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Small Actions, Big Difference: Leveraging Corporate Sustainability to Drive Business and Societal Value
by CB BhattacharyaDespite dire warnings about global warming, carbon emissions by the world’s largest companies are increasing and only a few companies have strategies for managing carbon emissions and water resources. So what separates the best from the rest? In one word, the answer is ownership: companies that are winning at sustainability have created the conditions for their stakeholders to own sustainability and reap the benefits that come with deeper experience with and ownership of social and environmental issues: a happier, more productive workforce, increased customer loyalty, higher stock valuations, and greater long-term profits. Based on interviews with 25 global multinational corporations as well as employees, middle managers, and senior leaders across multiple sectors, this is the first book to connect sustainability to the theory and principles of psychological ownership and to propose a succinct, easy-to-digest model for managerial use.
Small Actions, Big Difference: Leveraging Corporate Sustainability to Drive Business and Societal Value
by CB BhattacharyaDespite dire warnings about global warming, carbon emissions by the world’s largest companies are increasing and only a few companies have strategies for managing carbon emissions and water resources. So what separates the best from the rest? In one word, the answer is ownership: companies that are winning at sustainability have created the conditions for their stakeholders to own sustainability and reap the benefits that come with deeper experience with and ownership of social and environmental issues: a happier, more productive workforce, increased customer loyalty, higher stock valuations, and greater long-term profits. Based on interviews with 25 global multinational corporations as well as employees, middle managers, and senior leaders across multiple sectors, this is the first book to connect sustainability to the theory and principles of psychological ownership and to propose a succinct, easy-to-digest model for managerial use.
Small and Medium Enterprises, Law and Business: Uncertainty and Justice (Routledge Research in Corporate Law)
by Jan Winczorek Karol MuszynskiThe law plays an ambiguous role in running business. While legal tools can be used to tame uncertainties, for example, by concluding contracts to safeguard enforcement of future claims, they can also generate uncertainty. These secondary uncertainties like ones stemming from vague rights and obligations may be counterbalanced by using different resources and strategies, including acting informally, modifying business plans or accepting the losses from unpaid dues. This book discusses how small and medium enterprises use the law, abstain from using the law, and use alternative pathways to manage business uncertainties. Examining these topics through the lenses of an extensive qualitative and quantitative empirical study on justiciable issues, access to justice and legal uncertainty among SMEs in Poland, it implements and expands upon the paradigmatic paths to justice methodology which has been successfully used to study conflict resolution, access to justice and utilisation of the law by individuals in more than 30 jurisdictions. It argues that the grand promise of modern law - that it is a certainty-providing, neutral and democratic device to resolve problems and conflicts - is not fully delivered. It reveals how the conditions of a freshly developed capitalism combined with the rule of law backsliding contribute to universal, structural problems with access to justice meaning that accessing justice is a resource-hungry process, which incentivises small businesses to settle for their legal problems and engage in informal and alternative strategies.
Small and Medium Enterprises, Law and Business: Uncertainty and Justice (Routledge Research in Corporate Law)
by Jan Winczorek Karol MuszynskiThe law plays an ambiguous role in running business. While legal tools can be used to tame uncertainties, for example, by concluding contracts to safeguard enforcement of future claims, they can also generate uncertainty. These secondary uncertainties like ones stemming from vague rights and obligations may be counterbalanced by using different resources and strategies, including acting informally, modifying business plans or accepting the losses from unpaid dues. This book discusses how small and medium enterprises use the law, abstain from using the law, and use alternative pathways to manage business uncertainties. Examining these topics through the lenses of an extensive qualitative and quantitative empirical study on justiciable issues, access to justice and legal uncertainty among SMEs in Poland, it implements and expands upon the paradigmatic paths to justice methodology which has been successfully used to study conflict resolution, access to justice and utilisation of the law by individuals in more than 30 jurisdictions. It argues that the grand promise of modern law - that it is a certainty-providing, neutral and democratic device to resolve problems and conflicts - is not fully delivered. It reveals how the conditions of a freshly developed capitalism combined with the rule of law backsliding contribute to universal, structural problems with access to justice meaning that accessing justice is a resource-hungry process, which incentivises small businesses to settle for their legal problems and engage in informal and alternative strategies.
