Abstract
The paper provides an analysis of capitalism, a system frequently regarded as the sole viable economical and political ideology, to explore whether capitalism will prove itself to be a sustainable solution in the long-term. The paper looks at how capitalistic systems have seemingly provided means of immense growth in the past, but then shows how globalisation of capitalism has resulted in vast inequities in many countries and in the enormous influence of the multi-national enterprises (MNEs). The paper also questions how long this system of ever increasing consumption, production and exploitation can continue. The paper concludes by considering that capitalism can be adapted to deliver a sustainable development in the future, but postulates that the strong consumerism culture does not provide such an optimistic perspective.

Outline:
Introduction
Conceptual Background
Analysis and Discussion
Conclusions

From the Paper
"Capitalism has been defined as an economic system in which wealth and the means of production is owned by private individuals and businesses and goods are produced according to the market rules of supply and demand (Han et al., 2008, p128). Hence, the very essence of capitalism is a profit-driven competition. An essential strength of capitalism has been regarded the ability of the free market to coordinate itself as if led by an "invisible hand", as expounded by Adam Smith (Hague and Harrop, 2007, p146). The underlying assumption hereby is that through the pursuit of individual's self-interested activities, society as whole benefits."

Tags:consumption, consumerism, production, exploitation, MNEs, profit, supply, demand, globalization

Abstract
This paper investigates the environmental strategies within the logistics field. It provides an overview of the proposed green logistics strategies and insights regarding currently adopted environmental logistics strategies in the UK. The paper explains that a broad literature review was carried, using wide variety of primary and secondary sources; also, an online survey questionnaire was sent to a large sample of companies within the UK, including manufacturing firms and Third Party Logistics Providers of all sizes. In addition, the paper provides an overview of a wide range of proposed environmental strategies, noting the research revealed that the environmental performance of the logistics sector is developing; however, it is still in its early stages as there are still great potential to be explored. The paper adds that the main issues associated with environment were considered energy and materials conservation and waste disposal. The paper concludes that compliance with the legislation is the primary reason for implementing green logistics strategies, while for small companies the reason more often was customer demand. Several figures are included with the paper.

Table of Contents:
List of Figures
List of Tables
Abbreviations
Terms of Reference
Abstract
Introduction
Literature Review
Introduction
Green Logistics Strategies
Levels of Logistics Strategies
Inbound Logistics
Outbound Logistics
Internal Logistics
Transportation Strategies
Modal Change
Improving and Redesigning Logistical System
Improving Design
Improving Vehicle Utilization
Environmental Management System and Policy
Environmental Policy and Corporate Culture
ISO and EMAS
Motivation for Green Logistics
External Factors
Internal Motivators
Levels of Motivation
Main Problem Areas
Ecological Vs. Economical Factors
Organizational Limitations
Methodology
Findings and Analysis
Introduction
Information About Participants
Survey Questionnaire
Secondary Data
Importance of Environmental Issues
Survey Questionnaire
Analysis of Secondary Data
Environmental Management System and Policy
Survey Questionnaire
Analysis of Secondary Data
Implementation of Environmental Logistics Strategies
Survey Questionnaire
Analysis of Secondary Data
Reasons for Implementing Green Logistics Strategies
Survey Questionnaire
Analysis of Secondary Data
Main Problem Areas
Analysis of Secondary Data
Conclusions
Project Evaluation and Supervision
References
Appendices
Survey Questionnaire
Statistical Tests Performed For the Analysis of Primary Data
Overview of the Secondary Data

List of Figures
Scope of Logistical Environment Conservation Strategies
'Supplier Collection' and 'Onward Supply'
Participants' Length of Time Spent in Business
Importance of Environmental Issues
Future Importance of Environmental Issues
Level of Implementation of Environmental Logistics Strategies
Primary Reason for Implementing Green Logistics Strategies

