Book Description
This exciting text provides students with a superior grounding in contemporary international political economy. It emphasizes current scholarship and provides the background in politics, economics, and history that students need to understand the contemporary global economy.
Customer Reviews:
readable textbook.......2007-02-14
This textbook was easy to read (not overly technical and used a lot of real-world analogies). An instuctor or professor who requires this text is probably taking a practical approach to the course, which typically means it will be more interesting to learn about the subject matter. The text is only in paperback and not particularly durable for backpack toting- buy used if possible.
Just great.......2007-01-10
First the book appears to be full of ideas without a touch of reality or just theoretical, but after reading the first and second chapter and after understanding the principles of econ 101/102, everything will make sense. There is so much to learn in this book and, the good thing, it is not boring.
I have to say that it was the best political econ book I've ever read, and I do recommend it for beginners.
gives an understanding of the many forms of globalisation.......2006-09-28
Oatley provides a readable, non-mathematical description of international economics since World War 2. The book will give the reader a good grounding in understanding globalisation. Not as something to be feared or tamed, but as arising from fundamental trends that are effectively impossible to reverse.
Oatley certainly talks about more than just globalisation. Like managing exchange rates. But even here, it is discussed in the context and reality of a world where immense pools of capital are often highly mobile. This is not typically thought of by the general public as globalisation. But the text shows that capital flow across national boundaries is indeed another aspect of globalisation, that has become common in the last 20 years.
coherent and concise.......2006-05-05
Oatley has a way of boiling down complex concepts into short, pithy chapters. The writing is clear and concise and the examples used in the text provide interesting perspectives on current political issues such as the US budget deficit or the power dynamics in debt negotiations between powerful international creditors (IMF, World Bank) and debtor countries. The chapters are well structured--with introductions and conclusions that really help draw out the key points of the chapter. I found that this book provided coherent theories with which I could better understand material from other political science and economics classes. Overall, I highly recommend it.
Well researched and excellently written.......2006-04-14
Thomas Oatley has written a brilliant historic piece of literature. He uses great examples to explain difficult concepts and leaves you with a comprehensive understanding of the topic. I found this book to be paramount in my undestanding of today's current debates on the US Trade Policy, our deficit, etc.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Political Economics, Economics, or just wants to learn about our economic and trade policy
5 Stars: Great Job!
Book Description
The World Economic Forum continues its tradition of excellence with the 27th edition of the annual Global Competitiveness Report featuring the latest national statistics and results of the Executive Opinion Survey, which captures the perception of over 10,000 business leaders. The report provides the most comprehensive assessment of 117 developed and emerging economies. Produced in collaboration with a distinguished group of international scholars and a global network of over 100 leading national research institutes and business organizations, the report presents individual detailed country profiles highlighting the competitive strengths and weaknesses of each economy as well as an extensive section of data tables containing country rankings for over 160 indicators. The report also showcases the latest thinking and research on issues of immediate relevance for business leaders and policy-makers. The forthcoming Report is scheduled to include thought-provoking papers by Jagdish Bhagwati, Nicholas Eberstadt, Michael E. Porter, Kenneth Rogoff, Beatrice Weder and John Williamson.
Book Description
This book is about developing implementable strategies for shipping firms. It opens with an initial historical retrospective that highlights cases on A.P. Moller-Maersk and Leif Hoegh and Co. Here the reader is introduced to the global nature of competition in shipping, as well as the volatility of shipping markets. The book then turns to the question of how to play these markets. It looks at commodity based shipping company strategies for the bulk carrier, tanker container-ship and other segments. Here, the focus is on both going long-short, in-out, and maintaining a low cost base. Next is a discussion of operations versus asset play. The book analyzes Marsoft's forecasting methodology, with case studies on The Torvald Klaveness Group, Norden, Frontline and Teekay.
The book then takes a close look at the challenge of driving one's strategy towards niches, i.e. on-commodity segments, with a spotlight on how to find a viable business opportunity and develop a defendable strength there. Examples come from I.M. Skaugen, Farstad Shipping, The Torvald Klaveness Group and Leif Hoegh and Co.
Since overall corporate-wide portfolio strategies can be important in shipping, particularly if the various elements in the portfolio are relatively unrelated, the next part of the book turns to analytical approaches, citing several examples. Then follows a discussion of key organizational issues, particularly how to create and sustain more effective, predominantly network-based organizations. The penultimate subject is the important role the board of directors can play here. Finally, the role of family firms, and the future of shipping firms, is discussed, again with several rich examples.
Book Description
Defenders of globalization, free markets, and free trade insist there's no alternative to mega-stores like Wal-Mart -- Michael Shuman begs to differ. In "The Small-Mart Revolution, Shuman makes a compelling case for his alternative business model, one in which communities reap the benefits of "going local" in four key spending categories: goods, services, energy, and finance. He argues that despite the endless media coverage of multinational conglomerates, local businesses give more to charity, adapt more easily to rising labor and environmental standards, and produce more wealth for a community. They also spend more locally, thereby increasing community income and creating wealth and jobs. "The Small-Mart Revolution presents a visionary yet practical roadmap for everyone concerned with mitigating the worst of globalization.
