Donald K. Gates and Peter Steane
The purpose of this paper is to examine how economic rationalism in policy development affects incomes and social cohesion within the communities in which businesses operate…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how economic rationalism in policy development affects incomes and social cohesion within the communities in which businesses operate. Inequality of income occurs in most, if not all, countries. Historically, economic statisticians established various means of measuring levels of inequality within a country. Measuring inequality between countries, however, is a complex procedure because of differences in money exchange rates and standards of living. Poverty exists in most countries but it is particularly extreme in the Asia‐Pacific Region and in Africa. Economic rationalistic policies that depend on the supremacy of the market are developed mostly without regard for their impact upon income share, fairness and social justice concerns. Some other economic rationalistic policy outcomes are detrimental to social cohesion within communities.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper draws upon earlier research undertaken by the author as well as upon published works of other researchers.
Findings
The analysis of this paper indicates that there are great income inequalities not only within nations but also between nations in the Asia‐Pacific Region.
Research limitations/implications
The research is limited by the ability to examine all the research literature in the field in greater depth. However, the examination that has been possible indicates that where economic rationalism has a significant input in policymaking wide disparities in the distribution of incomes become apparent.
Practical implications
This paper provides government and corporate executives with an understanding that the policies they develop could advantage one section of the community over another. This could have a detrimental affect on the social cohesion of the communities they administer or in which their businesses operate.
Originality/value
This paper fulfils an identified need and supports policymakers seeking to achieve just outcomes in the communities in which they operate.
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The purpose of this paper is to address questions policymakers, working in a global marketplace, might ask about ethical and theological considerations of ambiguities or…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to address questions policymakers, working in a global marketplace, might ask about ethical and theological considerations of ambiguities or uncertainties of justice issues in the global markets in which they operate.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper draws on earlier research and published works in examining four specific questions about ambiguities of justice, from ethical and theological perspectives, and their relevance for policymakers in the global marketplace.
Findings
Justice, including social justice, is a significant value impacting on decision and policymakers in government and other types of organizations in a global marketplace. However, the value “justice” exhibits ambiguity or uncertainty. Even if a claim that economic policies developed through prudential judgement are not subject to the moral or ethical code is accepted, it does not absolve individual participants in the policymaking and administrative processes from ethical and moral responsibility if the outcomes of the policies are deemed to be selfish and unjust.
Research limitations/implications
This paper is limited by the ability to examine all the literature in the field at a greater depth. However, this has been ameliorated by examining a sufficient sample of theological and social scientific literature and relating these to the writings of the theologian, Paul Tillich, on questions about the four ambiguities of justice.
Practical implications
This paper provides a useful appraisal of the various social justice issues that might be encountered by managers working in a global marketplace. It provides some definitive alternatives from which policymakers may select a course of action for their organizations in individual and collective markets throughout the world.
Originality/value
An identified need is fulfilled in this paper in that it supports executives and managers who may have doubts about ethical and theological justice issues that arise through the policies adopted and processes employed in their operations in the global marketplace.
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The purpose of this paper is to propose an alternative approach to the decision‐ and policymaking that has been practiced in most developed countries for more than a quarter of a…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose an alternative approach to the decision‐ and policymaking that has been practiced in most developed countries for more than a quarter of a century. Such policies followed, to a greater or lesser degree, the policies adopted in the UK and the USA since the period of the Thatcher and Reagan administrations, respectively. These policies proclaimed the supremacy of the market and downplayed government intervention in the marketplace.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper draws upon earlier research by the authors as well as upon published works of other researchers.
Findings
Self‐interest governed the way policies are formed and through a process of extreme capitalism financial leaders took ever‐increasing risks for which executives received lucrative incentive salaries. The recent crash suggests a failure in such policies and this paper proposes an alternative way of operating – the way of altruism. Selfishness and egoism are argued as endemic in economic rationalism and extreme capitalism, replacing selflessness that engenders policies more aligned to altruism.
Research limitations/implications
The research is limited by the ability to examine all the research literature in the field at greater depth. However, the examination that has been possibly indicated that self‐interest and greed, endemic in extreme capitalism and economic rationalism, have made significant contributions to the recent subprime and global financial crises.
Practical implications
This paper provides government and corporate policymakers with an understanding of an alternative value – selflessness as aligned to altruism – than the values of selfishness and greed that are endemic in economic rationalism and extreme capitalism guiding policies that led to the global financial crisis.
Originality/value
The paper fulfils an identified need and supports policymakers seeking to achieve just outcomes for all stakeholders across the globe.
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Peter Steane, Yvon Dufour and Donald Gates
When new public management (NPM) emerged in the mid-1980s, most governments such as New Zealand, Australia and Canada embraced it as a better way to provide public services. A…
Abstract
Purpose
When new public management (NPM) emerged in the mid-1980s, most governments such as New Zealand, Australia and Canada embraced it as a better way to provide public services. A more recent assessment of NPM would conclude that its appeal has faded. The purpose of this paper is to assess the serious impediments to NPM-inspired change.
Design/methodology/approach
The literature is diffuse, and therefore its insights have been limited by the lack of synthesis. In this paper the authors set out to synthesize the main work already available.
Findings
Change, such as breaking up large public sector hierarchies, or developing internal market-like competition and contracting out public services is indeed disruptive. Such change cannot be achieved without shifting decision-making processes, disrupting existing roles and working relationships and leaving some confusion and uncertainty among staff. Many of the changes feature numerous levels of ill-defined processes, ongoing multi-layered and complex decision making, and no easily agreed or clear path to resolution.
