This book provides a unique examination of how a middle power uses international organisations to achieve greater global influence. The authors focus on the OECD, 'the rich man's club' of most of the world's wealthiest nations. It demonstrates how the decision by Australia to apply for membership was a long drawn out process, delayed by political factors. Eventually agreement was reached with assurances that membership would provide access to valuable and timely policy-related information, especially in relation to international trade and finance. In addition, membership would potentially increase influence by providing greater access to its powerful member states at an earlier stage in their policy discussions and agreements. On gaining membership, Australia found that the OECD's comparative research and policy development activities, across a wide range of areas and issues, were a valuable source for policy learning which, in turn, helped the ongoing maintenance and further building of policy capacity in the country. This detailed study of how a nation state engages with an international organisation will be a great source of insight and information for scholars and advanced students of international relations and public policy. It will also be a valuable resource for policymakers and practitioners working in the field.

The book reveals, for the first time, the origins, growth and complex role of the OECD as it celebrates its fiftieth anniversary, showing how it has adapted - for the most part successfully - to the changing needs of its members, both large and small. Peter Carroll and Aynsley Kellow provide a comprehensive account and analysis of the origins, development and, most intriguingly, the recent reforms that characterise the OECD. They argue that this increasingly complex organisation has fulfilled its design to be an adaptive, learning organisation and explore how the OECD has spread its wings beyond its European and North American roots to become an increasingly influential body in global governance. Topical chapters include the OECD's work on health and the environment, relations with international, intergovernmental organisations, the OECD's structure and also the key processes. This fascinating book will be warmly welcomed by academics, researchers and postgraduate students in a wide range of fields including international relations, international business, political science, public policy and public administration. Public servants in national departments and agencies - particularly those with significant international activities - will also find the book to be of great interest, as will professionals within international organisations such as IMF, World Bank, EU, UN and (of course) the OECD itself.

A typical image of the making and administration of policy suggests that it takes place on an incremental basis, involving public servants, their ministers and, to a more limited extent, a variety of interest groups. Yet, much policy making is based on similar policy developed in other jurisdictions and in the major international organizations such as the WTO and the OECD. In other words, significant aspects of nationally developed policies are copied from elsewhere in what is described as a process of policy transfer and learning. Hence, studies of policy transfer have pointed to a distinct limitation in most existing theoretical and empirical explanations as to how policy is made and implemented through their neglect of the role of policy transfer and learning. Moreover, policy transfer is not only a concern of academics, but a growing concern for governments. The latter are concerned to improve the performance of their policy and several have placed a greater, more systematic focus on policy transfer as a means to increasing performance. This book presents a variety of cases from differing national and international contexts that enable a valuable, comparative analysis that is absent from most literature currently available and that suggest a number of exciting research directions with implications for policy making, transference and implementation in the future.

In the last decade, the OECD has undergone a period of transformation under the leadership of Secretary-General Angel Gurria and his senior management - a transformation that has revitalised the organisation's operations and outputs. Now celebrating its 60th anniversary, the OECD provides an increasingly valuable resource for its members and partners worldwide. This, the only book to cover the last ten years of the OECD's work, focuses on the policy-related advice, evidence-based global standards, trusted statistics and analysis, and support for policy reform that it has developed. The book commences with a brief history of the OECD and its key decision processes and then examines the impact of its leadership in driving a wide range of achievements and in securing an expanding, increasingly global role. It focuses on the organisation's green agenda and the move to measure living conditions in a more detailed fashion, rather than relying largely on GDP, and on the inclusive growth project that aims at making markets work for all. It discusses the OECD's remarkably influential work in education, including PISA and PIAAC, and demonstrates the capacity of the OECD to embrace new areas of work - the importance of innovation and the digital economy in driving economic growth. Based on access to a wide range of documents and extensive interviews with senior officials and members, this comprehensive book also sheds light on the OECD's partnership with the G20 in the push for stronger international co-operation and transparency in tax matters as well their Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit shifting (BEPS), aimed at tackling tax avoidance. The OECD's strategic response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the drive to develop 'Smart Data' are also covered.

