The implementation of OECD corporate governance principles in post-crisis Asia

The recent OECD Principles on Corporate Governance provide a framework for the convergence of global corporate governance practice. This paper considers the implementation of these global ‘best-practice’ standards of governance as part of the continuing post-economic-crisis reform throughout Asia. These initiatives have explicitly acknowledged that no single model of governance can exist, and instead have focused on those elements apparently common and, therefore, applicable to all countries. Notwithstanding the existence of these elements, this paper investigates the difficulties involved when attempting to implement general rules across countries at different stages of economic and legal development. While implementation will be hindered by obvious cultural disparities, long-term change in practice requires a cultural shift in the philosophical and financial bases of the firm.

New criminal sanctions-inflicting pain through the denial of employment and education

Imprisonments and fines are the standard sanctions employed by most western countries in punishing offenders.  Where neither of these penalties is appropriate, the courts normally have a variety of indeterminate sanctions at their disposal.  However the general effectiveness of these sanctions is questionable.  This paper argues that the criminal justice system has been too slow and unimaginative in developing efficient and effective methods of punishing offenders.  There are ways of inflicting pain on offenders that do not encroach on their liberty or affect their material wealth.  It is suggested that new sentencing options should include the annulment or suspension of an offenders academic qualifications and the making of orders preventing an offender from working or being enrolled in an educational or vocational pursuit.

Tax incentives for foreign direct investment part I : Recent trends and countertrends

According to the conventional wisdom, tax incentives for investment - in particular for foreign direct investment (FDI) - are not recommended. That is the view held almost universally by theorists and by the international bodies that advise on tax matters.' Tax incentives are bad in theory and bad in practice. They are bad in theory principally because they cause distortions: investment decisions are made that would not have been made without the inducement of special tax concessions. They are bad in practice, being both ineffective and inefficient. They are ineffective in that tax considerations are only rarely a major determinant in FDI decisions; they are inefficient because their cost, in terms of tax revenue foregone, often far exceeds any benefits they may produce. Other criticisms are also frequently levelled against tax incentives for FDI - they are inequitable (since they benefit some investors but not others), they are difficult to administer and open to abuse, and they lack transparency. Thus, it is not surprising that ''the standard advice given by institutions like the World Bank and the lMF to developing countries is to refrain from offering tax incentives to foreign investors".2 The purpose of this article is not to question that advice or to challenge the conventional wisdom - except in one respect. Recent evidence does suggest that tax considerations are an increasingly important factor in investment decisions and that special tax incentives have become substantially more effective as instruments for attracting FDI than they were 10 or 20 years ago.3 The first part of this article, published here, examines some of that evidence, reviews some recent trends in national policies towards FDI, attempts to suggest why investment incentives have become more important and more effective, and looks at the pressures that are exerted on governments, especially in developing countries, to compete for FDI by offering special incentives. The second part of the article, to be published in the Bulletin next month, assumes that many countries will continue to offer tax incentives to investors regardless of the best advice, and considers how incentives might be designed in order to increase their effectiveness and efficiency.

Truth is God harm minimization through the practice of ecologically sustainable design and buddhism

The emergence of the global ecological crisis is presenting unique opportunities for the coordination of ethical thinking across cultural boundaries. Harm minimization as an ethical imperative operates as the ‘modus operandi’ behind both Ecologically Sustainable Design (ESD) and Buddhist practice. The architectural response to ESD is founded upon the ‘Declaration of Interdependence for a Sustainable Future’ adopted in 1993 by the International Union of Architects, of which the RAIA is a member.

Buddhism is a response to existential concerns universal to humanity. It developed as a set of principles for personal transformation known as the Four Noble Truths elucidated two and a half thousand years ago. Buddhist meditation practise ‘interrupts automatic patterns of conditioned behaviour’ recognised as the major obstacle to be overcome in any programme for change. Unsustainable egocentric behaviour is considered fundamental to our global ecological crisis and calls for radical behavioural change are increasingly being heard at the professional as well as the personal level. Emerging synergies between the Western cognitive sciences and Buddhist study of the mind increasingly validate the Tibetan Buddhist mind development phenomenon. Buddhists argue that their programme for enhancing ethical behaviour through mind development is a step-by step process of observation and analysis built upon empirical observation – a fundamental pre-requisite of any ‘scientific’ enquiry. Collaborative research programmes currently underway are an attempt to re-interpret Buddhist meditation techniques within a framework acceptable to Western scientific understanding. A truly holistic approach to harm minimization requires its consideration.

The pursuit of muscularity among adolescent boys in Fiji and Tonga

The desire for muscularity is tied to Western views of the male gender role, which prescribe that men be strong, physically fit and athletically successful. Although, these ideals have been primarily studied among Western adolescent boys, there is emerging evidence that the same ideals are valued and promoted among males from the Pacific Islands. The aim of the present study was to examine body image concerns associated with muscularity and the reasons for these concerns among Fijian and Tongan adolescent boys. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 Indigenous Fijian, 24 Indo-Fijian, and 24 Tongan boys aged between 13 and 20 years. A thematic analysis of boys’ narratives showed that the pursuit of muscularity was a dominant theme for many boys. Boys’ reasons for pursing muscularity included the attainment of strength and fitness, sporting performance, physical work, dominance, and health. These findings are examined in relation to previous research with Western adolescent boys.

