bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Telling Tales: Management Gurus' Narratives and the Construction of Managerial Identity
Authors: Clark Timothy , Salaman Graeme
Published: March 2003

This paper examines the reasons for the apparently powerful impact of management gurus' ideas (i.e. guru theory) on senior managers. An examination of the limited literature on management gurus and other related literatures suggests three explanations for the appeal of guru theory for senior managers. The first set of explanations relates to various features of management work which may heighten managers' receptivity to guru ideas. The second set focuses on the gurus themselves and emphasizes the form in which they are presented (i.e. public performances). The final set of explanations highlights the importance of the socioeconomic and cultural context within which guru theories emerge and become widely adopted. A number of criticisms of these explanations are offered: that they define the manager as passive, that the flow of ideas is one way (guru to manager), that they rely on an academic conception of knowledge. An alternative explanation of their success is outlined which suggests that their work – their analyses, presentations and theories – offer attractive conceptions of the role of managers which constitute the identity of the modern senior manager as an heroic, transformative leader. Gurus therefore not only constitute the organizational realities but also managers themselves
Leading Horses to Water? The Impact of Decentralization on Managerial Behaviour
Authors: Hales Colin
Published: March 2003

This paper offers a critical examination of the assumptions about managerial behaviour which underpin the concept of decentralization. Following an attempt to elucidate the key dimensions of the concept, together with some of their variations and ambiguities, it is shown how the claimed advantages of decentralization flow from assumed changes in managerial behaviour, away from compliance with centrally imposed instruction and regulation and towards seizure of business opportunities which, in turn, rest upon assumptions about the influence of organization structure on managerial behaviour, the constraints imposed by centralized organization, the freedoms afforded by decentralization and managers' ability and willingness to take up these freedoms. These behavioural assumptions are re‐examined critically and shown to be problematic. The paper concludes that little change in managerial behaviour may be expected from decentralization which entails no more than formal changes in managers' responsibilities without concomitant changes in managerial selection, development and remuneration
Preventive Choices: Organizations' Heuristics, Decision Processes and Catastrophic Risks
Authors: Meszaros Jacqueline R.
Published: March 2003

Organizational decision processes and criteria for making choices about reducing the chances of catastrophic accidents are examined in six case studies of large chemical firms. The processes and heuristics observed are not consistent with the compensatory decision rules presumed by strict liability laws. They are consistent with satisficing, ambiguity management, and some aspects of threat‐rigidity behaviours observed in other arenas of organization studies. They are also consistent with psychological findings about how individuals make decisions about low‐probability catastrophe risks. The heuristics may derive in part from anticipated accountability to outsiders and higher managers. They may lead to ‘too much’ attention to some catastrophe risks, ‘too little’ to others.
Communities Of Practice, Foucault And Actor‐Network Therory
Authors: Fox Stephen
Published: March 2003

The paper discusses some of the main contributions to the theory of communities of practice (COP theory), especially as it relates to organizational learning. The paper does not attempt a full overview but concentrates on the notion of power relations. Early COP theory was formulated as part of situated learning theory, and promised to work on issues of social context and unequal power relations. Foucault’s work and actor‐network theory (ANT) is introduced and forms the basis of a constructive critique of COP theory. The paper argues that COP theory and ANT can enrich each other and together make a stronger contribution to our understanding of organizational learning. Specifically, these perspectives question the value in viewing organizations as formal, canonical entities as far as learning and change are concerned.
Managerial perceptions of corporate environmentalism: interpretations from industry and strategic implications for organizations
Authors: Banerjee Subhabrata Bobby
Published: March 2003

Environmental issues are becoming increasingly important in organization theory and practice. Corporate environmentalism is emerging as a process of addressing environmental issues facing business firms. In this paper I examine managerial perceptions of corporate environmentalism and describes how key organizational members interpret the relationship between their firm and the biophysical environment. Corporate environmental orientation and environmental strategy focus are two themes of corporate environmentalism that emerge from the study. I discuss managerial perceptions of regulatory forces, public environmental concern, top management commitment and need for competitive advantage, and how perceptions of these factors might translate into environmental strategies. I conclude by discussing implications of corporate environmentalism for organizational theory and practice.
ORGANIZATIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL COMMITMENT: KNOWLEDGE WORKERS IN LARGE CORPORATIONS*
Authors: MAY TAM YEUK‐MUI , KORCZYNSKI MAREK , FRENKEL STEPHEN J.
Published: March 2003

