The notion of microfoundations has received growing interest in neo-institutional theory (NIT) along with an increasing interest in microfoundational research in disciplines such as strategic management and organizational economics. However, despite reference to the same term, there are decisive differences in how microfoundations have been addressed across different disciplines. The aim of this double volume is to explore in more depth what the microfoundations of institutions are and what it takes to actually develop sound microfoundations. To this end, this double volume sets off by exploring the recent well-spring of micro-level research in NIT (i.e., research on the individual, practice and group level). While intimately related, micro-level research and microfoundations are not necessarily the same thing. Hence, the double volume seeks to bring to the fore different perspectives in micro-level research in order to tease out what these perspectives imply for building microfoundations, where they converge and where they diverge.

The value of the book lies in its reassessment of the distinctive features of the Chicago School, of its contributions in the theoretical and methodological fields and of its influence on the growth of sociology throughout the world and in America in particular. The book pays particularly close attention to the eclectic nature of the research methods used by the Chicago sociologists as they sought to integrate subjective and objective aspects of human life. It demonstrates that this eclecticism formed an integral part of their theories but also emphasises that empirical observation, too, was important, although not as an end in itself. While, for example, they were working on the concepts of organization, marginality and interaction, they did not consider these as ends in themselves but as additions to the development of a more general theoretical approach. Often in the past, and wrongly, Chicago's theoretical contribution has been restricted to the urban sector. The book clearly and unequivocally reveals how the tendency to see the Chicago School as a 'theoretical' is the result of misinterpretation and of a failure to realize that, for the sociologists of the period, understanding the social dynamics of the city of Chicago was tantamount to interpreting the central tendencies of modern society itself. The book analyzes how empirical observation was important but not an end in itself. The Chicago School developed a profusion of sociological theories in many areas of inquiry and never opted for any one particular approach. The various essays in the book also make it clear that the School decisively contributed to the development of qualitative and quantitative techniques.

For managers, students and conference professionals this timely new book will provide a firm foundation for understanding and operating in one of the UK's fastest growing business areas. Conferencing forms a large and expanding part of the UK economy and is now attracting serious analysis as the key techniques and principles of good practice become established. This unique book, one of the first written by an expert educator and consultant in the field, considers the background and nature of the UK conference industry and looks at the management issues involved in professional and competitive conferencing.Providing clear, up to date and detailed information on every aspect of the management and organization of conferences and conference centres it will be an essential text for students on hospitality and tourism courses- from GNVQ to undergraduate level. It will also be a vital reference for practitioners in any part of the conference business who want to grasp the key elements for success in the future.

Infrastructures are complex networks dominated by tight interdependencies between technologies and institutions. These networks supply services crucial to modern societies, services that can be provided only if several critical functions are fulfilled. This book proposes a theoretical framework with a set of concepts to analyse rigorously how these critical functions require coordination within the technological dimension as well as within the institutional dimension. It also shows how fundamental the alignment between these two dimensions is. It argues that this alignment operates along different layers characterized successively by the structure, governance and transactions that connect technologies and institutions. These issues of coordination and alignment, at the core of the book, are substantiated through in-depth case studies of networks from the energy, water and wastewater, and transportation sectors.

Yuri Andrukhovych is one of Ukraine’s preeminent authors and cultural commentators. In recognition of his literary writings and his role as a public intellectual he has received numerous awards including the Herder Prize, the Hannah Arendt Prize, and the Goethe Medal. My Final Territory is a collection of Andrukhovych’s philosophical, autobiographical, political, and literary essays, demonstrating his enormous talent as an essayist to the English-speaking world. This volume broadens Andrukhovych’s international audience and will create a dialogue with anglophone readers throughout the world in a number of fields including philosophy, history, journalism, political science, sociology, and anthropology. In their introduction, Mark Andryczyk and Michael M. Naydan reveal a somewhat lesser-known side of Andrukhovych’s writings that places him alongside such writers as recent Belarusian Nobel Prize winner Svetlana Alexievich. Eleven of the fourteen essays in this volume, including his seminal work "Central-Eastern Revision" and a brand-new essay on the Russo-Ukrainian War, appear here for the first time in English. My Final Territory showcases Yuri Andrukhovych’s unique voice and provides insight into the Ukrainian experience of nationality and identity.

