The collection of chapters in the "Handbook of Population and Family Economics" and their organization reflect the most recent developments in economics pertaining to population issues and the family. The rationale, contents, and organization of the "Handbook" evolve from three premises. First, the family is the main arena in which population outcomes are forged. Second, there are important interactions and significant causal links across all demographic phenomena. Third, the study of the size, composition, and growth of a population can benefit from the application of economic methodology and tools. The diversity and depth of the work reviewed and presented in the "Handbook" conveys both the progress that has been made by economists in understanding the forces shaping population processes, including the behavior of families, and the many questions, empirical and theoretical, that still remain. For more information on the Handbooks in Economics series, please see our home page on http: //www.elsevier.nl/locate/hes

In the 11 articles in this first of two parts, top scholars summarize and analyze recent scholarship incorporate finance. Covering subjects from corporate taxes to behavioral corporate finance and econometric issues, their articlesreveal how specializations resonate with each other and indicate likely directions for future research. By includingboth established and emerging topics, Volume 2 will have the same long shelf life and high citations that characterize Volume 1 (2003).
Presents coherent summaries of major finance fields, marking important advances and revisionsDescribes the best corporate finance research created about the 2008 financial crisesExposes readers to a wide range of subjects described and analyzed by the best scholars"

In this collection of 16 articles, top scholars synthesize and analyze scholarship on this widely used tool of policy analysis, setting forth its accomplishments, difficulties, and means of implementation. Though CGE modeling does not play a prominent role in top US graduate schools, it is employed universally in the development of economic policy. This collection is particularly important because it presents a history of modeling applications and examines competing points of view.
Presents coherent summaries of CGE theories that inform major model types Covers the construction of CGE databases, model solving, and computer-assisted interpretation of results Shows how CGE modeling has made a contribution to economic policy

This collection of original articles 8 years in the making shines a bright light on recent advances in financial econometrics. From a survey of mathematical and statistical tools for understanding nonlinear Markov processes to an exploration of the time-series evolution of the risk-return tradeoff for stock market investment, noted scholars Yacine Ait-Sahalia and Lars Peter Hansen benchmark the current state of knowledge while contributors build a framework for its growth. Whether in the presence of statistical uncertainty or the proven advantages and limitations of value at risk models, readers will discover that they can set few constraints on the value of this long-awaited volume.
Presents a broad survey of current research-from local characterizations of the Markov process dynamics to financial market trading activityContributors include Nobel Laureate Robert Engle and leading econometriciansOffers a clarity of method and explanation unavailable in other financial econometrics collections"

Volume 3 of this series of the Handbooks in Economics follows on from the previous two volumes by focusing on the fundamental concepts of agricultural economics. The first part of the volume examines the developments in human resources and technology mastery. The second part follows on by considering the processes and impact of invention and innovation in this field. The effects of market forces are examined in the third part, and the volume concludes by analysing the economics of our changing natural resources, including the past effects of climate change.
Overall this volume forms a comprehensive and accessible survey of the field of agricultural economics and is recommended reading for anyone with an interest, either academic or professional, in this area.
*Part of the renown Handbooks in Economics series
*Contributors are leaders of their areas
*International in scope and comprehensive in coverage

The publication of volumes 3 and 4 of the Handbook of Public Economics affords us several opportunities: to address lacunae in the original two volumes of this series, to revisit topics on which there has been substantial new research, and to address topics that have grown in importance. Indeed, many of the papers individually encompass all three of these elements. For each chapter relates to one from an earlier volume, the new contribution is free standing, written with the knowledge that the reader retains the opportunity to review the earlier chapter to compare perspectives and consider material that the current author has chosen not to cover. Indeed, such comparisons illuminate the evolution of the field during the two decades that have elapsed since work first began on the chapters in volume 1. Taken together, the four volumes offer a comprehensive review of research in public economics over the past few decades, written by many of the field's leading researchers.

