Usability and Internationalization. Global and Local User Interfaces


Book Description

This is the second of a two-volume set that constitutes the refereed proceedings of the Second International Conference on Usability and Internationalization, UIHCII 2007, held in Beijing, China in July 2007. The papers of this second volume cover global and local user interfaces and are organized in topical sections on designing global and local products and services, as well as enhancing and personalizing the user experience.




The Internationalization of Government Procurement Regulation


Book Description

As governments are major buyers of goods and services, foreign companies are keen to be able to participate in procurement opportunities on an equal footing with national firms. This has given rise to the inclusion of procurement disciplines in trade agreements and to internationally-agreed good regulatory practices in this important policy area. The contributions to this book examine how the dynamic mix of bilateral, regional, plurilateral and international norms on government procurement is reflected in purchasing practices at the national level and whether these are leading to convergence in policies and approaches. The countries studied span both advanced, high-income economies and emerging economies. Some are members of the WTO procurement agreement, others are not. Most WTO members have decided not to commit to binding international disciplines on procurement in trade agreements. This book explores whether there has been nonetheless internationalization of good procurement practices, and what current public purchasing processes suggest as regards the value added of signing on to binding rules of the game in this area. The approach taken in the volume is interdisciplinary. Contributors include economists, political scientists, legal scholars, and practitioners with a solid understanding of both the extant international disciplines and national government procurement policies. Each chapter assesses the current state of play as regards legislation and procurement practices; the degree to which industrial policy considerations feature in the relevant regulatory frameworks; the existence and use of domestic dispute resolution and review procedures that allow firms to contest the behavior of procuring entities; and the availability of data on procurement processes and outcomes.




The Role of Foreign Direct Investment in East Asian Economic Development


Book Description

The international flow of long-term private capital has increased dramatically in the 1990s. In fact, many policymakers now consider private foreign capital to be an essential resource for the acceleration of economic growth. This volume focuses attention on the microeconomic determinants and effects of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the East Asian region, allowing researchers to explore the overall structure of FDI, to offer case studies of individual countries, and to consider their insights, both general and particular, within the context of current economic theory.




The Internationalization of Japan


Book Description

The Internationalization of Japan provides the English-speaking reader with the opportunity to hear what some of Japan's leading social scientists and other commentators have to say about the internationalization of their country as well as their country's impact overseas. The topic is of extreme importance now as the international community demands a greater Japanese contribution to international society as well as changes in Japan to facilitate foreign access. The book discusses the internationalization of politics, economy and society. Topics of special interest include the internationalization of Japanese capital, the response of Japanese society to foreign workers, local level initiatives for internationalization and the internationalization of education. To place the internationalization of Japan in comparative perspective there are chapters on Britain and the United States from a leading British and a leading American political scientist respectively. These two and the editors aside, all the contributors are highly regarded Japanese scholars or commentators.




Television Regulation and Media Policy in China


Book Description

Since the late 1990s, there has been a crucial and substantial transformation in China’s television system involving institutional, structural and regulatory changes. Unravelling the implications of these changes is vital for understanding the politics of Chinese media policy-making and regulation, and thus a comprehensive study of this history has never been more essential. This book studies the transformation of the policy and regulation of the Chinese television sector within a national political and economic context from 1996 to the present day. Taking a historical and sociological approach, it engages in the theoretical debates over the nature of the transformation of media in the authoritarian Chinese state; the implications of the ruling party’s political legitimacy and China’s central-local conflicts upon television policy-making and market structure; and the nature of the media modernisation process in a developing country. Its case studies include broadcasting systems in Shanghai and Guangdong, which demonstrate that varied polices and development strategies have been adopted by television stations, reflecting different local circumstances and needs. Arguing that rather than being a homogenous entity, China has demonstrated substantial local diversity and complex interactions between local, national and global media, this book will be of interest to students and scholars of Chinese media, politics and policy, and international communications.




