University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Department of Government and Public Administration

University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Department of Government and Public Administration

University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Department of Government and Public Administration

University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Department of Government and Public Administration

University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Department of Government and Public Administration

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This study analyzes the participation of foreign donors in long-term education reform in the small countries of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). Central to this reform is the development of suitable and sustainable policy and decision-making structures, a relatively new activity for the sub-region's planners and educators. This research seeks to investigate how Canada's input into strengthening and supporting these key policy and decision-making structures of the education reform project may affect the sub-region's expectations for a more indigenous and relevant education system. / The background for these issues arose out of my familiarity with the challenges facing OECS Ministries of Education in reconciling their own needs in education with the interests of the donor community. In addition, in colonial times, Britain had considerable influence on every aspect of education in the Caribbean, and, in the post-colonial period, Canada had long-term involvement in human-resource development in the sub-region. This raises questions of the viability of reform of the OECS education system to reflect its own development priority needs, culture and values, when a foreign force is significantly involved in funding the development of the key policy and decision-making structures. How dependent are the OECS countries on Canadian assistance to implement their education reform agenda? The dynamics between aid and sovereignty are also of critical importance, given the Eastern Caribbean's history of colonialism and dependency. These issues have frequently been debated in the context of international assistance in the OECS but, to date, there has not been much in-depth qualitative research on such topics, from the academic community. / Drawing on dependency theory, and on qualitative research techniques, this thesis critically examines the historical, social, and international development factors of significance in such an inquiry. The study also makes recommendations for future relationships between the donor community and the OECS in the education sector.

The processes of globalisation and trade liberalisation promote formal international trade world-wide. The processes have been accompanied by the renewed vigour to improve international competitiveness of the formal enterprises. Amidst these changes, there is a growing interest in the extent of informal sector activity as a form of income generating or subsistence activity within the developed and developing countries. However, little agreement exists in the literature as to what constitutes the informal economy, what activities in addition to monetary exchange make up the informal economy and where these activities are located. The lack of consensus on the proper definition is reflected in the lack of systematic information about all the caveats of this sector. As a result, the informal crossborder trade has failed to attract attention of the academic researchers. Little is known about whether the benefits of globalisation and trade liberalisation trickle down to the lower end of the informal sector. This study explores and describes the problems faced by the Lesotho informal cross-border traders operating between Lesotho and Durban. It provides a profile of their experiences and problems along different stages of their journey. That is between their homes and the border gates, at the border gates on the their way to Durban, on their journey to Durban, in Durban, and the border gates on their return journey to Lesotho. This study examines the relationships between these traders and the traders in Durban. It tracts what happens to their goods once they are imported into Lesotho. The study concludes that trade and non-trade barriers pose a number of serious problems for the informal traders, and therefore hinder the development of international trade in the informal sector. / Thesis (M.Dev. Studies)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

This study of the American business presence in Russia from the late 19th Century to the early Soviet period, focuses on more than twenty individual firms that operated there or otherwise conducted business with Russia. They are presented as primary and secondary case studies in three distinct groups: financial industries, manufacturing industries, and sales, services and light manufacturing industries. / The primary cases, American Express, Case and Vacuum Oil Company, offer a detailed insight into: motives for opening installations in Russia, daily operations, the effects of war, revolution and nationalization as well as business relations under the early Soviet government. The secondary case studies include, Citibank, Chase Manhattan Bank, Morgan Guaranty and New York Life Insurance Company in the financial group; Western Electric, Westinghouse Airbrake and General Electric in the manufacturing group; and United Shoe, Otis, Moline Plow, Kodak, Parke, Davis & Co., Chesebrough-Pond's and Continental Gin in the sales, services and light manufacturing group. / Collectively these firms present a comprehensive account of the largely neglected and misunderstood role of private American business in Russia. The experiences of these companies help dispel conventional notions of U.S. commercial interests in Russia and place American involvement in proper perspective.

<p>The main objective of this study was to examine the prospects and challenges facing ACFTA (Asean-China free trade area). It examined what ought to be done by the ASEAN member nations to match China's competitive ability having recently joined the World Trade Organization. The study also examined the compatibility of the ACFTA with the World Trade Organization rules and mode of dispute settlement under ASEAN and NAFTA as well as profound issues relating to ACFTA.</p>