Economic crime is, by definition, crime committed to gain profit within an otherwise legitimate business. Examples are illegal pollution, brand name infringement and tax evasion. The victims of such crimes may be private citizens, businesses and the state. The leading authors in this vital new book survey recent advances in the study of economic crime from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. The key areas examined are: * the economics of corporate crime * enforcing regulation * law and economics of environmental crime * corporate fraud and tax evasion * the history of economic crime This important volume will be of interest to scholars and policymakers involved in examining and regulating economic crime in both developed and developing countries.

The OECD includes the richest nations in the world. It issues recommendations on economic and social policies. Is its counsel on welfare state policies coherent? And is it followed by member states in Western Europe? These are the guiding questions of this book, which is a first to deal with such issues. The OECD and European Welfare States comprises 14 country studies considering OECD recommendations and their implementation in Western European welfare states, an analysis of the internal processes in the OECD, a theoretical introduction and a concluding comparative chapter. The overall results show a large degree of consistency in OECD analyses and recommendations, though little efficacy is revealed. The authors of this book have compiled a major contribution to the analysis of the impact of international organisations on national welfare states, widening the scope of traditional analyses of national welfare state development. This edited book will be of special interest to those researchers and graduate students in the fields of international business, welfare state policy and comparative politics. It will also appeal to policy makers concerned with the OECD or welfare state development.

This book is unique in providing the first full English translation of Menger's seminal article Geld - one of the most influential papers on the origin of money. The editors aim to facilitate a broader and more detailed discussion of Menger's method, theory and findings with this translation and in depth analysis. Menger's institutional approach is applied and extended to the analysis of the evolution of payments systems, focusing in particular on electronic money, on its institutional character, and on monetary policy as well as predictions of likely future developments. Carl Menger and the Evolution of Payments Systems will be of great interest to financial economists and Austrian economists as well as historians of economic thought.

Recent years have seen the development of new theories of market failure based on asymmetric information and network effects. According to the new paradigm, we can expect substantial failure in the markets for labor, credit, insurance, software, new technologies and even used cars, to give but a few examples. This volume brings together the key papers on the subject, including classic papers by Joseph Stiglitz, George Akerlof and Paul David.The book provides powerful theoretical and empirical rebuttals challenging the assumptions of these new models and questioning the usual policy conclusions. It goes on to demonstrate how an examination of real markets and careful experimental studies are unable to verify the new theories. New frontiers for research are also suggested. The first systematic analysis of these important new theories, Market Failure or Success is required reading for all who seek to better understand one of the most exciting debates in economics today.

Although the full extent of the potential damages from global warming remain unknown, scientists have long argued that action should be taken now to mitigate any possible adverse consequences. However, in making such policy recommendations, economic arguments need to be considered as much as scientific ones. This volume examines the appropriate economic incentives for implementing policy to mitigate climate change and then exposes the flaws in current international agreements. The book begins by providing the economic foundations for understanding climate change. It examines how Kyoto's flexibility mechanism departs from more efficient and less-costly approaches for reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide, and highlights the problems that terrestrial carbon credits pose for emissions trading. Unique case studies of Canada, Japan and The Netherlands indicate that most countries will be unable to meet their own Kyoto obligations. The author then uses an economic analysis of the potential damages to show that even though some countries will experience a detrimental effect from climate change, the majority will actually benefit. In this way, he clearly demonstrates that not only will current policies do little to avert global warming, most countries will also have less incentive to sign up to any future international agreements. Academics, economists and policymakers involved in the climate change debate will find this succinct yet comprehensive analysis of the economic instruments available for mitigating climate change to be essential reading.