List of Tables
Overview of the Surveys Used As Secondary Data
Survey Sample Breakdown
General Importance of Environmental Issues (Percentage of Respondents)
Environmental Policies (Percentage of Respondents)
Selected Green Logistics Strategies
Rankings of Reasons for Implementing Environmental Strategies

From the Paper
"With regards to the future importance, however, results were lower, as some companies considered the importance of environmental issues to be decreasing in the future. This possibly highlights the generally rising importance of environmental issues.
"Regarding specific environmental issues associated with logistics operations, waste disposal was seen as the most important factor. Relatively high importance was also attributed to energy and materials conservation; however some differences could be observed with regards to the water and air pollution. While non-US respondents attributed only average importance US firms regarded these two factors as being of relatively high importance, although no statistically significant difference was found."

Tags:green, survey, waste, disposal, conservation, marketing, climate, change

Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to assess and examine whether the continuing process of economic globalisation has meant that national governments' policy choices have been seriously curtailed and constrained. Moreover, the writer asks, if such is indeed the case then what impact does this state of affairs have on the political realm both at the national and international level? It is categorically shown that the globalisation process has indeed ensured protracted and lasting curtailment of national economic decision making and that as such, many of the economic forces which now direct both national and international economic functions now occur at a level far beyond the sovereign auspices of the traditional nation state.

From the Paper
"The essential constraint placed on national economic policy making by the globalisation processes lies in the interconnected nature of modern economic functions. At every level of economic formation, forces of a transnational nature directly affect the internal economic outcomes of nation states. A clear exemplification of this tendency towards global impact can be seen with the recent financial crisis and consequent recession. Above all, although the crisis essentially began in a little known area of the American economy know as the 'subprime mortgage market', its impact quickly spread across the world. Now of course, such global economic phenomena are nothing new and in some cases predate the emergence of modern globalised functions. However, the speed with which every nation on the globe succumb to the crisis in finance and credit dwarfed that of even the crisis of capitalism in the 1930s brought about as result of the Wall Street Crash. "

Tags:Keynesian, demand, democracy, subprime, mortgage

Abstract
This paper discusses how globalisation has had a constituent impact upon political processes to a degree that indeed questions whether democracy and freedom are now under seismic attack. In order to exemplify the key debates and trends that are taking place, the paper examines the key characteristics of globalisation and the degree to which it has impacted upon the traditional democratic actor, the nation state.

From the Paper
"Although commentators such as Morris & Waisbord (2001) have questioned the degree to which nation state power has been eroded by media globalisation, there can be little doubt that the structural basis of democratic power has undergone dramatic transformation in recent decades. Although media and mass communications have acted as a catalyst for increased globalised functions, the most potent feature of globalisation continues to lie in its economic connotations (Held and McGrew, 2007). Above all, the continued development of globalised economic processes has meant that the traditional sovereign power of the nation state has been has suffered systematic attack. National governments are no longer able to impact and direct national economic processes in the way they did because such processes are intrinsically reliant upon forces which interact above the nation state level. "

Tags:nation, state, media

Abstract
The paper outlines the pessimistic approach of cultural imperialism that believes that western culture is displacing local customs, leading to homogenisation. The paper looks at the ideas of critical theorists such as Ritzer, who fear that mass produced brand-goods such as Coca-Cola and Starbucks will obliterate local cultures. The paper then explains how others argue for hybridity and indigenisation, emphasising how local consumers adapt the products being sold to them to fit with their culture. The paper highlights the problem with the cultural imperialism approach and reaches the conclusion that the reality of a global monoculture suffocating diversity and difference is unlikely.

From the Paper
"Among pessimistic globalist critiques are George Ritzer's McDonaldization theory (1993) and Ulf Hannerz' Coca-Colonisation (1992). Their titles refer to global cultural products (both originally American) that can be seen as 'central symbols of "cultural imperialism"'. For Ritzer the US influence lies in the principles of the fast food restaurant - efficiency, calculability and predictability. At the core of his thesis is the premise that this mass production-related ideology is spreading not only throughout American society, but also globally."

