scholarly journals The Sutherland Report

2005 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 887-899 ◽  
Author(s):  
ERIK DENTERS
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Dispute Settlement ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Economic Consequences ◽  
Director General ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Trading System ◽  
World Trading System ◽  
Harmful Effects

In early 2005 a Consultative Board presented a report (the Sutherland Report) on the functioning of the WTO and means to improve its efficiency. The author summarizes the Board's key findings and reflects on its main recommendations. The Board discusses sovereignty and globalization in the context of the world trading system. In addition it finds that the WTO needs to reconsider its institutional framework and some concepts underlying the organization. The Board particularly urges the WTO to address the erosion of the most-favoured-nation treatment through the proliferation of the preferential trade agreements. Transparency and civil society, dispute settlement, decision-making, efficiency, and the role of the Director-General and the secretariat are also discussed. The author concludes that the Board focuses on economic consequences of trade liberalization but fails to address the harmful effects of globalization. He agrees with the Board that institutional reform is required, but concludes that it would have been helpful if the Board had offered clearer direction on how to improve the decision-making process.

The Ambiguous Role of the WTO in Times of Stalled Multilateral Negotiations and Proliferating FTAs in East Asia

2012 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 163-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lena Lindberg ◽  
Claes G. Alvstam
Keyword(s):  
Free Trade Agreements ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Preferential Treatment ◽  
Trading System ◽  
Multilateral Negotiations ◽  
Trading Partners ◽  
World Trading System ◽  
Speed Up ◽  
Multilateral Organization

AbstractThe world trading system is characterized by a growing number of free trade agreements (FTAs). Limited progress in the negotiations at the multilateral level within the WTO has contributed to this development, inducing countries to seek faster, alternative ways to speed up liberalization, which make it possible to take advantage of preferential treatment with key trading partners. This article discusses what role the WTO should take with regard to FTAs in times of stalled multilateral negotiations and proliferating FTAs, and how FTAs can contribute to the multilateralization of regionalism. When results at the multilateral level are scarce, there may be a shift towards other alternatives in which the WTO is left out. This may force the WTO to function reactively, simply facing facts as an organization, rather than proactively, where it may play some role in shaping the FTA development. FTAs are not an entirely separate phenomenon from the WTO, since countries that negotiate FTAs play two roles. They are members of the WTO and as such are part of the work and negotiations of the organization. They are also part of trade arrangements that are limited to a smaller number of countries, and hence can negotiate against the interest of the entire multilateral organization. This article explores how these agreements can facilitate the work and negotiations of the WTO to regionalize bilateralism and multilateralize regionalism, here named the “sticky rice” approach. Various East Asian trade arrangements are used as empirical examples.

Between Theories of Trade and Development: The Future of the World Trading System

2015 ◽  
pp. 122-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Trebilcock
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Preferential Trade Agreements ◽  
Doha Round ◽  
Most Favored Nation ◽  
Trading System ◽  
The World ◽  
World Trading System

This article traces the role of developing countries in the GATT/WTO trading regime, and the evolving legal framework for their participation. It then maps onto this framework evolving schools of thought amongst development economists on strategies for economic development. It goes on to argue that the paralysis in the current Doha Round of the WTO, primarily reflecting fault-lines between developed and developing countries, and paralleled by the dramatic proliferation of preferential trade agreements and bilateral investment treaties, requires fundamental rethinking of the orientation of the multilateral (WTO) trading system, in particular the need to be more accommodating of plurilateral agreements amongst sub-sets of members that are open to subsequent accession by other members, primarily on a conditional most-favored-nation basis.

scholarly journals Decision Making from the Experience of Orthognathic Surgery Patients: A Grounded Theory Approach

2021 ◽  
pp. 238008442110144
Author(s):  
N.R. Paul ◽  
S.R. Baker ◽  
B.J. Gibson
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Major Surgery ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Theory Approach