Customer Reviews:
Small Mart Revolution - Refocusing on what's important.......2007-08-09
Michael Shulman has done a heroic job shifting our focus to what really matters. There is a great deal of focus in government and in the media on what large corporations are doing. Shulman shows that the majority of our economic activity is based on what small businesses, government entities, non-profits and cooperatives are doing, right here in our local communities - in spite of the fact that large corporations receive a disporporationate share of government subsidies.
Shulman helps us deepen our understanding of what it means to buy local. There aren't just two modes - buying local or buying multi-national. He describes all the choices in between and helps us understand their impact on our local economies.
I've bought five copies already and given them all away. I'm buying another today. It's time to refocus our economic development back home and build the small mart revolution. This book is helping to make that hapen.
Interesting and Dinamic !.......2007-06-28
This book brings some themes about the impact of the Big Companies into the small comunities . It's a great oportunity to think about the risks of the global business.
Essential reading for any small business owner or local official.......2007-04-21
Shuman's book sets out in blunt terms the high costs of driving out of your way to save a little money at a big-box store. His main point is that many small businesses assume it's impossible to compete with Wal-Mart, Target, Home Depot, etc. Shuman shows that's not the case. He also shows that maximizing long distance import/export is a lousy way to develop an economy, both for the country doing the importing and the country doing the exporting. I can't recommend this book highly enough to anyone who is concerned with building a healthy economy in their neighborhood--no matter where in the world your neighborhood is.
Shuman does miss a few points. He discusses the subsidies enjoyed by the automobile in our society, but he says little about the role free parking plays in this. The fact is that providing free parking costs the U.S. economy hundreds of billions of dollars every year. Much of this comes from well-meaning local regulations requiring businesses and residences to provide certain numbers of parking spaces. Since parking lots cost money to build and maintain, this amounts to subsidizing automobiles over other forms of transportation. Parking lots also use up precious land that could be better used for other things, and spread out communities so that it's difficult to walk anywhere. Free parking also increases housing costs enormously; it's one of the main reasons housing is so expensive in the U.S. For more on this, see Donald Shoup's book "The High Cost of Free Parking."
Shuman also doesn't say enough on the role of population relative to local resources. No amount of re-localization of the economy can bring prosperity if a region's human population is too high. For example, Shuman discusses the benefits of localization of the economy in producing a living wage for workers. This is true to a certain extent, but keep in mind that wages are fundamentally determined by the number of people looking for work. No community can provide a living wage for long if it accepts an infinite number of immigrants.
I am more skeptical than Shuman on the possibility of long-term economic growth. Before taking what he says on this as gospel, I would suggest reading some contrary opinions, as in Bill McKibben's book "Deep Economy."
Overall, though, "The Small-Mart Revolution" is great. Don't miss it.
Title is a little misleading .......2007-03-09
As a small business advisor, I bought this book expecting to learn tips about differentiation, and strategies for beating the big box retailers. Instead it is more of a diatribe against current economic development practice and shopping at the big box stores, especially Wal-Mart. While I agree with some of his assessments, the book left me as an average citizen and consumer feeling powerless and resigned to seeing my tax dollars wasted on corporate welfare. This should be required reading for anyone in economic development or public policy, but is not really written for the average business owner, unless you are interested in starting a career as an advocate for change.
A handbook for the new economy.......2006-11-30
I'm a village trustee in rural upstate NY. For twenty years I've been trying to get our village and surrounding town to create a joint economic development office to help retain and expand, and create or lure businesses within our community. Conventional economic thinking has created a race to the bottom, with every community in a zero-sum battle to cajole or bribe outside manufacturers or retailers to locate THERE, resulting in a bidding war small depressed villages like ours simply can't win.
Now, our neighboring hamlet is being considered for a Wal-Mart Supercenter and there are those who think this is wonderful: glowing talk of jobs, convenient shopping, increased traffic for other businesses. My gut feeling, and plenty of research, has convinced me this was not going to be the case, and, like other small communities who had to deal with this possibility, I was concerned that this would decimate our existing local businesses, increase our costs for services, medical care, public assistance, etc., but was hard pressed to explain why this was the wrong way to go, or what we could do as a superior alternative.
I'm also a board member of Sustainable Hudson Valley, and the director got me a copy of Shuman's book and I devoured it in time to write a column for the local paper,do a radio interview, and present my proposals to a joint village/town board on just what a truly 21st century Development Office should focus on.
Shuman's book has neatly articulated and crystalized the thoughts and concepts I've been trying to put forth for years, and has backed them up with the facts and stats that will make it easier to overcome the "There is no alternative" thinking prevalent among economic development agencies and local officials. He shows the inherent and hidden shortcomings and costs involved in pursuing outside "white knights" or letting outside 800-pound gorillas dictate and control a community's economic destiny, and counters with a more sensible and long-term strategy to grow the "living economies" locally, with increased local production, ownership, and financing.
Shuman was at our county seat today to give a presentation based on the book, so I was able to convince some others from my community to come and hear what he had to say, and get a copy of the book; about 40 local officials, businesspersons, chamber of commerce heads, planners, and other necessary components of a comprehensive nucleus to spread this "gospel" came from two counties, and I hope to get more villagers to get copies of this book when I show a film on "Independent America" next week, which covers some of the same ground as the book, so complements it well.