Tags:imperialism, homogenisation, hybridity, indigenisation, Ritzer, mcDonaldization

Abstract
The paper focuses on the major social and economic reforms in Britain that were implemented between 1815 and 1865, in particular the 1846 Corn Law Repeal Act and the 1834 Poor Law Amendment Act, in order to determine the traditional, revisionist and counter-revisionist schools of thought regarding the 'age of laissez-faire'. The paper then shows how journals and newspapers extolled the virtues of free enterprise in all its applications and political economists triumphed the ideal of limited government, illustrating the general acceptance of economic laissez faire policies in mid-nineteenth century Britain. The paper maintains that although increased governmental interventions were tolerated in the realms of economic and social policy, in fact, non-interventionism remained the main principle for government, and any departures from it required elaborate justification. The paper therefore concludes that mid-Victorian Britain deserves her designation as an 'age of laissez-faire'.

From the Paper
"To add further weight to their argument, counter revisionists cite contemporary journals and newspapers as sources of evidence for the general acceptance of economic laissez faire policies in mid nineteenth century England. Popular journals such as the Economist, particularly during the years 1843-1854 under the editorship of James Wilson and the Leeds Mercury of Edward Baines and then of Reid, consistently published principled arguments condemning such statist proposals as the sanitary laws, state grants to schools or the legal fixing of wages whilst advocating free enterprise and economic freedom as the system most likely to provide the greatest benefits to the consumer. As an over-riding ideology, laissez-faire was interpreted as wide ranging in its application."

Tags:non-interventionism, free, enterprise, trade, tariffs, protectionism, government, regulation

Abstract
A common trend of reduction of a state's social policy scope after a fiscal crisis has been reflected in the reform path pursued by Ireland ,and even more so ,the case of Bulgaria. The paper shows that, in both cases, the start of reforms has been triggered by a crisis, and the ongoing reform strategies are being shaped by the different economic pressures and political priorities pursued by the two countries, which are standing at different phases of economic development and integration with the European Union. The paper explains that the cases of Ireland and Bulgaria are informative of the diversity of responses different polities may adopt in the face of similar economic challenges, like fiscal imbalance. While Ireland was able to confront the situation in a framework of a broad political and social consensus, in Bulgaria, the beginning of a consistent reform process was only possible after a reform-minded party was able to collect the votes necessary to form a government. The paper also makes extensive use of tables.

From the Paper
"The economic success of the country over the period covered by the first agreement (PNR) was apparently convincing enough to keep the policy to this day. Throughout the 1990s labour relations in Ireland are dealt with via three-year agreements with titles such as "Program for Economic and Social Progress," "Program for Competitiveness and Work," and (starting 2000) "Program for Prosperity and Fairness." The late 1980s and early 1990s were marked by a great progress in reducing deficit and attracting FDI. Unemployment however remained a major concern throughout the beginning of the reform period (standing at 17.4% in 1986); it only began to decline since 1993. Nonetheless now, more than a decade after the beginning of reforms in Ireland unemployment is also fully contained at a level of around 4% in 2000. Active labor market policies absorbed as much as 1.75% GDP in the mid-1990s."

Tags:GDP, BSP, Simeon

Abstract
This paper looks at market socialism - a theory that advocated an amalgamation of capitalism (specifically the free market) and socialism. It discusses when and why market socialism came into being and how it fits in with Marxist ideas about the market. It also examines the effect of the collapse of socialism in Eastern Europe and in particular, where Yugoslavia fits into socialist theory.

