The impact of globalisation on social development is a critical issue for both developed and developing countries. In Globalisation and Social Development, leading experts investigate this from the perspective of European, and more specifically, Southeast Asian economies including Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam. The contributors provide a well documented, multi-disciplinary analysis of the relationship between globalisation and social development in regions which, in the last two decades, have relied heavily on an outward looking development strategy and on attracting FDI, and which have been severely hit by the Asian crisis. In order to substantiate their analysis, the contributors include case studies of company relocation to Southeast Asia. The effects of globalisation on compliance with core labour standards in the Asia Pacific are also explored. Examining the complex link between globalisation and social development in Europe and Southeast Asia, Globalisation and Social Development will be welcomed by economists and social researchers with a specific interest in globalisation and Southeast Asian economies. Lecturers and scholars of international economics, international business and Asian business will also find the book to be of great interest.

This substantial book examines key economic, political and social aspects of Malaysia at the turn of the new century. It covers the years of rapid growth and dramatic structural change leading up to the 1997 financial crisis, and the subsequent adjustments which enabled the economy to resume its vigorous advance. The authors critically address affirmative action policies aiming to help Malays enter the modern economy and make income distribution more equitable while reducing poverty. They look at case studies of persisting poverty amidst economic progress, and also scrutinize the development of East Malaysia with its special problems away from the centre of power in Kuala Lumpur. The authors review the direction of politics after Prime Minister Mahathir, as well as exploring Malaysia's foreign, education, and labour policies. They canvass the idea of a 'new Malay' better adapted to modern society, investigate the position of the Chinese, examine the struggle for women's rights within the religious framework of Islam, and discuss the contributions of Malaysian NGOs to ongoing changes. They finally draw together crucial issues facing Malaysia in the 21st century. The contributors, who are leading scholars in their spheres, have produced a wide ranging and comprehensive guide to the economy and society of Malaysia. This book will be of great value and interest to students and scholars of Asian economics, development and social studies.

Europa's comprehensive survey of Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia. General Survey Leading authorities on the region analyze topics of regional importance. Country Surveys Chapters on each country, containing: - essays on its recent history and economy, and a chronology of events - an extensive statistical survey of economic indicators - a comprehensive directory of the most significant political, commercial and cultural institutions - a bibliography of books concerned with the country's history, politics and economy - detailed coverage of the self-proclaimed secessionist territories of the region, including, for the first time, chronologies of events. Who's Who in Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia - biographical information on more than 150 leading political figures in the region Regional Information - a directory of major international organizations and research institutes concerned with the region - select bibliographies of books and periodicals.

During the last decade of the twentieth century, the Korean peninsula was the stage for non-stop, dramatic political and economic events. This volume brings together an unusually broad range of perspectives on US policy towards North Korea, the North Korean economy, and North-South economic co-operation and unification. The year 2000 opened a new chapter on the Korean peninsula; the North-South summit in June was no doubt a historical milestone that could lead to major changes on the peninsula. But the fundamental issues herein addressed are still relevant and important. No overnight solutions or magic bullets exist. Essential ingredients for North-South economic co-operation, ranging from regional security matters to policy nuts and bolts, remain little changed. Assembled in this volume are a diverse group of economists and analysts from academia, government and think tanks in the US and South Korea. Topics range from philosophical to practical policy matters. Students, researchers and policymakers interested in Korea and in the broader issues of economic and political integration will find this volume fresh and insightful.

This timely book provides an authoritative analysis of the pension reform process in nine countries, namely Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the UK and USA, with Japan being covered in the introduction by the editors. The book draws on the work of experts from each of these countries to provide a picture of how the pension systems work in each country. The contributors examine the policy reform process in each country, against the background of the fiscal stresses arising from the ageing populations in OECD countries. They also analyse whether different types of pension delivery systems (e.g. the public-private mix) generate different standards of living. Each study is prepared according to a common template allowing meaningful analysis of pension delivery and outcomes across countries using similar macroeconomic statistics and microdata. Pension Systems and Retirement Incomes across OECD Countries is an extremely valuable and empirically sound book on a highly topical subject. It will appeal to scholars of economics, public policy, political science and finance as well as being of great interest to policymakers and practitioners involved in pension fund management.