Introduction: Patients’ decisions to undergo major surgery such as orthognathic treatment are not just about how the decision is made but what influences the decision. Objectives: The primary objective of the study was to identify the key processes involved in patients’ experience of decision making for orthognathic treatment. Methods: This study reports some of the findings of a larger grounded theory study. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews of patients who were seen for orthognathic treatment at a teaching hospital in the United Kingdom. Twenty-two participants were recruited (age range 18–66 y), of whom 12 (male = 2, female = 10) were 6 to 8 wk postsurgery, 6 (male = 2, female = 4) were in the decision-making stage, and 4 (male = 0, female = 4) were 1 to 2 y postsurgery. Additional data were also collected from online blogs and forums on jaw surgery. The data analysis stages of grounded theory methodology were undertaken, including open and selective coding. Results: The study identified the central role of dental care professionals (DCPs) in several underlying processes associated with decision making, including legitimating, mediating, scheduling, projecting, and supporting patients’ decisions. Six categories were related to key aspects of decision making. These were awareness about their underlying dentofacial problems and treatment options available, the information available about the treatment, the temporality of when surgery would be undertaken, the motivations and expectation of patients, social support, and fear of the surgery, hospitalization, and potentially disliking their new face. Conclusion: The decision-making process for orthognathic treatment is complex, multifactorial, and heavily influenced by the role of DCPs in patient care. Understanding the magnitude of this role will enable DCPs to more clearly participate in improving patients’ decision-making process. The findings of this study can inform future quantitative studies. Knowledge Transfer Statement: The results of this study can be used both for informing clinical practice around enabling decision making for orthognathic treatment and also for designing future research. The findings can better inform clinicians about the importance of their role in the patients’ decision-making process for orthognathic treatment and the means to improve the patient experience. It is suggested that further research could be conducted to measure some of the key constructs identified within our grounded theory and assess how these change during the treatment process.

Evolution of EC Institutions and Role of France (1990–2000)

2011 ◽  
pp. 58-70
Author(s):  
P. Timofeev
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
The Eu

The gradual enlargement of the EEC has necessitated an adaptation of European supranational structures established in the 1950-1970s to the needs of the time. Under these circumstances one of the key priorities of France's participation in the EU is he struggle for preserving her influence on the EU decision-making process. The article is devoted to the interaction of France with its partners in the EU institutions. This implies not only the implementation of its own interests, but also the search for compromise more or less satisfactory to all participants.

The role of a shared decision-making process in paediatric epilepsy surgery

2021 ◽  
Vol 429 ◽  
pp. 119162
Author(s):  
Michelle Gratton ◽  
Bonnie Wooten ◽  
Sandrine Deribaupierre ◽  
Andrea Andrade
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Shared Decision Making ◽  
Epilepsy Surgery ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Shared Decision ◽  
Paediatric Epilepsy

Sharing is caring: the role of voter-candidate similarities in intra-party electoral competition

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick F. A. van Erkel
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Electoral Competition ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Supply Side ◽  
Voting Behaviour ◽  
Party Leaders ◽  
Presidential Candidates ◽  
Underrepresented Groups ◽  
Candidate Characteristics

AbstractPrevious studies have found similarities with presidential candidates or party leaders to be an important factor in explaining voting behaviour. However, with the exception of gender, few studies have structurally studied voter-candidate similarities in intra-party electoral competition. This study investigates the Belgian case and argues that voter-candidate similarities play a role in the decision-making process of citizens when casting preferential votes. Moreover, it investigates whether underrepresented groups, and especially women, are more guided by these voter-candidate similarities than overrepresented groups. To achieve this aim voter and candidate characteristics are modelled simultaneously. This enables an investigation of the decision-making process of voters while taking into account structural inequalities at the supply side. The results demonstrate that citizens are indeed more likely to cast preferential votes for candidates similar to themselves and that these effects are stronger for underrepresented groups. Hence, preferential voting could ultimately pave the way for better descriptive representation.

scholarly journals Joint Initiatives Instead of Multilateralism: A New Reality for the WTO?

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 167-186
Author(s):  
O. V. Biryukova
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Active Part ◽  
Trading System ◽  
Joint Statement ◽  
International Trading ◽  
Near Future ◽  
International Trading System

The article examines the complexities of the negotiation function of the WTO, in which consensus in decision-making plays an important role. The author systematizes the possibilities and limitations for incorporating the results of plurilateral negotiations (i.e., with a limited number of participants) held within the framework of the so-called joint statement initiatives into the organization's law. The article also analyzes the prospects for integrating specific joint initiatives (internal regulation in services, simplification of investments in development, e-commerce) into the WTO system. The article emphasizes that despite standard features, all initiatives are unique in their content, format, and history and are at different stages of readiness, for Russia, which takes an active part in these joint initiatives, bringing the negotiations to a conclusion. The article criticizes joint initiatives from their primary opponents (India and South Africa), who insist that plurilateral initiatives' participation ignores existing multilateral mandates reached by consensus. Thus, they destroy the multilateral system.The purpose of the article is to review conceptual and practical approaches to forming new trade rules in the WTO system in the context of the multilateral crisis. The author concludes that plurilateral agreements can become a way out of the crisis in the negotiation function of the WTO, as well as the basis for future trade agreements in the system of organization. However, for plurilateralism to be effective and sustainable, it must be linked to multilateral norms and principles. Any plurilateral approach must allow flexibility in forming the basis for negotiating trade rules at multilateral level. It seems that if in the near future the WTO does not take decisive actions to adjust the rules and procedures for the new agreements, the prospects for advancing negotiations and maintaining the relevance of the leading institution of the international trading system will become even bleaker.

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