Previous discussion of knowledge work and workers tends to overlook the importance of contextual knowledge in shaping the organizational form of knowledge workers who are employees in large corporations. This paper proposes a model to understand the way knowledge base and organizational form are related to the work commitment, effort and job satisfaction of knowledge workers. The model is derived from (1) a critical examination of the market model of knowledge work organization, and (2) the results of empirical research conducted in two large corporations. We argue that contextual knowledge is important in the relationships between the corporation and knowledge workers. A dualistic model and an enclave organizational form are suggested to examine the relationships between the commitment, work effort and job satisfaction of knowledge workers. We noted from our empirical cases that enclave‐like work teams enhanced the expertise and job autonomy of knowledge workers vis‐à‐vis management. These work teams together with the performance‐based pay system, however, led to unmet job expectations including limited employee influence over decision‐making and careers, and communication gaps with senior management. Under these circumstances, and in contrast to the impact of occupational commitment, organizational commitment did not contribute to work effort. The study highlights the importance of management’s strategy in shaping the organizational form of knowledge work. The paper concludes by noting general implications of our study for the management of expertise and for further research.
The Future of Japanese Manufacturing in the UK
Authors: Morgan Glenn , Sharpe Diana Rosemary , Kelly William , Whitley Richard
Published: March 2003

The expansion of Japanese FDI into the UK manufacturing sector during the 1980s and early 1990s gave rise to the debate on the Japanization of British industry. The paper argues that this debate was constructed from a Western perspective. It did not locate the strategies and structures of Japanese subsidiaries within the broader context of how Japanese multinational corporations were evolving in this period. The necessity to look at these issues from a more global perspective is reinforced by the changes which have occurred since the mid 1990s in the environment for Japanese multinationals. The global economy offers more choices to firms about their location as well as facing them with a more competitive environment. In the Japanese case, this is leading to a growing differentiation between standardized mass production (which can be located in Asia and Eastern Europe) and science–led sectors of industrial production (which necessitate location near to centres of research and development expertise in the USA and Europe). This means that Japanese firms are reconsidering the strategy and structure of their subsidiaries in the UK. Standardized mass production will only survive in the UK as long as costs can be pushed further down and productivity increased, both of which are difficult conditions to meet given possibilities elsewhere in the world for cheap mass production. The growing area of investment will be in science–based manufacturing, though here the UK will be competing against the USA and Germany for Japanese investment. Here, however, the organizational and management characteristics of Japanese subsidiaries will make the necessary connections with local managers and local networks of expertise difficult to achieve. Thus Japanese subsidiaries in the UK are in a period of prolonged uncertainty about their role in the future. These changes open up the necessity for a new agenda of research which goes beyond the Japanization approach and is concerned with the organization and management of Japanese multinationals in an era of global competition.
Organizational Differentiation through Badging: Investors in People and the Value of the Sign
Authors: Bell Emma , Taylor Scott , Thorpe Richard
Published: March 2003

This paper explores the meaning of the state–sponsored initiative for people management, Investors in People (IiP), through deconstruction of the signifiers that represent its articulation. Semiotic analysis is employed in order to consider the sign–value that is associated with IiP and to explore the symbolic meaning of cultural artefacts, such as ‘the badge’ and ‘the flag’, which feature in the experience of managers and employees in six case study organizations. This post–structuralist approach enables us to focus on the discursive construction of textual meaning surrounding IiP as a ‘readerly’ as well as a writerly project. It is suggested that organizations are subject to a process of image production and consumption. This process requires them to seek differentiation from other organizations by acquiring quality initiatives that constitute a system of objects. In particular, the meaning of IiP signifiers as emblems of achievement is explored and the extent to which these become simulacra is considered. It is argued that there is a significant gap between writerly intentions as to what quality initiatives ought to signify and their organizational, context–bound, indeterminate meanings. By elucidating the conditions of IiP's signification it is shown that this discourse has the potential to undermine the very philosophy it asserts. Finally, drawing on this analysis, we outline the way that badge acquisition develops over time through processes of accumulation and adaptation.
Managing An Organizational Learning System By Aligning Stocks and Flows
Authors: Bontis Nick , Crossan Mary M. , Hulland John
Published: March 2003

This paper considers the relationship between the stocks and flows of learning across levels in an overall organizational learning system. A survey instrument based on the Strategic Learning Assessment Map (SLAM) was administered to 15 individuals representing senior‐, middle‐ and non‐management levels from each of 32 organizations, resulting in a total sample of 480 respondents. This research supports the premise that there is a positive relationship between the stocks of learning at all levels and business performance. Furthermore, the proposition that the misalignment of stocks and flows in an overall organizational learning system is negatively associated with business performance is also supported.
The Structure of Affect in a Non‐Western Culture: Evidence for Cross‐Cultural Comparability
Authors: Church A. Timothy , Katigbak Marcia S. , Reyes Jose Alberto S. , Jensen Stacia M.
Published: March 2003