It is a widely held belief that the Polish experience of system transformation following the final collapse of 'real socialism' in 1989 is one of the 'best'. Poland into the New Millennium surveys the country's post-communist transformation as it prepares for the challenges of the early years of the new century. The contributors describe key aspects of system transformation in order to promote better understanding of the nature of the processes introduced to the economy and society since 1989. The book seeks to illustrate what has been achieved - and what has not - and tentatively explores likely future developments in relation to the problems that may lie ahead. Entry into the European Union figures as a major issue, but the volume contains sometimes controversial and divergent interpretations of the underlying dynamic shaping Polish society in the new millennium. This comprehensive and multidisciplinary book will be invaluable to researchers, lecturers and students concerned with post-communist transformation across the social sciences and will be of great importance to members of international organisations, consultancies, and financial institutions with a particular interest in Poland.

Economic resilience is an emergent field in the social sciences. In this timely book, key scholars examine how individuals, organisations, regions and nations are affected by internal and external crises, and consider how the ways in which they respond will determine their future growth path. Providing a coherent and clear narrative, Creating Resilient Economies offers a theoretical analysis of resilience and provides guidance to policymakers with regards to fostering more resilient economies and people. It adeptly illustrates how resilience thinking can offer the opportunity to re-frame economic development policy and practice and provides a clear evidence base of the cultural, economic, political and social conditions that shape the adaptability, flexibility and responsiveness to crises in their many forms. Academics and scholars across the social sciences will find this book an enlightening gateway into the subject of economic resilience. Its eminently practical approach will also benefit government policy makers interested in how localities, regions and nations can respond more effectively to crises. Contributors include: D. Bailey, G. Bentley, C. Brooks, C. Brunelle, J. Clark, P. Di Caro, R. Doern, E. Evenhuis, S. Dawley, H. Gong, N. Gray, R. Hassink, R. Huggins, C.K. Monsson, L. Pugalis, J. Simmie, B. Spigel, P. Thompson, A. Townsend, T. Vorley, N. Williams

Creativity is crucial to the Information Age economy. It is the basis of production in the cultural industries. In this excellent book, Ruth Towse provides an analysis of the interaction between creativity, the law, and markets for cultural goods and services. Copyright law establishes property rights that create economic incentives to cultural production and Ruth Towse uses her analysis to draw conclusions about policy on copyright. This unique study is of interest to a range of disciplines in economics, law, cultural studies and management.

Tourism is the world's largest industry and its fastest growing one. It has the potential to contribute significantly to the economic development of most economies, including those of less developed countries and peripheral economic regions. However, it depends heavily on environmental conditions, natural and man-made, for its market and its sustainability. This book analyzes market and political failures in relation to tourism development and the environment, and the implications of those for national gains from international tourism, for public finance and policy, and for the sustainability of tourism. Particular emphasis is placed on ecotourism and the sustainable use of natural sites, methods of evaluating the sustainability of tourism and the impacts of pollution on tourism. Case studies cover both large and small developing countries e.g. Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India and the Maldives, as well as more developed economies. While some attention is given to the evaluation of protected areas, most attention is given to policies in terms of the sustainable recreational use of such areas - examples include scuba diving and encounters of tourists with whale sharks and sea turtles. This is a fascinating book that will be of great use to a wide readership including economists, environmentalists, geographers, tourism scholars and professionals, as well as academics in development studies.

This book is about the most precious piece of paper we know, about bank-notes. Modern life would be unthinkable without them. Yet, the general public is kept very much in the dark about how they are made or who makes them. It is rarely known, for example, that despite America's technical Prowess all dollar bills are printed exclusively on German high-security printing presses using secret Swiss special inks, or that the phony 100 dollar bills, the so-called supernotes may well be printed in a top-secret printing works located just north of the white House and run by the CIA - although the US government is blaming the rogue government of North Korea for counterfeiting these bills. This book is finally lifting the veil on an industry used to absolute secrecy. It recounts the stories of a British banknote printer who, fearing the loss of his customer, informed the Egyptian secret service that the securities printing machinery the Egyptians were about to buy was of Jewish origin; of a private printer who convinced the Polish central bank that it should destroy a complete series of new, perfect banknotes which had been printed by a competitor, or of an Argentinean high-security printer who came to print genuine fake bank-notes for Zaire and Bahrain as a result of two sting operations, which smell of the Belgian and French secret service.

Moneymakers, by offering a detailed view of the banknote industry and its modus operandi, removes the industry's carefully imposed shroud of secrecy. This book has been researched over a five-year period in Europe, the USA, and Latin America. The book is based exclusively on personal Interviews and confidential mate4rial normally not accessible tooutsiders. There were attempts to stop this research project.

