About the book
The debate on globalization and sustainability issues has gained momentum in the last few years, thus shedding unprecedented light upon their interrelatedness, as well as their cross-cultural dimensions. They range from the trade-off between global and local aspects to the urban-rural polarization, from global health security to international migration flows, and from cultural globalization to glocalization of technocultures, just to mention a few topics in relation to globalization. Turning to sustainability, it comes naturally to evoke the 2030 Agenda as a strategic to-do list, which leads to focus on its Sustainable Development Goals and associated targets. The areas to be further explored include – but are not limited to – sustainable growth, tourism, and food systems.
Within this scenario, special attention needs to be devoted to financial implications, due to their pervasiveness. Nobody would question the key role that finance plays to complement the real sphere of the economy and that has increasingly attracted both academics and practitioners. As a result, traditional pillars – such as financial markets, products, and institutions – have evolved significantly, with financial innovation fueling further progress over time. The global side of the coin features – among others – financially connected markets, international financial exchanges, and financial conglomerates that provide valuable opportunities in terms of international corporate finance. On the other side, recent advances have involved a wider recourse to ESG factors, allowed forward steps towards a more inclusive financial system, and have made digital finance a must, rather than an option, even though much remains to be accomplished, for instance, to facilitate access to formal financial channels in many underdeveloped regions.
This book aims to examine emerging trends, new perspectives, and empirical applications that deal with globalization and sustainability. The goal is to provide a comprehensive overview of these important concepts as valuable support to successfully meet the challenges and take on the opportunities ahead. At the same time, drawing upon empirical evidence can contribute to bridging the gap between theory and practice, which also fits within the scope of this book.