In this book a distinguished group of international contributors, from both developing and higher income countries, identify and discuss major social conflicts, labour and distributional concerns, environmental issues and impacts arising from the very rapid increase in globalisation experienced since the early 1970s. Issues considered include possible alternatives to globalisation; cultural and linguistic inequalities associated with globalisation, consequences of growing regionalism and economic inequality between and within nations. Poverty, international migration, biodiversity conservation, natural resource sustainability, and global trade in genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are also discussed. A substantial introductory chapter provides a significant overview of the rate and process of economic globalisation and integrates the contributions and their interconnections for the reader. Economic Globalisation offers policy proposals and responses and represents divergent views and rigorous theoretical analysis. Economists, particularly those with an interest in international economics, labour, environmental and ecological economics, macroeconomics and social economics will all find this book of great interest.

Transport continues to present considerable challenges for both policymakers and economists throughout the world. This book provides a rigorous analytical approach to transport economics and transport policy, showing how economic principles can be applied to problems and practical solutions derived. As well as providing detailed coverage on the conventional topics of demand, costs, market structure, externalities, investment appraisal and regulation, the book also examines the wider role of transport in the economy as a whole. In addition, the authors address the important link between transport and issues of location, urban and regional development, and economic growth. Throughout the book there are frequent references to policy issues at both the national and EU level, complemented by a comprehensive discussion on the different ways in which policy has evolved in various European countries. The concluding chapter draws together some of the problems encountered in moving from the theories and models developed in the book to the actual implementation of specific policy measures. The authors believe that only policies based on a thorough understanding of the economics of transport can help solve some of the pressing problems facing governments across Europe. This unique book addresses a wide range of issues and makes use of cutting-edge data to provide a set of universal tools to analyse and inform policy at all levels. It assumes only a basic knowledge of economics and will be essential reading for students at advanced undergraduate and postgraduate level following courses on transport economics, regional science, urban studies and geography. It will also prove a valuable source of reference for policymakers involved in the provision and regulation of transport and researchers interested in transport planning and policy.

The legal, political and economic rationales that underpin trade policy are reflected in the establishment and implementation of EU trade relations with the rest of the world. This comprehensive Handbook provides readers with a multidisciplinary overview of the major perspectives, actors and challenges in contemporary EU trade relations. Changes in institutional dynamics, Brexit, the politicisation of trade, competing foreign policy agendas, and adaptation to trade patterns of value chains and the digital and knowledge economy are reshaping the European Union's trade policy. The authors tackle how these challenges frame the aims, processes and effectiveness of trade policy making in the context of the EU trade relations with developed, developing and emerging states in the global economy. This Handbook presents students and practitioners with an accessible introduction to the policy processes in the EU?'s trade policy. Policy-makers, especially those outside of the EU, will also gain key knowledge regarding the trade policies of the EU by reading this. Contributors include: J. Adriaensen, L. Choukrounel, P. De Lombaerde, F. De Ville, M. Eagleton-Pierce, J. Eckhardt, M. Filadoro Alikhanoff, C. Gammage, M.J. Garcia, T. Heron, W.A. Kerr, S. Khorana, L. Kuhnhardt, D. Martens, P. Murray-Evans, L. Nilsson, J. Orbie, L. Perdikis, N. Perdikis, G. Rosen, G. Siles-Brugge, A. Smith, M. Smith, N.R. Smith, M. Shu, L. van der Putte, S. Velluti, W.G. Voss

This collection of original essays has been commissioned especially for this volume in honour of the ideas and work of the late Richard M. Cyert who made a seminal contribution to the fields of industrial organization and change. In keeping with the range and significance of his work, the essays in this book examine the economics of decision making, uncertainty, information processing, learning, evolution and organizational structure. The distinguished set of contributors discusses the following topics: * behavioural and evolutionary theories of the firm * cognitive factors in organization and economic action * the place of rules in organizations * learning from experience and from the knowledge of others * selection in economic change * the impact of information technology and the evolution of organizational forms. This coherent and worthy collection emphasizes the adaptive nature of economic action and the links between economies and studies of human information processing and action. It will be essential reading for scholars with an interest in behavioural and adaptive economics, along with industrial organization.

