This chapter explores how literature and film can develop environmental competence by subverting anthropocentric worldviews and reimagining human–nature relationships through fictional narratives. Using an imagological lens, it examines how stereotypes of nature and Indigenous people – often rooted in colonial hierarchies – are reconstructed in novels like The Lost Origin and films like Prey and Avatar for the purpose of questioning. These works destabilise ecophobic attitudes, expose capitalist exploitation and foreground Indigenous perspectives grounded in respect for nature and environmental stewardship. The chapter emphasises the polysemous and affective power of stories to challenge normative behaviours and encourages learners to critically engage with cultural media as tools for sustainable education and ethical transformation. Ultimately, literature and film are thus framed not merely as artistic outputs but as potent agents of environmental awareness, interspecies empathy and social critique.

The Gulf region is a distinct sub-system of the wider Middle East, including the resource-rich states of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Iran, and commands enduring relevance within the international system. This is the first textbook to provide a focused, comprehensive introduction to Gulf politics, specifically tailored for undergraduate students and newcomers to the subject. It explores the region’s political landscape, covering key topics such as state formation, oil and rentierism, regime types, religion and politics, foreign policy and migration. Blending historical context with contemporary analysis, chapters by leading scholars examine the role of oil wealth, tribal structures, regional integration and merchant elites in state-building, as well as the region’s strategic importance in global politics. An ideal core text for university courses on the Gulf and GCC, An Introduction to Gulf Politics is essential for understanding the complexities of power, governance and influence in one of the world’s most dynamic regions.

This chapter explores key historical dynamics in the Gulf up to the 1970s, when the region finally achieved independence from foreign political control. It examines the world of the Gulf Arabs and their connections across the waters to Iran and the wider Indian Ocean. It considers the Iranian view of the Gulf and the competing Persian/Arab perspectives on the region’s historical identity, symbolised by the ongoing dispute over the region’s very name. It surveys the Gulf’s pre-oil economy, including its heavy dependency on India. It examines the origins of the pre-oil shaikhdoms and emirates that now form the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). It highlights the key aspects and episodes of British and Ottoman imperial involvement in the Gulf. It considers the impact of Iranian nationalism during the Pahlavi dynasty and the Arab response to it, including the rise of Arab nationalism in the 1950s and 1960s. It ends with an explanation of how a once-integrated region became fragmented into three separate socio-economic zones after the 1970s: the GCC states, Iran and Iraq.

This chapter explores ecopsychology’s potential to examine the psychological roots of environmental destruction and promote sustainable alternatives. Tracing connections between ecopsychology, positive psychology and economics, it critiques mainstream psychology’s individualistic focus and its neglect of sociopolitical and ecological contexts. Through concepts like the ‘empty self’ and ‘revolt of nature’, the chapter foregrounds systemic dysfunction in capitalist societies, arguing that well-being and reconnection with nature must replace growth imperatives. Key alternatives include degrowth strategies, well-being-oriented policy frameworks and transcultural initiatives such as Joanna Macy’s ‘Work That Reconnects’ and Aboriginal-led equine-assisted learning. The chapter concludes that genuine environmental and social transformation requires interdisciplinary ecological paradigms that disrupt resourcification, technosalvationism and nationalist tribalism – while fostering empathetic relationships between humans and non-human life.

This chapter shifts focus from component-level fit to holistic architectural alignment using the quadrant model to diagnose misfits and guide viable configurations. It integrates new organizational forms and addresses digitalization, sustainability, and resilience. Structural features evolve slowly, while coordination mechanisms enable short-term responsiveness. The information-processing theory emphasizes matching design capacity to demand. The multi-contingency model applies across sectors and cultures, adapting to digital maturity and organizational scale. Fit remains essential, though how it’s achieved varies. The model begins with goals and supports both overall and departmental design. Testing designs through pilots, simulations, or task-flow mapping is recommended. A thoughtful approach ensures alignment between strategy, structure, and coordination, enabling organizations to adapt and perform effectively in dynamic environments.

Religion shapes Gulf politics in different ways depending on the country under consideration but also the shifting socio-historical circumstances at the domestic and the regional levels. Religion has been used as a tool of state-building by Saudi Arabia. Alternatively, it has also been used by Islamist movements for the contestation of established regimes. In societies that are diverse religiously, sectarian divides between various currents of Islam have been politicised more often than not. Religion has also been an important element of the international soft power of Gulf states. In the twenty-first century, Gulf states have promoted ‘moderate Islam’ as a way to counter Islamist movements and to consolidate their international standing.

Today’s organizations face rapid change, digital disruption, and rising demands for sustainability and resilience. This fifth-edition text equips executives, students, and educators with a proven framework for designing effective organizations in complex environments. Built on decades of research, the multi-contingency model provides a step-by-step guide from diagnosis to design and implementation – now expanded to include knowledge interdependence, AI integration, sustainable development, and organizational resilience.

Rich with real-world cases from LEGO, Microsoft, Haier, and BlackBerry, the book blends theory with practice and offers clear visuals, intuitive two-by-two models, and tools to support hands-on learning and application. It helps readers understand who should do what, who should talk to whom, and – crucially – who should know what, in today’s increasingly dynamic settings. Whether used in executive education or as a core text in MBA and business school courses, this updated edition is a comprehensive, accessible, and globally trusted guide to modern organizational design.

The element of duty of care is covered in three sections. Section 11.1 covers the role and nature of duty – what it is there for and what it covers. Section 11.2 deals with the law on the established categories of negligence (duties and immunities). Section 11.3 discusses the methodology of negligence in cases involving novel fact scenarios, where a duty is not pre-established and needs to be developed from scratch.

Because of the complexity of this area of the law, this chapter introduces a new ‘Summary points’ feature at the ends of sections 11.1 and 11.3. It summarises the matters you should take into account when approaching a problem question and asks you to engage in an active reading exercise, linking each point with a case in that section.

The first two chapters of this book explained that the law of torts is an evolving body of rules shaped by principles and policy considerations and animated by two different conceptions of justice. It is held in a constant state of tension by individuals and communities’ shifting allegiance between competing interests, goals and values. This means that the law of torts is more than just a set of rules, principles and policies; it is also an ongoing culture of argument that has been developed to manage this inbuilt tension. So, if you want to be successful as a torts student you need to supplement your knowledge of the law by mastering this culture of argument. The first part of this chapter will help you to understand how to use the basic building blocks of the law (rules, principles and policy) to construct effective legal arguments. The rest of the chapter will show you how to structure your legal arguments and apply the law to solve practical legal problems.

This chapter explores organizational configuration—how work is structured through task division, coordination, authority, and hierarchy. It introduces four configurations: Simple (centralized, small firms), Functional (grouped by specialization, efficient but less adaptive), Divisional (semi-independent units by product or region, flexible but may duplicate efforts), and Matrix (combines functional and divisional, supports adaptability but complex to manage). Firms may also use contract-based or digital configurations to enhance responsiveness. The Law of Requisite Variety suggests that organizational complexity must match environmental complexity. Misfits between configuration and external demands can cause inefficiencies, poor coordination, and performance loss. Aligning structure with strategy and environment is essential for long-term success