As corporate activity continues to expand in line with the continued globalization of the economy there is an increasing demand for establishing rules to regulate the trans-boundary activities of firms and their many and complex relations with consumers. Until now, sources of knowledge in this field have been scattered and unsystematic and this volume fills a key gap in current literature, providing a concise and accessible introduction to the role of global consumer organizations.
The book:
- Provides an historical overview that traces the early attempts made before WWII to formulate elements of global consumer policy, highlighting key issues and initiatives up until the 1980s.
- Outlines the groups of organizations that are responsible for dealing with consumer issues in areas such as trade and development, socio-economics and the environment, including the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, World Trade Organization, International Monetary Fund, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, and World Bank.
- Analyses the group of special intergovernmental organizations that address the problems of specific consumer segments, industries and service-providers, including the World Health Organization, International Telecommunication Union and World Tourism Organization.
- Evaluates both current and future challenges and dilemmas facing consumer organizations, including addressing the continued issues of coordination between them.
Providing a much-needed overview of this key area in international organization, Global Consumer Organizations will be of interest to students and scholars in a range of areas, including international political economy, consumer behaviour, international organizations, economic policy and consumer behaviour.
Introduction. 1 Historical trajectories 2 General organizations and issues 3 Special organizations and issues 4 Coordination between agencies and across issues 5 Private organizations: consumers and business 6 Conclusion
Biography
Karsten Ronit is Associate Professor of Political Science at the Department of Political Science at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
"As the historical examples and richly detailed analysis of contemporary global consumer policy provided in this book demonstrate, the lack of centralization results in piecemeal, and at times inconsistent, policy making. Ronit also examines how deficiencies in global consumer policy governance result in regulatory failures in many issue areas, including health and food safety. The book ends with a useful consideration of the effects of social movements centered on consumer concerns, as well as self-regulation by industry organizations." - J. R. Strand, CHOICE 2016, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