The Status of Women in Classical Economic Thought is the first volume to explore how the classical economists explained the status of women in society. As the essays show, the focus of the classical school was not nearly as limited to the activities of men as conventional wisdom has supposed. The contributors explore their insights and how they illuminate contemporary economic debates regarding women's status. The classical school specified a number of fundamental research themes which have since dominated how economists approach this topic. A sophisticated response was developed to the question: why is it that in all human societies women have suffered a lower status than that enjoyed by men? Those who theorized on the question are covered here and include: Poulain de la Barre, John Locke, Montesquieu, Adam Smith, Nicolas and Sophie de Condorcet, Jeremy Bentham, Priscilla Wakefield, Jean-Baptiste Say, Nassau Senior, John Stuart Mill and Harriet Taylor Mill, Harriet Martineau, William Thompson and Anna Wheeler. Economists interested in the history of their discipline as well as women's studies scholars from history, philosophy and politics will find this an enlightening volume. Non-technical in nature, it will also appeal to anyone interested in how economists have explained the economic and social status of women.

In this book, the authors outline how policymakers in advanced countries have moved away from exclusive reliance on the public sector in social service delivery, towards a more multi-faceted approach that seeks to combine the strengths of public agencies, private firms and voluntary organizations. This development raises interesting and complex questions concerning the comparative advantages of these respective groups in the delivery of goods and services. The Political Economy of the Voluntary Sector adopts a comparative institutions approach to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the government, market and voluntary sectors as alternative instruments for implementing social and economic policies. The authors examine existing market failure, government failure and supply-side models of non-profit organizations before proposing a new leadership theory of the voluntary sector. They then explore the interface between the voluntary sector and the development of social capital. The book culminates in an investigation of appropriate public policy approaches towards the voluntary sector. This book will be warmly welcomed by academics, students, and researchers working on alternative methods of public policy program delivery, primarily from the disciplines of economics, political science and public administration. Practitioners drawn from the public and voluntary sectors, as well as public policymakers in governments from around the world, will also find this accessible book of great interest.

During the past few decades the economies of East and South East Asia have grown at a significant rate, resulting in a large proportion of the world's population being relieved from poverty in a relatively short space of time. This unprecedented phenomena underlines the importance of understanding the driving forces behind the growth 'miracle' of East Asia. Yanrui Wu addresses some of the most critical macroeconomic issues associated with East Asian growth. Principally focusing on the most rapidly emerging economies in the region, the author covers a broad base of topics. Several determinants of growth are examined and in each case an analytical framework is applied to empirical data. Specific themes include: * economic openness and growth * stock market development * intra-industry trade * growth engines in Singapore * productivity growth in Taiwan * the Asian financial crisis. Employing both cross-country analyses and case studies of individual economies, this important new book substantially contributes to the many debates surrounding economic growth in East Asia. The author's concise yet absorbing style will appeal to economic researchers, lecturers and students of economics, as well as business economists and market analysts.

This thought-provoking book discusses the concept of progress in economics and investigates whether any advance has been made in its different spheres of research. The authors look back at the history, successes and failures of their respective fields and thoroughly examine the notion of progress from an epistemological and methodological perspective. The idea of progress is particularly significant as the authors regard it as an essentially contested concept which can be defined in many ways - theoretically or empirically; locally or globally; or as encouraging or impeding the existence of other research traditions. The authors discuss the idea that for progress to make any sense there must be an accumulation of knowledge built up over time rather than the replacement of ideas by each successive generation. Accordingly, they are not concerned with estimating the price of progress, reminiscing in the past, or assessing what has been lost. Instead they apply the complex mechanisms and machinery of the discipline to sub-fields such as normative economics, monetary economics, trade and location theory, Austrian economics and classical economics to critically assess whether progress has been made in these areas of research. Bringing together authoritative and wide-ranging contributions by leading scholars, this book will challenge and engage those interested in philosophy, economic methodology and the history of economic thought. It will also appeal to economists in general who are interested in the advancement of their profession.