For more information on the Handbooks of Economics series, please see our homepage on http: //www.elsevier.nl/locate/hes

The Handbook of Social Choice and Welfare presents, in two volumes, essays on past and on-going work in social choice theory and welfare economics. The first volume consists of four parts. In Part 1 (Arrovian Impossibility Theorems), various aspects of Arrovian general impossibility theorems, illustrated by the simple majority cycle first identified by Condorcet, are expounded and evaluated. It also provides a critical survey of the work on different escape routes from impossibility results of this kind. In Part 2 (Voting Schemes and Mechanisms), the operation and performance of voting schemes and cost-sharing mechanisms are examined axiomatically, and some aspects of the modern theory of incentives and mechanism design are expounded and surveyed. In Part 3 (structure of social choice rules), the positional rules of collective decision-making (the origin of which can be traced back to a seminal proposal by Borda), the game-theoretic aspects of voting in committees, and the implications of making use of interpersonal comparisons of welfare (with or without cardinal measurability) are expounded, and the status of utilitarianism as a theory of justice is critically examined. It also provides an analytical survey of the foundations of measurement of inequality and poverty. In order to place these broad issues (as well as further issues to be discussed in the second volume of the Handbook) in perspective, Kotaro Suzumura has written an extensive introduction, discussing the historical background of social choice theory, the vistas opened by Arrow's "Social Choice and Individual Values," the famous "socialist planning" controversy, and the theoretical and practical significance of social choice theory. The primary purpose of this Handbook is to provide an accessible introduction to the current state of the art in social choice theory and welfare economics. The expounded theory has a strong and constructive message for pursuing human well-being and facilitating collective decision-making.

*Advances economists understanding of recent advances in social choice and welfare

*Distills and applies research to a wide range of social issues

*Provides analytical material for evaluating new scholarship

*Offers consolidated reviews and analyses of scholarship in a framework that encourages synthesis. "

This text aims to provide a survey of the state of knowledge in the broad area that includes the theories and facts of economic growth and economic fluctuations, as well as the consquences of monetary and fiscal policies for general economic conditions.

The Handbook brings together a systematic review of the research topics, empirical findings, and methods that comprise modern labor economics. It serves as an introduction to what has been done in this field, while at the same time indicating possible future trends which will be important in both spheres of public and private decision-making.
Part 1 is concerned with the classic topics of labor supply and demand, the size and nature of the elasticities between the two, and their impact on the wage structure. This analysis touches on two fundamental questions: what are the sources of income inequality, and what are the disincentive effects of attempts to produce a more equal income distribution?
The papers in Part II proceed from the common observation that the dissimilarity in worker skills and employer demands often tempers the outcomes that would be expected in frictionless labor markets. And the last
section of the Handbook deals explicitly with the role of institutional structures (e.g. trade unions) that now form an important part of modern labor economics.

Theory and application of a variety of mathematical techniques in economics are presented in this volume. Topics discussed include: martingale methods, stochastic processes, optimal stopping, the modeling of uncertainty using a Wiener process, Ito's Lemma as a tool of stochastic calculus, and basic facts about stochastic differential equations. The notion of stochastic ability and the methods of stochastic control are discussed, and their use in economic theory and finance is illustrated with numerous applications.
The applications covered include: futures, pricing, job search, stochastic capital theory, stochastic economic growth, the rational expectations hypothesis, a stochastic macroeconomic model, competitive firm under price uncertainty, the Black-Scholes option pricing theory, optimum consumption and portfolio rules, demand for index bonds, term structure of interest rates, the market risk adjustment in project valuation, demand for cash balances and an asset pricing model.

What tools are available for setting and analyzing monetary policy?

World-renowned contributors examine recent evidence on subjects as varied as price-setting, inflation persistence, the private sector's formation of inflation expectations, and the monetary policy transmission mechanism. Stopping short of advocating conclusions about the ideal conduct of policy, the authors focus instead on analytical methods and the changing interactions among the ingredients and properties that inform monetary models. The influences between economic performance and monetary policy regimes can be both grand and muted, and this volume clarifies the present state of this continually evolving relationship.
Explores themodels and practices used in formulating and transmitting monetary policiesRaises new questions about the volume, price, and availability of credit in the 2007-2010 downturnQuestions fiscal-monetary connnections and encourages new thinking about the business cycle itselfObserves changes in the formulation of monetary policies over the last 25 years"

What are the goals ofmonetary policy and how are they transmitted?

