Anil (Andy) Hira is a Professor of Political Science at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada. He is a specialist in international development, economic competitiveness, and energy policy.
We argue that academic systems are poorly designed from the point of view of evaluation of result... more We argue that academic systems are poorly designed from the point of view of evaluation of results and accountability and transparency of systems. The basic management literature suggests that performance stems from the development of clear strategic targets and priorities; appropriate administrative and incentive structures to support, enhance, and evaluate performance; and the development of collective values towards continual improvement on an institutional, not just individual, level (Wang, 2010, p. 10). Through a review of North American graduate training and placement; tenure, promotion, and salary review; and the particularly problematic aspects of teaching and service assessment, we find a series of vexing challenges that need to be tackled. We suggest the direction of systemic changes that could lead to collective improvement of academic performance.
One of the most controversial topics in the news is the outsourcing of American jobs to other cou... more One of the most controversial topics in the news is the outsourcing of American jobs to other countries. Outsourced jobs have extended well beyond the manufacturing sector to include white-collar professionals, particularly in information technology, financial services, and customer service. Outsourcing America reveals just how much outsourcing is taking place, what its impact has been and will continue to be, and what can be done about the loss of jobs. More than an expose, Outsourcing America shows how offshoring is part of the historical economic shift toward globalism and free trade, and demonstrates its impact on individual lives and communities. In addition, the book now features a new chapter on immigration policies and outsourcing, and advice on how individuals can avoid becoming victims of outsourcing. The authors discuss policies that countries like India and China use to attract U.S. industries, and they offer frank recommendations that business and political leaders must...
Persistent issues with financial regulation preceded and continue after the 2008 global financial... more Persistent issues with financial regulation preceded and continue after the 2008 global financial crisis. Immediate reactions to restore liquidity and provide fiscal stimulus rescued Western economies. However, they did not address root causes of the crash. We demonstrate that issues such as regulatory capture and moral hazard were recognised in the US banking system as far back as the late nineteenth century, and that ensuing reforms were inadequate and sometimes reversed. Financial innovation and globalisation have led to evolving and complex capital markets, leaving regulation behind. Financial instability helps to foster anti-globalisation, populist, and protectionist movements. This chapter advocates that adequate financial reforms are needed to address persistent issues, restore liberal capitalism, and reduce nationalism.
Handbook of the International Political Economy of Energy and Natural Resources
This chapter outlines and assesses an important debate that has seized momentum over the last dec... more This chapter outlines and assesses an important debate that has seized momentum over the last decade, namely whether there are trade-offs between energy and food. The analysis of the energy-food nexus is built around the issue of prices, and is loosely framed through the application of the concept of ‘trilemma’, specifically between issues of efficiency, security and equity. The focus of the analysis is on one of the most discussed potential causes of food price rises, namely the energy-food nexus present in the production and use of biofuels, i.e. the use of crops to create liquid fuels for transportation. In conclusion, the chapter demonstrates through a review of the empirical and policy literature that the relationship between energy and food is highly complicated and contingent, thus solutions require multi-faceted efforts.
What mix of generation would provide British Columbia with the optimum electricity system? Energy... more What mix of generation would provide British Columbia with the optimum electricity system? Energy analysts have critiqued the 2007 BC Energy Plan; A Vision for Clean Energy Leadership in regard to its goal of aiming for a 90% renewable energy mix. By failing to full embrace renewable energy at 100%, this goal fails to obtain the maximum range of benefits to be accrued from the province’s electricity system. Beginning with a thorough analysis of the literature, and personal interviews, this project examines outside critiques of the Energy Plan by sources from the non-for-profit sector, private energy developers, and the government itself, in order to make the argument that a move towards 100% renewable electricity generation makes economic, final, and technical sense. This cost-benefit analysis will compare non-renewable with renewable sources of electricity in terms of how they fair in terms of costs, supply security, employment opportunities, creating innovation clusters, and impac...