What is the relationship between philosophy and organization theory (OT)? While at first glance there might appear to be little, a closer look reveals a rich pattern of connections. More than any other type of human inquiry, philosophy helps make us self-aware of critical assumptions we tacitly incorporate in our organizational theorizing; it creates a deeper awareness of the 'unconscious metaphysics' underpinning our efforts to understand organizations. This volume includes papers that explore connections between several streams in philosophy and OT. As the titles of the papers suggest, most authors write about a particular philosopher or group of philosophers that make up a distinct school of thought, summarize important aspects of his/their work, and tease out the implications for OT. The central question authors explore is: 'what does a particular philosophy contribute to OT?' Either addressing this question in historical or exploratory terms, or in a combination of both, the end result is similar: particular philosophical issues, properly explained, are discussed in relation to important questions in OT.

Matter and form have been fundamental principles in natural science since Greek Antiquity and their apparent rejection during the seventeenth century typically has been described as a precursor to the emergence of modern science. This volume reconsiders the fate of these principles and the complex history of their reception. By analyzing work being done in physics, chemistry, theology, physiology, psychology, and metaphysics, and by considering questions about change, identity, and causation, the contributors show precisely how matter and form entered into early modern science and philosophy. The result is our best picture to date of the diverse reception of matter and form among the innovators of the early modern period.

Drawing on research from across Canada and beyond, education policy expert Sue Winton critically analyzes policies encouraging the privatization of public education in Canada. These policies, including school choice, fundraising, fees, and international education, encourages parents and others in the private sector to take on responsibilities for education formerly provided by governments with devastating consequences for the democratic goals of public education. Unequal Benefits introduces traditional and critical approaches to policy research and explains how to conduct a critical policy analysis. Winton explains the role policy plays in supporting and challenging inequality in the pursuit of a strong democracy and the public school ideal. In these idealized education spaces, policy decisions prioritize collective needs over private interests, which are made in public by democratically elected officials, and, more importantly, every child is able to access high quality education programs and enjoy their benefits at no cost. Written for parents, educators, policymakers, and other interested citizens, Unequal Benefits sheds light on how to participate in efforts to resist educational privatization and achieve the public school ideal across Canada.

Economics Confronts the Economy is a challenging and unorthodox look at contemporary economic analysis. Philip Klein presents a highly reasoned and yet personal view of the state of economics today. While his views may be contentious to some, it is an accessible book that will provoke discussion and debate to a wide readership. Professor Klein begins with the assumption that the basic function of economic theory is to provide a sound guide for public policy in assisting society in defining what it means by 'economic progress'. In the words of Thorstein Veblen it involves economic activity as explicit steps to be taken at any given time to enable the economy to play its most effective role in 'enhancing human life'. The book argues that modern mainstream economics is failing in this task in terms of what it teaches young economists, what it contributes to public policy debates and what it has done to the field of economics. This book will have a wide audience throughout the many and varied fields of economics including heterodox economics, micro- and macroeconomics, history of economic thought and economic policy.

With an ever increasing number of relationships between different companies, overseeing a portfolio of strategic alliances has become one of the most challenging tasks for managers. Indeed, the network, rather than the individual firm, has become the most relevant and effective form of organization in the economy. By integrating the most recent academic literature with practical new insights, this book develops a framework that will help both managers and academics to understand the intricate workings of the network economy. The author explores critical issues such as network strategy, network structures, partner selection, network management, and competition in and between networks. By studying the fundamentals of the managerial process, he is able to create a comprehensive and logical overview of successful management in the network economy. He highlights the fact that companies now need to manage whole networks, not just individual alliances, and that the days when firms operated in isolation are over. He also provides a unique and intriguing look at network tactics, demonstrating the tricks and ploys firms use in a network scenario. Throughout the book, interesting case studies are used to illustrate examples of effective network management in leading companies such as Cisco, Glaxo, Microsoft, Nokia and Toyota. This is the first volume to translate theoretical ideas on network management into practical guidelines. It will become an invaluable aid to business people at all levels including CEOs, alliance and strategy managers, and R&D managers. It will also be of immense value to academics interested in networks, innovation management and organisation, and policymakers involved with technology and anti-trust policy.

This book focuses on the emerging field of evolutionary economic policy, highlighting the interface between the state, markets, and the evolutionary complexity of modern economies. The contributors explore the possibilities and limitations of governance, and provide a unique platform for the advancement of modern evolutionary economic theory. Decision-making is discussed, with particular reference to: economic evolution as an open process self-organization and networks the political economy of complexity. Issues of evolutionary economic governance at various levels of aggregation are also examined. Inspired by evolutionary thinking, a range of models emerge from the study, illustrating the variety and complexity of evolutionary governance of economic systems. Exploring the little investigated aspects of an evolutionary economic policy, this collection of original papers goes beyond the traditional confines of positive theory, making a long overdue contribution to the field of evolutionary economics. It will therefore be invaluable to a wide ranging audience including evolutionary and institutional economists, governmental scientists, management scientists and scholars following an interdisciplinary approach in the social and cognitive sciences.

