Globalization transcends borders and cultures as it develops both from the natural flow of information and communication technologies and as a directed and driven quest for global hegemony by self-serving corporations and world political heavyweights. It bears a multifaceted web of influence that manifests in inequalities in growth, prosperity, and accountability in varying social, cultural, and economic contexts.

The Handbook of Globalization, Governance, and Public Administration is the first comprehensive resource that untangles this complex knot of issues. Mapping the multi-layered relationships among the individuals, local and national governments, international organizations, global corporations, natural resources and the world market, this encyclopedic volume is both a primer and a guide for researchers, academics, and policymakers both public and private.

The book demonstrates in broad terms how globalization presents new threats to national sovereignty, the environment and public health, tends to increase worldwide inequality, and produces global insecurity. Using country-specific cases, the essays examine the role of bureaucracy and market orientation in Hong Kong and China, the new position of public-private partnerships in Africa as protectors instead of exploiters of the people, a Russian implementation of incentive systems to maintain local growth, and the fruitless corruption of a land development scheme in India. Ethics and the need for future global consciousness is illustrated by energy policy, which pits consumers and business interests against local communities and is moderated only by supranational organizations.

The solution calls for sustainable development to be grounded in community-based institutions while governments seek growth through market expansion worldwide. Concerns for public health, climate change, and sustainable energy are growing in the global village and understanding the multi-dimensional chess game is key to survival.