While global competitiveness is increasingly invoked as necessary for economic success stories, t... more While global competitiveness is increasingly invoked as necessary for economic success stories, there are few answers available about how it can be achieved or maintained. The idea of stimulating industries to spur on economies is often proposed, but industrial policy can be seen as a boondoggle of government spending, and theorists of globalization are doubtful that such efforts can succeed in a world of fragmented supply chains. What Makes Clusters Competitive? tests fundamental theoretical hypotheses about what makes industries competitive in a globalized world by using the wine industries of several countries as case studies: Extremadura (Spain), Tuscany (Italy), South Australia, Chile, and British Columbia (Canada), Taking into account historical and location-specific characteristics, and drawing out policy lessons for other regions that would like to promote their industries, this volume demonstrates the value of applying cluster theory to understand market forces, while also ...
1. INTRODUCTION This paper examines the Canadian response to the terrorist attacks on the US on S... more 1. INTRODUCTION This paper examines the Canadian response to the terrorist attacks on the US on September 11, 2001 (hereafter referred to as 9 /11), and the US policy and institutional changes that ensued as well. These changes are potentially profound in terms of both domestic and regional governance and in terms of their potential impact on economic prosperity in Canada. Thus far, much of the literature on Canada after 9/11 has been reactive about what such changes may portend for the future of Canadian-US relations in long-term perspective (Netherton et al.2005). Our goal in this paper is to examine systematically which changes have occurred with respect to foreign policy, domestic security, economic and immigration policy, and the institutional adaptations that have flowed from these 9/11-induced policy shifts. There is a profound tension at the heart of contemporary Canadian governance. As continentally integrationistforces in the economy remain very powerful, a broad trend tow...
Governing Corporate Social Responsibility in the Apparel Industry after Rana Plaza
Two consortia of multinational apparel companies, the Accord and the Alliance, have created a new... more Two consortia of multinational apparel companies, the Accord and the Alliance, have created a new governance system designed to ensure basic safety measures for Bangladeshi factories. The new system involves audits by the consortia, enforced remediation of substandard factories, and training of workers and management. I argue, however, that the new system is already showing weaknesses, and will not resolve safety issues. In order to find solutions, I explore alternative perspectives, including market adjustments, the promotion of labour rights through legal reforms by the International Labour Organisation and non-governmental organisations, and the development of new corporate codes to change global supply chains. Both a private-sector and mixed model of governance are found wanting. In the long run, the solution lies in public sector leadership, as was the case with labour standards in the West. However, political obstacles abound in Bangladesh, from the strength of textile factory owners to the weakness of unions. I conclude with a suggestion for a new governance model that addresses such issues.
The emergence of “corporate social responsibility” (CSR) among Western multinationals reflects do... more The emergence of “corporate social responsibility” (CSR) among Western multinationals reflects doubts about governments in the South to regulate production as well as a vacuum of global regulatory capacity and authority. In response to criticism, media shaming, and protests from NGOs and civil society organizations centered around labor and environmental concerns, corporations began to organize a global public regime, as reflected in the Global Compact, in the 1990s. CSR is the focus of both national and global agreements, with companies starting to work with international organizations and NGOs in emerging CSR “mixed regimes.” Yet there are inherent contradictions in both CSR and mixed regimes, ones that can only be resolved by reasserting a more activist role for the developing state.
California's wine industry is now considered world class. While the industry has deep roots g... more California's wine industry is now considered world class. While the industry has deep roots going back to the nineteenth century, the revolution in quality can be traced back to the period after World War II. The movement occurred in two waves. The first was a shift in the industry towards scientific methods of winemaking. The second was a major improvement in creating consistent and subtle wines that imitated and eventually competed successfully with European wines. The movement can be examined through the lives of two key entrepreneurs, Ernest Gallo and Robert Mondavi, through a combination of primary and secondary sources including biographies, oral histories, interviews, and statistics. At first glance, these two pioneers of the California wine industry could not be more different. Gallo operated in secrecy and focused on consistent mass produced wine such as Thunderbird. Mondavi sought to reach the lofty heights of French premium wine. An examination, though, of the strateg...