This book provides evolutionary and institutional perspectives on the reform of infrastructure industries, tracing the development of this process in a number of sectors and countries.The contributors contend that infrastructure based industries such as telecommunications, public transport, water management and energy have been increasingly exposed to the dynamism of the market since becoming privatized, and have therefore been stimulated into short-term efficiency and long-term innovation. Drawing on institutional economic theory backed up with case studies such as the California energy crisis, the Dutch gas industry, oil and electricity companies in Spain and the privatization of Schipol airport in Amsterdam, the book focuses on process, driving forces, and actors' roles to explain how new balances are established between competing institutions. The degree to which the processes of institutional change are predictable and the effects of deliberate strategic interventions of governments or private actors are explored. Specific technical and sector aspects and their influence on institutional change in various infrastructures are also discussed. This book will strongly appeal to academics and practitioners in politics or industry with an interest in industrial, evolutionary institutional or public sector economics.

Indigenous Epistemology problematizes the self-reflexive inquiry between two researchers engaged in transnational collaboration that asserts experiential pedagogy as a tool to decolonize research methodology and honor the inter-generational stories that empower Indigenous people across the globe. The authors demonstrate the direct connection between Black Lives Matter, SOSBlakAustralia and the Maroons of Jamaica as examples of contemporary Indigenous people disrupting hegemony through agentive action that inspires global awareness and pushes for systemic change. In elevating the critical epistemologies of the ancient cultures of the Aboriginals of Australia and the African Diaspora, the authors assert that the legacies and current operations of colonialism must be disrupted and replaced with an emancipatory epistemology.

Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2015, the Ecological Society of America (ESA) is the largest professional society devoted to the science of ecology. A Centennial History of the Ecological Society of America tells the story of ESA's humble beginnings, growing from approximately 100 founding members and a modest publication of a few pages to a membership that exceeds 10,000 with half a dozen important journals, in print and online. It is the story of a successful scientific society that set an example for the world. Beginning with the society's inception, the book describes the difficulties faced early on and ways in which it expanded. It tracks the society's progress from the early years when female ecologists were few and inconspicuous to today when they are equally conspicuous as men, and there are as many or more female graduate students in ecology as male. ESA now has members from all around the world, and its journals contain contributions from around the world. Like all sciences, ecology began with simple questions that led to fairly simple answers. But, as ecological sciences progressed, complexity emerged in both questions and answers and the ESA has documented that process along the way. This book describes important initiatives such as the International Biological Program, the Long Term Ecological Research Network, and establishing new journals, as well as recent programs including the National Ecological Observation Network. With numerous illustrations, photographs, charts, and diagrams, the book lets you explore the early beginnings of ESA as if in conversation with its founders and appreciate the early work and achievements in the field.

A study of the international NGO advocacy for social and environmental justice, this book looks at the fundamental issues of legitimacy, accountability and democracy that such activities involve and how they are manifested. It presents case studies on trade issues, labour rights, extractive industries and indigenous people in Asia and South America.

This book explores the work of transnational bureaucracy networks. These networks address global issues by creating rules - transnational public law - to be incorporated into national legal orders. As classical means fail to legitimize such activities, this book gives a practical account of viable alternative legitimacy mechanisms.

This book gives an inside view of real engineers communicating in a modern aerospace engineering environment. Using many authentic texts and language examples, the author describes the writing of specifications and requirements, engineering proposals, executive summaries and other communication tasks.

This book explores the ways in which professional groups develop specific interactional procedures for conducting and representing their activities, all of which contribute to a distinctive collaborative identity. It highlights the drawbacks as well as the advantages of collaborative talk, pointing to ways of improving professional performance.

Although many industrialized countries have had to face the same political and economic pressures in reforming their public sectors there have been different reactions and a diversity of solutions to the emerging problems. This book examines the most significant initiatives targeted towards the restructuring of public sector employment relations in countries belonging to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The contributors focus on national and local governments, and health, education and social services. The first section provides an up-to-date analysis of six European countries. The second part considers the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Japan.

In this provocative study, Paul du Gay makes a compelling case for the continuing importance of bureaucracy. Taking inspiration from the work of Max Weber, du Gay launches a staunch defence of `the bureaucratic ethos' and highlights its continuing relevance to the achievement of social order and good government in liberal democratic societies. Through a comprehensive engagement with both historical and contemporary critiques of bureaucracy and a careful examination of the policies of organizational change within the public services today, du Gay develops a major reappraisal of the so-called `traditional' ethic of office. In doing so he highlights the ways in which many of the key features of bureaucratic conduct that came into existence a century ago still remain essential to the provision of responsible democratic government.