I have just started reading his earlier book, "Going Local," and I plan to make them both essential reading for any local officials who will be involved in creating the new Development Office, because he lays out a template for what such an entity SHOULD be focussing on, and I wouldn't want such an office to get mired in old-style, zero-sum thinking when here is a way that we won't have to compete with neighboring communities at all... with each community growing its economy from WITHIN that community, there is no competition, no race to the bottom! Indeed, we could then network at the regional level to fill in gaps, learn from each other, expand each market area in sectors where one community has developed production unique to itself, or work together to create regional businesses that simply require larger scale or greater demographics to work.
I hope to get Shuman down directly to our village and town so he can fire up the Gloomy Gus types who are still thinking inside the literal "big box" and show them that there is a better way, and to use his book as the bible of how to rethink and reframe the approach to building better and stronger local economies.
Earlier works by others have certainly established the underlying principles and philosophical basis for this school of thought, but Shuman's book takes advantage of the practical examples and studies since then to prove the validity of the earlier thinking, and brings it right up to date. And for those in or expecting to have to battle with a big box, here's plenty of good ammunition to use to counter the wishful thinking or outright hype that gets many to roll over and surrender to the "inevitable." I now feel armed and ready!
Book Description
Ecuador is the third-largest foreign supplier of crude oil to the western United States. As the source of this oil, the Ecuadorian Amazon has borne the far-reaching social and environmental consequences of a growing U.S. demand for petroleum and the dynamics of economic globalization it necessitates. Crude Chronicles traces the emergence during the 1990s of a highly organized indigenous movement and its struggles against a U.S. oil company and Ecuadorian neoliberal policies. Against the backdrop of mounting government attempts to privatize and liberalize the national economy, Suzana Sawyer shows how neoliberal reforms in Ecuador led to a crisis of governance, accountability, and representation that spurred one of twentieth-century Latin America’s strongest indigenous movements.
Through her rich ethnography of indigenous marches, demonstrations, occupations, and negotiations, Sawyer tracks the growing sophistication of indigenous politics as Indians subverted, re-deployed, and, at times, capitulated to the dictates and desires of a transnational neoliberal logic. At the same time, she follows the multiple maneuvers and discourses that the multinational corporation and the Ecuadorian state used to circumscribe and contain indigenous opposition. Ultimately, Sawyer reveals that indigenous struggles over land and oil operations in Ecuador were as much about reconfiguring national and transnational inequalityâthat is, rupturing the silence around racial injustice, exacting spaces of accountability, and rewriting narratives of national belongingâas they were about the material use and extraction of rain-forest resources.
Customer Reviews:
Globalization on the ground in Amazonia.......2007-05-31
This is one of the best books on indigenous politics that has been written. The author's 20 years of experience in the Ecuadoran Amazonia show in the depth of her narrative and in her careful and accessible use of Foucault to draw out the complexities of indigenous identity, conceptions of nation and nationalism, and the impact of global forces. It is also beautifully written. Clearly, a labor of love and conviction by a scholar who has spent hours listening to indigenous activists , oil company officials, state officials, NGO workers, academics, and, most importantly native Ecuadorans of widely diverse political views and fashioned a wonderful book. If you are interested in all the complex political issues surrounding globalization as seen from the Amazon, you don't need a Ph.D to find this a great read
Book Description
Within 20 years -- possibly far sooner -- China will have the world's largest economy. That will powerfully impact you: your job, your company, your economic future, and your country. In The Chinese Century, Oded Shenkar shows how China is restoring its imperial glory by infusing modern technology and market economics into a non-democratic system controlled by the Communist party and bureaucracy.
Shenkar shows why China's accelerating growth differs radically from predecessors such as Japan, India, and Mexico -- and how it will lead to a radical restructuring of the global business system. Discover why the U.S. is most vulnerable to China's ascent... how China's disregard for intellectual property creates sustainable competitive advantage... and how China's growth impacts every global business and consumer.
Above all, Shenkar shows what you must do to survive and prosper in "the Chinese Century."
· Cheap labor + millions of high-skilled professionals
· How China will sustain dominance in low-tech industries as it enters high-tech realms
· Building tomorrow's Toyotas and Sonys... faster and cheaper
· Chinese multinationals: learning from joint ventures, preparing to lead
· Leveraging Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, and the "Chinese diaspora"
· Bringing together the world's most powerful pool of human resources
· $2 Rolexes, and beyond
· Piracy, counterfeiting, bootlegging, and stolen intellectual property
· From economics to geopolitics: counterbalancing America
· Previewing China's increasingly assertive foreign policy
Customer Reviews:
Disappointing overall.......2007-07-05
It is rarely that I have written less than a glowing review of any book dealing with the topics of globalization, outsourcing and the ilk. As someone who is intrigued by these issues, I have found all of my reads thus far to be riveting and educative. I wish I could I say the same about Oded Shenkar's book "The Chinese Century." I am afraid that was not the case.
