A tax convention (or tax treaty) is an official a... more

A tax convention (or tax treaty) is an official agreement between two countries on the administration of taxation when the domestic tax legislation of the respective states applies simultaneously to a particular issue or taxpayer (e.g., when a taxpayer resident in one country derives income from sources in the other country). Tax conventions provide a means of settling on a uniform basis the most common problems that arise in the field of international double taxation. More than 2,000 bilateral tax treaties between countries of the world are based on the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) Model Tax Convention. This book offers the reader a practical introduction to the law of income and capital tax conventions based on the OECD Convention as well as selected legislation and case law. Its an ideal reference for lawyers and tax professionals who want to expand their familiarity with tax treaties.... less

Strategy and the planning that created it has t... more

Strategy and the planning that created it has too often failed to deliver its promised results. The reasons for this failure are many and varied, but include an over-reliance on the next big thing in strategic methodology, a failure to recognize and deal with the total change that strategy requires in an organization, and an inability to deal with uncertainty. Wilson argues that strategy is a subtle and demanding art, far more than it is a science or a methodology. To succeed in dealing with complex, interacting forces inside and outside the organization, strategy must: Deal with the totality of the organization in the context of its total environment (not just one function or one facet of the organization) Learn to harness the power of opposites (the sometimes conflicting objectives of the organization, e.g., the long term and short term; vision and execution; economic constraints and social responsibility) Deal constructively with pervasive uncertainty in its future Develop a strategic vision Create a culture that fosters a strategic mindset throughout the organization. Without constant change and adaptation, a strategy will fail. Continuing success depends, therefore, upon constant learning from customers, competitors, changes in our environment, and our own mistakes.... less

The scope and importance of International Commerc... more

The scope and importance of International Commercial Arbitration (ICA) has expanded exponentially in the last few decades and has become the natural and logical method to resolve international business and economic disputes. This collective work captures the development of ICA from different perspectives and uniquely brings together the ideas, suggestions and perspectives of in-house counsel as the most important users of ICA, along with outside counsel, arbitrators themselves, and major arbitration organizations who all help provide the service. Most, if not all, of the contributing authors have served as counsel or arbitrator in arbitrations and have further contributed, through their writings, teachings or activities in arbitral and other institutions, to the evolution of ICA covered by this collective work. Accordingly, International Commercial Arbitration Practice: 21st Century Perspectives is an indispensable tool for the reader--practitioner, arbitrator, academic, magistrate or student--not only to obtain useful general information on ICA practice today but to gain insightful views as to the influence of this institution in the settlement of international commercial disputes in specific economic areas, industries and commercial activities. International Commercial Arbitration Practice: 21st Century Perspectives brings the process alive and provides the reader with a useful practice guide whether he or she represents a client participating in an international commercial arbitration, is in-house counsel for a company considering arbitration as a possible method of dispute resolution, or is an arbitrator with cases at hand.The book is organized by Parts which contain thematically related chapters. Part I deals with an overview of key elements in ICA practice and includes chapters on how arbitration is conducted under different legal systems such as common law, civil law, and shari'a law, as well as a chapter on cultural issues in international arbitration. Part II contains geographical regional overviews covering most regions of the world (Western Europe, Russia/NIS countries, Asia (particularly China & Hong Kong and the Indian Subcontinent), Middle East & North Africa, Latin America, the U.S., Canada, and Australia & New Zealand. Part III includes individual industry sector views of how ICA is conducted in individual industry and business sectors such as oil & gas, LNG, mining, construction, telecommunications, satellite communications, intellectual property, sports, banking & finance, insurance & reinsurance, securities, shipping & maritime, corporate shareholder and bankruptcy settings. These chapters are highly instructive because many of them were written by current or former in-house counsel in these industries or, in some cases, by outside counsel who focus on these industries. Part IV of the book describes recent trends at several major global commercial arbitration institutions such as the ICC, ICDR, LCIA, CPR and WIPO. Part V deals with questions of how technology has been changing ICA practice in recent years, including chapters relating to the use of technology by some major arbitral institutions, videoconferencing in ICA, and online arbitration of internet domain name and e-commerce cases.... less

India’s dependence on water is critical owing to ... more

India’s dependence on water is critical owing to its large agricultural base, the water needs of its billion-plus population, and the recent economic growth trends. Despite the plethora of material on environmental law, legal scholarship on water law in particular has been negligible. This timely work pieces together key legislative instruments and policy documents to provide an overarching picture of the legal regime and regulations related to water in India. The book thoroughly discusses the policy framework for the use of water in India. It also brings out the complexity in the structure of laws due to variations at the levels of their implementation, i.e., at the international, national, state, municipal, and panchayat levels. It covers a wide range of issues such as centre–state relations; management, appropriation, and control of water; irrigation; sanitation; drinking water; ground water; pollution; and water-dependent activities like power generation, and fisheries. The book further explores water-related environmental and health concerns. The work also examines the importance of various conflict resolution processes for resolving water-related disputes. It offers a range of legal ideas on water management in India, and thus, provides crucial insights into the field. This work will fill a critical gap in the study of and research on water law, providing a ready reference point for a variety of legal mechanisms, and introduction to how they operate and what their implications are.... less