Top scholars summarize recent evidence on the roles of money in the economy, the effects ofinformation, and the growing importance of nonbank financial institutions. Their investigations lead to questions about standard presumptions about the rationality of asset markets and renewed interest in fiscal-monetary connections. Stopping short of advocating conclusions about the ideal conduct of policy, the authors focus instead on analytical methods and the changing interactions among the ingredients and properties that inform monetary models. The influences between economic performance and monetary policy regimes can be both grand and muted, and this volume clarifies the present state of this continually evolving relationship.
Presents extensive coverage of monetary policy theories with an eye toward questions raised by the recent financial crisis Explores the ingredients, properties, and implications of models that inform monetary policy Observes changes in the formulation of monetary policies over the last 25 years "

What factors affect the ways individuals participate in labor markets?

"New Developments and Research on Labor Markets" (volume 4B) proposes answers to this and other questions on important topics of public policy. Leading labor economists demonstrate how better data and advanced experiments help them apply economic theory, yielding sharper analyses and conclusions. The combinations of these improved empirical findings with new models enable the authors of these chapters to reveal how labor economists are developing new and innovative ways to measure key parameters and test important hypotheses.

Concentrates on empirical research in specific labor markets, including those defined by age, gender, and race
Reveals how questions and answers about these markets have changed and how models measure them
Documents how conceptual models and empirical work explain important practical issues

Economists examine the genesis of technological change and the ways we commercialize and diffuse it. The economics of property rights and patents, in addition to industry applications, are also surveyed through literature reviews and predictions about fruitful research directions.

- Two volumes, available as a set or sold separately

Expert articles consider the best ways to establish optimal incentives in technological progress

Science and innovation, both their theories and applications, are examined at the intersections of the marketplace, policy, and social welfare.

Economists are only part of an audience that includes attorneys, educators, and anyone involved in new technologies.

How does technology advance? How can we best assimilate innovation? These questions and others are considered by experts on the theories and applications of technological innovations. Considering subjects as diverse as the diffusion of new technologies and their industrial applications, governmental policies, and manifestations of innovation in our institutions, history, and environment, our contributors map milestones in research and speculate about the roads ahead. Wasteful, inefficient, and frequently wrongheaded, the process of technological changes is here revealed as a describable, scientific force.

- Two volumes, available separately and as a set

Expert articles consider the best ways to establish optimal incentives in technological progress.

Science and innovation, both their theories and applications, are examined at the intersections of the marketplace, policy, and social welfare.

Economists are only part of an audience that includes attorneys, educators, and anyone involved in new technologies."

What new tools and models are enriching labor economics?

"Developments in Research Methods and their Application" (volume 4A) summarizes recent advances in the ways economists study wages, employment, and labor markets. Mixing conceptual models and empirical work, contributors cover subjects as diverse as field and laboratory experiments, program evaluation, and behavioral models. The combinations of these improved empirical findings with new models reveal how labor economists are developing new and innovative ways to measure key parameters and test important hypotheses.
Investigates recent advances in methods and models used in labor economics Demonstrates what these new tools and techniques can accomplish Documents how conceptual models and empirical work explain important practical issues

The field of development economics has evolved since volume 3 of the Handbook of Development Economics was published more than a decade ago. Volume 4 takes stock of some of the newer trends and their implications for research in the field and our understanding of economic development.
The handbook is divided into four sections which reflect these developments, of which the first deals with agricultural and rural development. Section two is concerned with developments in the theory and evidence regarding public goods and political economy. The third section is focused on the behavior of households and individuals regarding various aspects of human capital investments, in the face of the various constraints, particularly market incentives and public goods. The final section contains papers that describe the different methods now available, both experimental and non-experimental, to conduct program evaluations, as well as describing papers that implement these methods.
The authors of the chapters are all experts in the fields they survey and extend, and this volume promises to be an invaluable addition to the Handbooks in Economics series and a useful reference to graduate students, researchers and professionals in the field of development economics.
* Presents an accurate, self-contained survey of the current state of the field.
* Summarizes the most recent discussions in journals, and elucidates new developments.
* Although original material is also included, the main aim is the provision of comprehensive and accessible surveys.

Experimental methods in economics respond to circumstances that are not completely dictated by accepted theory or outstanding problems. While the field of economics makes sharp distinctions and produces precise theory, the work of experimental economics sometimes appear blurred and may produce results that vary from strong support to little or partial support of the relevant theory.
At a recent conference, a question was asked about where experimental methods might be more useful than field methods. Although many cannot be answered by experimental methods, there are questions that can only be answered by experiments. Much of the progress of experimental methods involves the posing of old or new questions in a way that experimental methods can be applied.
The title of the book reflects the spirit of adventure that experimentalists share and focuses on experiments in general rather than forcing an organization into traditional categories that do not fit. The emphasis reflects the fact that the results do not necessarily demonstrate a consistent theme, but instead reflect bits and pieces of progress as opportunities to pose questions become recognized.
This book is a result of an invitation sent from the editors to a broad range of experimenters asking them to write brief notes describing specific experimental results. The challenge was to produce pictures and tables that were self-contained so the reader could understand quickly the essential nature of the experiments and the results.

