Institutional Reforms: The Case of Colombia

Book Description

These studies of Colombian economic, political, and social institutions offer not only theoretically grounded analyses but also practical recommendations for policy reform. Experts from the United States, Europe, and Colombia approach such problems as executive-legislative branch conflict, fragmented political parties, crime prevention, inefficient decentralization, and mistargeted social spending from a political economics perspective. Their findings provide an illuminating example of the way ideas from this relatively new area of research can be applied to real-world problems.

Colombia suffers not only from institutional problems -- many of which may stem from its overly rigid 1991 constitution -- but also high rates of violent crime, endemic drug trafficking, guerrilla warfare, and political corruption; the authors do not shrink from these topics, but treat them for the most part from an institutional perspective. Following a useful overview of recent economic history in Colombia, three chapters examine political institutions, discussing separation of powers, Colombia's complicated electoral and political party system, and reform of the judicial system. The remaining chapters treat economic and social institutions, covering the fiscal imbalance of centralized taxing and decentralized spending, transparent and fiscally responsible budget processes, education reform, the provision of social services, and the advantages of an independent central bank. Each chapter includes specific policy proposals that are politically feasible and require minimal legislative action. The proposed solutions to Colombia's institutional problems also shed light on similar problems in other developing countries.

Institutional Reforms: The Case of Colombia.(Book review): An article from: Journal of Economic Issues

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Institutional Reforms: The Case of Colombia.(Book review): An article from: Journal of Economic Issues
Christopher Michael Hannum
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000WF6DAO
Release Date: 2007-09-25

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Journal of Economic Issues, published by Thomson Gale on September 1, 2007. The length of the article is 1084 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Institutional Reforms: The Case of Colombia.(Book review)
Author: Christopher Michael Hannum
Publication: Journal of Economic Issues (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 41 Issue: 3 Page: 875(3)

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Institutional Reforms - The Case of Colombia

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Institutional Reforms - The Case of Colombia
A Alesina
Manufacturer: The MIT Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OQ6WIY

Amazon.com

Beginning E-Commerce offers an excellent demonstration of full-featured e-commerce Web-site construction with the Microsoft suite of development tools. If VB is your language of choice and ASP is your Web scripting selection, this tutorial is a must.

This book has very little general coverage of e-commerce. The entire text is devoted to the step-by-step construction of "Jo's Coffee," a fictitious Web storefront that winds up at the end of the book with a sophisticated order-processing pipeline, online discussion groups, XML integration with outside systems, and much more. In the introduction, the book sets a lofty goal: "... to take you gently from knowing nothing about e-commerce, to a point where you'll be able to put up a Web site that will make money for your business." This text meets this goal for readers who are familiar with the development tools mentioned in the title.

The book does a great job of providing complete commentary for each stage of the development process. It walks the reader through defining an application object model, implementing it with VB COM components, interfacing with a SQL Server database, and adding a number of sophisticated features. One of the most interesting techniques illustrated in this title is a VB COM component-based order-processing pipeline similar to the type found in Microsoft's top-of-the-line Site Server product. Using the example in this book, developers could easily construct custom pipelines for every commerce site they build.

If your core competencies lie in Microsoft-based technologies, this book is a wise investment in the future. It offers eye-opening possibilities for creating your own industrial-strength e-commerce sites. --Stephen W. Plain

Topics covered: COM and e-commerce object models, product catalog, shopping basket, checkout, order processing, promotions, certificates, pipeline construction, transaction management, deployment, e-mail integration, discussion groups, XML integration, and marketing tips.

Customer Reviews:

This book is for newbies, too.......2003-01-09

This book is a must have if ASP is the code of your choice in ecommerce. I am a newbie at programming and knew almost nothing about ASP, SQL, n-tier architechure and COM+ prior to reading this book, but it held my hand through each step so that I could follow along and understand what was happening. I liked the way WROX publishing shows you the code, tells you how it works, and then try it out, explaining each line and method.

Best of all, at the end of the book you actually have a very functional website (I believe according to Microsoft specifications) that can be modified and added onto easily. Our business is now up on the web and we are very happy with the way it works.