The book suffers from some clear flaws. First and foremost is the fact that it focuses solely on one facet of the Chinese growth story, viz. exports and imports, and that too from a largely US-centric world view. For someone who is interested in understanding the different facets of the Chinese story and its geopolitical ramifications (as can be seen today in China's relations with Sudan, Iran, and Venezuela among others), this book clearly falls short.
Second, the tone adopted by the author is one of unbridled optimism regarding China's growth prospects. I, for one, do not necessarily share the same world view. No nation has been able to eat its cake and have it too. If you want to be a modern nation enjoying all the economic benefits that come out of a free market system, you also need to be a democracy that is built on the separation of powers between the executive and the judiciary, a free media and a vibrant middle class that is not afraid to speak up its mind. I am not sure China will be able to escape that painful transition at some point of time. The question is not "If", it is a question of "When". I would have therefore liked to see the author explain how China can make the transition from a communist nation ruled by a narrow clique to a modern nation without a democratic change thrown somewhere in between. I am afraid that he did not.
Finally to round off, I would also like to point out that the book suffers from typographical errors that are clearly unacceptable in a book published from Wharton School Publishing. Two examples, both from the same page (pg. 85 of the paper back edition) for the skeptics who need proof. "Finally, there is the potential liability and litigation cost when a safety-related product such as a break pad fails, and the legitimate manufacturer is implicated." Or, "The direct losses of U.S. IPR owners in copyrighted industries (such as movies) alone in China have been estimated at more than $1.8 annually." The proof reader probably needs to be told that it is not "break pads" but "brake pads" and that the losses to IPR owners are closer to $1.8 billion than $1.8!
Overall I am happy that the book finished at 187 pages. It's a disappointment though that not much of substance was said in those 187 pages.
Important Information!.......2006-12-31
"The Chinese Century" reminds us that our trade deficit with China is rapidly growing (up 20%/year from '01-'03), and also tells us that its composition is changing - the four highest categories in '03 were all technologically related (misc. manufactured articles, office machines and ADP equipment, telecommunications and sound-recording equipment, and electrical machinery). (Apparel/clothing and footwear were in 5th and 6th place, down from 2nd and 3rd in '99.)
Shenkar also imforms us that the Chinese are working to continue "moving up the food chain" via increasing the rate that overseas Chinese students return to China, increasing R&D spending within its organizations, and forcing overseas partners to provide valuable trade secrets. The percentage of American white-collar associated jobs lost in manufacturing has gone from 30% ('79-'89) to 35% ('90-'99), and is likely to increase further, shaking belief in the theorized overall benefit of job migration to more complex work, and the belief that education is good insurance against unemployment. (The unemployment rate for electrical engineers now is greater than the unemployment rate in general.)
China is often pilloried for violating intellectual property rights; Americans, however, should remember that the U.S. was also a major violator in the 19th century, and remained so until it emerged as a major producer of copyrighted/patented knowledge. Presumably China will follow a similar path. China is also attacked for not adjusting its exchange rate vs. the dollar - however, since its productivity-adjusted costs are about 12% that in the U.S., currency adjustment would not begin to solve the U.S.-China trade deficit. In addition, Americans need to remember that China needs to create 15 million new jobs/year to handle population growth, plus additional jobs to cover those lost due to closing ineffective government enterprises and rural residents wanting to move to its cities.
The book's avowed purpose is not on how to stop the tide of Chinese imports, but how to remain competitive. Unfortunately, its recommendations (more education) fall far short of what would be required, and are contradicted by its own material.
Yes, China is rising, BUT what must we do to survive and prosper in "the Chinese Century"?.......2006-11-05
It is obvious that China is rising and is impacting the rest of the world in an increasingly big way.
The value of The Chinese Century by Professor Oded Shenkar lies in its concise and vivid summary of China's rise and impact. As such, the author has achieved one of his goals he set out to achieve by writing this book.
However, the author clearly has not delivered what he promises to deliver in the Synopsis: "Above all, Shenkar shows what you must do to survive and prosper in "the Chinese Century"."
Indeed, as a business person, you might get even more dazzled after reading this book simply because this book gives you an academic snapshot of the China business scene (although with some vivid examples) rather than insights into and wisdom about what to do in order to succeed.
To know the latter, you have to read Dr Wei Wang's The China Executive: Marrying Western and Chinese Strengths to Generate Profitability from Your Investment in China.
Highly practical, The China Executive brings to light the highest essence of any business in the age of globalisation. It is also characterised by integration: integration of theory and practice, integration of analysis and intuition - integration, in other words, of all major concepts and ideas related to business. These include history, soceity, politics, economics and culture; management and leadership; operation, personnel, finance and marketing; organisation, market, industry and strategy; and human being, philosophy and humour.
In short, if you, as a business person, want to know what to do (as well as how to think) in "the Chinese Century", buy and read The China Executive.
