The Global Environment of Business

David W. Conklin is James D. Fleck Professor in International Business and a Professor of the Global Environment of Business area group at Richard Ivey School of Business. In addition he is President, Conklin and Associates, Inc., a company which undertakes research and consulting activities for private corporations and government departments and agencies on public policy issues. He has also taught in the Economics and Political Science Departments at UWO, and has been an Adjunct Professor in Social Science. He earned a BA in political science and economics from the University of Toronto and a PhD in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.Conklin′s research work focuses on the interface between corporations and public policies. This includes work for governments in the design and enforcement of legislation and regulations, as well as consulting for corporations in influencing public policies and in complying with government legislation and regulations. He has been Director, UWO Office of the Institute for Research on Public Policy, and Director of the University of Western Ontario Centre for American Studies. Over the past fifteen years, he has published over 50 articles and over 30 books.

• IntroductionPart I. Social ForcesChapter 1. Differentiating Strategies in Accordance With Cultural DifferencesIn Practice 1.1. Changes In Cultural Preferences For DiamondsChapter 2. Coping With New Concerns About Corruption and FraudPractice 2.1. Evaluating and Improving the Corporate Ethical CultureChapter 3. Adopting an Ethics Code and Corporate Social Responsibility: Why, What, and How?In Practice 3.1. Environmental Degradation: The Result of Corruption and Fraud and Deficiencies in Ethics and CSRPart II. Technological ForcesChapter 4. Social Capital: Implications for Entrepreneurship and InnovationPractice 4.1. Differences in Social Capital as Determinants of Investment LocationsChapter 5. Strengthening the Firm?s Knowledge CapabilitiesIn Practice 5.1. How Can a Government Strengthen the Knowledge Capabilities of Firms in Its Jurisdiction?Chapter 6. Investing in New TechnologiesIn Practice 6.1. Investing in Telecom and E-Business in a Less Developed EconomyPart III. Economic ForcesChapter 7. Industry Structure as a Determinant of ProfitabilityPractice 7.1. Challenges and Rewards of Outsourcing the HR DepartmentChapter 8. Comparing Nations as Investment LocationsIn Practice 8.1. Changes in the Industry Structure and National Competitive Advantage in the Watch IndustryChapter 9. Adjusting to Economic VolatilityIn Practice 9.1. Economic Risks of the Inflation/Devaluation CyclePart IV. Political Forces and the Role of GovernmentChapter 10. Analyzing and Evaluating Political RisksIn Practice 10.1. Assessing and Comparing Political RisksChapter 11. Seizing Opportunities in Privatization and Regulatory ChangesPractice 11.1 Assessing Risks and Opportunities in Privatization and Regulatory ChangesChapter 12. Ongoing Impacts of Trade and Investment AgreementsIn Practice 12.1. Subsidies and Unfair Competition: The Example of AircraftIn Practice 12.2. Coping With ?Unfair Competition? From ChinaChapter 13. Summary and ConclusionsAuthor IndexSubject IndexAbout the Author