This volume collects a set of important articles that provides a wealth of broad insights into the causes and consequences of regulation. They show beyond doubt that this field of study is remarkably lively and filled with controversy. The first two parts of the book introduce the essential economic content of the issues that regulation deals with, covering the main 'market failures' that are addressed, and then turning specifically to the causes and consequences of regulation in these areas. The next section presents a series of papers dealing with various phases of the policy life cycle, and the concluding part investigates the role of corporate self-regulation.

Behind closed doors, many large companies quietly use their political clout to influence public policy on social and environmental issues – often in a negative direction. This book seeks to create a new norm for responsible political behaviour by corporations. It brings together leading scholars of corporate political responsibility with leading organizations that have been working to support companies in adopting more responsible political practices. The contributors present new evidence on what motivates firms to become more responsible and how markets view corporate 'dark money' spending. They also explain how activists have pressed companies to play a more responsible role in politics. With a particular focus on climate change and the important role of corporate lobbying in supporting or blocking climate policy, this volume leads the way forward for researchers, activists and citizens who seek a future in which corporate political influence is transparent, accountable and responsible.

One of the first detailed studies of a local economy in the PRC, this book traces the development of a poverty-stricken county through the Maoist era and the first fifteen years of the post-Mao reforms, showing how central and provincial policy impinged upon the county and how local decision-makers responded to changing opportunities.

The emergence of the South China regional economy, comprised of the southeastern coastal provinces of China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, is analyzed in this timely and important collection of essays. Chin Chung, Graham E. Johnson, Echo Heng Liang, Thomas P. Lyons, Charng Kao, Victor Nee, William L. Parish, G. William Skinner, Sijin Su, Henry Wan, Jr. and Junyi Weng are contributors to this interdisciplinary volume.

Behind closed doors, many large companies quietly use their political clout to influence public policy on social and environmental issues – often in a negative direction. This book seeks to create a new norm for responsible political behaviour by corporations. It brings together leading scholars of corporate political responsibility with leading organizations that have been working to support companies in adopting more responsible political practices. The contributors present new evidence on what motivates firms to become more responsible and how markets view corporate 'dark money' spending. They also explain how activists have pressed companies to play a more responsible role in politics. With a particular focus on climate change and the important role of corporate lobbying in supporting or blocking climate policy, this volume leads the way forward for researchers, activists and citizens who seek a future in which corporate political influence is transparent, accountable and responsible.

One of the first detailed studies of a local economy in the PRC, this book traces the development of a poverty-stricken county through the Maoist era and the first fifteen years of the post-Mao reforms, showing how central and provincial policy impinged upon the county and how local decision-makers responded to changing opportunities.

The emergence of the South China regional economy, comprised of the southeastern coastal provinces of China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, is analyzed in this timely and important collection of essays. Chin Chung, Graham E. Johnson, Echo Heng Liang, Thomas P. Lyons, Charng Kao, Victor Nee, William L. Parish, G. William Skinner, Sijin Su, Henry Wan, Jr. and Junyi Weng are contributors to this interdisciplinary volume.

This is the first book to provide a hard-headed economic view of the voluntary approaches to environmental issues, especially toxic chemicals, waste disposal and global warming, that have become prominent in recent years. Corporate environmental initiatives are seen as a tool for influencing the behaviour of environmental activists, legislators, and regulators, though they may have ancillary benefits such as attracting 'green' consumers or reducing costs. Equally, government voluntary programs are seen as a way to achieve modest environmental results when political resistance to mandatory policies is high. Rigorous analysis is illustrated with numerous case studies drawn from the US, Europe, and Japan, while technical details are relegated to appendices, and each chapter highlights implications for corporate strategy and public policy. Although rooted in economic theory, this book will appeal to business strategists and policy practitioners, as well as scholars and researchers.

Business-led environmental initiatives have become prominent in recent years. At the same time, governments have shown increasing interest in 'voluntary' programs for environmental protections. While one could argue that such corporate environmentalism is motivated either by cost reduction or as a marketing strategy to appeal to the 'green' consumer, Lyon and Maxwell explore a third and more complex possibility. Drawing heavily on their prior work in corporate environmentalism, they argue that corporate environmentalism is the result of firms attempting to anticipate public policy changes and influence the legislative process in their best interests. Presenting a general framework that illuminates the links between corporate environmentalism and pubic policy, they use the analytical tools of positive political economy and game theory to provide insights into both corporate strategy and the effects of corporate and government polices on overall social welfare. This integrated and comprehensive book will have wide policy and management appeal.