Downloading the source code from WROX is not hard. Although there are a few errors in it they have all been corrected and published in the errata section of the WROX.com website for the book. I actually believe that the author tried out the code and was happy with it before publication.

Now for the main draw back. If you want to get the most from this book you need to buy some expensive software, which I purchased and found to be a great investment, namely Visual Studio (for the InterDev and Visual Basic) and SQL Server 2000 on a Windows 2000 operating system. As of the middle of 2002 I couldn't purchase the SQL Server 7.0 (it was upgraded to SQL Server 2000) or MTS (it was integraded into the Windows 2000 operating system) so that I could use my Windows98. But, this doesn't apply if you know someone with the above legacy software and they let you use theirs or if you get it from EBay. Happy programming.

Harry

Good starting point for e-commerce.......2002-12-07

For whatever reason, there are a lot of E-commerce applications still running using Visual Basic 6.0, ASP 3.0, SQL Server 7.0, and MTS (i.e. Windows NT 4.0). These applications may be in the process of being converted to newer technologies or they may be "Legacy" code, but they still need someone to support them. Matthew Reynolds book provides the needed skills to do just that. This is a good book for aquiring those skills.

No Website code/support from WROX........2002-05-09

Don't expect any code from this book from the WROX website - the book says it's available but I couldn't find it - and the people at WROX don't answer their email. I like the book, don't like the publisher much.

DON'T BUILD A WEBSITE WITHOUT THIS BOOK !!!.......2002-03-25

If you want to build the sophisticated and secure E-Commerce web site in ASP and VB, this book is right to you. Many of books conferred about how to build a shopping cart but not the security of the transaction.At first before I buy this book, I want to learn about web security that applied in internet banking or in transaction, so then I start to read several books about SSL, SET, Digital Certificates, PKI, etc. I just find much information about the infrastructures (like an introduction) not the application.At least I find this book and read the index, then I find that all I want to know available in here obviously and completed with the installations (of course it is 600 pages). SSL, Digital Certificates, etc wouldn't conferred to deep/detail, but I think that's no problem, because this book will show you how to actually build the site content and features, I just applied it online. It is like if you can create the animation from Macromedia Flash then not necessary to knowing how Macromedia Flash software created isn't? ^_^.After buy this book, don't forget to download the source code and the explanations of this book. (Only in several KB). You'll find the address in book, where you can download the files.Hei...I just apply the informations of this book to my website...

Use less because it makes ecommerce difficult to understand.......2002-02-21

I have read certain books i'e Noel Jerkes, ASP unleashed which are for itermediteat to advance but they easy, clear to undertsand than this one. I have also seen reviews problem of custom dll's which abolutely write. Using Stored procedures like Noel's books make you understand the topic.

Beginning E-Commerce With Visual Basic, Asp, Sql Server 7.0 and Mts

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Beginning E-Commerce With Visual Basic, Asp, Sql Server 7.0 and Mts
Matthew Reynolds
Manufacturer: Wrox
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Book Description

These books provides an overall account of small and medium enterprises in selected Asia-Pacific countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Thailand, Philippines, China, Indonesia, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom and Canada. All of these countries have given high policy agenda on the development of small and medium enterprises since SMEs contribute significantly to the respective national economic development. The books therefore provides various experiences on SMEs, issues and challenges, incentive and policies adopted by various governments and, more significantly, prospects for growth and development potential of SMEs in the new millennium.

Business English: A workbook with programmed reinforcement
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Business English: A workbook with programmed reinforcement
Donald A Sheff
Manufacturer: Bobbs-Merrill Educational Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books
Grammar | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books
Business English | English as a Foreign Language | Instruction | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0672969270

Business English: A Worktext With Programmed Reinforcement
Average customer rating:

Business English Bomb

Good Text, watch for minor errors & version #

Business English: A Worktext With Programmed Reinforcement
Keith Slocum
Manufacturer: Macmillan Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 067298556X

Customer Reviews:

Business English Bomb.......2005-09-08

Horrible. I do not recommend this book unless you already know English very well. There are many punctuation errors in this book, making this subject very frustrating. What a nightmare!