We investigated the structure of affect in the Filipino culture and compared our results to those in Western studies. Four samples of students (ns = 397 to 530) rated their mood for today, the past week, or in general, using near‐comprehensive sets of Filipino mood adjectives. Results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a hierarchical model of affect and the cross‐cultural comparability of self‐report mood dimensions (i.e., higher‐order Positive and Negative Affect, plus specific affects corresponding to hypothesized universal or basic emotions). The results were more consistent with biological theories of affect than a strong social constructivist perspective.
Culture and Personality: Toward an Integrated Cultural Trait Psychology
Authors: Church A. Timothy
Published: March 2003

Two theoretical perspectives currently dominate research on culture and personality, the cross‐cultural trait psychology approach, in which the trait concept is central, and the cultural psychology approach, in which the trait concept is questioned. Here I review theory and research from both perspectives and propose that the tenets of cultural psychology, at least in their more moderate forms, can be synthesized with the trait psychology approach, resulting in an integrated cultural trait psychology perspective.
Sources of Structure: Genetic, Environmental, and Artifactual Influences on the Covariation of Personality Traits
Authors: McRae Robert R. , Jang Kerry L. , Livesley W. John , Riemann Rainer , Angleitner Alois
Published: March 2003

The phenotypic structure of personality traits has been well described, but it has not yet been explained causally. Behavior genetic covariance analyses can identify the underlying causes of phenotypic structure; previous behavior genetic research has suggested that the effects from both genetic and nonshared environmental influences mirror the phenotype. However, nonshared environmental effects are usually estimated as a residual term that may also include systematic bias, such as that introduced by implicit personality theory. To reduce that bias, we supplemented data from Canadian and German twin studies with cross‐observer correlations on the Revised NEO Personality Inventory. The hypothesized five‐factor structure was found in both the phenotypic and genetic/familial covariances. When the residual covariance was decomposed into true nonshared environmental influences and method bias, only the latter showed the five‐factor structure. True nonshared environmental influences are not structured as genetic influences are, although there was some suggestion that they do affect two personality dimensions, Conscientiousness and Love. These data reaffirm the value of behavior genetic analyses for research on the underlying causes of personality traits.
Discriminative Facility and Its Role in the Perceived Quality of Interactional Experiences
Authors: Cheng Cecilia , Chiu Chi‐yue , Hong Ying‐yi , Cheung Janice S.
Published: March 2003

Discriminative facility refers to an individual’s sensitivity to subtle cues about the psychological meaning of a situation. This research aimed at examining (a) the conceptual distinctiveness of discriminative facility, (b) the situation‐appropriate aspect of this construct, and (c) the relationship between discriminative facility and interpersonal experiences. Discriminative facility was assessed by a new measure of situation‐appropriate behaviors across a variety of novel stressful situations. Results from Study 1 showed that discriminative facility had weak positive relationships with cognitive complexity and nonsignificant relationships with self‐monitoring and social desirability, indicating that discriminative facility is a unique construct. Results from Study 2 revealed that higher levels of discriminative facility were associated with higher levels of perceived social support and a greater number of pleasant interpersonal events experienced, thus providing support for the theoretical proposition that discriminative facility is an aspect of social intelligence.
Lexical Studies of Indigenous Personality Factors: Premises, Products, and Prospects
Authors: Saucier Gerard , Goldberg Lewis R.
Published: March 2003

The rationale for lexical studies rests on the assumption that the most meaningful personality attributes tend to become encoded in language as single‐word descriptors. We articulate some key premises of the lexical approach and then review a number of studies that have been conducted examining the factor structure of personality descriptors extracted from dictionaries. We compare lexical studies in English and 12 other languages, with attention to delineating consistencies between the structures found in diverse languages. Our review suggests that the Anglo‐Germanic Big Five is reproduced better in some languages than in others. We propose some organizing rules for lexical factor structures that may be more generalizable than the contemporary Big‐Five model. And, we propose several candidate structural models that should be compared with the Big Five in future studies, including structures with one, two, and three very broad factors, an alternative five‐factor structure identified in Italian and Hungarian studies, and a seven‐factor structure represented in Hebrew and Philippine studies. We recommend that in future studies more attention be paid to middle‐level personality constructs and to examining the effects of methodological variations on the resulting factor structures.
Self as Cultural Product: An Examination of East Asian and North American Selves
Authors: Heine Steven J.
Published: March 2003