Current and Comprehensive.......2006-10-15
Author Oded Shenkar provides up-to-date information, specific
details, and perspectives about the current and future ascension of
China. It is and will affect us locally and globally. This book
focuses on generalities and will be helpful to those who plan on
doing business in China or want to learn more about the "macro"
affects of the PRC's growing influence. Perhaps too obvious to state
(again) is China's coming economic, political, and military role in
our world. By now, this concept is cliche. Yet the question is
relevant, and now, moreso than ever before. The "Chinese Century"
largely focuses on the next 100 years. Surpassing the U.S.
economically, is predicted to happen within the next twenty years.
Many American companies have been complacent and industry leaders
were caught of guard by China's massive growth. Lackadaisical?
fixed, mind-sets? Competitors in neighboring countries (e.g. Korea)
started losing out to China in the 1990s.
Some of the common questions and discussions that Shenkar addresses
are: "How will China's economic ascension will affect its region and
the entire world?" "How will it impact and transform the U.S.
economy?" "How will it change you?" The author notes the transition
of the American economy to a service-sector economy.
Domestically, the more challenging aspects for the CPC and Chinese
society are how to lessen and/or resolve the Income Gap between
Eastern cities and rural areas (and within these cities themselves).
Those in the eastern China are living in a radically different world
than those inland. Both of these groups are aware of the differences
between them as status symbols, faster-paced life, and incessant
conspicuous consumption propel attitudes, the economy, and egos.
There is quantifiable alienation between the "have-nots," who
outnumber the "haves" by hundreds of millions. Confrontations over
water and land-use, and eminent domain, are frequently reported.
Stealing Intellectual Property:
The Chinese can produce - but they cannot create. "Creativity" and
"ingenuity" are the new buzzwords of the government. Creativity may
or may not happen. If it is ever achieved to some degree, it will
take time (generations) and will require changes to the cultural
mindset and education system.
Implementing Foreign Policy Interests:
The U.S. acts upon its own self-centered interests like many dominant
nation-states. America's economic might promotes its diplomatic and
trade interests in the international world. Often these strengths
reinforce and complement one another when pressuring countries to "go
along" with the current administration in Washington, regardless of
who is in power.
The Chinese may do this too, if they choose to "go international."
I believe Chinese foreign policy will become more direct and
unilateral.
Economic might brings diplomatic, political, and potential military
might (if China continues its high military spending). Westerners
should realize that there's no motivation nor reason for the Chinese
people to want the values and beliefs of liberal democracies of the
West. To think they would, is culturally-centric arrogance.
Corruption:
Corruption exists in many countries of the world. In China it's an
epidemic from the bottom ranks to the highest levels of society. It
has to be dealt with. Even reducing it may take more than one or two
generations. Morality is also an issue. Hu Jintao recently outlined
the "8 honors and 8 shames" in 2004. Meant for the Chinese people,
but specifically geared towards party members. It's a general and
idealistic message. Will it be followed? This reinforces the fact
that rampant corruption, greed, and selfishness is a primary obstacle
to economic and political stability. Throughout East Asia
competition outweighs cooperation in business and social
interactions.
What will China be like when it has the economic power to promote its
interests?
The Chinese understand and realize they are "producers." They are
not "creators." They're not "individuals." However - if - they ever
become creative, adaptable, and individualistic, beware.
Incidentally, anyone who thinks that a market-based economy promotes
or is conducive to forms of "democratic representation" is completely
misinformed. The pairing of these two is the exception, not the
rule.
The U.S. derides Cuba for it authoritarianism and refuses to do
business with Cuba, while at the same time it's in bed with China,
which is far more brutal, oppressive, and venal.
A good book. Recommended.
Insightful and well-written .......2006-05-31
China is a quickly rising economy on the world stage and many liken it to another Japan on the horizon. However, there are as many differences as there are similarities between the rise of the Chinese economy and the rise of Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, or Hong Kong. These differences are critical if you are going to understand the impact this will have on the American and world economy. What is the legacy of China's history and how is that impacting their current economy? How is China dealing with (or not dealing with) the problem of piracy and bootlegging of legitimate products on the world market and how will that affect their position on the world market stage? The author deftly covers opportunities and challenges in the China market and in United States Chinese market. The Chinese Century is highly recommended for anyone who wishes to understand the Chinese market and the implications of that market for the United States.
Book Description
For more than a century and a half, the most-powerful national governments have created institutions of multilateral governance that promise to make a more inclusive world, a world serving women, working people, the colonized, the 'backward,' the destitute and the despised. This book is a study of that promise and the real impact of this world government.
Global Institutions, Marginalization, and Development discusses what systems of global institutions have done, and what they have not done, to keep their promise to the truly disadvantaged. It examines whether the system will serve the world's least advantaged, or marginalize them further.
The future will largely be determined by the understanding of the global political economy developed by the world's most powerful people-corporate leaders and government officials in the strongest states. Their worldviews, in turn, will be influenced both by the political action and the ideas of social movements and by the views of those who study the global political economy. Whether it is the 'economists and political philosophers' or the social movements of the disadvantaged that are most likely to influence the world's lawmakers and the processes by which they will complete the next generation of multilateral institutions are the central topic of this book.
Key content includes:
· World Organizations and Human Needs
· Liberal Internationalism
· Social Movements and Liberal World Orders
· Political Consequences of the New Inequality
· Leadership and Global Governance for the information age
· Marginalization and the Privileged
This book is important reading for anyone with an interest in international political economy, global governance, development and the politics of north & south.