Small and Medium Sized Companies in Europe: Environmental Performance, Competitiveness and Management: International EU Case Studies
by David Hitchens Mary Trainor Jens Clausen Samarthia Thankappan Bruna de MarchiThe environmental performance of SMEs (Small and Medium sized Enterprises) is an area of major policy concern. SMEs in Europe reports on factors influencing the environmental performance of SMEs across four European countries: the UK, Ireland, Germany and Italy. While there are a range of factors which are expected to influence the take up of clean technology, this book focuses on three key hypotheses, namely firm competitiveness, culture and use and availability of information and advice. The book is unique as it is based on in-depths interviews conducted in 300 SMEs and an additional postal survey with more than 800 replies.
Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and the Environment: Business Imperatives
by Ruth HillaryThis book tackles a largely neglected topic: small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their environmental impact. Over 90% of all firms are SMEs. Their importance to the health of national and international economies is recognized. But what of their environmental impact? Individually, this may be small but, collectively, they pose a huge and largely unregulated threat to national and indeed the global environment. There have been many failed attempts to engage SMEs in environmental stewardship. Why is this? And where are the success stories needed to set best-practice examples? Environmental protection is widely touted as being a win-win scenario for business with economic spin-offs in terms of energy and waste reduction quickly producing payback for capital expenditures. Why is the "good environmental management equals good business management" message not getting through? In Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and the Environment Dr Ruth Hillary brings together an outstanding international collection of experts from government, international and national support agencies, academics and the business community to present arguments about the key environmental business imperatives facing the small-firm sector. The book is divided into four sections:Attitudes and Perceptions of Small Firms to the Environment and SustainabilityEnvironmental Management in the Smaller FirmPractical Strategies for Reaching SMEsCase Studies from around the World. In these sections, the book examines the threats – such as trade, supply chain issues and legislative compliance – but is also solution-oriented, with considerable discussion of the management tools smaller firms can use to improve their environmental performance. It aims to provide practical strategies for smaller firms and to that end includes a range of informative case studies from around the world. Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and the Environment is the most comprehensive book on the subject available and will prove invaluable not only to SMEs themselves, seeking to understand a rapidly changing world, but to consultants and small-business advisors, local and central government and to all those in academia looking for ways to improve the environmental performance of small businesses.
Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and the Environment: Business Imperatives
by Ruth HillaryThis book tackles a largely neglected topic: small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their environmental impact. Over 90% of all firms are SMEs. Their importance to the health of national and international economies is recognized. But what of their environmental impact? Individually, this may be small but, collectively, they pose a huge and largely unregulated threat to national and indeed the global environment. There have been many failed attempts to engage SMEs in environmental stewardship. Why is this? And where are the success stories needed to set best-practice examples? Environmental protection is widely touted as being a win-win scenario for business with economic spin-offs in terms of energy and waste reduction quickly producing payback for capital expenditures. Why is the "good environmental management equals good business management" message not getting through? In Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and the Environment Dr Ruth Hillary brings together an outstanding international collection of experts from government, international and national support agencies, academics and the business community to present arguments about the key environmental business imperatives facing the small-firm sector. The book is divided into four sections:Attitudes and Perceptions of Small Firms to the Environment and SustainabilityEnvironmental Management in the Smaller FirmPractical Strategies for Reaching SMEsCase Studies from around the World. In these sections, the book examines the threats – such as trade, supply chain issues and legislative compliance – but is also solution-oriented, with considerable discussion of the management tools smaller firms can use to improve their environmental performance. It aims to provide practical strategies for smaller firms and to that end includes a range of informative case studies from around the world. Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and the Environment is the most comprehensive book on the subject available and will prove invaluable not only to SMEs themselves, seeking to understand a rapidly changing world, but to consultants and small-business advisors, local and central government and to all those in academia looking for ways to improve the environmental performance of small businesses.
Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in International Economic Law (International Economic Law Series)
by Thilo RensmannInternational economic law, with its traditional focus on large multinational enterprises, is only slowly waking up to the new reality of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), entering the global marketplace. In the wake of the digital revolution, smaller companies now play an important role in the global economic landscape. In 2015 the UN expressly called for SMEs to have greater access to international trade and investment, and it is increasingly recognized that the integration of SMEs provides one of the keys to creating a more sustainable and inclusive global economy. As SMEs increasingly permeate transnational supply chains, so interactions between these companies and international economic law and policy proliferate. Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in International Economic Law offers the first comprehensive analysis of the interaction between SMEs and international economic law. This book presents a broad international perspective, gathering together contributions by leading experts from academia, legal practice, and international organizations. It opens up a field of enquiry into this so far unexplored dynamic and provide a touchstone for future debate. The analysis covers a broad spectrum of international trade and investment law focusing on issues of particular interest to SMEs, such as trade in services, government procurement, and trade facilitation. Diverse perspectives illuminate regional developments (in particular within the EU) and the implications of mega-regional free trade agreements. The essays also examine questions of legitimacy of global economic governance; in particular, concerns surrounding the threat posed to the interests of domestic SMEs by the growing liberalization of international trade and investment. These essays constitute essential reading for practitioners and academics seeking to navigate a previously neglected trend in international economic law.
Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in International Economic Law (International Economic Law Series)
International economic law, with its traditional focus on large multinational enterprises, is only slowly waking up to the new reality of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), entering the global marketplace. In the wake of the digital revolution, smaller companies now play an important role in the global economic landscape. In 2015 the UN expressly called for SMEs to have greater access to international trade and investment, and it is increasingly recognized that the integration of SMEs provides one of the keys to creating a more sustainable and inclusive global economy. As SMEs increasingly permeate transnational supply chains, so interactions between these companies and international economic law and policy proliferate. Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in International Economic Law offers the first comprehensive analysis of the interaction between SMEs and international economic law. This book presents a broad international perspective, gathering together contributions by leading experts from academia, legal practice, and international organizations. It opens up a field of enquiry into this so far unexplored dynamic and provide a touchstone for future debate. The analysis covers a broad spectrum of international trade and investment law focusing on issues of particular interest to SMEs, such as trade in services, government procurement, and trade facilitation. Diverse perspectives illuminate regional developments (in particular within the EU) and the implications of mega-regional free trade agreements. The essays also examine questions of legitimacy of global economic governance; in particular, concerns surrounding the threat posed to the interests of domestic SMEs by the growing liberalization of international trade and investment. These essays constitute essential reading for practitioners and academics seeking to navigate a previously neglected trend in international economic law.
Small Business Management and Control of the Uncertain External Environment (Advanced Strategies in Entrepreneurship, Education and Ecology)
by Konstantinos Biginas Stavros Sindakis Antonia Koumproglou Vlasios Sarantinos Peter WyerFrom the vagaries of the economy, through to varying degrees of social unrest, to the impact of adverse weather, businesses of all forms and sizes across the globe must cope with ongoing change, uncertainty, and risk. In this unpredictable environment, how can SMEs react and control external factors? This edited collection investigates the potential impact of long-term planning and strategic awareness on the ability of SMEs to remain competitive in a highly competitive world. The authors and editors demonstrate that whether SMEs are able to identify and act upon externally imposed forces and factors, or not, is the defining indicator of their likelihood to struggle, survive, or even thrive. Outlining the integral development opportunities or threats to existing business activity inherent to the external environment, this book offers a multidisciplinary insight, which brings together different lenses to explore a range of cutting-edge themes from both research and practitioner perspectives. The book also looks ahead, examining the broad market reaction to external forces in order to predict future implications. Given the significance of SMEs for the global economy, the range of different views offered, including but not limited to people management, entrepreneurship and education, provide genuine insights for a diversity of audiences and readers.
Small Business Management and Control of the Uncertain External Environment (Advanced Strategies in Entrepreneurship, Education and Ecology)
by Konstantinos Biginas, Stavros Sindakis, Antonia Koumproglou, Vlasios Sarantinos, Peter WyerFrom the vagaries of the economy, through to varying degrees of social unrest, to the impact of adverse weather, businesses of all forms and sizes across the globe must cope with ongoing change, uncertainty, and risk. In this unpredictable environment, how can SMEs react and control external factors? This edited collection investigates the potential impact of long-term planning and strategic awareness on the ability of SMEs to remain competitive in a highly competitive world. The authors and editors demonstrate that whether SMEs are able to identify and act upon externally imposed forces and factors, or not, is the defining indicator of their likelihood to struggle, survive, or even thrive. Outlining the integral development opportunities or threats to existing business activity inherent to the external environment, this book offers a multidisciplinary insight, which brings together different lenses to explore a range of cutting-edge themes from both research and practitioner perspectives. The book also looks ahead, examining the broad market reaction to external forces in order to predict future implications. Given the significance of SMEs for the global economy, the range of different views offered, including but not limited to people management, entrepreneurship and education, provide genuine insights for a diversity of audiences and readers.