This indispensable Handbook examines both economic and legal aspects of competition policy and industrial organization. It provides a scholarly review of the state of the art regarding economic theory, empirical evidence and standards of legal evaluation. The book aims primarily at furthering our understanding of the interplay between economic reasoning and legal expertise by concentrating on the fundamental issues and principles underlying competition policy. Following a comprehensive introduction, the authors investigate a number of important themes including: * the natural limits of competition * efficiency versus market power * small firms, innovation and competition * trade policy and competition policy * financial services * the political economy of antitrust * dominance and monopolization * identifying anti-trust markets * competition policy versus regulation * competition policy in a globalized economy. Each of the specially commissioned chapters, written by leading authorities in the field, provides a stimulating exploration of the intricacies of competition policy. The book will be accessible to a wide audience including students of economics and law, public administrators, lawyers, consultants and business managers. It will also be of particular interest to policymakers in EU accession countries who are required to introduce an appropriate legal framework to implement EU competition policy.

Performing Institutions: Contested Sites and Structures of Care builds upon scholarly work rooted in the social and cultural histories of education, self-organization, activist practices, performance, design, and artistic research, (at)tending to the ways that institutions are necessarily political and performed. By evoking the idea of Performing Institutions, it foregrounds all kinds of 'actors' that engage with (re)imagining creative practices - social, artistic, and pedagogical - that critically interact with institutional frameworks and the broader local and global society of which these institutions are part. With case studies and critical reflections from Denmark, Ireland, Finland, the UK, Canada, the USA, Chile, Asia and Australasia contributors show how they envision or pursue performing artistic, cultural, social and educational practices as caring engagements with contested sites, addressing the following questions. How do current institutions perform - academically, spatially, custodially and structurally? How might we stay engaged with the ways that institutions are inherently contested sites, and what role do care, and counter-hegemonic practices play in rearticulating other ways of performing institutions, and how they perform on us? These are the questions central to this book as it stages a productive tension between two main themes: structures of care (instituting otherwise) and sites of contestations (desiring change). Some of the texts in this collection stage a productive tension between ideas about caring contestations and contestation as a caring engagement in practice, with a view towards institutional transformation. Other contributors investigate the idea of caring contestations as a critical concept that draws attention to questions of power and to the exclusions produced and reproduced in and through specific institutional practices. As such, this collection of writing puts forward caring contestations as a critical mode for (re)enacting institutional engagements. This also brings forward questions of agency and how, for those of us who perform within institutional structures, we care to engage and/or contest those institutional engagements. It is primarily aimed at scholars, educators, research-practitioners and postgraduate students in the fields of performance studies, theory, creation and design, those working at art institutions and art schools Also relevant to researchers working across various fields of organizational as well as educational approaches to performance culture.

A comprehensive analysis of the stop & frisk policy, its origins as Chicago's predominant strategy for responding to violence, and its impact on crime and public opinion. Stop & frisk has drawn a great deal of attention-and heated criticism-in recent years, for racial bias in its application and for the often violent and sometimes fatal nature of these encounters. In Stop & Frisk and the Politics of Crime in Chicago, Wesley G. Skogan offers a comprehensive analysis of the stop-and-frisk policy, its origins as Chicago's predominant strategy for responding to violence, and its impact on crime and public opinion. Drawing on a crime database of over 14 million incidents, interviews with 1,450 Chicagoans and 714 police officers, and the author's 30 years of studying, talking to, and riding along with Chicago police officers, Skogan looks at the inner workings of police departments and the history and politics of crime prevention that motivate these policies. Rather than looking at individual stops and how they are handled, he argues for considering stop & frisk as an organizational strategy, intimately tied to the move from reactive to preventive policing. Examining one of America's predominant crime control strategies, this book provides an essential analysis of the origins, implementation, and effects of stop & frisk in Chicago and on urban policing in general.

It is now widely acknowledged that institutions are a crucial factor in economic performance. Major developments have been made in our understanding of the nature and evolution of economic institutions in the last few years. This book brings together some key contributions in this area by leading internationally renowned scholars including Paul A. David, Christopher Freeman, Alan P. Kirman, Jan A. Kregel, Brian J. Loasby, J. Stanley Metcalfe, Bart Nooteboom and Ugo Pagano.This essential reader covers topics such as the relationship between institutions and individuals, institutions and economic development, the nature and role of markets, and the theory of institutional evolution. The book not only outlines cutting-edge developments in the field but also indicates key directions of future research for institutional and evolutionary economics.Vital reading on one of the most dynamic and rapidly growing areas of research today, The Evolution of Economic Institutions will be of great interest to researchers, students and lecturers in economics and business studies.