Originality/value
The terms “wicked problem” and “disruptive innovation” are increasingly familiar to public managers and policy makers. This paper argues that managing NPM-style change represented yet another wicked problem in managing public organizations. The authors set out to synthesize the main work available, and in so doing, frame the various attributes of NPM-inspired change – five basic parts, five types of uncertainty and five fragmenting forces. The conceptual framework suggests hypotheses as the basis for further research.
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Donald K. Gates and Peter Steane
The purpose of this paper is to trace the development of economic theory to the point where “economic rationalism” is a commonly used term.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to trace the development of economic theory to the point where “economic rationalism” is a commonly used term.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper draws on earlier research and published works examining: the history of economics; economic rationalism; and the different influences in comprising basic economic concepts.
Findings
The analysis of writing indicates that rationalism has been a focus of discussion in economic writing since Classical times, through to the “rational” influence in economic policy making from neoclassical economic writing. But, the specific term “economic rationalism” gained wider usage after Pusey's book. From that time, the term was used outside academia as a disparaging means to criticise economic theorists and policy makers.
Research limitations/implications
The research is limited by the ability to examine all the literature in the field in greater depth. However, this has been ameliorated by examining a sufficient sample of literature relevant to the concept of rationality in economic theory and policy.
Practical implications
This paper provides a useful critique – from the classics to the modern era – of the contribution made to economic theory and practice. It provides managers with a comprehensive historical overview.
Originality/value
This paper fulfils an identified need and gives support to executives and managers who have doubts about theological justification for some values and accountability procedures being employed in policymaking.
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Lauren Langman and Meghan A. Burke
Arthur Schlessinger (1983) suggested that the contradictions and paradoxes of American foreign policy reflected contradictions and paradoxes in the underlying character of the…
Abstract
Arthur Schlessinger (1983) suggested that the contradictions and paradoxes of American foreign policy reflected contradictions and paradoxes in the underlying character of the people. We would go further to suggest that the early years of colonial life, much like the early years of a person's life, had major consequences ever since. The intersection of Puritanism, available land, and eventually the rise of a commercial culture would forge a unique trajectory of what would be called “American Exceptionalism”, reflecting an “American character”, which itself is subject to three paradoxes or polarities, individualism vs. community, toughness vs. compassion, and moralism vs. pragmatism. The effect of this legacy and the dialectical aspect of American character were first evident when Winthrop proclaimed the city on the hill as the new Jerusalem. The legacy of that vision is taking place today in Iraq.
Eugenia Petridou, Aikaterini Sarri and Lida P. Kyrgidou
The purpose of this paper is to address entrepreneurial programs offered by Greek higher education institutions (HEIs) to 1639 students in different scientific disciplines at…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to address entrepreneurial programs offered by Greek higher education institutions (HEIs) to 1639 students in different scientific disciplines at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh) and Technical Educational Institution of Thessaloniki (TEITh). The programs were analyzed and it was revealed that there were differences in participation rates, attitudes towards entrepreneurship education and perceptions about required skills between the two genders.
Design/methodology/approach
During the developmental phase of the particular entrepreneurship program, an evaluation stage had been predicted, whereby student participants (344 females and 370 males AUTh students and 410 females and 515 males TEITh students) would anonymously fill out questionnaires upon completion of the program, regarding male as opposed to female attitudes and perceptions.
Findings
There are higher enrollment rates of males than females. Regarding attitudes towards participation in entrepreneurial educational programs, females demonstrate a stronger interest in acquiring knowledge, developing skills, facing career competition and networking with local business, to a significantly higher degree than their male counterparts. In addition, females rank all skills as of higher significance in successful entrepreneurial activity, assigning lower value only to communication skills, compared to men. The opposite holds for males, who ranked communication skills as of greatest importance among all other skills.
Research limitations/implications
This paper provides insight into gender differences regarding male and female involvement in entrepreneurial education and as to their “pre‐entrepreneurial” profile and characteristics. It therefore sharpens understanding as to the way in which entrepreneurship education can encourage female participation within the entrepreneurial arena in future.
Practical implications
Factors that male and female students consider to be most important in issues of entrepreneurship education are identified, providing a framework for the effective design, quality and delivery of such programs.
Originality/value
The present paper constitutes one of the first to examine factors accounting for male and female student participation in entrepreneurship education programs offered by HEIs in the Greek context. The value derived aids the development of curricula tailored to gender distinctive needs and demands.
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This chapter asks: How do COVID-19 conspiracy theories about Bill Gates work? In order to provide an answer, it analyses social media artefacts that make conspiratorial claims…
Abstract
This chapter asks: How do COVID-19 conspiracy theories about Bill Gates work? In order to provide an answer, it analyses social media artefacts that make conspiratorial claims about Bill Gates such as the ones that he manufactured the virus, makes money from COVID-19 vaccines, plans to dominate the world and erect a dictatorship, and implants surveillance microchips into humans via COVID-19 vaccinations. The focus is on artefacts that have massively spread and have reached high visibility on social media and the Internet. A critical discourse analysis was conducted of this material.
The findings show that and how COVID-19 conspiracy theories construct the existence of a secret elite that dominates the world, use ideological strategies such as the personalisation of domination, the friend/enemy scheme, rational irrationality and logical determinism. COVID-19 conspiracy theories are a necrophilic ideology, an ideology of death that advances death and increases the number of deaths. This pandemic ideology tries to convince humans that vaccines are harmful and that COVID-19 is a hoax, whereby human misery is advanced. COVID-19 conspiracy theories are to a large degree a right-wing ideology.