Klaus W. Bender has peered behind the scenes of the Secret and exclusive world of the moneymakers. - Financial Times Deutschland, 2004

The errors and pitfalls at the birth of the euro make Bender's research so unnerving. - Suddeutsche Zeitung, 2004

Bender does not mince his words when he describes abuses - and there are lots of them. - Neue Zurcher Zeitung, 2004

In recent decades, local government has become increasingly complex. The Political Economy of Local Government draws upon recent developments in economics, including new institutional economics, and contemporary advances in the theories of social capital and leadership, in order to explain local government policy formulation. The authors go beyond the study of local public goods to explore the sources of market failure and examine whether local authorities are more susceptible to certain types of government failure. In addition, a transaction cost analysis of markets, hierarchies and networks is applied to ascertain the comparative institutional advantage local authorities might have in the supply of local governance. The book also considers the extent of the influence that these recent advances in the theories of social capital and leadership have on the process and implementation of local government policy. This book offers a fresh and readily accessible perspective on the political economy of local government policy making, and will be of particular interest to students and practitioners of economics, political science, public administration, policy studies and local government.

The Economics of Biotechnology is a highly accessible book dealing with some of the most crucial issues to arise in this area. Special attention is paid to consumer, ethical and environmental concerns as well as questions relating to trade policy, intellectual property, who will receive the benefits, international development and the role of international institutions such as the WTO. The authors examine concerns arising from the application of biotechnology in the agri-food industrial complex, and many of the issues discussed also have implications for the medical and pharmaceutical aspects of biotechnology. Fundamental questions regarding the application of standard economic analysis to biotechnology are resolved using traditional neo-classical analyses as well as less mainstream methods. Through exploring a number of approaches, original and unexpected conclusions are reached. This coherent and relevant treatment of the myriad facets of biotechnology will be welcomed by academics, scholars, and economists with a specific interest in international economics or technology, international policymakers, and economic commentators.

The excitement of learning economics for the first time. The experience of a lifetime of teaching it. The Eighth Edition of Exploring Economics captures the excitement of learning economics for the first time through a lively and encouraging narrative that connects economics to the world in a way that is familiar to students. Author Robert L. Sexton draws on over 25 years of teaching experience to capture students' attention, focusing on core concepts and expertly weaving in examples from current events and popular culture to make even classic economic principles modern and relatable. The text sticks to the basics and applies a thoughtful learning design, segmenting its presentation into brief, visually appealing, self-contained sections that are easier for students to digest and retain compared to sprawling text. Thoughtfully placed section quizzes, interactive summaries, and problem sets help students check their comprehension at regular intervals and develop the critical thinking skills that will allow them to "think like economists." Combined with a complete teaching and learning package including online homework and flexible teaching options, Exploring Economics is sure to help you ignite your students' passion for the field and reveal its practical application in the world around them. Available with Courseware with Algorithmic Assignments SAGE amp is dynamic courseware solution that integrates SAGE textbook content with auto-graded algorithmic assignments, exclusive video content, and other learning tools and resources. Easy LMS Import SAGE coursepacks for instructors makes it easy to import our quality instructor and student resource content into your school's learning management system (LMS). Online Resources SAGE edge for students, the companion website specifically designed for this text, offers a robust online environment with the learning tools and resources students need to succeed.

This stimulating and authoritative book features original essays from leading scholars in the discipline - each of whom addresses the question: how should economists do economics? What emerges is a diverse, constructive commentary on how economics is done and how it should be done.Leading thinkers from a wide variety of perspectives and fields address issues such as the scope of economics, the corpus of theory and its stature, the process of theory construction, the place of mathematical formalism, the role of quantitative analysis, the place of institutions in economic analysis, and, inter alia, technical methods of research. Foundations of Research in Economics: How do Economists do Economics? brings together some of the leading figures from many different schools of thought. This volume ranges across all aspects of professional discourse, ensuring that it will be widely read by economists active in many different areas of research while being of particular interest to economic theorists, methodologists and historians of economics.

The spatial dimension of international trade theory has been neglected during most of its history. Trade barriers such as tariffs have been deemed more important. However, in an increasingly integrated world economy seeking to abolish tariffs, spatial considerations have gained in stature. On the way to fostering a spatial trade theory this book supplies a comprehensive analysis of all the different impacts of the inclusion of space and transport costs, covering orthodox trade theory, new trade theories, and economic geography. Karl Steininger also expands spatial analysis to cover spatial preferences and spatial discounting and catalogues the result of spatial production structure and environmental quality in a global economy. Finally, an empirical account is given of the trade and macro-implications of full cost pricing in transport.