Good Text, watch for minor errors & version #.......2004-04-07

Recently brought the 4th edition of this text for my class. It's a pretty good book overall except for a few minor errors. Just be aware that if you are buying the book used that the third edition is quite different from the 4th version thus making it incompatible with newer answer/work sheets used in class.

Business English: With Programmed Reinforcement

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Business English: With Programmed Reinforcement
Slocum
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill/Irwin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Communications | Skills | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Business Writing | Skills | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

Technical | Writing | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0028008715

Average customer rating:

Business English : With Programmed Reinforcement
Slocum
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill/Irwin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OA3YHC

The Resume.Com Guide to Writing Unbeatable Resumes
Average customer rating:

Honestly, the most useful resume book I've seen

Excellent source for advice on constructing a resume

Excellent source for advice on constructing a resume

The Resume.Com Guide to Writing Unbeatable Resumes
Warren Simons , and Rose Curtis
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Job Hunting & Careers | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Guides | Job Hunting & Careers | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Job Hunting | Job Hunting & Careers | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Resumes | Job Hunting & Careers | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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202 Great Resumes

The Elements of Resume Style: Essential Rules and Eye-Opening Advice for Writing Resumes and Cover Letters that Work

Resume Magic: Trade Secrets of a Professional Resume Writer (Resume Magic Trade Secrets of a Professional Resume Writer)

The Resume Handbook: How to Write Outstanding Resumes & Cover Letters for Every Situation (Resume Handbook)

Best Answers to the 201 Most Frequently Asked Interview Questions

ASIN: 0071411054

Book Description

The nation's #1 online resume service offers its exclusive advice on how to craft a winning resume

The Resume.com Guide to Writing Unbeatable Resumes draws upon the author's considerable expertise, as well as the vast Resume.com database, to arm job seekers with:

Sample resumes for every profession and job category, at every level, from entrylevel to executive
A comprehensive database of keywords, arranged by industry
Electronic job-hunting advice and strategies, with tips on how to make any resume stand out online
A detailed Before & After resume trouble-shooting worksheet

Job seekers will also find an exciting added value with this essential text. With the purchase of this book, they'll be able to receive a free resume consultation with one of Resume.com's career consultants!

Customer Reviews:

Honestly, the most useful resume book I've seen.......2007-05-02

The title seems a little cheesy but this really is a great book to help write a resume...

It tells you how to effectively use keywords in your resume for the age of Internet and electronic scanners that we live in today. Plus, it gives a huge list of "action verbs" to use, teaches you how to write a "resume headliner" to grab readers' attention and how to use numbers and statistics effectively (even if you're not in sales, business or accounting fields).

I could go on and on, this book is packed with tons of GOOD examples (broken down by job type and levels of experience) and other useful inforamtion that most other resume books don't cover.

Excellent source for advice on constructing a resume.......2004-05-04

I had received this book thinking that it would be "just" another new book on writing a resume. I found it to be very helpful and it provided me with detailed instructions on how to construct and create a resume that is much better than I would have been able to create on my own. Thank you.

Excellent source for advice on constructing a resume.......2004-05-04

The Resume.Com Guide to Writing Unbeatable Resumes

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The Resume.Com Guide to Writing Unbeatable Resumes
Rose Curtis Warren Simons
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OGF2NK

Book Description

Isn't it time to think big with a global perspective and use the same tools as the big boys?

Think Global, Grow Rich is for investors struggling to chart a course to financial freedom and independence. It is for those investors buffeted by conflicting and confusing advice or immobilized by fear and uncertainty.

Be warned. This is not your typical investment book recommending the same old tired products and strategies. Rather, it describes a revolutionary approach to where you put your money and what investment tools you use.

You will learn why today, more than ever, investors need to take a decidedly global perspective in building their portfolios. Globalization, the rise of China and India, and the steady decline of the U.S.dollar all point to one conclusion: your portfolio needs to reflect world trends, realities and opportunities.

You will be introduced to one of Wall Street's fastest growing new products: iShares exchange-traded funds by Barclays Global Investors. Discover why iShares combine the best qualities of stocks, mutual funds and index funds.

