Doctoral Dissertation Research: Government and Firm-level Responses to the Globalization of Environmental Management

该项目将研究国际标准化组织（ISO）制定的环境管理系统标准的使用和实施情况。公众对环境的关注已遍及全球，各国的政策反应造成了一个由各种各样、往往相互矛盾的非关税贸易壁垒组成的日益复杂的网络。越来越多的不相容的环境进口限制导致向多个发达国家出口的公司效率和利润下降。作为回应，ISO 14000是国际标准组织的一项尝试，旨在创建共同的环境管理系统，帮助企业努力满足这些日益严格的环境法律，同时通过统一要求的演变简化产品出口过程。本研究将特别探讨几个问题：1)ISO 14000是否会在欠发达地区产生去全球化和持续的财富不平等，2)ISO 14000制度是否会偏向于富裕国家的利益，使欠发达国家从参与中获益较少，3)实施是否会受到企业和政府实现其目标的努力的影响。总之，该项目将调查公共政策对公司选择加入ISO 14000制度的决定的影响，同时揭示ISO 14000对国际贸易和环境的影响。数据将通过对发展中国家的ISO 14001认证公司进行大规模邮件调查，以及对行业和政府官员的个人访谈来收集。这个项目将使人们了解对环境管理全球化的各种公共政策反应，同时也向决策者提供关于各种政策选择的成本和效益的资料。

This project will study the use and implementation of an environmental management system standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Public concern for the environment has spread across the globe, with national policy responses resulting in an increasingly complex web of diverse and often contradictory non-tariff barriers to trade. The growing number of incompatible environmental import restrictions has resulted in decreased efficiency and profit for corporations that export to multiple developed countries. In response, ISO 14000, is an attempt on the part of the International Standards Organization, to create common environmental management systems that will assist firms in their efforts to meet these increasingly stringent environmental laws, while simplifying the process of product export through the evolution of uniform requirements. This study, in particular, will explore several questions: 1) will ISO 14000 produce deglobalization and continued wealth inequalities in less developed regions, 2) will the ISO 14000 regime be biased in the interest of the wealthier countries and leave less developed countries will fewer benefits from participation, and 3) will implementation be shaped by firms and governments efforts to achieve their goals. In sum, the project will investigate the impact that public policies have on firm's decisions to opt-in to the ISO 14000 regime, while shedding light on the impact that ISO 14000 will have on international trade and the environment. Data will be gathered from a large-scale mail survey of ISO 14001 certified firms in developing countries, along with personal interviews with industry and government officials. This project will provide an understanding of the varying public policy responses to the globalization of environmental management, while also providing policy makers with information about the costs and benefits of various policy options juncture.