Book Description
An essential introduction to the field of historical geography, which offers a radical new way of understanding global capitalism.
Fiscal crises have cascaded across much of the developing world with devastating results, from Mexico to Indonesia, Russia and Argentina. The extreme volatility in contemporary political economic fortunes seems to mock our best efforts to understand the forces that drive development in the world economy.
In this groundbreaking book, David Harvey shows how the disciplines of historical geography yield decisive new insights into the workings of global capitalism, and introduces the concept of uneven geographical development as a revelatory perspective on the forces which create economic success or failure.
Customer Reviews:
Another Harvey essay collection.......2006-11-12
As is usual for David Harvey, this series of three essays considers the role of space at both the political economic and the philosophical level. The first two essays are speeches given as Hettner Lectures in Geography at the Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, the last essay is a reflection on space as a 'keyword' in the sense of Raymond Williams. Together, this forms a small booklet of little more than 140 pages.
The first essay, "Neo-Liberalism and the Restoration of Class Power", is an overview of the resurgence of neoliberalism in recent decades, and the deleterious effects this has had both practically and in academics. Much of this is known to any leftist and the same sort of thing can be found in any radical blog.
The second essay is "A Theory of Uneven Geographical Development". This essay is much more interesting and is basically a summary and example of the typical approach of Harvey in utilizing Marxist economical geography. This text can be considered an introduction to the subject, useful to look into before one would go on to read "Limits to Capital", Harvey's most important work of this kind.
The last essay, "Space as a Key Word", is a philosophical analysis of the meaning of the word space, and its various dialectical aspects. This is in my view the most novel and contributive essay in the collection, as it builds on the work of Lefebvre, Einstein and Marx to construct a concept of space at nine different levels of abstraction. Two different matrices showing the intersection of these levels are provided by Harvey, sure to give inspiration for new thinking on this subject, which I think was the essay's main intent considering its shortness.
Whether it is worth it to buy this booklet separately is hard to say. It can be quite useful as an introduction to Harvey's way of thinking, to be read before some of his real books. The last essay is also a good insight into a little discussed subject, the philosophy of space. But certainly purchase of this work is hardly necessary, any other Harvey book will do as well.
Sophisticated analysis of geographical development.......2006-10-29
"Spaces of Global Capitalism" by David Harvey consists of two presentations delivered at the eighth Hettner-Lecture at the University of Heidelberg in 2004 and a third related essay. These challening works are the product of a thinker who has spent a lifetime of cross-disciplinary study on the issues of capitalism, politics, geography and related topics. Intended principally for an academic audience, Mr. Harvey's research succeeds in providing guidance for others who may want to further explore these issues in the future.
The first lecture, "Neo-liberalism and the restoration of class power" is by far the most accessible in the book. In essence a 62-page synopsis of Mr. Harvey's exceptional book, "A Brief History of Neoliberalism", the author convincingly reveals neoliberalism to be an ideology whose primary goal is to enshrine and protect elite power. Mr. Harvey's brilliant analysis connects growing income disparities with a concomitant rise in militarism and fundamentalism which he contends must be addressed with a revived popular struggle for democracy. The author's thoughts on this timely and important topic is quite simply essential reading.
The second lecture is entitled, "Notes towards a theory of uneven geographical development". Mr. Harvey explores how developed capitalist nations of the north tend to exploit the periphery, creating a chronic state of underdevelopment for much of the global south. The author discusses the concept of accumulation by dispossession and how it is subject to changing conditions, including: market exchange, spatial competition, geographical division of labor, monopolistic competition, annihilation of space through time, physical infrastructures, production of regionality, production of scale, territorial systems of political administration, and geopolitics. The analysis opens pathways for other scholars who may be interested in applying Mr. Harvey's principles to specific case studies.
The third essay included in the book is "Space as a key word." This seemed to be the most theoretical of the three and will probably be of greatest interests to specialists in the field of geographical development. Mr. Harvey shows how human practices define urban space and gives shape to architecture; for example, collective memory and political struggle are critical to defining culturally significant landmarks such as the rebuilding of ground zero in New York City. The author suggests that space must be understood from multiple perspectives and provides methodologies for others to consider.
I recommend this demanding book for academics or persons who have a sophisticated understanding of geographical development. On the other hand, those who are interested in uneven development as it pertains to neoliberalism are encouraged to pick up Mr. Harvey's highly-readable "A Brief History of Neoliberalism" in order to fully appreciate the author's thoughts on this particularly important topic.