This important book offers a comprehensive defence of classical liberalism against contemporary challenges. It sets out an analytical framework of 'robust political economy' that explores the economic and political problems that arise from the phenomena of imperfect knowledge and imperfect incentives. Using this framework, the book defends the classical liberal focus on markets and the minimal state from the critiques presented by 'market failure' economics and communitarian and egalitarian variants of political theory. Mark Pennington expertly applies the lessons learned from responding to these challenges in the context of contemporary discussions surrounding the welfare state, international development, and environmental protection. Written in an accessible style, this authoritative book would be useful for both undergraduate and graduate students of political economy and public policy as a standard reference work for classical liberal analysis and a defence of its normative prescriptions. The book's distinctive approach will ensure that academic practitioners of economics and political science, political theory and public policy will also find its controversial conclusions insightful. Contents: 1. Introduction: Classical Liberalism and Robust Political Economy; Part I: Challenges to Classical Liberalism; 2. Market Failures 'Old' and 'New': The Challenge of Neo-Classical Economics; 3. Exit, Voice and Communicative Rationality: The Challenge of Communitarianism I; 4. Exit, Trust and Social Capital: The Challenge of Communitarianism II; 5. Equality and Social Justice: The Challenge of Egalitarianism; Part II: Towards the Minimal State; 6. Poverty Relief and Public Services: Welfare State or Minimal State?; 7. Institutions and International Development: Global Governance or the Minimal State?; 8. Environmental Protection: Green Leviathan or the Minimal State?; 9. Conclusion; Bibliography; Index

Overeducation is one of the most important mechanisms for labour market adjustment when there is an excess supply of highly skilled workers. However, there is much debate about the consequences of this phenomena and the short- and long-term effects for both the overeducated worker and the economy as a whole. This book contributes to our understanding of recent developments in the research on overeducation by providing a detailed overview of the pertinent theoretical and policy issues. The authors study evidence that a substantial number of workers in Europe are overqualified and challenge the wisdom of greater investments in the education of the workforce. Although it may appear a waste of resources if many workers have a higher level of education than their job requires, others argue that overeducation may actually facilitate the development of a competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in Europe. They move on to look at labour mobility and skill mismatches in the labour market, and examine the impact of overeducation on earnings. They also address the somewhat controversial issue of how to measure employee overqualification, and propose an income ratio based on the difference between actual and potential earnings as an effective approach. Finally, they look at the effect of overeducation on specific groups in society such as licensed professionals, university graduates and ethnic minorities. Economists, social scientists, and academics interested in labour market theory and policy will find this an insightful and original volume which will make an important addition to the literature on overeducation.

The definitive survey of the countries and territories of Western Europe, comprising expert analysis and commentary, up-to-date economic and socio-political data and extensive directory information. General Survey Essays by leading experts on the area cover issues of regional importance. Country Surveys Individual chapters on each country, comprising: an introductory survey, containing essays on the geography, history and economy of each country, including a chronology and map. an extensive statistical survey of economic and demographic indicators, including area and population, health and welfare, agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining, industry, finance, trade, transport, tourism, communications media and education. a comprehensive directory of names and contact details covering the most significant political and commercial institutions. Regional Information a directory of research institutes specializing in the region bibliographies of books and periodicals covering the region.

Axel Leijonhufvud has made a unique contribution to the development of macroeconomic theory. This volume draws together his insightful essays dealing with the extremes of economic instability: great depressions, high inflation and the transition from socialism to a market economy. In several of the papers, Leijonhufvud brings a neo-institutionalist perspective to the problems of coordination in economic systems.The papers within Macroeconomic Instability and Coordination some of them already considered classics, deal with the questions that dominated Leijonhufvud's interest throughout his career as an economist: what are the limits to an economy's capacity to coordinate the activities of its members? How does the behavior of the system change under extreme conditions? In what ways does its performance depend upon the institutions that govern the market process? This book presents in one volume several of Axel Leijonhufvud's most important contributions to macroeconomic theory and monetary economics. It will be invaluable to monetary and financial economists as well as to historians of economic thought.