In the past decade a wealth of research has been conducted on the cultural foundation of the self‐concept, particularly with respect to East Asian and North American selves. The present paper discusses how the self differs across these two cultural contexts, particularly with respect to an emphasis on consistency versus flexibility, an intraindividual vs. an extraindividual focus, the malleability of the self versus world, the relation of self to others, and self‐enhancing versus self‐critical motivations. These differences reveal the manifold ways that culture shapes the self.
Real‐Time OD Estimation Using Automatic Vehicle Identification and Traffic Count Data
Authors: Dixon Michael P. , Rilett L. R.
Published: March 2003

A key input to many advanced traffic management operations strategies are origin–destination (OD) matricies. In order to examine the possibility of estimating OD matricies in real‐time, two constrained OD estimators, based on generalized least squares and Kalman filtering, were developed and tested. A one‐at‐a‐time processing method was introduced to provide an efficient organized framework for incorporating observations from multiple data sources in real‐time. The estimators were tested under different conditions based on the type of prior OD information available, the type of assignment available, and the type of link volume model used. The performance of the Kalman filter estimators also was compared to that of the generalized least squares estimator to provide insight regarding their performance characteristics relative to one another for given scenarios. Automatic vehicle identification (AVI) tag counts were used so that observed and estimated OD parameters could be compared. While the approach was motivated using AVI data, the methodology can be generalized to any situation where traffic counts are available and origin volumes can be estimated reliably. The primary means by which AVI data was utilized was through the incorporation of prior observed OD information as measurements, the inclusion of a deterministic link volume component that makes use of OD data extracted from the latest time interval from which all trips have been completed, and through the use of link choice proportions estimated based on link travel time data. It was found that utilizing prior observed OD data along with link counts improves estimator accuracy relative to OD estimation based exclusively on link counts.
A Decision Support System Specification for Cost Escalation in Heavy Engineering Industry
Authors: Dawood Nashwan N. , Bates William
Published: March 2003

The heavy civil engineering industry (railways, sewage‐treatment, chemical and pharmaceutical facilities, oil and gas facilities, etc.) is one of the major contributors to the British economy and generally involves a high level of investment. Clients in this industry are demanding accurate cost estimates, proper analysis of out‐turn cost and cost escalation, and a high quality risk analysis throughout the construction processes. Current practices in the industry have suggested that there is a lack of structured methodologies and systematic cost escalation approaches to achieve an appropriate cost analysis at the outset of projects and throughout the construction processes. In this context the prime objective of this research work is to develop a structured cost escalation methodology for improving estimating management and control in the heavy engineering industry construction processes. The methodology is composed of a forecasting model to predict cost indices of major items in industry and a risk knowledge‐base model for identifying and quantifying causes of cost escalations. This paper reviews and discusses a knowledge‐based model for applying a cost escalation factor. The cost escalation factor is made up of market variation, a risk element, and a component for bias. A knowledge elicitation strategy was employed to obtain the required knowledge for the model. The strategy included questionnaires, interviews, and workshops, and deliverables came in the form of influences and their effect on project cost escalation. From these deliverables, a decision support system and specifications for applying cost escalation to base estimates are presented.
Distributed Structural Analysis of Large–Scale Structures on a Cluster of Personal Computers
Authors: Park Hyo Seon , Sung Chang Won
Published: March 2003

Recent developments in high–performance computing technologies have had a significant impact on structural analysis and design. However, most algorithms or computational strategies have been implemented on supercomputers and powerful workstations, which are beyond the reach of small organizations. In this paper, distributed computational models are presented for structural analysis of large–scale structures on a cluster of PCs based on two different levels of substructuring techniques. They are implemented on a collection of Pentium processors connected via a 10 Mbit/s Ethernet LAN. The effect of different levels and sizes of substructures on the performance of distributed implementation is investigated. The effectiveness of the algorithms is assessed by applying them to static analyses of two moment–resisting steel frames and three space truss structures. The algorithm based on multilevel substructuring allows a larger granularity of the parallel tasks, which can result in improved performance.
Lamb Waves for Detecting Delamination between Steel Bars and Concrete
Authors: Na Won–Bae , Kundu Tribikram , Ehsani Mohammad R.
Published: March 2003

The feasibility of detecting interface degradation and separation of steel bars in concrete beams using Lamb waves is investigated in this paper. The Lamb wave can propagate a long distance along the reinforcing steel bars embedded in concrete as the guided wave and is sensitive to the interface bonding condition between the steel bar and the concrete. The traditional ultrasonic methods for inspecting defects in concrete use reflection, transmission, and scattering of longitudinal waves by internal defects. These methods are good for detecting large voids in concrete, but they are not very efficient for detecting delamination at the interface between concrete and steel bars. In this study, a special coupler between the steel bar and ultrasonic transducers has been used to launch nonaxisymmetric guided waves in the steel bar. This investigation shows that the Lamb wave inspection technique is an efficient and effective tool for health monitoring of reinforced concrete structures.
Oakeshott's Claims of Politics
Authors: Worthington Glenn
Published: March 2003

Michael Oakeshott is most commonly thought of as a political philosopher. Thinking of his work in these terms can distract attention from his main arguments in which he outlines his conception of civil association. Civil association is a much broader idea than Oakeshott's idea of politics. But in refocusing attention away from politics and towards civil association it is important that we do not forget Oakeshott's positive account of politics.