Global and Local Internationalization


Book Description

Offering a range of perspectives on internationalization in higher education from a globally dispersed group of authors, this book reflects the many facets of the theme. It reminds us that, while internationalization is strongly connected to the globalization of society, at the same time it is deeply embedded in local political, economic and social structures, systems and cultures. The increasing attention given to internationalization by institutions all around the world is leading to diversification and broadening of practice. This in turn deepens our understanding of what is needed to enhance the educational experiences of students, and how the outcomes of internationalization contribute to the skills needed in a globalized and multicultural society. Yet inevitably the impact is becoming more noticeable locally and the six sections of the book focus on these dimensions: Internationalization in Local and Global Contexts Local and Global Drivers for Change Global and Local Dimensions of Curriculum Internationalization The Outcomes of Local and Global International Education Internationalization for Local and Global Employability Regional and National Cases of Local and Global Internationalization How can we define more precise learning outcomes that underpin learning and teaching? How do we avoid the societal risks of internationalization and ensure that internationalization opportunities and benefits are shared equally? How do we prevent brain drain and commercialization? What are the values that underlie our actions? These are just some of the questions that will occupy our minds, locally and globally, in the years to come and which this book seeks to highlight.







Beyond Foreign Economic Policy


Book Description

Investigates the ways in which the US responded to the European Community's Single Market Program, launched in the 1980s, arguing that foreign economic policy is the product of interests and actions expressed by a wide range of groups and at many different levels. Analyzes changes faced by the US in the world political economy of the 1990s, and details the process by which Congress, state governments, and US executives and firms responded to the Single Market Program, looking especially at issues of public procurement, and standards, testing, and certification. Distributed by Books International. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR




An Investment Perspective on Global Value Chains


Book Description

This report investigates the role of foreign direct investment (FDI) in helping developing countries participate in global value chains (GVCs). It combines the perspectives and strategies from three types of players: multinational corporations, domestic firms and governments. It aims to provide practical guidance for developing countries to develop strategies that use FDI to strengthen GVC participation and upgrading. The report has six main chapters: 1. FDI and GVCs. Assesses the trade-investment nexus and analyzes the effect of FDI in countries’ GVC participation and upgrading at the country level. 2. MNCs shape GVC development. Highlights MNCs' contribution to global economy and how their business strategies shape the evolution of GVCs. The chapter also compares MNCs' business strategies in terms of outsourcing and offshoring, risk mitigation and increasing market power across GVC archetypes. 3. Domestic firm perspectives on GVC participation. Looks at the various paths domestic firms can take to internationalize their production and trade. Investigates domestic firm characteristics that predict higher GVC participation, and the effect of GVC participation on firm performance. 4. Investment policy and promotion: what is in a government’s toolbox? Summarizes the various policy instruments governments have at their disposal to help attract MNCs to their country and facilitate GVC participation of domestic firms. 5. Integrating countries into GVCs. Draws on a range of case studies to illustrate how governments can develop coherent strategies and policy packages to integrate their countries into GVCs. 6. FDI and GVCs in the wake of COVID-19. Reflects the impact of COVID-19 on FDI and GVCs, the response from multinationals and suppliers, and the implications for GVC reconfiguration. In addition, there are seven case studies that offer more nuanced analysis on the GVC participation in selected countries and sectors: • Five qualitative case studies: Five countries have been selected that managed to use FDI to stimulate GVC participation using a range of approaches. By design, these five countries also cover five different GVC archetypes. These countries are: (1) Kenya (horticulture); (2) Dominican Republic (textiles); (3) Mauritius (tourism); (4) Malaysia (electronics); (5) China (software). • Two quantitative case studies: Rwanda, West-Bengal (India). These use a combination of firm- and transaction level datasets to study firm-level dynamics that explain the role of multinational and domestic firms across GVCs.




The Oxford Handbook of China Innovation


Book Description

"The Oxford Handbook of China Innovation provides a contemporary and authoritative view of the role of innovation in China's extraordinary emergence. The Handbook consists of chapters written by over sixty experts from universities and research institutions worldwide, who describe and analyze this phenomenon with criticism, discussion of policy issues, and views about further development. It focuses on the microeconomic factors in China's growth, of which the critical force has been the steady drive for innovation. It identifies the many factors instrumental in the development of innovation and evaluates those that are specific to China's context, and those applicable to other nations. The scope of topics is comprehensive, covering China's development policies, the place of innovation in national priorities, the components of the national innovation system and the resources required for their effective deployment. These include the institutions and policies that provide incentives and support to technological development, including people, financial mechanisms, private ownership, rule of law and culture. The issue of foreign influence is also addressed, including the evolution of policy towards inward foreign direct investment and knowledge transfer and China's goals for outward foreign direct investment. The chapters include discussion of the capabilities and strategies of world-class Chinese innovators, together with emerging issues such as environmental remediation, green energy, digital innovation, open innovation, mass innovation and China's future science and technology policy. As China emerges as a contender for global leadership in many fields, the Handbook provides a foundation for informed conjecture regarding the challenges ahead"--