A cogent and persuasive warning of the harm that can come from neglecting harmful worldwide geo-social trends.......2006-09-12
Spaces Of Global Capitalism: Towards A Theory Of Uneven Geographical Development is a collection of essays about fiscal crises that have wracked the developing world, from Mexico to Indonesia, Russia and Argentina. Geographer and social theorist David Harvey criticizes the failings of modern capitalism, discusses the development of neo-liberalism, and searches for answers to the globalization of inequality in the essays "Neo-Liberalism and the Restoration of Class Power", "Notes Towards a Theory of Uneven Geographical Development", and "Space as a Key Word". Intended for scholars and students across the humanities and social sciences, Spaces Of Global Capitalism is a cogent and persuasive warning of the harm that can come from neglecting harmful worldwide geo-social trends, and is highly recommended.
a great theoretical resource.......2006-07-10
Harvey is one of the most influential theorists of our times. He has been doing some great work on global development issues. Some of his initial thoughts are recorded in a recent book called _Spaces of Global Capitalism: Towards a theory of uneven geographical development_. This is continuation of his earlier works - New Imperialism and A brief history of Neoliberlism. He repeats some of the idea in this smaller book, however, he is working on some new ideas. So if you haven't read the other books, this can be good introduction. However, to get a better idea I would recommend reading his other works.
According to Harvey, uneven development is nothing new. However, extreme volatile geopolitical situation made it necessary for better theoretical interpretation. Harvey outlines four different ways currently we think of uneven development:
1)"Catch up": In this paradigm uneven development is the product of the process from the center that leaves behind residuals from preceding eras or "meets with pockets of resistances towards the progress and modernization that capitalism promotes". He continues, "Backwardness (the term is highly significant) arises out of an unwillingness or an inability (in racist versions considered innate, in environmentalist versions seen as naturally imposed, and in culturalist versions understood in terms of weight of historical, religious etc.) to "catch up" with the dynamics of a western-centered capitalism, usually portrayed as the highpoint of modernity and civilization."
2)Constructivist arguments: The focus here is exploitative practices of capitalism backed by political and military establishment of powerful nations.
3)Environmentalist: Jared Diamond and Jeffery Sachs are one of the biggest proponents of this approach.
4)Geopolitical interpretation: These interpretations focuses on territorially organized powers. "These powers can be organized as states or blocs of states but struggles also occur between regions, cities, communities, local neighborhoods, turfs etc."
Harvey points out that there are many overlaps between these approaches. However, depending on the approach, the line of argument is can change. So he is trying to develop a "unified" theory of uneven geographical development. He proposes four conditionalities that is simple enough to aid comprehension and complex enough to embrace the nuances:
a) The material embedding of capital accumulation process in the web of socio-ecological life .
b) Accumulation by dispossession.
c)The law-like character of capital accumulation in space and time.
d) The political, social and "class" struggles at a variety of geographical scales.
Book Description
The most valued workers today are what the economist Richard Florida calls the Creative Class, skilled individuals ranging from money managers to make–up artists, software programmers to steady–cam operators who are in constant demand around the world. Florida's bestselling The Rise of the Creative Class identified these workers as the source of economic revitalization in American cities. In that book, he shows that investment in technology and a civic culture of tolerance (most–often marked by the presence of a large gay community) are the key ingredients to attracting and maintaining a local creative class. In The Flight of the Creative Class, Florida expands his research to cover the global competition to attract the Creative Class. The United States was, up until 2002, the unparalleled leader in creative capital. But several key events––the Bush administrations emphasis on smokestack industries, heightened security concerns after 9/11 and the growing cultural divide between conservatives and liberals––have put the US at a substantial dis–advantage.
Customer Reviews:
Still needs to take on the 900-pound gorilla.......2007-04-11
"If America continues to make it harder for some of the world's most talented students and workers to come here, they'll go to other countries eager to tap into their creative capabilities--as will American citizens fed up with what they view as an increasingly repressive environment."
-- Dr. Richard Florida, The Flight of the Creative Class
From this quote you can see immediately the sort of society Dr. Florida wants. Me, too. What's puzzling is he doesn't explicitly attach his shiny new cart of creativity to the thoroughbred of peace and political liberty.
In particular, you'd expect him to lambaste the Neocon Usurpers for launching expensive wars for isolated benefit of the Carlyle Group. Is he pulling his punches so Rush Bimbaugh won't accuse him of Bush-bashing? In general, why doesn't Florida boldly oppose the bonecrushing machinery of government per se?
That's my 900-pound-gorilla reservation about The Creative books. Otherwise, they provide a nice boost to the kinds of people we want to cultivate in society... or even want to be.
It appears many in public office, more semi-comatose Democrats than fully rabid Republicans, are interested in developing and retaining creative communities.
But are they willing to do what it takes?
The more political power they wield the less willing they are.
Rise shows that what Dr. Florida calls the three Ts of creative-class communities--Talent, Technology, and Tolerance--occur rarely. And when they do, it's more from the tolerance angle.
Austin, San Francisco, Seattle, Burlington (VT), Boston, the highest American cities on the creative-class list, achieve their vaunted status by spontaneous order. When governments catch up to what's going on and want to push people around, it's too late.
Tolerance is also another word for freedom. We can easily argue that liberty is fundamentally what the creative havenots have not. Talent and technology gravitate toward communities naturally when political leaders see their mission as preserving a natural order based on civil liberties.
They accomplish that mission mainly by removing government obstacles and keeping the infrastructure efficient.
Government never furthered any enterprise but by the alacrity with which it got out of its way. -- Thoreau
Libertarians need no writer from the halls of the Carnegie Mellon Institute to tell us this dear Hamlet. But it's nice that in Rise Dr. Florida makes such a good statistical case for what creativity is, where it lives, and how we can nurture it. He also makes us aware that we, too, are paid-up members of the CC.
