Provides a systematic assessment of FSB operations, from standard setting to implementation review in order to identify the power wielded by government networks in global financial governance. Develops a novel theory of legislative reluctance as a limit to the power of government networks, showing its strong inferential leverage in comparison with a variety of competing explanations drawn from economics, political science, and law. Engages in the debate on the role of government networks in global governance with a well-founded but controversial argument that questions the role of national parliaments in managing global economic affairs in the public interest. Suggests a novel institutional solution to the effectiveness-legitimacy dilemma that global governance forums face, combining the advantages of functional specialization and electoral accountability.

Provides a systematic assessment of FSB operations, from standard setting to implementation review in order to identify the power wielded by government networks in global financial governance. Develops a novel theory of legislative reluctance as a limit to the power of government networks, showing its strong inferential leverage in comparison with a variety of competing explanations drawn from economics, political science, and law. Engages in the debate on the role of government networks in global governance with a well-founded but controversial argument that questions the role of national parliaments in managing global economic affairs in the public interest. Suggests a novel institutional solution to the effectiveness-legitimacy dilemma that global governance forums face, combining the advantages of functional specialization and electoral accountability.

This is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International licence. It is free to read at Oxford Scholarship Online and offered as a free PDF download from OUP and selected open access locations. In one country, the prime minister pushes for the liberalization of digital finance as a central pillar of the country's national strategy, while the central bank almost makes it a criminal offence. In another, the digital minister tries to scupper the very process to support digital transformation that the president has asked them to co-lead. This book gives a ringside seat on seven developing countries' tumultuous early steps on the path to a reform of the economy and the government using technology. Written by a group of academics and practitioners from Oxford at the heart of the process, but foregrounding the voices of the policymakers and participants, this book documents and critically assesses efforts to assist a set of governments to kick-start digital transformation. In doing so, it offers lessons for policymakers in other countries who want to pursue similar efforts. Beyond that, however, it is also an exposition of the process of policymaking more generally in the 2020s, and offers broader insight into how outsiders can play a sensible role in other reform processes in developing and emerging countries.

This book is about the least known, yet very fascinating part of the photographic industry, namely Photofinishing. It converts images, be they digital or film, from the camera to print, greeting cards or other media. Ever since George Eastman introduced inexpensive films and cameras at the end of the nineteenth century, photography has been one of the most popular pastimes. Prior to that time, photography was very complicated not to mention expensive and very few people practiced it. Eastman realised that to popularise photography, a developing and printing service was required and he launched this with the slogan You press the button we do the rest . That was the beginning of the photofinishing industry, which is what the book is about. The book s first two chapters are a short history of photography from Daguerre and Fox Talbot in 1839 to the present day. Then there are 3 chapters about the technology of photofinishing, including minilabs and the digital age. These are followed by accounts of photofinishing in the US, the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Japan plus a short note concerning other countries. These chapters include many anecdotes, often by larger than life characters, which many people will find entertaining. Finally there is a chapter about photo labs and the environment. The book is written in an easy to read style combining interesting historical stories with descriptions of technology which are not widely known. It is aimed to appeal to a wide spectrum of readers, including happy snappers, serious photographers, people who have worked in the photofinishing industry and students. Not everyone will want to read every page of the book, but there is plenty to appeal to most people who have any interest in photography. For this reason alone it should make an attractive present. The authors, Peter Rockwell and Peter Knaack have spent much of their working lives in this very international industry and have inside knowledge of how it operates in many countries.