Corruption, or misuse of public office for private gain, is continually in the headlines. From hu... more Corruption, or misuse of public office for private gain, is continually in the headlines. From hunger strikes in India to scandals around defence procurement in Canada, attention to corruption is growing. Corruption has been linked to weak economic growth and development outcomes (Kulshreshtha, 2008, p. 558). Though the problems of corruption have led aid agencies to recognize the fundamental importance of good governance, progress has been halting. In fact, there are almost no cases of a developing (‘post-colonial’) country moving from a highly corrupt situation to one in which corruption is minimized. Civil service reforms and elections of pro-reform candidates seem futile to bring long-lasting results in countries as diverse as India and Argentina. Failing states from Afghanistan to Iraq reveal corruption to be a central issue. While the role of culture, often defined as shared beliefs, attitudes, values, norms and practices is recognized in the academic literature as an element of potential importance, to date it has not been incorporated into the design of aid programmes to reform civil services. In this collection, we examine why attempts to reform the civil services of developing countries have largely failed in good part because they focus on the formal and ignore the need to reform culture as well. Our case studies including Singapore, Hong Kong, Chile, Afghanistan, Swaziland, India and Nigeria span a wide range of failures as well as a few success stories and are based on strong author knowledge of the local context as well as field research.
This paper traces the development and structure of the global political economy. After first expl... more This paper traces the development and structure of the global political economy. After first explaining why politics and economics and inextricably connected, the paper goes on detail how these processes have become global and what impact this is likely to have on states ...
... for concrete policy proposals and set out my case in systematic fashion for a ... efficient f... more ... for concrete policy proposals and set out my case in systematic fashion for a ... efficient functioning of those markets has only exacerbated the degree of articulation (different rates ... the middle class base necessary to create stable institutions, reduce crime, and repair social fabrics. ...
We argue that academic systems are poorly designed from the point of view of evaluation of result... more We argue that academic systems are poorly designed from the point of view of evaluation of results and accountability and transparency of systems. The basic management literature suggests that performance stems from the development of clear strategic targets and priorities; appropriate administrative and incentive structures to support, enhance, and evaluate performance; and the development of collective values towards continual improvement on an institutional, not just individual, level (Wang, 2010, p. 10). Through a review of North American graduate training and placement; tenure, promotion, and salary review; and the particularly problematic aspects of teaching and service assessment, we find a series of vexing challenges that need to be tackled. We suggest the direction of systemic changes that could lead to collective improvement of academic performance.
One of the most controversial topics in the news is the outsourcing of American jobs to other cou... more One of the most controversial topics in the news is the outsourcing of American jobs to other countries. Outsourced jobs have extended well beyond the manufacturing sector to include white-collar professionals, particularly in information technology, financial services, and customer service. Outsourcing America reveals just how much outsourcing is taking place, what its impact has been and will continue to be, and what can be done about the loss of jobs. More than an expose, Outsourcing America shows how offshoring is part of the historical economic shift toward globalism and free trade, and demonstrates its impact on individual lives and communities. In addition, the book now features a new chapter on immigration policies and outsourcing, and advice on how individuals can avoid becoming victims of outsourcing. The authors discuss policies that countries like India and China use to attract U.S. industries, and they offer frank recommendations that business and political leaders must...
Persistent issues with financial regulation preceded and continue after the 2008 global financial... more Persistent issues with financial regulation preceded and continue after the 2008 global financial crisis. Immediate reactions to restore liquidity and provide fiscal stimulus rescued Western economies. However, they did not address root causes of the crash. We demonstrate that issues such as regulatory capture and moral hazard were recognised in the US banking system as far back as the late nineteenth century, and that ensuing reforms were inadequate and sometimes reversed. Financial innovation and globalisation have led to evolving and complex capital markets, leaving regulation behind. Financial instability helps to foster anti-globalisation, populist, and protectionist movements. This chapter advocates that adequate financial reforms are needed to address persistent issues, restore liberal capitalism, and reduce nationalism.
Handbook of the International Political Economy of Energy and Natural Resources
This chapter outlines and assesses an important debate that has seized momentum over the last dec... more This chapter outlines and assesses an important debate that has seized momentum over the last decade, namely whether there are trade-offs between energy and food. The analysis of the energy-food nexus is built around the issue of prices, and is loosely framed through the application of the concept of ‘trilemma’, specifically between issues of efficiency, security and equity. The focus of the analysis is on one of the most discussed potential causes of food price rises, namely the energy-food nexus present in the production and use of biofuels, i.e. the use of crops to create liquid fuels for transportation. In conclusion, the chapter demonstrates through a review of the empirical and policy literature that the relationship between energy and food is highly complicated and contingent, thus solutions require multi-faceted efforts.