Flight is about politicians not getting the point of Rise.
...
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Brian Wright
Copyright 2007
Don't Waste Your Time and Money.......2006-06-21
While I appreciated and generally agreed with the thesis Richard Florida puts forward that creativity is important for society, there were many times when I found his writing `style' to be annoying. I had almost put the book down after completing the first third of it. Mr. Florida's sensitivity to criticism and unabashed need to respond to every negative comment he received from his first book made me wonder just how narcissistic this man was. His ego flows onto each page and sometimes, in my view, gets in the way of his work and feeds a perception that he is not completely objective.
There are many points that get overlooked in his analysis. Why are people gravitating to Austin, Texas? Mr. Florida postulates it is because the city is open to new ideas and diverse. While I am certain that there are people who choose to relocate based on perceptions of how open and diverse a given area is, it makes more sense to look at more practical motivators such as taxes, real estate prices, crime rates, or climate. Tangible factors such as these get little mention. The assumption made by Mr. Florida is that a heterogeneous, open society is more creative than a homogenous, closed one. I guess that Japan and South Korea don't count.
I could go on, but I would not recommend this book.
False Dichotomy between Creative and Technology Mindset.......2006-05-11
Richard Florida's work has many culturally helpful things to say. A kid's review - well argued by the way - has pointed out that Florida's work has a right brain bias. I agree, and I don't mind.
The US leads in entertainment and cultural innovation. Its writers, artists, musicians have inspired the rest of the world for a century. Today though, we fall behind in math as India and China educate engineers by the thousands. Both kinds of professionals are needed to create DIGITAL content. Communications technology without a stimulating variety of cultural content would be vapid, robotic and regimented. Humane, funny, vulnerable, caring, prankish creatives make the technology math heads produce worth watching, listening to, interacting with.
Florida's cultural creatives are the people who do this. Without them, you get the aesthetics of the the first experiments in 3D animation in the early 80's. No art direction and horrible colors. Digital technology has to present something pleasing to the eye,the ear, the soul. And the sensibility that creates this is a different kind of sensibility from algorithmic math and logic. When married, you get Apple. When kept separate you get Sun microsystems.
But wait tech heads. Great content still needs fabulous technology to get encoded into bits, sent 20,000 miles and decoded. Records don't get made without audio engineers.
Can we get over this petty squabbling and admit that techies and artists need each other? Do we all have to be little DaVinci's to close the gap? If Florida complains about President Bush subtly or not so subtly in this book, it's because Bush doesn't get half of the equation. Have you ever heard Bush say anything about the arts in his two terms as president? Short sighted, I think, and worth a complaint or two.
Florida's work is based on a fundamentally flawed assumption.......2006-04-28
Richard Florida divides people into two groups, those in the creative class such as artists, musicians, and engineers and those not in the creative class, mainly people not engaged in so called "creative work". Based on his research into the characteristics of these groups he concludes that India and China are not the real threat in terms of high tech competition and it is the smaller European nations with more open political climates that are the real threat. Obviously, Florida is not an engineer or a real scientist since anyone in the high tech field knows that India and China are the main competition for high tech jobs and the massive offshoring of engineering jobs is even lowering the number of students in college pursuing these fields. The main problem is that Florida doesn't realize that an engineer with a 4 year university degree is not the same as a writer, musician or artist that may have no education at all especially in difficult math and science courses. He mistakenly believes these two separate groups to be equal and the same in terms of contributing to high tech innovation and development. For writers an open political climate is necessary to make a living writing controversial books. However, for an engineer an open political climate is not essential in most cases but a stable modern environment where he feels confortable living and working is needed. Furthermore, Florida makes a huge deal about the "Gay Index" where high concentration of gays indicate a high concentration of the creative class and high tech innovation. This may be true in western civilization but in China and India it is irrelavant. Florida also seems to have given up on his "Technology" element of economic development for America because in his latest article for USA Today he states something to the effect that high tech innovation can be outsourced anywhere and America can only maintain its lead if it concentrated on "culture", "art", "music" and "improving retail service" jobs. In conclusion, Richard Florida's creative class theory where "Talent", "Technology", and "Tolerance" is needed for economic development is fundamentally flawed. Florida's writings lack the rigor and unbiased analysis of a real engineer or scientist but is designed to sell books to a socially liberal audience.
Politically independent?.......2006-02-08
I bought this book after seeing Mr Florida talk on CSPAN-2. He does have some interesting things to say about creativity, but...
I found it very difficult to finish.
Mr Florida claims to be politically independent, but he doesn't even hesitate to engage in the sort of casual Bush bashing one see's only in the extreme left, and along with this he repeats almost every silly platitude of same, including the ridiculous "pentagon holding a bake sale to buy a bomber" bit.
If he's politically independent, then I'm the King of Siam.
And his solution? right out of the leftists playbook, we have to spend more, lots more, way more than we ever have, "several orders of magnitude more" on "education", "culture" and "the arts."
Anyone interested in buying a used book? Only read once...
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