Is the European Union democratic? Much has been written claiming that the EU's institutions and policymaking processes are insufficiently accountable to, and representative of, the European electorate. In Democratic Deficit?, Thomas D. Zweifel offers a provocative new treatment of the concept of democracy in the EU. The work provides a rigorous, comparative examination of the European Union and the federal democracies of Switzerland and the United States. Drawing upon established, quantifiable scales of democracy, the study demonstrates that the EU's decision-making and regulatory processes do not show a democratic deficit greater than that of the bureaucracies of most liberal democracies and finds that in certain policy areas liberal democracies may even benefit from adopting EU practices. Supported by two case studies comparing regulatory policymaking in action across the three polities, Zweifel's work will prove to be a valuable and thought-provoking addition to the debate about European governance and the increasingly important role of transnational and supranational organizations.

Is the European Union democratic? Much has been written claiming that the EU's institutions and policymaking processes are insufficiently accountable to, and representative of, the European electorate. In Democratic Deficit?, Thomas D. Zweifel offers a provocative new treatment of the concept of democracy in the EU. The work provides a rigorous, comparative examination of the European Union and the federal democracies of Switzerland and the United States. Drawing upon established, quantifiable scales of democracy, the study demonstrates that the EU's decision-making and regulatory processes do not show a democratic deficit greater than that of the bureaucracies of most liberal democracies and finds that in certain policy areas liberal democracies may even benefit from adopting EU practices. Supported by two case studies comparing regulatory policymaking in action across the three polities, Zweifel's work will prove to be a valuable and thought-provoking addition to the debate about European governance and the increasingly important role of transnational and supranational organizations.

Economic crises and the meltdown of some of the world's major financial firms make it clear: traditional strategic planning no longer guarantees success. Uncertainty and change, globalization, empowered consumers, and flatter hierarchies call for a new approach. Strategy-in-Action shows, through cutting-edge research and compelling cases, how companies ended the long-standing divorce between planners and implementers. One saved $200 million from people power and another made 74 million from innovation. CEOs and strategists will find a systematic roadmap for win- ning strategies: how to stand in the future, get intelligence from far-flung locations, give voice to dissenters, maximize ownership, screen out losers efficiently, and produce quick wins. In short, Strategy-in-Action gives readers the art and science of planning, people, and performance. "The insights will force you to think and then rethink what you thought you knew." - Malcolm Elvey, Chairman, Academy of Chief Executives "The only strategy book I know that integrates strategy alignment, high- ly pragmatic execution and performance, and the human element in one seamless process." - Dr. Frank Waltmann, Head of Learning, Novartis AG "A systematic, almost foolproof methodology for building the company's strategy with maximum ownership and results. This book is hands-on, entertaining and efficient-and sure to add value to your company." - Dr. Alexander V. Herzog, CFO Ruf Group, CEO AVATECH & Ruf Svcs.

Do international organizations represent the interests of the global citizenry? Or are they merely vehicles for the agendas of powerful nations and special interests? Thomas Zweifel explores this increasingly contentious issue, deftly blending history, theory, and case studies. Zweifel's analysis covers both regional organizations (e.g., the EU, NAFTA, NATO, the AU) and such global institutions as the United Nations, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization. With international organizations becoming perhaps the most appropriate-if not the only-forum for tackling myriad transnational challenges, his systematic study of how these organizations function is central to the study of both international relations and democracy in the 21st century.