Large-scale socio-economic, political and structural changes characterize contemporary agriculture and food today. This Handbook provides an essential overview to help readers understand the future evolution of agri-food through an analysis of the economy in key regions around the world. Along with chapters that investigate agri-food in North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Oceania, the book includes contributions that cover topics such as labor, science and technology, the financialization of agri-food, and supermarkets. This Handbook will be required reading for researchers, scholars and students in the social sciences looking to learn more about agriculture and food. Policy makers and industry leaders interested in agri-food will also find this to be an insightful read. Contributors: G. Aboites, C. Bain, J.S. Barbosa Cavalcanti, M.Belo Moreira, B. Bock, A. Bonanno, B. Brandl, L. Busch, I. Cucco, T. Dandachi, M. del Rosario Castro Bernardini, J. Dixon, M. Etxezarreta, M. Fairbairn, M. Fonte, L. Glenna, L. Horlings, K. Jones, E.E. Krone, G. Lawrence, F. Martinez, M. Miele, G. Otero, A. Patel-Campillo, G. Pechlaner, E. Ransom, J. Rosell, C. Sachs, K. Sekine, L. Viladomiu

Presenting a selection of innovative research contributions written by some of the best-known academics in the field, The Economics of Copyright covers issues that are at the forefront of the implementation and management of copyright. The book touches on all aspects of copyright management including the effects of copyright piracy, optimal contractual arrangements between authors and publishers, copyright and antitrust issues, and collective management of copyright. This selection of papers not only shows how fruitful the study of copyright from an economic theory perspective has been, but they also clearly indicate the directions (and analytical tools) that will be of principal interest over the next few years, as research in this area flourishes. Both legal scholars specialising in intellectual property and applied economics scholars will find this book of importance, as will organisations dealing with the management and protection of intellectual property rights. The book will also be good reading for any advanced university course dealing with the economics of copyright.

Globalisation and social transformation theorists have paid significantly less attention to the movement of people than they have to the movement of capital. This book redresses the balance and provides timely insights into recent developments in return skilled migration in four regions in the Asia Pacific - Bangladesh, China, Taiwan and Vietnam. The authors believe that the movement of skilled migrants, and the tacit knowledge they bring with them, is a vital component in the process of globalisation. The authors examine the patterns and processes of return migration and the impacts it can have on migrants, their families and communities (including gender relations), as well as the effects on both the original source country and the host country. They highlight the many considerations which can influence the decision to return home, including social factors, career-related prospects, and the economic and political environment. Government policies in facilitating return migration through the promotion of entrepreneurship, education and training can also play a crucial role. In the long term, fears of a 'brain drain', under certain circumstances, may be replaced by the prospect of a 'brain gain' or 'global brain circulation', where emigration and immigration (or return migration) co-exist and are supplemented by short-term circulatory movements as a country becomes more integrated into the global economy. This is a pioneering comparative study of return migration in the Asia Pacific based on original primary data. Researchers, academics and students interested in migration, globalisation, demography and social transformation will find this a valuable and highly rewarding book.

Higher education is beginning to play an increasingly important role in the process of globalization, which promotes information technologies, development and diffusion of innovations and the ability of economies to benefit from rapid shifts in the production of goods, services, and ideas. In this volume the editors have brought together some of the most significant previously published academic papers describing how highly skilled graduate labour impacts on the economy. Topics covered include the economic benefits of higher education, student choice of subject and university, the technology of higher education, empirical research on the cost functions faced by universities, the funding and financing of university education, the market for higher education and how universities compete. In their scholarly introduction, the editors provide an overview of the volume and offer suggestions for future research in this field.

