University
of Washington
Geography
349 (Professor
Harrington)
Regulation of and Representation in International
Business
What regulates international
business? Mull over these two questions:
- “What
arrangements regulate the conduct of international economic
transactions?” Or “Let’s say you want to import lumber from Canada, to
export airplanes to China, or export legal services to Mexico.
What sorts of laws, relationships, agreements, conventions, or rights
make this possible or impossible?” Include formal regulations
(laws or agreements of governments or among governments), formal
contracts, and informal exepctations or recognitions.
- “What parties
directly and indirectly determine these arrangements?”
Who's represented in
these regulatory arrangements?
- Whose
interests are represented? Alongside each of the interests you
list above, identify “What are the main interests of each party?”
- What other
interests are at stake? (Think across different actors in
the economy, across classes, across generations, beyond the
economic) What parties speak for those interests?
What policies promote
international competitiveness (defined as the bases for
successful international business -- compare the definitions in our broader
discussion of competitiveness)? Given our focus on strategic
assets (a.k.a. organization-specific adavantages), what are the most
typical unique assets on which US-based companies earn international
profits?
What sorts of public policies
encourage these assets?
copyright
James W. Harrington, Jr.
revised 29 November 2006