This research review assesses the ground-breaking contributions to the evolution of knowledge in the economics of risk and time, from its early twentieth-century explorations to its current diversity of approaches. The analysis focuses first on the basic decisions under uncertainty, and then on asset pricing. It further discusses both classical expected utility approach and its non-expected utility generalizations, with applications to dynamic portfolio choices, insurance, risk sharing, and risk prevention. This review will be valuable for scholars in finance and macroeconomics, particularly those with an interest in the modeling foundations of consumer and investor decisions under uncertainty.

Behavioural public policies, or nudges, have become increasingly popular in recent years, with governments keen to use light-touch interventions to improve the success of their public policies. In this unique book, Peter John explores nudges, their successes and limitations, and sets out a bold manifesto for the future of behavioural public policy. This book traces the beginnings of nudge in behavioural economics and tracks the adoption of its core ideas by policy-makers, providing examples of successful applications. By considering the question ?how far to nudge??, John reviews why it is crucial for governments to address citizen behaviours, and reviews the criticisms of nudge and its ethical limitations. Looking to its future, this book proposes the adoption of a radical version of nudge, nudge plus, involving increased feedback and more engagement with citizens. How Far to Nudge? will be a vital text for students of behavioural public policy and policy analysis, as well as for anyone looking for an introduction to nudge policy and an explanation for its growth in popularity.

Since the celebration of the bicentenary of The Wealth of Nations, the last twenty years have seen a burgeoning interest in Adam Smith's contribution to economics. Jan Peil's book aims to provide a new model for interpreting Smith's contribution to economic science. This model elucidates Smith's vision of the free market economy by placing it in the historical circumstances of the time. In the first part of the book the author discusses how we should read Smith and outlines the new hermeneutical model of interpretation of his economic thought. For example, in reviewing The Wealth of Nations, the author places Smith's work firmly in the context of moral philosophy and the debate on the sense and meaning of the emerging commercial society which was taking place in the 18th century. In discussing Smith's economics, the author clearly focuses on the question: why should we re-read Smith and according to which model of interpretation? Finally, he discusses the relevance of reinterpreting Smith's economics as part of moral philosophy for today's debate on the principles of economics. This innovative book will be of great interest to historians of economic thought and political economy, scholars and students of the philosophy and methodology of economics and all those interested in Adam Smith and his relevance for economics today.

Ten years after the collapse of communism in Poland, the debate continues over the impact of the transition to a market economy. Whilst few actually say the socialist system could - or should - have been preserved, the path of change has been far from smooth, and has produced both winners and losers in the race to reform. This book assesses the prevailing attitudes of both support and disenchantment among Poles towards transition, in the light of their own experiences. In particular Janice Bell uses statistical indicators on economic well-being, regional voting results and public opinion survey data to analyse the socio-economic influences on patterns of voting behaviour, and finds unemployment to be a crucial denominator. Groundbreaking in its perspective, this study will appeal to all those concerned with the social implications of reform programmes in former communist countries.

Principles of Economics focuses on seven core principles to produce economic naturalists through active learning. By eliminating overwhelming detail and focusing on core principles, students from all backgrounds are able to gain a deeper understanding of economics. Focused on helping students become "economic naturalists," people who employ basic economic principles to understand and explain what they observe in the world around them. COVID-19 pandemic content, analysis, and examples further engage students. With engaging questions, explanations, exercises and videos, the authors help students relate economic principles to a host of everyday experiences such as going to the ATM or purchasing airline tickets. Throughout this process, the authors encourage students to become "economic naturalists." Author developed Learning Glass concept overview videos and Worked Problem videos give students an overview of challenging and important concepts. With new videos and engagement tools in Connect, like Application-Based Activities, alongside SmartBook's adaptive reading experience, the 8th edition enables instructors to spend class time engaging, facilitating, and answering questions instead of lecturing on the basics.

The euphoria evidenced in the aftermath of the collapse of communist regimes in the late 1980s and early 1990s sometimes conveyed the impression that the process of democratization would be achieved without difficulty or tribulation. This book sets out to provide a thorough comparative analysis of the challenges which face the emerging democracies of Central and Eastern Europe and considers the impact of political change. Drawing heavily on available survey data, the book provides an in-depth account of how the new democracies of Central and Eastern Europe have coped with four major challenges: political fragmentation, nationalism, lack of respect for human rights, and poorly developed civil service systems. The book demonstrates that although the first few years of the 1990s were marked by increasing disenchantment with the new regimes, the change of governments as a direct result of the electoral process and the prospects for European integration have served to reverse this negative trend. Indeed, the authors find that the new political systems have managed to cope with the challenges so effectively that striking similarities with Western democracies are now apparent. Offering new insights into democratic transition, Challenges to Democracy will appeal to political scientists, diplomats and policymakers, and economists with an interest in European and comparative politics.

