Summary

This volume investigates the relationship between globalization, inequality and social capital, and reveals that although strongly related, these ideas are also highly contested. The authors elucidate the interactions between these concepts, looking in detail at the conflicts and competitiveness which can arise at both the national and organizational level.

The authors examine public and private sector reforms in relation to globalization and inequality, highlight the tensions between global governance and societal resistance, and demonstrate how social capital contributes to systemic competitiveness. More specifically, a number of topical case studies, which focus on a variety of issues, clearly show the contested experiences of globalization, inequality and social capital. These include the introduction of ISO standards; the transformation of the Czech Republic; reforms in the British National Health Service; a comparison of the adoption of new forms of management in the US and the Netherlands; and the role of consultancies in regional economic development. These studies highlight the formal and informal boundaries which exist between different groups in society. Although these boundaries do resist change, at the same time they are flexible and - so the authors argue - can therefore play a significant role in shaping the dynamics of society and the economy.

The multidisciplinary approach and the variety of case studies will make this book required reading for institutional and international economists, political and social scientists, and scholars of international relations, management and organization.