What mix of generation would provide British Columbia with the optimum electricity system? Energy... more What mix of generation would provide British Columbia with the optimum electricity system? Energy analysts have critiqued the 2007 BC Energy Plan; A Vision for Clean Energy Leadership in regard to its goal of aiming for a 90% renewable energy mix. By failing to full embrace renewable energy at 100%, this goal fails to obtain the maximum range of benefits to be accrued from the province’s electricity system. Beginning with a thorough analysis of the literature, and personal interviews, this project examines outside critiques of the Energy Plan by sources from the non-for-profit sector, private energy developers, and the government itself, in order to make the argument that a move towards 100% renewable electricity generation makes economic, final, and technical sense. This cost-benefit analysis will compare non-renewable with renewable sources of electricity in terms of how they fair in terms of costs, supply security, employment opportunities, creating innovation clusters, and impac...
While global competitiveness is increasingly invoked as necessary for economic success stories, t... more While global competitiveness is increasingly invoked as necessary for economic success stories, there are few answers available about how it can be achieved or maintained. The idea of stimulating industries to spur on economies is often proposed, but industrial policy can be seen as a boondoggle of government spending, and theorists of globalization are doubtful that such efforts can succeed in a world of fragmented supply chains. What Makes Clusters Competitive? tests fundamental theoretical hypotheses about what makes industries competitive in a globalized world by using the wine industries of several countries as case studies: Extremadura (Spain), Tuscany (Italy), South Australia, Chile, and British Columbia (Canada), Taking into account historical and location-specific characteristics, and drawing out policy lessons for other regions that would like to promote their industries, this volume demonstrates the value of applying cluster theory to understand market forces, while also ...
1. INTRODUCTION This paper examines the Canadian response to the terrorist attacks on the US on S... more 1. INTRODUCTION This paper examines the Canadian response to the terrorist attacks on the US on September 11, 2001 (hereafter referred to as 9 /11), and the US policy and institutional changes that ensued as well. These changes are potentially profound in terms of both domestic and regional governance and in terms of their potential impact on economic prosperity in Canada. Thus far, much of the literature on Canada after 9/11 has been reactive about what such changes may portend for the future of Canadian-US relations in long-term perspective (Netherton et al.2005). Our goal in this paper is to examine systematically which changes have occurred with respect to foreign policy, domestic security, economic and immigration policy, and the institutional adaptations that have flowed from these 9/11-induced policy shifts. There is a profound tension at the heart of contemporary Canadian governance. As continentally integrationistforces in the economy remain very powerful, a broad trend tow...
Governing Corporate Social Responsibility in the Apparel Industry after Rana Plaza
Two consortia of multinational apparel companies, the Accord and the Alliance, have created a new... more Two consortia of multinational apparel companies, the Accord and the Alliance, have created a new governance system designed to ensure basic safety measures for Bangladeshi factories. The new system involves audits by the consortia, enforced remediation of substandard factories, and training of workers and management. I argue, however, that the new system is already showing weaknesses, and will not resolve safety issues. In order to find solutions, I explore alternative perspectives, including market adjustments, the promotion of labour rights through legal reforms by the International Labour Organisation and non-governmental organisations, and the development of new corporate codes to change global supply chains. Both a private-sector and mixed model of governance are found wanting. In the long run, the solution lies in public sector leadership, as was the case with labour standards in the West. However, political obstacles abound in Bangladesh, from the strength of textile factory owners to the weakness of unions. I conclude with a suggestion for a new governance model that addresses such issues.
The emergence of “corporate social responsibility” (CSR) among Western multinationals reflects do... more The emergence of “corporate social responsibility” (CSR) among Western multinationals reflects doubts about governments in the South to regulate production as well as a vacuum of global regulatory capacity and authority. In response to criticism, media shaming, and protests from NGOs and civil society organizations centered around labor and environmental concerns, corporations began to organize a global public regime, as reflected in the Global Compact, in the 1990s. CSR is the focus of both national and global agreements, with companies starting to work with international organizations and NGOs in emerging CSR “mixed regimes.” Yet there are inherent contradictions in both CSR and mixed regimes, ones that can only be resolved by reasserting a more activist role for the developing state.