Politics, as Oakeshott understands it, is an activity which is indispensable to the practice of civil association. Politics considers civil rules, neither as authoritative conditions nor in the deliberative or injunctive idioms of adjudication or ruling, but in the persuasive idiom of their desirability. This paper explores the character of Oakeshott's conception of politics and the relation of this activity, both positive and negative, to the practice of civil association.
European Union Decision Making: The Role of Sub-National Authorities
Authors: Bomberg Elizabeth , Peterson John
Published: March 2003

This article assesses how and to what extent sub-national authorities (SNAs) are represented in EU decision making. In particular, we compare the European goals and strategies of British sub-national authorities with those of their counterparts in Germany. Our central argument is that SNAs starting from very different positions face many of the same challenges and problems, even if their domestic constitutional positions remain the most important determinant of their influence at the EU level. Influence in EU decision making derives largely from effective coalition building, both with other like-minded actors but also, inevitably in the case of sub-national authorities, with central governments. Our case study highlights the enormous diversity of relationships between central governments and ‘their’ SNAs across the Union. It thus encourages scepticism about the feasibility of a ‘Europe of the Regions’.
Business Representation in the UK since 1979: The Case of Trade Associations
Authors: May Timothy C. , McHugh John , Taylor Tom
Published: March 2003

The article explores the impact of Conservative governments since 1979 on business representation. It concentrates on the trade association – the most common form of business organization in the UK but one which has been largely neglected in the discussion of business representation. The results of a major survey of trade associations conducted in 1994 are reported and their significance assessed in the light of three general propositions about the direction of business representation since 1979.
Loving Freedom: Aristotle on Slavery and the Good Life
Authors: Bentley Russell
Published: March 2003

Most commentators on Aristotle's theory of natural slavery locate the source of slavishness in an intellectual deficiency that Aristotle describes. This paper sets out to show that Aristotle's natural slaves are not intellectually deficient in the way normally assumed, but are lacking an emotional faculty, thymos, which Aristotle connects to actual enslavement through its power to generate a love of freedom. It is also argued that Aristotle's understanding of slavishness entails a risk for a democratic regime, such as Classical Athens, since such a system has highly inclusive criteria for membership in the political association. Commentators have also failed to connect natural slavery to Aristotle's ethical thought and to note the theory's practical relevance to the goal of living a good human life.
Contractarianism, Liberal Neutrality, and Epistemology
Authors: Clarke Simon
Published: March 2003

This paper examines three arguments that attempt to justify liberal neutrality. Firstly the type of neutrality between conceptions of the good that is sought by the arguments is explained. Then the contractarian procedure that is one of the premises of each of the arguments is presented. The remaining sections then examine the arguments, which are Thomas Nagel's appeal to epistemic restraint, Brian Barry's appeal to the uncertainty thesis, and John Rawls's appeal to the burdens of judgement. The arguments attempt to show how the contractarian procedure results in liberal neutrality. They do so by trying to show how no conception of the good can be acceptable to everyone due to the epistemological status of conceptions of the good. It is concluded that none of the arguments succeeds.
‘Give it the Shade’: Paul Celan and the Politics of Apolitical Poetry
Authors: Bleiker Roland
Published: March 2003

This article analyses the political impact of Paul Celan's poetry to illustrate the potential for social transformation contained in seemingly apolitical practices of speaking and writing. Celan's work epitomizes the search for thinking space in the immediate post-war period. Much of the German language at the time was so closely associated with the horrors of the Nazi regime that it was difficult to address critically many important social issues. In dealing with this dilemma, Celan recognized that politics ought to deal with language, with how we have come to objectivize the dilemmas that surround us. His poetry tried to stretch the boundaries of the German language such that it became possible to speak once more, critically, dialogically, humanely. By scrutinizing the potential and limits of this process, the present article addresses various issues that are at stake in the interaction between language, politics and society.
Irish Potatoes and British Politics: Interests, Ideology, Heresthetic and the Repeal of the Corn Laws
Authors: McLean Iain , Bustani Camilla
Published: March 2003

The Repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846 remains one of the most fascinating events in the history of political economy. A parliament securely controlled by the party of agriculture, which was the main beneficiary of protection, abolished protection. Explanations have included the hegemony of Manchester School economics; class conflict; the effectiveness of the Anti-Corn Law League; the personality of Sir Robert Peel; and evangelical religion. We aim to see why the standard ideas from political economy (Chicago and/or Virginia) seem to fit our case so poorly. We use the Aydelotte dataset on rollcalls in the Parliament of 1841–7, augmented from primary sources, and the letters and memoranda of the principal actors.
Economic Growth and Social Capital
Authors: Whiteley Paul F.
Published: March 2003

Recent interdisciplinary theoretical work has suggested that social capital, or the interpersonal trust of citizens, plays an important role in explaining both the efficiency of political institutions, and in the economic performance of contemporary societies. This paper examines the relationship between social capital and economic growth in a sample of thirty-four countries over the period 1970 to 1992, within the framework of a modified neo-classical model of economic growth. The findings suggest that social capital has an impact on growth which is at least as strong as that of human capital or education, which has been the focus of much of the recent work on endogenous growth theory. It appears to have about the same impact on growth as catch-up or the ability of poorer nations to adopt technological innovations pioneered by their richer counterparts.
Political Awareness, Opinion Constraint and the Stability of Ideological Positions
Authors: Bartle John
Published: March 2003

Some studies of public opinion suggest that most people are ignorant about the detail of politics and are simply unable to arrive at a considered vote. They hold that voters are ignorant about the ideological substance of politics, since their opinions do not appear to be constrained by ideas and are unstable over time. However, other studies cast doubt on both the definition of ideology employed in these studies and their operational measures. It is suggested that, once allowance is made for measurement error, the opinions of most voters are constrained and highly stable. This article demonstrates that differences in political awareness result in considerable heterogeneity among the electorate. The opinions of more aware voters are subject to greater constraint and are more stable over time than those of less aware voters. It is therefore suggested that issue-voting models must be applied with caution to less aware voters.
Friends, Strangers or Countrymen? The Ties between Citizens as Colleagues
Authors: Honohan Iseult
Published: March 2003

Some analogies are better than others for understanding the ties and responsibilities between citizens of a state. Citizens are better understood as particular kinds of colleagues than as either strangers or members of close-knit communities such as family or friends. Colleagues are diverse, separate and relatively distant individuals whose involuntary interdependence as equals in a practice or institution creates common concerns; this entails special responsibilities of communication, consideration and trust, which are capable of extension beyond the immediate group. Citizens likewise are involuntarily interdependent in political practices, and have comparable concerns and obligations that are more substantial than liberal advocates of constitutional patriotism recommend. But these are distinct from and potentially more extensible than those between co-nationals sharing a common culture, which are proposed by nationalists and some communitarians. The relationship of citizens is a more valid ground for associative obligations than others apart from family and friends.
The Limits of External Empowerment: EMU, Technocracy and Reform of the Greek Pension System
Authors: Featherstone Kevin , Kazamias Georgios , Papadimitriou Dimitris
Published: March 2003

This paper seeks to explain an aborted attempt at reform of the Greek pension system, following a series of previous failures. It applies the framework of rational choice institutionalism in order to examine the strategy and setting of the relevant actors. The pension system had become a huge fiscal burden on the state, threatening Greece's position in the European Union. Moreover, its gross inequalities of provision and bureaucratic inefficiency were symptoms of the embedded clientelism and ‘disjointed corporatism’ that stood in the way of the government's self-proclaimed ‘modernization’ programme. In the event, though EMU entry requirements empowered the reform momentum, a combination of the strategic weakness of key actors and the entrenched opposition of sectoral interests dissipated the initiative. The failure suggests the relevance of the wider social setting to reform: in particular, the weakness of the technocratic community and the relative absence of a supportive ‘advocacy coalition’, beyond the dominance of the ‘party state’. Faced with criticism, the political leadership sought to protect their electoral position and postponed pressing decisions. The case study raises important questions about the scope for such reform in Greece and the future stability of the ‘Euro-zone’.
Steger on Engels — A Brief Comment
Authors: Kellogg Paul
Published: March 2003

Manfred Steger argues that properly to evaluate the last writings of Friedrich Engels, theorists must situate his work historically. With such a perspective, the tensions in his last major political work (what has come to be known as his ‘testament’) are easily explained. Engels was trying to preserve his revolutionary principles while outlining policies appropriate to a non-revolutionary situation. That tension was resolved in a positive direction, according to Steger, by Eduard Bernstein who discarded the revolutionary husk to preserve the liberal, reformist and realistic kernel. This article argues that Steger, while right to situate Engels' writings in their historical context, misjudges the subsequent history of Germany. This history, far from vindicating Bernstein's revisionism, provides stunning confirmation of Engels' revolutionary socialism.
An Ethic of Care: A Valuable Political Tool?
Authors: McLaughlin Janice
Published: March 2003