Now is the time to Think Global, Grow Rich. Learn how to harness the power of iShares to build a global portfolio that is the envy of friends and colleagues.

Customer Reviews:

Concise and practical investment advice.......2004-07-04

Considering the uncertain US economy and ambiguous US economic indicators, I have been exploring other types of investments. Delfeld gives a clear and concise (76 pages not including the index and terms)explanation of well known investments, stocks, mutual and index funds including benefits and downfalls. His overseas experience seems to give him a unique perspective to see the forest and not sweat the trees. I believe he is right that iShares do have a valuable place in my portfolio. Definitely reccommended, especially if you are looking for a value/index avenue and more international exposure in your investments.

Book Description

McLibel is the unlikely but true story of how a pamphlet called "What's Wrong with McDonald's?" led to the longest trial in British history. In what has become front-page news around the globe, the trial pitted the multibillion-dollar corporation against two jeans-clad members of London Greenpeace who defended themselves against the best powdered-wig lawyers McDonald's could buy.

Customer Reviews:

Little People vs. Corporate Giant.......2003-08-18

It all began with a pamphlet entitled "What's Wrong with McDonald's?" that led to the longest trial in British history.
The trial was a David vs. Goliath - five members of London Greenpeace against McDonalds.
Accused by McDonalds of libel, two activists held their ground and proceeded with the trial. The activists believed that McDonalds exploited children, depressed wages, leveled South and Central American rain forests and subjected its cattle and chicken to mass slaughters.
Without benefit of a lawyer or funds from legal aid, Helen Steel and Dave Morris acted as their own attorneys in facing McDonalds' legal teams. British libel law required that Steel and Morris prove the accuracy of virtually every statement made in the flyer.
Unfortunately, the judge found that Helen and Dave had not proved the allegations against McDonald's. But they had shown that McDonald's does exploit children with their advertising, falsely advertised their food as nutritious and are culpably responsible for cruelty to animals reared for their products. In the end, the two were ordered to pay but McDonald's dropped the claim and left with a very tarnished image.

God Bless Ben and Friends For Throwing the Tea in the Harbor.......2002-08-26

Before reading this book, I was under the silly impression that the British legal system, from which ours evolved, was closer to us than it evidently is. It is a reminder that we've come a long way in the development of jurisprudence since Declaring our Independence.

McLibel is a true tale of once upon a time, not so very long ago (1990 - 1997) when the Davids took on a Goliath (Ronald McDonald and his Big Bad Corporation) in not-so-Merry-Old England. Two unemployed activists had distributed leaflets, (which they neither wrote nor produced,) that had the audacity to criticize the corporate giant. The two, who were unable to afford attorneys, were put to a Kafka-esque Kangaroo (with apologies to residents of Australia) Court trial, the likes of which, were it to appear on Saturday Night Live, would be condemned as Theatre of the Absurd.

The author describes the protracted trial: "Like the interminable case of _Jarndyce v. Jarndyce_ in Charles Dickens' *Bleak House,* _McDonald's Corporation and McDonald's Restaurants Ltd. vs. Helen Marie Steel and David Morris_ (popularly known as the McLibel case) drone(d) on in claustrophobic isolation."

One of the most striking things about McLibel, to the American sensibility, is the arcane, archaic, bizarre, Byzantine Quagmire of British libel law. The book is sometimes difficult to digest. There are no footnotes, endnotes, annotations, or other direct attribution of sources. I was disappointed that the Writ and other pleadings (actual legal papers which are the foundation of a lawsuit,) were not included in the Appendix. A reproduction of the offending leaflet would also have been helpful. The author, British "Environmental Journalist" John Vidal (Hey! Is he related to Gore Vidal?) frequently plagues the reader with his own protracted political polemics. But it is, nonetheless, enriched food for thought.

Do you want fries with that? Here's an interesting bit of trivia included in the book: Ray Kroc, founding force behind McDonald's as we know it, was in the same World War I ambulance driving company as Walt Disney.