Small Change: Money, Political Parties, and Campaign Finance Reform
by Raymond J La RajaReformers lament that, with every effort to regulate the sources of campaign funding, candidates creatively circumvent the new legislation. But in fact, political fundraisers don't need to look for loopholes because, as Raymond J. La Raja proves, legislators intentionally design regulations to gain advantage over their partisan rivals. La Raja traces the history of the U.S. campaign finance system from the late nineteenth century through the passage of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA) of 2002. Then, using the 2004 presidential election as a case study, he compares the ways in which Democrats and Republicans adapted their national fund-raising and campaigning strategies to satisfy BCRA regulations. Drawing upon this wealth of historical and recent evidence, he concludes with recommendations for reforming campaign finance in ways that promote fair competition among candidates and guarantee their accountability to voters. Small Change offers an engaging account of campaign finance reforms' contradictory history; it is a must-read for anyone concerned about influence of money on democratic elections.
A Small Furry Hope: Dog Rescue and the Meaning of Life
by Steven KotlerSteven Kotler was forty years old, single, and facing an existential crisis when he met Lila, a woman devoted to animal rescue. "Love me, love my dogs," was her rule, and Steven took it to heart. Spurred to move by a housing crisis in Los Angeles, Steven, Lila - and their eight dogs, then ten, then twenty, and then they lost count - bought a postage-stamp-sized farm in Chimayo, New Mexico. A Small Furry Hope chronicles their adventures at Rancho de Chihuahua, the sanctuary they created for their pack with special needs: the very old, the very sick, and, as Kotler says, "the really retarded." An insider look at the culture of dog rescue, A Small Furry Prayerweaves personal experience, and scientific inquiry into a fast-paced,fun-filled narrative that explores what it means to devote one's lifeto the furry and the four-legged. Along the way, Kotler combs throughevery aspect of canine-human relations, from long human history withdogs to brand new research into the neuroscience of caninecompanionship, in the end discovering why living in a world made of dogmay be the best way to uncover the truth about what it really means tobe human.
Small Island Developing States: Vulnerability and Resilience Under Climate Change (The World of Small States #9)
by Ilan Kelman Lino Briguglio Stefano Moncada Hilary Bambrick Catherine Iorns Leonard NurseThis book explores how vulnerable and resilient communities from SIDS are affected by climate change; proposes and, where possible, evaluates adaptation activities; identifies factors capable of enhancing or inhibiting SIDS people’s long-term ability to deal with climate change; and critiques the discourses, vocabularies, and constructions around SIDS dealing with climate change. The contributions, written by well-established scholars, as well as emerging authors and practitioners, in the field, include conceptual papers, coherent methodological approaches, and case studies from the communities based in the Caribbean Sea and the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific Oceans. In their introduction, the editors contextualise the book within the current literature. They emphasise the importance of stronger links between climate change science and policy in SIDS, both to increase effectiveness of policy and also boost scholarly enquiry in the context of whose communities are often excluded by mainstream research. This book is timely and appropriate, given the recent commission by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) of a Special Report that aims at addressing vulnerabilities, “especially in islands and coastal areas, as well as the adaptation and policy development opportunities” following the Paris Agreement. Coupled with this, there is also the need to support the policy community with further scientific evidence on climate change–related issues in SIDS, accompanying the first years of implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Small Island States & International Law: The Challenge of Rising Seas (Routledge Research in International Law)
by Carolin KönigWhat happens under international law if a state perishes due to rising sea levels without a successor state being created? Will the state cease to exist? What would this mean for its population? Have international law and globalization progressed enough to protect the people thus affected, or does international law still depend on the territorial state when it comes to protecting entire populations? Exploring these issues, this book provides answers to these pressing questions. Focusing on small island states as actors in the international community, it evaluates the challenges that the state as a subject of international law faces in general from globalization and humanization, and what this means for small island states threatened by rising seas. Highlighting the experience of the indigenous peoples of small island states as collectives, and to the individuals living in these states, the book addresses fundamental questions of general state theory and international law, drawing on an extensive body of source material. As rising sea levels present an increasingly pressing threat to small island states, this book highlights the importance of international protection of the individual and the capacity of international organizations to act within existing international law. It identifies pressing problems where immediate action is required and argues that, in future, the responsibility for protecting individuals could shift to the international community, if a sinking island state can no longer protect its population on its own.