Since Gilligan first interpreted women's moral position as an ethic of care, feminists have wondered what this means for political action. While some view it as a way of introducing forms of understanding and appreciation which are missing in the public sphere, others have worried about the universalisation and romanticization of women's abilities which it appears to contain. This paper argues that interpretations of an ethic of care which are situated in resistance and which conceptualise its abilities as the skills of subordinated groups can hold out visions of group solidarity of benefit to politics.
Liberty, Rights and Justice: A Conversation with Hillel Steiner
Authors: Ricciardi Mario
Published: March 2003

In this piece, Mario Ricciardi conducts an interview with Hillel Steiner centred around Steiner's prize winning book, An Essay on Rights. Steiner responds to questions on the development of his views, their practical implications and on key aspects of his theoretical standpoint
Minorities, States and the International System
Authors: Gillespie Simon
Published: March 2003

This article will examine the constituent elements of minority identity and the impact of minority issues on states and the international system. Focusing on central Europe, it will analyse the points of contact between minorities, and states and international organisations, considering the reasons why minority issues are excluded from the international agenda.
Liberal Republicanism
Authors: Buttle Nicholas
Published: March 2003

In this article I defend a broadly Rawlsian interpretation of citizenship which combines both liberal and republican themes to provide an account of citizenship which is more appropriate for modern democracies than alternative interpretations, such as that offered by communitarian critics of political liberalism. Liberal republicanism, I argue, gives a convincing interpretation of the nature and value of citizenship and provides the basis for a radical political agenda.
The Politics of Contemporary Black Conservatism in the United States
Authors: Ashbee Edward
Published: March 2003

At first sight, the themes associated with contemporary black conservatism appear to replicate the concerns of the American right more generally. However, although there are black conservative intellectuals and activists who draw on US constitutional tradition and neo-classical economics, others derive their politics from notions of racial solidarity. This form of black conservatism rests on particular constructions of black masculinity, and invokes images of a past age when black communities were both intact and stable. It regards integrationism with suspicion and hostility. However, it also offers a relatively optimistic vision of future developments that can be contrasted with the more constrained ambitions which characterise ‘mainstream’ American conservatism today.
Perspectives on Government and Opposition in Unified Germany
Authors: Helms Ludger
Published: March 2003

This paper is dedicated to the analysis of the configuration of government/opposition relations in unified Germany. It seeks to assess the impact of institutional, political as well as more situational factors on the relationship between the two key actors of the parliamentary arena. In the concluding section, the performance of government and opposition during the 1990s will additionally be judged against the background of the basic normative considerations concerning the most important institutional and functional division in parliamentary democracies.
Men and Sex Equality: What Have They Got to Lose?
Authors: Bryson Valerie
Published: March 2003

This paper explores the gains and losses that might be involved in a shift to greater sex equality. It argues that in addition to practical changes, genuine equality would displace men and their needs as the unquestioned standard of humanity. Men are likely to find this deeply threatening. They could, however, benefit in the long run. Some men might, therefore, support sex equality on the grounds of self-interest as well as justice; they will, however, also experience short-term losses, and women cannot rely on their support.
National Political Parties and European Integration: Mapping Functional Loss
Authors: Berends Gijs
Published: March 2003

This article specifically examines the role of national political parties in the light of European integration. It introduces the functions that are normally associated with parties, which allows for a systematic evaluation of the performance of national parties in the European Union. Probing these functions that parties are reputed to implement, it arrives at the conclusion that national parties are fairly unsuccessful in fulfilling their core tasks at the European level.
On Sen's Liberal Paradox and its Reception within Political Theory and Welfare Economics
Authors: Vanhuysse Pieter
Published: March 2003

In this article, Amartya Sen's seminal proof of the impossibility of a Paretian liberal is briefly reviewed. I then discuss the reception of this alleged ‘liberal paradox’ within the fields of political theory and welfare economics. In particular, I examine the criticisms made by Brian Barry, and their wider implications for the field of social choice theory. It is argued that the various criticisms made on Sen's characterisation of liberty are fundamental, and that Sen's subsequent defence of his position is unconvincing. Moreover, there remain some wider doubts as to the usefulness of social choice theory's SWF approach to individual rights and freedoms.
Journey to the Centre of the (Academic) Universe: 20 Steps on Getting Published in Journals
Authors: Lunt Neil , Davidson Carl
Published: March 2003