In this collection of 17 articles, top scholars synthesize and analyze scholarship on this widely used tool of policy analysis, setting forth its accomplishments, difficulties, and means of implementation. Though CGE modeling does not play a prominent role in top US graduate schools, it is employed universally in the development of economic policy. This collection is particularly important because itpresents a history of modeling applications and examines competing points of view.
Presents coherent summaries of CGE theories that inform major model types Covers the construction of CGE databases, model solving, and computer-assisted interpretation of resultsShows how CGE modeling has made a contribution to economic policy "

Law can be viewed as a body of rules and legal sanctions that channel behavior in socially desirable directions for example, by encouraging individuals to take proper precautions to prevent accidents or by discouraging competitors from colluding to raise prices. The incentives created by the legal system are thus a natural subject of study by economists. Moreover, given the importance of law to the welfare of societies, the economic analysis of law merits prominent treatment as a subdiscipline of economics. Our hope is that this two volume Handbook will foster the study of the legal system by economists.
*The two volumes form a comprehensive and accessible survey of the current state of the field.
*Chapters prepared by leading specialists of the area.
*Summarizes received results as well as new developments.

As conceived by the founders of the Econometric Society, econometrics is a field that uses economic theory and statistical methods to address empirical problems in economics. It is a tool for empirical discovery and policy analysis. The chapters in this volume embody this vision and either implement it directly or provide the tools for doing so. This vision is not shared by those who view econometrics as a branch of statistics rather than as a distinct field of knowledge that designs methods of inference from data based on models of human choice behavior and social interactions. All of the essays in this volume and its companion volume 6A offer guidance to the practitioner on how to apply the methods they discuss to interpret economic data. The authors of the chapters are all leading scholars in the fields they survey and extend.
Handbook of Econometrics is now available online at ScienceDirect full-text online from volume 1 onwards.
*Part of the renowned Handbooks in Economics Series
*Updates and expands the exisiting "Handbook of Econometrics" volumes
*An invaluable reference written by some of the world's leading econometricians."

The Handbook on the Economics of Giving, Reciprocity and Altruism provides a comprehensive set of reviews of literature on the economics of nonmarket voluntary transfers. The foundations of the field are reviewed first, with a sequence of chapters that present the hard core of the theoretical and empirical analyses of giving, reciprocity and altruism in economics, examining their relations with the viewpoints of moral philosophy, psychology, sociobiology, sociology and economic anthropology. Secondly, a comprehensive set of applications are considered of all the aspects of society where nonmarket voluntary transfers are significant: family and intergenerational transfers; charity and charitable institutions; the nonprofit economy; interpersonal relations in the workplace; the Welfare State; and international aid.
*Every volume contains contributions from leading researchers
*Each Handbook presents an accurate, self-contained survey of a particular topic
*The series provides comprehensive and accessible surveys

Volume 1B covers the economics of financial markets: the saving and investment decisions; the valuation of equities, derivatives, and fixed income securities; and market microstructure.

The Handbook of Environmental Economics focuses on the economics of environmental externalities and environmental public goods. Volume I examines environmental degradation and policy responses from a microeconomic, institutional standpoint. Its perspective is dynamic, including a consideration of the dynamics of natural systems, and global, with attention paid to issues in both rich and poor nations. In addition to chapters on well-established topics such as the theory and practice of pollution regulation, it includes chapters on new areas of environmental economics research related to common property management regimes; population and poverty; mechanism design; political economy of regulation; experimental evaluations of policy instruments; and technological change.

The subject matter of agricultural economics has both broadened and deepened in recent years, and the chapters of this Handbook present the most exciting and innovative work being done today. Following Volume 1, Volume 2 consists of three parts: 'Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment', 'Agriculture in the Macroeconomy' and 'Agriculture and Food Policy'. Although agricultural economists have always paid attention to these topics, research devoted to them has increased substantially in scope as well as depth in recent years.