California's wine industry is now considered world class. While the industry has deep roots g... more California's wine industry is now considered world class. While the industry has deep roots going back to the nineteenth century, the revolution in quality can be traced back to the period after World War II. The movement occurred in two waves. The first was a shift in the industry towards scientific methods of winemaking. The second was a major improvement in creating consistent and subtle wines that imitated and eventually competed successfully with European wines. The movement can be examined through the lives of two key entrepreneurs, Ernest Gallo and Robert Mondavi, through a combination of primary and secondary sources including biographies, oral histories, interviews, and statistics. At first glance, these two pioneers of the California wine industry could not be more different. Gallo operated in secrecy and focused on consistent mass produced wine such as Thunderbird. Mondavi sought to reach the lofty heights of French premium wine. An examination, though, of the strateg...
Corruption, or misuse of public office for private gain, is continually in the headlines. From hu... more Corruption, or misuse of public office for private gain, is continually in the headlines. From hunger strikes in India to scandals around defence procurement in Canada, attention to corruption is growing. Corruption has been linked to weak economic growth and development outcomes (Kulshreshtha, 2008, p. 558). Though the problems of corruption have led aid agencies to recognize the fundamental importance of good governance, progress has been halting. In fact, there are almost no cases of a developing (‘post-colonial’) country moving from a highly corrupt situation to one in which corruption is minimized. Civil service reforms and elections of pro-reform candidates seem futile to bring long-lasting results in countries as diverse as India and Argentina. Failing states from Afghanistan to Iraq reveal corruption to be a central issue. While the role of culture, often defined as shared beliefs, attitudes, values, norms and practices is recognized in the academic literature as an element of potential importance, to date it has not been incorporated into the design of aid programmes to reform civil services. In this collection, we examine why attempts to reform the civil services of developing countries have largely failed in good part because they focus on the formal and ignore the need to reform culture as well. Our case studies including Singapore, Hong Kong, Chile, Afghanistan, Swaziland, India and Nigeria span a wide range of failures as well as a few success stories and are based on strong author knowledge of the local context as well as field research.
This paper traces the development and structure of the global political economy. After first expl... more This paper traces the development and structure of the global political economy. After first explaining why politics and economics and inextricably connected, the paper goes on detail how these processes have become global and what impact this is likely to have on states ...
... for concrete policy proposals and set out my case in systematic fashion for a ... efficient f... more ... for concrete policy proposals and set out my case in systematic fashion for a ... efficient functioning of those markets has only exacerbated the degree of articulation (different rates ... the middle class base necessary to create stable institutions, reduce crime, and repair social fabrics. ...
Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance, 2016
Overview of definitions and theories of corruption. Review of history of corruption and efforts ... more Overview of definitions and theories of corruption. Review of history of corruption and efforts to control it in Western bureaucracies. Discussion of ways to measure and track corruption on a global scale.
SHIRT OFF YOUR BACK: GOVERNANCE REFORMS IN THE APPAREL INDUSTRY AFTER RANA PLAZA, 2017
Two consortia of multinational apparel companies, the Accord and the Alliance, have created a new... more Two consortia of multinational apparel companies, the Accord and the Alliance, have created a new governance system designed to ensure basic safety measures for Bangladeshi factories. The new system involves audits by the consortia, enforced remediation of substandard factories, and training of workers and management. I argue, however, that the new system is already showing weaknesses, and will not resolve safety issues. In order to find solutions, I explore alternative perspectives, including market adjustments, the promotion of labour rights through legal reforms by the International Labour Organisation and non-governmental organisations, and the development of new corporate codes to change global supply chains. Both a private-sector and mixed model of governance are found wanting. In the long run, the solution lies in public sector leadership, as was the case with labour standards in the West. However, political obstacles abound in Bangladesh, from the strength of textile factory owners to the weakness of unions. I conclude with a suggestion for a new governance model that addresses such issues.
History repeats itself in Latin America. As at the turn of the 20th century, in the 1920s, and i... more History repeats itself in Latin America. As at the turn of the 20th century, in the 1920s, and in the 1960s, we are just exiting another commodity boom during which Latin American exports soared. In the 1920s and 1960s, incipient industrialization took place but in a haphazard way yielding limited success. To date, there are very few independent competitive manufacturers and little in the way of serious industrial policy in the region. Instead, a movement towards market reliance or incoherent policymaking has prevailed. Such policies seemed fine when commodity prices were high, but once they declined, as was the case following the 2008 global recession, Latin America found itself struggling with perennial issues of volatile growth, macroeconomic instability, and low levels of social mobility (Prebisch, 1950).
