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  • 1.  Two-volume book on Development-Oriented CSR

    Posted 03-23-2015 11:17
    We are happy to announce the publication of forthcoming (July 2015) new book on Development-Oriented CSR by Greenleaf publishing.

     

                


    VOLUME 1: Development-Oriented Corporate Social Responsibility: Multinational Corporations and the Global Context 

    Editors: Dima Jamali, Charlotte Karam and Michael Blowfield



    VOLUME 2: Development-Oriented Corporate Social Responsibility: Locally-led Initiatives in Developing Economies 

    Eds: Dima Jamali, Charlotte Karam and Michael Blowfield

     


    What's Inside:


    Globalization and the professionalization of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) have led to a surge of CSR activities claiming to support development across the globe. In this two volume series, the editors explore this claim through nuanced debate about the potentialities, limitations and threats of development-oriented CSR in the developing world at both the global and local levels. This important series will be the reference source for academics, practitioners, policy-makers and NGOs involved in development-oriented CSR.

    • The first series to examine international CSR approaches and context-specific needs in developing countries.
    • Two volume series exploring the global context and local perspective
    • Essential reading for academia, business, government and NGOs involved in CSR in developing countries.

    The first volume explores the dynamics involved in shaping the complex interface between multinational corporations and possibilities for CSR-related development.  It captures the mixed record of MNCs in promoting effective development in those parts of the world where it is most needed.

     

     The second volume provides a platform for localized perspectives on CSR in developing countries across the globe. The editors bring local context and business to the forefront and highlight the efforts spearheaded by indigenous actors from within the developing world.

     




  • 2.  Two-volume book on Development-Oriented CSR

    Posted 03-23-2015 23:31
    Dear All,

    Please forgive the self-promotion but I would like to draw your attention to my latest treatise on "Wind Power Politics and Policy" (OUP) 

    The book might be of interest to your research or to the research being conducted by your students in that I apply a STEP (or PEST) framework that is typically associated with strategic market analysis to analyze why nations succeed or fail in wind power diffusion programs.

    All the best,
    Scott

    Scott Victor VALENTINE, PhD
    Associate Professor and Environmental Policy Programme Director
    Department of Public Policy and School of Energy and Environment
    City University of Hong Kong
     

    Overview
    The wind power development policy community faces a conundrum. On the one hand, as the most commercially viable form of utility-scale renewable energy, the wind power industry has experienced in excess of ten-fold growth in total installed capacity over the past decade. On the other hand, installed wind power capacity still accounts for less than 2% of global electricity-generation capacity, despite the prevalence of studies indicating that, in certain situations, wind power can be a cheaper form of electricity than most fossil fuel alternatives. Accordingly, the most puzzling aspect of wind power development policy can be summed up in the following manner: given the global imperative to facilitate an expedient transition away from CO2-intensive energy technologies and the commercial viability of wind power, what is stopping the wind power industry from capturing higher market shares around the world?

    In Wind Power Politics and Policy, Scott Valentine examines this question from two angles. First, it presents an analysis of social, technical, economic and political (STEP) barriers which research shows tends to stymie wind power development. Case studies which examine phlegmatic wind power development in Japan, Taiwan, Australia and Canada are presented in order to demonstrate to the reader how these barriers manifest themselves in practice. Second, the book presents an analysis of STEP catalysts which have been linked to successful growth of wind power capacity in select nations. Four more case studies that examine the successful development of wind power in Denmark, Germany, the USA and China are put forth as practical examples of how supportive factors conflate to produce conditions that are conducive to growth of wind power markets. By examining its impediments and catalysts, the book will provide policymakers with insight into the types of factors that must be effectively managed in order to maximize wind power development.

    Advance Reviews
    "If you must choose only one book to help understand the dynamics and potential of wind power in the contemporary energy mix, this is it. Valentine provides a succinct overview of the technologies and issues facing the sector and detailed cases studies of countries such as Germany, Denmark Canada, Japan, China and the United States which show the factors and variables which have resulted in some of these countries being world leaders in wind power and others laggards. This is a first class work, engaging and readable yet detailed and sophisticated in its approach and findings" - Professor Michael Howlett, Simon Fraser University, Author ofDesigning Public Policy: Principles and Instruments
    "Climate change can no longer be denied. Humanity has to act quickly and decisively to deal with it and mitigate its impact. We have to give up our addiction to fossil fuel and find alternative power sources. Surprisingly, little attention has been paid to wind power as a viable alternative. Scott Valentine's book therefore could not be more timely and more relevant for a planet in peril. He explains lucidly how wind power can give us new hope" - Professor Kishore Mahbubani, National University of Singapore, former President of the UN Security Council, Author of The Great Convergence: Asia, the West, and the Logic of One World
    "As the climate change crisis makes clear, the transition to clean energy is the challenge of this century. An important component of a renewal energy mix will be wind power. But there is nothing certain about this development. This book helps us sort out the complex issues associated with this important source of renewable energy. I highly recommend it" - Professor Frank Fischer, Professor, Rutgers University, Author of Reframing Public Policy: Discursive Politics and Deliberative Practices
    "The book describes a dilemma wrapped in a paradox. The paradox is that the world needs to decarbonize its electricity sector, yet clean and competitive wind power is struggling. That creates the dilemma: will the world embrace the opportunity to generate carbon-free electricity and address the changing climate or will it continue on its unsustainable path forward? Scott Valentine's book explains the electricity resource choices made by six influential nations. The history of wind power development in these nations is explained through a Political SET framework which provides comprehensive insight into forces that either enable or bar wind power development. This book provides a clear idea of what must be managed in order for wind power development to meet its potential in a timely manner" - Professor Marilyn Brown, Georgia Institute of Technology, Author of Climate Change and Global Energy Security: Technology and Policy Options, 2007 Nobel Laureate