The papers in this collection are drawn from a symposium held in Vienna in December 2010. Organised by the Institute for European Tort Law and the Chicago-Kent Law Review, in collaboration with the European Centre of Tort and Insurance Law, the conference drew together legal experts from 14 national or regional systems across six continents. Medical malpractice and compensation for medical injuries are issues which regularly create tension and innovation in national legal systems but the analysis of these areas is often limited to national audiences. This study examines the issues in a uniquely global context, demonstrating the breadth of approaches currently taken around the world and revealing key areas of tension and the likely direction of future developments. Wherever possible, the analysis is supported by reference to empirical data. The 14 legal systems covered in the collection are Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Poland, Scandinavia, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. A general comparative introduction completes the collection.

The focus of this volume is the phenomenon of globalization, and specifically its relevance to and impact on small business and entrepreneurship. The works presented here stem from a pioneering, three day conference held at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, under the joint auspices of McGill's Centre for International Business Studies, and the Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies. Leading international scholars came together to begin integrating research in what had previously been from widely divergent fields.

The book presents four sections covering: theoretical overviews of the emerging field of international entrepreneurship; the use of alliances and networks to facilitate the entry of small businesses into the global arena; the results of three empirically based research studies designed to better understand the market forces and managerial characteristics which appear to underlie the success of SME's in the global arena; and visionary contributions on forces which will shape the successful international firm of the future. The diversity reflected in this volume and the common thread which unites the work calls for new strategic approaches by small firms, large firms, and governments alike. This work will help readers to better understand and anticipate the dramatic changes coming, and to design appropriate corporate strategic responses.