Seasonal storage for solar thermal systems in Australia?

Seasonal storage systems have been operating in various European countries since 1985. Combined with solar collectors, these systems are known as ‘central solar heating plants with seasonal storage’ (CSHPSS). While these systems have been shown to be technically feasible, their cost is still too high to make them competitive with fossil fuels.

In Australia, we have quite different conditions to those countries where CSHPSS have been trialled. In general, we experience higher radiation levels, ambient temperatures and cooling loads. Our heating loads and energy prices are also usually lower. As a result, any evaluation of CSPSS operating in a European context may not be valid for Australian conditions. To the authors’ knowledge, no evaluation of these systems has been carried out for Australia.

This paper therefore attempts an initial assessment of these systems and their viability for Australia. The paper first describes the various types of CSHPSS and then reviews their current status. The performance of one type of CSHPSS operating in several locations of Australia has been predicted using a TRNSYS model. The simulations indicated that the design guidelines for Europe are inappropriate for Australia and would result in greatly over-sized systems.

An indication of the financial viability of the system was determined by calculating a simple payback period for a variety of fossil fuels. This type of seasonal storage systems appears to be financially attractive in areas of southern Australia where the solar system is displacing LPG.

Multiculturalism in Asia

This book explores the different ways that issues of ethnocultural diversity are conceptualised and debated in South and East Asia. It looks at the legacies of precolonial and colonial traditions for managing diversity, their reinterpretation under postcolonial independence and globalisation, and their relationship to Western liberal models of multiculturalism and emerging international norms of human and minority rights. It shows that political actors draw on a range of intellectual resources and traditions when thinking through these questions. Appeals to international human rights instruments and Western policies of multiculturalism are interspersed with appeals to local traditions, national mythologies, regional practices, and religious doctrines. An attempt to understand these debates or contribute to them requires an understanding of the complex interaction between the different ways of conceptualising diversity and citizenship.

Obesity prevention and public health

More than 22 million children under five are now obese or overweight. Globally, an estimated 10% of school-aged children, between five and 17 years old, are overweight or obese, and the situation is getting worse. Although recognised clinically for some time as an important condition that increases risk of ill-health in affected individuals, it is only recently, that obesity has been recognised as a population-wide problem that requires preventive action. Obesity is a major contributor to diseases and disability, the associated health costs are enormous, obesity has already reached epidemic proportions in many countries, and incidence is continuing to increase in children and adults. Disturbingly the epidemic is not confined to developed countries, with many developing countries and those in transition affected. While recognised as a major population health problem, our understanding of the causes of the epidemic is poor, there has been relatively little population-based research that has focused on the prevention of unhealthy weight gain, and as a consequence knowledge regarding how and where best to intervene is limited. This book draws together the existing literature and expertise and with a view to helping set the agenda for public health action. The book is divided into three sections. Part 1 provides an overview of the context of the problem. It examines the epidemiology of obesity, the role of behavioural factors, socio-cultural factors and environmental factors in the obesity epidemic. Part 2 reviews interventions across a range of key settings and in different population groups - drawing on existing research that has aimed to increase physical activity, promote healthy eating and prevent obesity at a population level. Given how little research there is that has specifically examined the effectiveness of interventions aimed at preventing obesity per se, Part 3 explores potential opportunities to prevent obesity

Knowing from where?

Exploring western philosophies which have shifted down through time but have also held firm on key features that dominate, separate and shatter at the core I realised this was not us as I tried to "develop the right orientation to ourselves and our place first" (Meyer2003 : 60) as an Arabana udyurla. Thus, despite there being some opportunity here and there within these philosophic positions I turned to the Ularaka -- the Arabana worldview -- to consider methodology and method drawing from our ancient knowledge. The sun shone brightly. I was able to 'See...hear...feel and smell (take it in)' -- think. My approach shifted from a marking out of an Indigenous space within or being an addendum to western philosophies to understanding and therefore doing from an embodiment and embodying within the ontologies and cultural knowledge of the Ularaka. From here while in dialogue with and being 'grown' or mentored by key Elders, I could powerfully experience, engage and interpret 'data' from an Indigenous knowledge position.

Aid effectiveness on growth : a meta study

The aid effectiveness literature contains about 100 papers that see aid as a treatment given to poor countries to generate development. 68 of these papers provide a total of 543 comparable estimates of the effect of aid on growth, which are the data of our meta-analysis. We consider two questions: (Q1) Are the estimates converging to a clear result over time as aid agencies gain experience, models become better and data accumulates? We find that the results do have a positive average, but it is small, insignificant and falling. (Q2) Can we identify the main factors that explain the large differences in the results? We find that much of the variation between studies can be attributed to publication outlet, institutional affiliation, data and specification differences. However, some of the difference between studies is real. In particular, the aid-growth effect is stronger for Asian countries. The meta-analysis indicates also the existence of indirect channels, which need to be further explored.