Small Island States & International Law: The Challenge of Rising Seas (Routledge Research in International Law)
by Carolin KönigWhat happens under international law if a state perishes due to rising sea levels without a successor state being created? Will the state cease to exist? What would this mean for its population? Have international law and globalization progressed enough to protect the people thus affected, or does international law still depend on the territorial state when it comes to protecting entire populations? Exploring these issues, this book provides answers to these pressing questions. Focusing on small island states as actors in the international community, it evaluates the challenges that the state as a subject of international law faces in general from globalization and humanization, and what this means for small island states threatened by rising seas. Highlighting the experience of the indigenous peoples of small island states as collectives, and to the individuals living in these states, the book addresses fundamental questions of general state theory and international law, drawing on an extensive body of source material. As rising sea levels present an increasingly pressing threat to small island states, this book highlights the importance of international protection of the individual and the capacity of international organizations to act within existing international law. It identifies pressing problems where immediate action is required and argues that, in future, the responsibility for protecting individuals could shift to the international community, if a sinking island state can no longer protect its population on its own.
Small Islands in Maritime Disputes: Greek Turkish Energy Geo-politics
by Vedat Yorucu Ozay MehmetThis book explores the delicate interconnections between law and economics, especially as regards island entitlements under international maritime law. This is an area in the literature generally overlooked because maritime law has been the domain of legal experts. Maritime boundary disputes are over resources, a vitally important economic subject. Yet, the economics of maritime law has been ignored. Lawyers and legal experts have dominated the field, to the alarming degree of causing needless international conflicts. Our monograph addresses this serious neglect. The methodology would be rational behavior model, one specifically formulated to make the case that dialog and negotiation between these countries is the rational choice leading to win-win outcome in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean territorial waters. Public and private sector actors identified as key decision-makers in all phases of hydrocarbon development and monetization, within an overall win-win framework.
Small Law; Big Success: How to Use Business Niche Specialization to Grow a Multi-Million Dollar Law Practice
by Yussuf Aleem Jacob SlowikHarvard Law-graduate authors Yussuf Aleem and Jacob Slowik built a multi-million dollar law practice before they were 30 years old using a novel strategy of business niche specialization. They have now written the story behind their success so that other attorneys can learn from their methods and grow their own successful practices. Drawing on the authors’ own experiences and lessons with illustrative examples and real-life applications, the book teaches how they used a novel strategy of business niche specialization to quickly grow their law practice amidst a rapidly changing global economy. The book illustrates why business niche specialization worked for the authors, the characteristics of a business niche that make it right for a law practice, and how the authors adopted specific business tactics that aligned with their strategy and maximized their chances for success. Its innovative, tried and true methods have been broken down into applicable steps so that a strategy can be developed and executed in a way that works for the reader and their specific skill set. From new lawyers who are looking to jumpstart their legal career to established attorneys who need to revitalize their practice and boost their marketability, this book presents an opportunity to anyone who is struggling to succeed in the legal marketplace.
Small Satellites and Sustainable Development - Solutions in International Space Law (SpringerBriefs in Law)
by Kiran Krishnan NairThis book analyses the ability of existing international law to address common vulnerabilities in connection with the recent emergence of small satellites, and how finding consensus in this context can pave the way to the sustainable development of space. The rise of small satellite constellations has produced a paradigm shift in the use of space capabilities, suddenly making them far more available and affordable. This development has in turn sparked substantial global interest in finding ways to capitalize on the new opportunities and to mitigate the challenges posed by these mega-constellations. This work targets precisely that need, offering a valuable asset for readers from the commercial space industry, investors, lawyers, researchers, academics and policymakers alike.
Small State Referendums: Lessons from New Zealand
by Caroline MorrisThis book explores the unusual and unique experience of direct democracy in the small state of New Zealand, where referendums have been a persistent feature of the political landscape for over a century. Referendums have been the site of renewed interest from scholars, seeking to respond to what they term the "democratic deficit" in otherwise stable and functional Western democracies. They have also been at the heart of many divisive and important political and social moments in recent history, from the UK’s Brexit referendum in 2016 to the disputed legitimacy of the 2022 referendums in Russian-occupied Ukraine. This book fills an important gap in the literature through an extended study of the law and practice of referendums in the small Commonwealth state of New Zealand. It also expands the field of small state democracy studies by applying the insights of this field to the direct democracy experience of a small state. With the inclusion of comprehensive tables of referendums and legislative materials, this book will be of interest to scholars of direct democracy and small states, politicians, legislators and policy makers, and all those with a desire to do democracy better.