In this chapter, we examine the results of the latest wave of policy entrepreneurship, resulting from perceived failures of the most recent return to the market under neoliberal policies in the 1980s. Some countries have entered into a post-neoliberal period with bold experiments in both industrial policy and redistribution. However, we find that despite these efforts, the historical patterns appear to hold. The limitations on industrial policy experiments suggest the need for increased attention to the timing of policies, and state autonomy and capacity.
With US official unemployment hovering around 9.5% in mid-2011, the US economy seems to be in a t... more With US official unemployment hovering around 9.5% in mid-2011, the US economy seems to be in a tailspin. The European Union seems to be in no better shape- with a looming debt debacle eschewing any hope for an economic recovery. Japan, also, continues its malaise from the 1990s, with little to show for its ongoing attempts to kickstart its economy. The response of the Republican Party in the US, such as tea party pundits Eric Cantor, and the Cameron Government in the UK, has been to embrace a Milton Friedman view- that government needs to be minimized, particularly drastic cuts in spending, that low interest rates will solve the problem, and that “entrepreneurship” will magically arise from the private sector will magically appear. The response of some Democrats, meanwhile, as reflected in the NYT op-ed pieces of Paul Krugman, is to call for a major fiscal stimulus. What I argue here is that both sides are grasping at straws. Both ignore the structural problems in the Western economy, and more fundamentally the historical facts about how economies grow. The cluelessness by economists is reflected in the vacuous nature of their methods- based most often on highly mathematical models of an abstract economy that ignore basic facts on the ground, and the interplay of historical and political factors that shape real world economies. A mathematical model can not consider the effect of a successfully democratic Iraq on markets, or the retirement of Steve Jobs. These factors are as important to economic functioning as the macroeconomic data are. We can begin to fashion a new understanding of the types of policies that would be needed to really kick start the economy, and job growth with it, in a new positive direction.
Many explanations have been offered for the stunning rise of Donald Trump to become the Republica... more Many explanations have been offered for the stunning rise of Donald Trump to become the Republican Presidential candidate in 2016. Those outside the US tend to see it as affirmation of the uncouth and uncivilised aspects of American society, in juxtaposition, of course, to their own citizenry. Trump’s statements about Mexicans being rapists; banning Muslims; and that he would know better than intelligence officials about how to defeat ISIL all seem to grate against common decency and have provoked such a reaction both abroad and at home. Yet, during his rise, Trump was filling stadiums of well-wishers, a fact that seemed to defy the best media analysts, who can only ascribe it to anger, xenophobia/racism, and disgust with the political gridlock and rigged campaign finance systems in the US. The media continually point to white working class workers who found a champion in a New York billionaire who won’t reveal his taxes, without explaining the appeal or the timing. To claim Trump’s appeal as an outsider of the political system may have some merit, but it really stretches credibility once voters knew more about the candidate. We need a more systematic approach to really understand such events. The key is to match actual data to the timing of the rise of Trump. In this brief, I suggest that there are long-term, structural reasons behind Trump’s rise related to economic challenges to all of the world, not just the U.S. The pattern of extremist politics, from the Brexit vote to the rise of far right parties in Europe precedes the migration crisis and the rise of ISIL. Such events may have stoked the fires of fear (see my book on human irrationality and politics), but the wood fuel was already in place. Similarly, the discourse about inequality as reflected in the Sanders campaign and surprising everyone, can be traced, in good part, to the same roots. Consider that one of the leading contenders to be the next President of France, Emmanuel Macron, has started his own movement, En Marche! that promises a new form of politics, and that Jeremy Corbyn, former and contending leader of the Labour Party in the UK, is, like Sanders, a self-avowed Socialist. They seek to confront the anti-immigrant Front National and UKIP (UK Independence Party) that have shown rising strength over the past decade. So, despite media coverage, the Trump phenomenon is far from isolated. Until we more directly confront these challenges to the future of Western economies, we will simply be treating the symptoms.