Strength of faith and body image in Muslim and non-Muslim women

A questionnaire was completed by 98 Muslim and 91 non-Muslim Australian  women to examine the relationship between Islam and body image. Path analyses revealed that for Muslim women (but not non-Muslim women) strength of religious faith was inversely related to body dissatisfaction, body self-objectification, and dietary restraint. These relationships were mediated by increased use of modest clothing and by reduced media consumption. These results are consistent with the proposition that adherence to Islam can indirectly protect women's body image from appearance-based public scrutiny and from exposure to Western media.

Sociocultural influences on body dissatisfaction and body change behaviors among Malaysian adolescents

Little research on body dissatisfaction and body change behaviors, and the sociocultural influences on them, has been undertaken in non-Western contexts. The current study investigated these variables and the relationships between them among a sample of 529 Malaysian high school students (103 Malays, 344 Chinese and 82 Indians), who completed a set of measures in classroom settings. Chinese girls were more dissatisfied with their bodies than Chinese boys, but no gender difference was found for Malay and Indian participants. Girls were more likely to engage in behaviors to lose weight, and boys were more likely to engage in behaviors to increase muscle. The influence of sociocultural factors on body dissatisfaction and body change behaviors was limited and varied across both sex and ethnicity. Findings are discussed in relation to Western research, and it is concluded that cultural nuances need to be considered when investigating these phenomena.

Occupational health needs of universities : a review with an emphasis on the United Kingdom

This study describes the needs of universities in relation to planning the provision of occupational health services, by detailing their occupational hazards and risks and other relevant factors. The paper presents the results of (1) an enquiry into publicly available data relevant to occupational health in the university sector in the United Kingdom, (2) a literature review on occupational health provision in universities, and (3) selected results from a survey of university occupational health services in the UK. Although the enquiry and survey, but not the literature review, were restricted to the UK, the authors consider that the results are relevant to other countries because of the broad similarities of the university sector between countries. These three approaches showed that the university sector is large, with a notably wide range of occupational hazards, and other significant factors which must be considered in planning occupational health provision for individual universities or for the sector as a whole.

Greening Australian workplaces : workers and the environment

Workers have in the past have been seen as a hindrance to environmental reform. This has been primarily because of the fear of job loss. The job versus the environment dichotomy that has placed workers and trade unions against environmentalists is unhelpful and believed by many as outdated. Internationally, trade unions have worked together with the United Nations and other international bodies to ensure that the rights of workers have not been ignored in the climate change debate. Significantly workers are now seen as part of the answer. Workers are not a hindrance to environmental reform. Rather they are an important part of finding solutions to climate change and wider environmental sustainability measures in our community. The United Nations Environmental Programme report titled ‘Labour and the Environment; A Natural Synergy’ examines how workers and their representative trade unions can make a significant contribution towards promoting action on climate change and wider environmental sustainability measures in the workplace. The report outlines three broad recommendations which countries can implement to foster a growing ‘synergy’ between the interests of labour and protection of the environment. The advantage of the report is that it discusses the recommendations in the context of existing laws and general regulatory structures common to many countries including Australia. The first two recommendations draw upon labour laws whilst the third is in the area of company law. The first recommendation is the use of enterprise bargaining to incorporate clauses which protect and promote the environment in enterprise agreements commonly called ‘green friendly’ clauses. The second recommendation is the use of occupational health and safety laws as a vehicle for the promotion of environmental standards in the workplace. The third recommendation is the active engagement of corporate social responsibility principles by companies. This article discusses the recommendations in the context of Australian law.

A construct of the 'ethos of codes of ethics' (ECE) : the case of private and public Sweden

Purpose – The objective of this paper is to develop and describe a construct of the “ethos of the codes of ethics” (i.e. an ECE construct) in the private and public sectors of Sweden.

Design/methodology/approach – The paper takes a cross-sector approach to codes of ethics amongst the top private sector companies and the top public sector organisations. The paper then examines the measures put in place by the dual sample in order to describe the ethos of their codes of ethics.

Findings – The multivariate techniques used in the statistical analysis indicated that the ECE-construct consists of five dimensions: ethical bodies, ethical tools, ethical support procedures, internal ethics usage, and external ethics usage.

Research limitations/implications – It should be noted that the ECE construct has been derived from large companies and organisations in private and public Sweden, which may indicate less applicability to smaller operations. Another limitation may be the validity and reliability across other cultural samples. The dual sample contains a variety of different types of operations, but it may not be transferable to other countries.

Practical implications – The outcome is based on data from private companies and public organisations that indicated they had corporate codes of ethics. Therefore, a suggestion for further research is to examine the ECE construct in other countries/cultures that differ from the ones in this research effort performed in the private and public sectors of Sweden.

Originality/value – The ECE construct introduced makes a contribution to theory and practice in the field as it is based upon a dual sample. It makes a contribution to theory as it outlines a construct for the benefit of other researchers working in both the private and the public sectors. The authors also believe that it may be of managerial interest as it provides a grounded framework of areas to be considered in the implementation of the codes of ethics in both private companies and public organisations.