Small State Referendums: Lessons from New Zealand
by Caroline MorrisThis book explores the unusual and unique experience of direct democracy in the small state of New Zealand, where referendums have been a persistent feature of the political landscape for over a century. Referendums have been the site of renewed interest from scholars, seeking to respond to what they term the "democratic deficit" in otherwise stable and functional Western democracies. They have also been at the heart of many divisive and important political and social moments in recent history, from the UK’s Brexit referendum in 2016 to the disputed legitimacy of the 2022 referendums in Russian-occupied Ukraine. This book fills an important gap in the literature through an extended study of the law and practice of referendums in the small Commonwealth state of New Zealand. It also expands the field of small state democracy studies by applying the insights of this field to the direct democracy experience of a small state. With the inclusion of comprehensive tables of referendums and legislative materials, this book will be of interest to scholars of direct democracy and small states, politicians, legislators and policy makers, and all those with a desire to do democracy better.
Small States and Big Powers: Portugal and Iceland’s Foreign Relations (The World of Small States #10)
by Alice Cunha Baldur ThorhallssonForeign policy is one of the most complex policies of every state, and Portugal and Iceland are no exception. The “Small States and Big Powers: Portugal and Iceland’s Foreign Relations” book analyses the importance of relations with big powers or regional and international organisations from a shelter theory perspective, detailing the degree of political, economic and societal shelter that they have provided to Portugal and to Iceland over time. Despite having followed distinct paths, Portugal and Iceland have some important similarities in their foreign policy, namely in relation to the European and the Atlantic dimensions and their participation in regional organisations. The book examines their decisions to join or not to join regional organisations, and both countries’ bilateral relations with other important parts of the world, namely Africa, the Nordic states and China. This book compares the foreign policies of Portugal and Iceland considering their commonly identified status as small states and place them within the shelter theory framework, and its findings indicate that both countries need to balance their international relations with shelter provided by different actors. Their size and political and economic capabilities matter in their bilateral and multilateral relations. It is therefore in both countries’ interest to maintain strong cooperation not only with big powers, but also regional and international organisations, depending on their field of action, in order to flourish politically, economically and socially.
Small States and EU Governance: Leadership through the Council Presidency (St Antony's Series)
by S. BunseSmall States and EU Governance shows that the EU's rotating Council presidency and small states' capacity to make use of it have been underestimated. It examines the political objectives the presidency serves and presents a systematic and comparative assessment of its nature and influence in internal market and foreign policy issues.
Small States and the Changing Global Order: New Zealand Faces the Future (The World of Small States #6)
by Anne-Marie BradyThis book provides a critical examination of the foreign policy choices of one typical small state, New Zealand, as it faces the changing global balance of power. New Zealand’s foreign policy challenges are similar with those faced by many other small states in the world today and are ideally suited to help inform theoretical debates on the role of small states in the changing international system. The book analyses how a small state such as New Zealand is adjusting to the changing geopolitical, geo-economic, environment. The book includes perspectives from some of New Zealand's leading as well as emerging commentators on New Zealand foreign policy.
Small States and the New Security Environment (The World of Small States #7)
by Anne-Marie Brady Baldur ThorhallssonThis book examines the security, defence and foreign policy choices and challenges of small states in NATO and its small partner states in the new security environment. The main aim of the book is to analyse how these states are dealing with current and emerging security challenges and how they might better prepare for these challenges. A special focus is on ‘new’ security threats and solutions, such as drones and hybrid warfare. Simultaneously, the book focusses on how small states are responding to emerging ‘old threats’, such as Russian aggression in its neighbouring states and increased activity in the North Atlantic. The book makes an attempt to answer questions like: How are the small states of NATO and its small partner states adjusting to the new geo-political and geo-economic environment? Do small states in NATO manage the tension between alliance commitments differently from small states that are not members of NATO? What are the core strategic interests of the NATO and non-NATO partner small states? The book is about the external dimension of inherent size-related difficulties in states and how small states compensate for their inbuilt structural weaknesses compared with their larger neighbouring states. One third of the member states of NATO are small and most NATO partner states are small states too. Small states frequently have a disproportionate effect on global politics and they are more often affected by global shifts of power, yet they have less resources available to address security challenges. The aim of the book is to enhance the understanding of the role of small states in the changing global international security environment. The book presents the theory of shelter (which is derived from the diverse and extensive literature on small states) and uses it to examine how small states respond to new and old security threats. Shelter theory addresses three interrelated issues of common concerns to small states: the reduction of risk before a possible crisis event, assistance in absorbing shocks in times of crises, and help in recovering after such an event. In short, shelter theory claims that small states need external shelter in order to survive and prosper. They are dependent on the economic, political, and societal shelter provided by larger states, as well as regional and international organizations.