As postgraduate students, researchers or junior lecturers, we all aspire to climb the highest peaks of academic life, to bask in our reflected glory and to have the (small disciplinary) world at our feet. Yet how do we assail those peaks? More often than not, they seem like sheer cliff faces or mountain ranges where the noviciate assemble at the bottom and gaze skywards in disbelief. When we look around at academics who have successfully scaled those heights, it is obvious that an effective publication record is essential, where refereed journal articles are particularly prized. Yet the numbers who gather to attempt their own ascent ask the question – is there any straightforward publication route the beginner can follow? Surely we cannot all be left to cut our own path without really knowing where, how, or even whether we should be travelling at all? This article argues that writing academic journal articles has been mystified. For many wanting to get started, it seems like the final destination is a secret place, somewhere that you might stumble across but one where the locals jealously guard the short-cuts. Here we aim to de-mystify journal article writing and provide 20 steps for the prospective writer. These 20 steps, however, provide more a series of useful directions than a definitive map of the terrain. As beginning academics themselves, the authors are, at best, merely amateur cartographers.
The End of Social Democracy?
Authors: Callaghan John , Tunney Sean
Published: March 2003

This article contests the idea that social democracy is dead. It is argued that a proper consideration of the evidence casts doubt on this widely held assumption. In this article, the evidence is examined in relation to post-Fordism, class structure and solidarity, electoral behaviour, post-materialism and the crisis of the welfare state across Europe.
Questioning Cognitivism and Constructivism in IR Theory: Reflections on the Material Structure of Ideas
Authors: Bieler Andreas
Published: March 2003

In recent years, it has been highlighted in international relations theory that mainstream approaches neglect the role of ideas in relation to the formation of interests and international cooperation. This article critically discusses the renewed emphasis on ideas. ‘Cognitive’ and ‘constructivist’ approaches are outlined as the two main strands in the debate and a neo-Gramscian position within it is sketched. Importantly, a neo-Gramscian position is able to conceptualise the material structure of ideas, thereby overcoming the separation between ideas and material structure from the very beginning.
The Paradox of Integration: Habermas and the Unfinished Project of European Union
Authors: Grewal Shivdeep Singh
Published: March 2003

In a recent article Jürgen Habermas (1999) highlighted the potential for the European Union to act as a vehicle for the extension of democratic governance beyond the nation state, a project aimed at limiting the socially corrosive impact of globalisation. Yet this position appears paradoxical as the European Union itself exacerbates a major aspect of globalisation: the emasculation of national parliaments known as the ‘democratic deficit’. This paradox can be understood by analysing the dynamics of post-war European integration through the lens of Habermasian social theory: EU evolution can lead either to the colonisation of the lifeworld by market and administrative subsystems (as with the democratic deficit), or to a process of lifeworld rationalisation conducive to pan-European solidarity and democracy. The latter of these tendencies could be encouraged through ‘procedural democracy’: this would institutionalise the conditions by which independent associations in European civil society, channelling their ‘communicative power’ through parliament, might reassert control over the two subsystems. In order to retain legitimacy, procedural EU democracy would have to link existing legislatures to the European Parliament, while citizenship would combine national and civic components. Hence the European Union would be more able than the nation-state to combine universal notions of justice with ethical pluralism.
A Community Leadership Initiative for Scotland?
Authors: Lloyd M.G. , Illsley B.M.
Published: March 2003

The Scottish Executive intends to introduce a statutory power of community initiative and of community planning in the forthcoming Local Government Bill. Community planning is developing as an important aspect of local governance in Scotland. It is viewed as a way for councils at the local level to work together with the community, voluntary and private sectors to develop and deliver an agreed joint vision for their communities. This article examines the nature of the community planning concept in Scotland and considers the lessons arising from experience to date. It addresses the tensions in community planning arising from its dual function of bringing some order to the fragmented institutional arrangements for service delivery and providing a strategic, integrated framework for the management of change.
Teaching American Politics
Authors: Singh Robert
Published: March 2003

This article examines some of the hurdles that confront teachers of American government and politics in the United Kingdom. It argues that whilst the problems associated with teaching American politics are hardly unique within the politics discipline, they do pose substantial challenges. In particular, confronting students' stereotypes and prejudices about the United States is a key task of a successful teaching programme. To do this, and to make the study of US politics an ‘active’ one, some suggestions are made as to how the standard ‘textbook approach’ can be supplemented and enhanced.
Politics, Robinson Crusoe, Harold Laski and Plato: A Response to Burns
Authors: Lamb Peter
Published: March 2003

In a recent article, Tony Burns (2000) challenged the traditional view that politics is necessarily restricted to relations between human beings. However, what such a challenge does not take into account is that the values of non-human nature cannot be conveyed from their source to the humans that represent them. Indeed, such values are estimated by nature's human representatives. The ideas of Harold Laski and Plato can be invoked to support the argument that Robinson Crusoe's relation to nature is not a political one.