Suchergebnisse

This article investigates the construction of the relationship between public & private responsibility for the protection of human rights in debates over Corporate Social Responsibility. The analysis is based on a constructivistic approach to the difference between public & private on the one hand & on the case study of the international debate from 1998 to 2002 over the activities of Canadian oil company Talisman Energy in Sudan on the other. It is argued that the border between public & private are politically charged & influence the understanding of power, authority, & responsibility on the international level. When attempts are made to portray the relationship between discourses over human rights & those over economic profit in a mutually supportive way, transnational businesses are often construed as carriers of moral responsibility for the protection of human rights. Yet the difference between public & private makes the identification of the manner & limitation of this responsibility more difficult. Adapted from the source document.

Despite the recent intensively discussed possibility of a normative relationship between transnational concerns & international human rights, environmental protection, & social standards, the overwhelming perception in literature to date negates subjectivity of these players to international law, although they hold substantial power in the international system in political & economic respects. Based on an overview of the general prerequisites for acquisition of status as a subject of international law, numerous relevant international law control mechanisms are investigated for their importance for the existence & configuration of international legal status for transnational business. The dominant concepts of accepted prerequisites of international law subjectivity & the development of a new approach are critically discussed. The foundation of the factual effective powerfulness of transnational concerns is a refutable assumption for the existence of international legal status particularly with respect to their activities in conflict regions. Adapted from the source document.

Colombia is living through the longest & most complex war in Latin American history. In the 1990s, there was an escalation of violence & an increase of U.S. involvement -- both due to the growing importance of drug related finance to all actors. But drugs are not the main cause of the war. Its roots are to be found in a political culture in which violence was a "normal" means of politics, the Colombian state's capabilities were severely compromised & many different forms of violence coexisted. The war has had different phases which determine the logic of action of the different actors. The article analyzes the various attempts to end the war & looks at current chances for overcoming the structures of violence. 1 Appendix, 38 References. Adapted from the source document.

The role of businesses as an important link between local civil war economies & the global markets for "conflict goods" has in recent years enjoyed scientific & political notice as never before. A series of different businesses are active in war stricken or war susceptible areas, for example small & large transnational firms, local & regional businesses, as well as business people & agents. In order to develop appropriate & more effective political mechanisms, the influence of these players on the conflict dynamics & the possibilities for their regulation must be better understood. In recent years important initiatives have been started in areas of business ethics, human rights, & conflict management. Research & political practice however make clear that business regulation as a means of crisis prevention & conflict resolution must encompass the entire regulative spectrum -- from voluntary self regulation to legally binding norms of international law. Adapted from the source document.

The Action Plan on Crisis Prevention illustrates a variety of instruments, activities & funding initiatives which have been undertaken by the German Government & Parliamentarians in order to strengthen civilian approaches to foreign policy. It contains numerous incentives for other states who are willing to foster coherence & conflict prevention mainstreaming in foreign policy. On the other hand, the Action Plan lacks concrete proposals for the European dimension of conflict prevention & for cooperation with civil society organizations. Moreover, it does not consider the financial implications realistically. Its authors assume that increasing capacities for conflict prevention can be done within today's budget lines. But even if there is political support for more effective policies, additional funding & expanded resources are needed. Finally, the imbalance between spending for civilian instruments & for military crisis reaction needs to be corrected. Adapted from the source document.

The positive role of transnational businesses has only recently become a subject of research. This article discusses how the participation of transnational businesses can be defined for conflict prevention. From this definition, central areas for conflict prevention are introduced & possible initiatives & business measures are identified. The engagement of businesses in the raw material industries is outlined using the examples of Shell in Nigeria & BP in Columbia. One of the challenges of this still young research program is the question of how the performance of businesses in conflict regions can be clarified. Based on case studies & research to date, the factors of Corporate Social Responsibility, pressure through civil society players, & the importance of reputation are considered. Finally, the opportunities & limits of business engagement in conflict prevention are discussed. Adapted from the source document.

Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the research orientation in the field of International Relations toward the role of international economic activities has strengthened, particularly in its concentration on the association between Multi-National Companies & violent conflicts. This article differentiates between the Economy of War, through which the economic activities of violent conflicts is intensified, & an Economy of Peace, which contributes to de-escalation of violent conflicts. Thereafter attempts are made first with an international perspective (Shell, De Beers, Blackwater) & then with a Swiss Perspective (Credit Suisse, Triumph, Pilatus, SAM, Ethos) to go into specific business examples that further the economy of war or the economy of peace. Adapted from the source document.

This introductory article provides an overview of the role of businesses in conflict regions, outlining the link between businesses, natural resources, & armed conflicts, focusing on different business options. Although civil society organizations have primarily pilloried the negative relationship between these businesses & conflicts, positive approaches to regulation of business activities in conflict region are also pointed out. Finally, the resulting consequences & possible alternatives for government players, particularly in countries in which transnational businesses are headquartered, are also discussed. Adapted from the source document.

This article gives an overview of the most well know initiatives for advancement of business responsibility. Next to the emergence & further development of the Global Compact, the basic concepts of the Global Compact as well as the participation possibilities for businesses are presented. Furthermore, the main argument of business & civil society organizations to the Global Compact are presented & the relationship of the Global Compact to the UN is elucidated. Finally, future development options are described. Adapted from the source document.