The shadow of the past sometimes provides illusory and distorted images. As I argued in a recent ... more The shadow of the past sometimes provides illusory and distorted images. As I argued in a recent CGAI paper (" Boots on or off the Ground, " www.cgai.ca), the incorrect conclusion from the ill-considered and disastrous US 2003 invasion of Iraq and the subsequent chaos from the 2011 military interventions in Libya and diplomatic interventions in Egypt is that direct intervention is likely to yield no or worse results and is therefore to be avoided at all costs. The timing coincides with the economic fallout and domestic political pressure from the ongoing 2008 recession, itself tied indirectly to the profligate defence spending of the Bush Administration, which reduced the possibility of countercyclical fiscal stimulus to respond to the housing and financial collapse. What we see in altogether too clear relief now is that non-intervention itself has disastrous consequences. On the contrary, non-intervention by the West has opened the way for considerable increases in regional intervention by the Gulf states and Saudi Arabia on one side, and by Iran on the other, as well as a building and seemingly permanent military commitment by Russia to the Assad regime.
We argue that academic systems are poorly designed from the point of view of evaluation of result... more We argue that academic systems are poorly designed from the point of view of evaluation of results and accountability and transparency of systems. The basic management literature suggests that performance stems from the development of clear strategic targets and priorities; appropriate administrative and incentive structures to support, enhance, and evaluate performance; and the development of collective values towards continual improvement on an institutional, not just individual, level (Wang, 2010, p. 10). Through a review of North American graduate training and placement; tenure, promotion, and salary review; and the particularly problematic aspects of teaching and service assessment, we find a series of vexing challenges that need to be tackled. We suggest the direction of systemic changes that could lead to collective improvement of academic performance.
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Papers by Anil Hira
In this chapter, we examine the results of the latest wave of policy entrepreneurship, resulting from perceived failures of the most recent return to the market under neoliberal policies in the 1980s. Some countries have entered into a post-neoliberal period with bold experiments in both industrial policy and redistribution. However, we find that despite these efforts, the historical patterns appear to hold. The limitations on industrial policy experiments suggest the need for increased attention to the timing of policies, and state autonomy and capacity.
The response of the Republican Party in the US, such as tea party pundits Eric Cantor, and the Cameron Government in the UK, has been to embrace a Milton Friedman view- that government needs to be minimized, particularly drastic cuts in spending, that low interest rates will solve the problem, and that “entrepreneurship” will magically arise from the private sector will magically appear. The response of some Democrats, meanwhile, as reflected in the NYT op-ed pieces of Paul Krugman, is to call for a major fiscal stimulus.
What I argue here is that both sides are grasping at straws. Both ignore the structural problems in the Western economy, and more fundamentally the historical facts about how economies grow. The cluelessness by economists is reflected in the vacuous nature of their methods- based most often on highly mathematical models of an abstract economy that ignore basic facts on the ground, and the interplay of historical and political factors that shape real world economies. A mathematical model can not consider the effect of a successfully democratic Iraq on markets, or the retirement of Steve Jobs. These factors are as important to economic functioning as the macroeconomic data are. We can begin to fashion a new understanding of the types of policies that would be needed to really kick start the economy, and job growth with it, in a new positive direction.
In this brief, I suggest that there are long-term, structural reasons behind Trump’s rise related to economic challenges to all of the world, not just the U.S. The pattern of extremist politics, from the Brexit vote to the rise of far right parties in Europe precedes the migration crisis and the rise of ISIL. Such events may have stoked the fires of fear (see my book on human irrationality and politics), but the wood fuel was already in place. Similarly, the discourse about inequality as reflected in the Sanders campaign and surprising everyone, can be traced, in good part, to the same roots. Consider that one of the leading contenders to be the next President of France, Emmanuel Macron, has started his own movement, En Marche! that promises a new form of politics, and that Jeremy Corbyn, former and contending leader of the Labour Party in the UK, is, like Sanders, a self-avowed Socialist. They seek to confront the anti-immigrant Front National and UKIP (UK Independence Party) that have shown rising strength over the past decade. So, despite media coverage, the Trump phenomenon is far from isolated. Until we more directly confront these challenges to the future of Western economies, we will simply be treating the symptoms.