the IIoT market is predicted to reach $125 billion by 2021. The driving philosophy behind the IIoT is that smart machines are better than humans at accurately capturing, analysing and communicating real-time data. The underlying technologies include distributed computing, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and machine-to-machine communication, with a typical IIoT system consisting of intelligent systems (applications, controllers, sensors, and security mechanisms), data communication infrastructure (cloud computing, edge computing, etc.), data analytics (to support business intelligence and corporate decision making), and most importantly the human element. The promised benefits of the IIoT include enhanced safety, better reliability, smart metering, inventory management, equipment tracking, and facilities management. There are, however, numerous issues that are also becoming the focus of active research, such as concerns regarding service availability, data security, and device communication. Lack of ubiquitous interoperability between heterogeneous devices is also a major concern. This book intends to fill a gap in the IIoT literature by providing the scientific contributions and latest developments from researchers and practitioners of international repute, focusing on frameworks, methodologies, benefits, and inherent issues/barriers to connected environments, especially in industrial settings.The intended audience includes network specialists, hardware engineers, and security experts who wish to adopt newer approaches for device connectivity, IoT security, and sensor-based devices design. University level students, researchers and practitioners will also find the latest innovation in technology and newer approaches relevant to the IIoT from a distributed computing perspective.
Trade Unions on YouTube: Online Revitalization in Sweden
by Jenny Jansson Katrin UbaThis open access book investigates how trade unions representing different social classes use YouTube videos for renewal purposes. Information and communication technology has undoubtedly offered new opportunities for social movements, but while research suggests that these new means of communication can be used for trade union revitalization, few studies have examined what unions actually do on social media. By analysing more than 4500 videos that have been uploaded by Swedish trade unions, Jansson and Uba explore how unions use YouTube to address issues such as recruiting new members, improving internal democracy, promoting political campaigns and constructing (new) self-images. The results demonstrate that trade unions representing a range of social classes use different revitalization strategies via YouTube. This research will be of use to students and scholars researching European politics and political participation, trade unionism and labour movements in the digital age.
Competitive Branding Strategies: Managing Performance in Emerging Markets
by RajagopalGlobalization has expanded the options for building brand strategies through social media, the internet, and in conventional approaches. Amidst increasing market competition, companies need to analyze their competitive choices to determine their brand equity in the marketplace. As such, it is necessary for companies to develop customer-focused brands to gain competitive advantage. This book enhances knowledge on developing competitive brands in emerging markets, particularly the BRICS countries. It provides the necessary guidance with proven strategies for building successful brands, the decisions and options faced by brand managers, and the tools to manage brands effectively. It develops new dimensions on brand management strategies by analyzing best practices based on proven strategies. Readers will not only gain insight into international brand competition, but also into the organizational support necessary to build and manage a powerful brand. It is a necessary read for all MBA students and scholars in marketing, especially those who seek to gain new insight in the rapidly changing global marketplace.
Marxism versus Liberalism: Comparative Real-Time Political Analysis (Marx, Engels, and Marxisms)
by August H. Nimtz“An extraordinary work of political historical analysis that methodically and convincingly argues for the superiority of a Marxist approach for pursuing democracy. Rich in historical detail and thoroughly engrossing in portraying the real-time analyses of and intervention in crucial events by prominent Marxist and liberal theorists and political actors, Marxism versus Liberalism is a truly impressive achievement that will have an enduring appeal.” —John F. Sitton, Professor Emeritus, Political Science, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, USAPerforming a comparative real-time political analysis, Marxism versus Liberalism presents convincing evidence to sustain two similarly audacious claims: firstly, that Karl Marx and Frederick Engels collectively had better democratic credentials than Alexis de Tocqueville and John Stuart Mill; and secondly, that Vladimir Lenin had better democratic credentials than Max Weber and Woodrow Wilson. When the two sets of protagonists are compared and contrasted in how they read and responded to big political events in motion, this book contends that these Marxists proved to be better democrats than the history’s most prominent Liberals. Exploring the historical scenarios of The European Spring of 1848, the United States Civil War, the 1905 Russian Revolution, the 1917 Russian Revolution, and the end of World War I, Marxism versus Liberalism carefully tests each claim in order to challenge assumed political wisdom.
Integrated Sustainability Reporting: Linking Environmental and Social Information to Value Creation Processes
by Laura Bini Marco BellucciThis book proposes an integrated approach to sustainability reporting, the goal being to overcome certain limitations of the well-established additive approach, where the reporting of environmental, social and economic issues is sequential, but separate. It argues that, in order to successfully communicate its commitment to sustainability, a company should report on how environmental and social issues impact its way of doing business, namely its business model, contributing to value creation. Thus, a reporting framework for business models that encompasses sustainability is presented. In turn, a number of illustrative examples are examined to show how business model reporting could be optimally used to provide effective and integrated sustainability reporting. The book also offers a broad analysis of corporate sustainability reporting, which includes a discussion of the theoretical background, an explanation of why companies provide sustainability reporting, a description of the current regulatory framework for sustainability disclosure, and a review of sustainability reporting literature that shows the main characteristics of sustainability disclosure practices. Given its scope, the book will be of interest to all researchers and practitioners working for companies or organizations that aim to support, implement and improve their sustainability reporting, by adopting a more integrated approach that interconnects environmental and social aspects with the economic and financial results via the business model. The book also offers a valuable reference guide for social science researchers, including PhD students, interested in a discussion of the latest literature on sustainability, corporate social responsibility, and the communication of business models.
Compliance Norms in Financial Institutions: Measures, Case Studies and Best Practices
by Tomasz BraunInitially, introducing compliance functions within the financial industry had been forced by regulatory scrutiny. Later, it started to spread to other regulated companies, in particular those publicly listed. Now, compliance has become an asset of corporates that want to build their reliability among clients, shareholders, employees and business partners. This book looks at the efficiency of the compliance measures introduced and the best practices of building compliance norms.This recently observed practice of compliance was triggered by the expectation of regulators, shareholders, clients, business partners and the public for robust compliance mechanisms. This book looks at the vast interest in this topic among business people who strive to introduce the systems and the mechanisms of non-compliance risk management in their companies and at the uncountable difficulties and obstacles they meet. The book fills the gap of thorough analysis of this subject by pointing out the solutions successfully introduced in global financial organizations, and would be of interest to academics, researchers and practitioners in corporate finance, corporate governance and risk management.
Environmental and Sustainability Education in Teacher Education: Canadian Perspectives (International Explorations in Outdoor and Environmental Education)
by Douglas D. Karrow Maurice DiGiuseppeThis book was inspired by the inaugural National Roundtable on Environmental and Sustainability Education in Canadian Faculties of Education (Roundtable 2016), which took place June 14-16, 2016, at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario. Roundtable 2016 brought together over seventy participants from across Canada, including educators, researchers, policy-makers, consultants, and community organizations. Over the course of three days, participants took part in keynote addresses, research colloquia, networking socials, and collaborative inquiry activities focused on Environmental Sustainability Education in Teacher Education (ESE-TE). Roundtable 2016 resulted in the publication of a National Action Plan containing action-oriented recommendations for enhancing ESE-TE, and a position statement titled “The Otonabee Declaration,” where delegates articulated their views regarding environmental degradation, the critical need for enhancing ESE-TE, and, the role educators, children, youth, educational institutions, policy makers, and Indigenous communities play in enhancing ESE-TE in Canada. This volume concludes with a discussion placing current Canadian ESE-TE theory and practice within an international context.