Warren Samuels's second and concluding selection of essays focuses on early 20th century economists who, while relatively well-known in their times, have tended to be obscured by the more prominent stars of the discipline. It illustrates that economics is more diverse and complex than conventional histories of economic thought tend to identify. In particular it includes contributions on those economists who were not in the mainstream, or, if in the mainstream, practised economics in a somewhat alternative manner. Warren Samuels has assembled a collection of essays on thirteen economists - six German and seven Italian - who remain noteworthy of study to this day. The economists featured in the volume represent a variety of ways of practising economics - theoretical, methodological and policy-orientated - who all contributed to the understanding of economic processes and institutions at the deepest levels. European Economists of the Early 20th Century will appeal to all those with an interest in the philosophy and evolution of economics and to historians of economic thought.

The presence of transaction costs greatly modifies the traditional picture of the allocation of resources through the market. It gives rise to many phenomena inexplicable in the simple market view and to problems of government policy. Oliver Williamson has been a leading figure in this analysis. His interpretations of corporate governance and of the complementarity between internal controls and the market have been the most profound in the literature. It is good that his leading essays are now available in collected form.' - Kenneth J. Arrow, Stanford University, US'Oliver Williamson's contributions to economics are certainly among the most important of the past several decades, and their importance will be increasingly recognized as economists come to grips with all that he has accomplished. This collection provides an unparalleled view of those contributions, and it belongs on the bookshelf of everyone who wants to understand complex economic transactions.' - David Kreps, Stanford University, US 'This book provides a terrific opportunity to have a collection of Oliver Williamson's best papers on transaction cost economics all in one convenient volume.' - Paul L. Joskow, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and MIT 'Williamson's work on transaction cost economics has shaped the thinking of all social scientists about organizations and institutions. This volume reprints many of his seminal papers on the subject, and is valuable both as commemoration and for reference.' - Avinash Dixit, Princeton University, US Transaction cost economics has and continues to be a fruitful area of research. There is still much to be done in the field with past research being used in conjunction with the vast number of contractual phenomena that have yet to be investigated in transaction cost economics terms. New challenges are posed by the need to move beyond the design of new contractual instruments (such as financial derivatives) to include an examination of the lurking hazards that attend contract implementation. This important collection brings together Professor Williamson's key papers on transaction cost economics. It will be of benefit to academics, scholars and practitioners with an interest in this progressive subject.

Japan?s dramatic transformation from economic success to economic stagnation offers important policy lessons to advanced countries everywhere that are struggling with stagnation. The term '?Japanization'? is often used by economists to describe long-term stagnation and deflation. Symptoms include high unemployment, weak economic activity, interest rates near zero, quantitative easing and population aging. In the global context, what can governments do to mitigate the downward trends experienced by Japan? This judicious volume investigates in depth the causes of Japan?s ?lost decades? versus the real recovery achieved by the United States, and the lessons that can be learned. This book helps to provide a basis for assessing a wide range of policy approaches from which policymakers and governments can choose to avoid economic decline. The expert contributions provide an overview of the pattern of '?Japanization'? in a global economic perspective, analyze similarities and differences between the Korean and Japanese economies, and examine policies taken by Japan during the lost decades. From this analysis, the book proposes future policy solutions for countries experiencing ?'Japanization'?. Economic stagnation and the relevant policy reactions have been of keen interest around the globe since the global financial crisis and this book will be an invaluable resource for scholars, policymakers, and economic commentators alike. Contributors include: D. Cho, M. Fukao, K. Ito, T. Ito, D. Jeong, K.-C. Jung, S.T. Kim, Y.G. Kim, K. Kwon, A. Mason, J. Oh, I. Saito, J. Schiff, I. Song

Published annually, this 31st edition brings together a unique combination of the latest data on, and detailed analysis of, a vast region. Scrupulously updated by Europa's experienced editors, the volume also includes contributions from regional specialists. General Survey Essays written by acknowledged experts on the area provide an impartial overview of the region. Country surveys Individual chapters on each country, comprising: - essays on the geography, recent history and economy of each country - a statistical survey - a full directory section - a select bibliography. Regional Information A directory of research institutes and bibliographies of books and journals covering Latin America and the Caribbean.