Countries exiting conflict and fragility face many urgent priorities and almost invariably suffer from substantial infrastructure deficits. There is typically very little infrastructure investment during periods of fragility and conflict, and existing installations are often damaged or destroyed. The purpose of this manual is to contribute to improvements in the quality of infrastructure regulation. It does so by identifying key principles for the governance of infrastructure regulators and by suggesting how these principles can be introduced successfully and maintained over time. The introduction of cross-cutting governance principles for regulators is based on the assumption that a uniform set of governance principles can be less costly and complex for governments to implement and enforce and will provide potential investors with a more consistent and predictable regulatory environment to navigate. The manual also discusses the process of implementing regulatory governance reforms in fragile contexts. Improvements in governance frameworks for infrastructure regulators will support better and accountable regulatory decision-making, as well as increased investment and overall economic development. Case studies from relevant country experience complement and provide context to the discussion on principles.

What would you do if someone offered you a great job with a company car, an expense account and the chance to drive the girl of your dreams around all day? You'd bite their hand off, right? What if the guy offering the job is a violent gangster and the girl of your dreams is his only daughter? Still keen? Ross Fleming decides to go for it but his dreams turn into nightmares as the girl takes him on a ride he'll never forget. Revenge, justice, loyalty, lies, love, anger and an identity crisis. Turns out, the new chauffeur is not her only driver.

DI Adam Stark has left London and his overbearing boss, returned to his home town of Alloa, hoping things might be quieter and to spend a bit of time with his Ma. Meanwhile, Stella McDuff has just won millions on the lottery. It's the only good luck she's had in her entire life. She has plans to escape to London, leaving her life of drudgery, her thoughtless children and brutish husband, Billy, behind. Stark knows the McDuffs well. Billy and his brother Malky are arch-enemies from childhood and they're not pleased to see him again. Stella is rich, she can almost taste her freedom, but winning that amount of money has awakened a few green-eyed monsters. It's not long before she's facing every parent's worst nightmare and Stark is dealing with missing persons, kidnap, ransom and murder. So much for the quiet life back home. Be careful what you wish for...

In the heart of London, a concerned citizen is taking action: doing something about those everyday irritants that serve to increase the stresses of city life. Spitting out chewing gum, using mobiles in restaurants, barging onto Tube trains, tailgating, and blasting out music on public transport, all incur a heavy price for the transgressors. As punishments escalate in severity and the press make a champion of this anti-hero, Detective Inspector Adam Stark is desperately trying to make sense of what's going on. Random, unconnected victims, excessive retribution, red herrings, kidnap, mutilation, mistaken identity, gangsters, revenge and murder. Things are getting totally out of hand. Stark needs to nail this sociopath with a social conscience, but the case is so bizarre, it might just be running away from him - heading toward a brutal and bloody conclusion. "May 2013 thriller of the month at www.e-thriller.com"

A young man is abducted and mutilated for talking out of turn, and a policeman is murdered as a result - all in a day's work for Danny O'Neill, Scotland's most notorious gangster. Meanwhile, small-time drug dealer and shop worker Davie Argyle has just crossed O'Neill's path. Davie has been waiting a long time for this. He needs to swallow his pride and convince O'Neill to trust him. Thing is, can he stay alive long enough for his plan to work? Torture, murder, rock n roll and bloody revenge ensue as pasts unfurl and long-held secrets reveal themselves. In many ways, it was only a matter of time until it all kicked off... WARNING: CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE AND VIOLENCE

Two clandestine world's have collided with disastrous consequences - a fighting dog, kidnapped and used in a top secret experiment is free, carrying a virus, like nothing that has gone before. Soon this virus begins to spread through Scotland unchecked. As society implodes and people refuse to die a normal death, the fates of a small boy, a young woman, a soldier and the very country that they live in will hang in the balance. A whole new evil has been unleashed on the world and it might just be too late to put the lid back on this particular box... Indie Book of the Month August 2012 "Fantastic book I absolutely love Carroll's writing style. Carroll is a true talent at writing intelligent and witty material." RA Stephenson author of "Collapse (New America #1)"