Good.......2002-03-15

The Mcdonalds Corporation has used the threat of litigation to protect both its logos and also its reputation. This is an example in which the threat of legal action came unstuck. Two British enviromentalists had handed out material which it was later found out defamed the McDonalds corporation. Defamation action was threatened unless the enviromentalists recanted. This they refused to do and McDonalds issued a writ suggesting that they had been libeled.

It was at this point that McDonalds made a serious legal error in making some allegations against the enviromentalists. This led to a counter suite for defamation which was run at the same time. The problem for McDonalds was that they had to lead evidence to prove their case. Normally in a defamation case it would be up to the defendant to do so. As the two enviromentalists were both broke they would not have been able to do so. However McDonalds by their tactical mistake forced themselves to provide evidence to back up their claims. The two enviromentalists were able to cross examine the various McDonalds witnesses to provide evidence for their claims.

As a result the case went on for so long that it became Britain's longest ever case. The two enviromentalists had a year to learn how to cross examine and were able to elicit some evidence that was unflattering McDonalds.

In these sorts of cases costs of litigation are nominally recoverable from the losing side. However as the two enviromentalists had no money any cost order against them was without value. This led to a incredibly long and expensive case which ended up bleeding McDonalds with the unfortunate side effect that the two enviromentalists were able to milk it for all it was worth to attack the reputation of McDonalds. From the point of view of the firm a total disaster... The decision to litigate had been a disaster.

The book is okay but leaden at times, the film that was released of the event is probably a bit more interesing.

A Classic Pyrrhic Victory.......2000-09-07

McLibel is an account of the longest trial in British legal history - McDonald's Restaurants v Morris & Steel. The story is in every way a David and Goliath story - two penniless lay people are pitted against the Dean of British libel lawyers backed by the limitless coffers of a major international company. Despite the overwhelming odds against them, both in terms of legal talent and legal obstacles, the defendants do a creditable job of holding their own.

This book offers an interesting British counterpoint to Harr's A Civil Action. Both books describe major legal struggles between the Haves and the Have-nots and in both cases the outcome represents less than a clear victory for either side. McLibel also offers an interesting critique of British libel law, the limitations on free speech in Britain, "ownership" of the law, manipulation of the legal system by the powerful, and the role of the judge.

It also offers Big Business a salutary lesson - not every apprent pushover is going to play dead the moment litigation is threatened. When it comes to counting the most costly legal mistakes ever, this case must rank somewhere near the top of the list. The case turned into a legal quagmire that McDonalds found it impossible to extricate itself from. Whatever consolation the company may have found in the verdict, this was a pyrrhic victory and an undoubted public relations disaster.

"McProgress" is regressive.......2000-07-09

This book really made me consider the notion of "progress" and the monstrous reality of rampant capitalist enterprise. It is always easy to point out maniacal campaigns for fiscal "rewards" of the world's multi-national companies and whinge in rather general ways. "McLibel" makes some general comments about globalisation, but uses the courageous courtcase involving Steel and Morris against McDonald's to illustrate these concerns. I feel that the London Greenpeace movement probably should have verified factual evidence BEFORE putting out a "fact sheet" that has taken five years to do this retrospectively. I have so much admiration for Steel and Morris and wish that it was possible to just phone them and thank them personally for their efforts and sacrifice of time, lifestyle and relationships. It is encouraging to read, after so much bad news presented by Vidal, that there are thousands of dissident groups speaking back to the corporate world. I am moved to become involved. I think Vidal's style of writing was more convincing in the presentation of factual information, than in his proselytising sections and his presentations of character. Some characterisations were as Dickensian as his Chapter introductory quotations. However, I think this is an essential read and I plan on using this text in the class room as a companion read to the Australian documentary about the same events.

McLibel: burger culture on trial.: An article from: Labour/Le Travail

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McLibel: burger culture on trial.: An article from: Labour/Le Travail

Manufacturer: Canadian Committee on Labour History
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B00098IZHS
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Labour/Le Travail, published by Canadian Committee on Labour History on March 22, 1999. The length of the article is 1312 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: McLibel: burger culture on trial.
Publication: Labour/Le Travail (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 1999
Publisher: Canadian Committee on Labour History
Issue: 43 Page: 286-7

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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