From the Paper
"The critique of real existing socialism resulted in some socialists adapting existing theories (e.g. market socialists) while other academics saw the failure of state socialism as an indication that socialism was finished: 'It is the failure of both the political right and the left to disentangle the concepts of private ownership and the competitive market that has led to the premature obituaries for socialism.' 'A reasonable person might expect that recent events in eastern Europe would put this proposal [market socialism] to permanent and well-deserved rest.' With the failure of Soviet style socialism, market socialists saw an opportunity to improve on Marxism by incorporating the market into socialist theory. "

Tags:capitalism, marxism, yugoslavia

Abstract
The paper notes that the European Union (EU) has developed and expanded to become one the major political and economic centers of the world. The paper examines and contrasts three different pieces of academic output on the question of (EU) economics, politics and society. The paper makes a comparison between how three different academic sources conceptualise these issues and how they view future possibilities for cooperation. The paper highlights these similarities and differences and exemplifies the relative merits and pitfalls contained within each thesis.

From the Paper
" It has been widely determined that although the political structure of the union is democratic in nature, nonetheless much of institutional framework, particularly with regard the European Commission does not have adequate levels of democratic accountability (Peterson and Shackleton, 2002). As such, this lack of examination means that although Svenden's assessment offers new and informative insight into the political economy of the union, it fails to adequately address the underlying problem of anti democratic practice. "

Tags:diverse, conceptions, theoretical, foundations, problematic, nature

Abstract
Foreign direct investment (FDI) has increased rapidly over the past years, especially after the promotion of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank. The aim of this paper is to examine whether there is a positive relationship between FDI and the economic growth in the Czech Republic, with special emphasis on technology and productivity spillovers. It focuses especially on two hypotheses, in the form of a case study. The first hypothesis is that technological and productivity spillover from FDI can lead to an increase in economic growth in the Czech Republic. The second hypothesis is that the Czech government can be an extra incentive for economic growth. Formulas show different solutions to different questions in economic growth. The paper discusses the Keynes' GDP model, the purchasing power parity (PPP), as well as Solow's total factor productivity (TFP) and multi factor productivity (MFP) and Cob-Douglas elastic growth equation, that includes technology development into the equation.

Outline
Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Economic Growth and FDI
Inflows to the Czech Republic
1.2 Introduction to Relevant Theoretic
And Empirical Studies
1.3 Research Aims and Objectives
1.4 Chapter Review
Chapter 2: Literature Review
2.1 FDI vs. Economic Growth
2.1.1 Technology and Productivity Spill Over
Transfers through FDI
2.1.2 Employment Creation:
2.1.3 Capital
2.1.4 Export
2.2 Other Factors vs. Economic Growth
2.2.2 Government Expenditure
2.2.3 Population Size
2.2.4 Openness
2.3 Conclusion
2.3.1 Role of the Literature in the Dissertation
Chapter 3 Methodology
3.1 Research Methodology Method:
H.1.1) There Has Been Economic
Growth in the Czech Republic.
H.1.2) Technology and Productivity
Spillovers Apply To The Czech Republic.
3.2 Conclusion
Chapter 4: Data
4.1 Data Collection
4.2 Data Analysis Keynes
GDP Equation
World Bank PPP Equation
Solow TFP Equation
Solow MFP Equation
Cob-Douglas Equation
Chapter 5: Conclusion
5.1.1 The First Objective Is To Give A
General Understanding of FDI
And Economic Growth
5.1.2 Second Is To Discuss According To A
Case Study Spillovers of FDI into the Czech Market
5.1.3 Thirdly, How the Czech Government
Can Be an Extra Incentive for Economic Growth
5.2 Boundaries and Constraints
5.3 Need for Further Research is Recognized

From the Paper
"Multinational companies (MNCs) find it profitable to invest abroad because they own specific assets, one of which is the multinational's access to better production technology. (Caves, 1996) The role of transaction costs in the development of MNCs is seen as very important by McManus. Transaction costs can arise when transferring goods and or services, which can be a lot of money that is not necessary. When a MNC invests in a foreign market it overcomes those costs. (McManus1987) The relation between income inequality in Local Domestic Companies (LDCs) and FDIs is seen as a generally positive by Tsai. (Tsai 1995)"

Tags:hypothesis, republic, spillover, technology