This book is an edited collection by leading insurance historians, examining the historical role of reinsurance (the insurance of insurers) in the insurance markets of eight countries: USA, Netherlands, Sweden, France, Spain, Italy, Mexico and Japan. All the contributors are experts in their field and have widely published in insurance history, providing the reader with new insights into the insurance and economic history of these countries. In particular, this is the first book to explore the reinsurance markets in the USA, Netherlands, France, Italy and Mexico. This book will be of interest to economic and business historians, as well as insurance practitioners with an interest in the history of their industry.

'In this book, Simon Bowmaker offers a remarkable collection of conversations with leading economists about research in economics. He has selected a broad sample of the great economists of our time, including people whose perspectives span most of the major subdivisions of economics research, from micro to macro, from theoretical to empirical, from rationalist to behavioral.' - From the foreword by Roger B. Myerson, University of Chicago and 2007 Nobel Laureate in Economics 'The Art and Practice of Economics Research is the book I wish I had when I was ''growing up'' as an economist. For anyone who is or wants to be an economic researcher, or anyone just interested in how economics ''works'', this is a terrific and inspirational resource.' - David K. Levine, Washington University in St. Louis 'It is hard to imagine an economist in the world who would not enjoy this book. It is fascinating, gripping, and full of the wisdom imparted by age and by scholarly life's ups and downs.' - Andrew J. Oswald, University of Warwick, UK 'Although each has followed his or her own road, these scholars share a passion for economics and a commitment to the research enterprise. The best economists lie sleepless, gripped by their questions.' - Joshua Angrist, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 'This is a wonderful book of interviews with some of the most respected economists in the world. It is full of insights into academic life, and clearly conveys the joy of doing economics research.' - Jon Levin, Stanford University 'The relaxed frame of the interviews gives interested parties exciting insights into the thoughts and concerns of leading economists and might well inspire some of the best young minds to continue with economics in their later lives.' - Ernst Fehr, University of Zurich, Switzerland The Art and Practice of Economics Research provides an in-depth look into the research methods of leading economists from across the United States and Europe. This innovative volume contains 25 interviews with practicing economists, presenting insightful personal accounts into an often-misunderstood field. Contributors to this volume were asked to reflect on their own experience in economics research, including their methods of working, the process of scientific discovery and knowledge creation, and the challenges of successfully disseminating their work. The unique and compelling interview format showcases each contributor's personal connection to his or her work, presenting a view of current economics research that is technical, comprehensive, and refreshingly human. Both students and current scholars in economics will find much to admire in this book's window into the inner workings of some of the brightest and best-known minds in the field. This volume also makes a great companion to the author's 2010 book, The Heart of Teaching Economics, which showcases the personal experiences of teachers and professors of economics.

This outstanding book presents new original contributions from some of the world's leading economists including Ronald Coase, Douglass C. North, Masahiko Aoki, Oliver E. Williamson and Harold Demsetz. It demonstrates the extent and depth of the New Institutional Economics research programme which is having a worldwide impact on the economics profession.The book lays out the fundamental dimensions of the research programme with special emphasis on the interaction between institutional factors, both formal and informal, and the performance of different arrangements that organize transactions. After examining the foundations of New Institutional Economics and honouring Ronald Coase's contribution to the field, it presents controversial and conflicting views on the sources of growth. It places special emphasis on organizations and transactions, focusing on issues of trust, corruption, enforcement of contracts and modes of organization. Written by an eminent group of scholars, Institutions, Contracts and Organizations is an important landmark in the development of New Institutional Economics.

This volume of new, original essays reflects the lifelong concerns and writings of the person they honor, Professor Howard Sherman. Sherman wrote on a wide range of topics - the causes of recessions, depressions and mass unemployment under capitalism; the difficulties and challenges of establishing viable democratic planning systems under socialism; the down-to-earth realities of economic life in the United States, the Soviet Union and elsewhere; and the theoretical traditions he drew upon to inform these empirical studies, i.e. Keynesianism, institutionalism and, most especially, Marxism. The contributors follow in Sherman's tradition through their careful analysis of topics such as the long-term trends in contemporary global capitalism; the relationship between Marxism and institutionalism; debates over the usefulness of class analysis; the political economy of financial liberalization; lessons from the demise of socialism in the Soviet Union and China; and the possibilities for advancing a workable egalitarian economic agenda. This book demonstrates the continued vibrancy and relevance of radical political economy as a mode of social scientific analysis. Scholars and students in economics, sociology, history, philosophy and political science will find the essays thought-provoking and informative.