Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. This Advanced Introduction provides a comprehensive guide to the vibrant and expanding global production network (GPN) approach. Neil M. Coe deftly explores the antecedents and theoretical underpinnings of GPN analysis, as well as debates and controversies surrounding the approach and its position in wider interdisciplinary discussions. He argues overall that, during a time of profound ongoing challenges within the global economic system, the need for a GPN framework has never been more pressing. Key features include: an up-to-date assessment of current debates in the literature an integrated perspective on how GPN thinking can aid understanding of capitalist uneven development a wide range of sectoral and geographical examples a thorough discussion of connections to cognate debates in the wider social sciences and business and management studies identification of future research challenges in the field. In short, Advanced Introduction to Global Production Networks is an ideal introductory book for students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels in geography, economics and business looking to understand the organization and dynamics of the global economy.

Olivier Blanchard, former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), is author of one of the most important standard macroeconomics textbooks, which is used throughout the world. Endorsed by Blanchard himself, Anti-Blanchard Macroeconomics critically analyzes prevailing economic theory and policy in comparison with alternative approaches. This thoroughly revised edition represents a field of research that has developed through intense theoretical debates, continual empirical testing and the resultant disputes about economic policy. Emiliano Brancaccio and Andrea Califano succinctly explore the relationship between theoretical models and economic policies, providing readers with examples and empirical exercises, and showing how the conclusions of different theories can be empirically tested. This updated second edition examines the links between the issues at the core of macroeconomic debate, including economic growth, economic crises, labour market reforms, government debt sustainability, the behaviour of central banks and the stock market, among many others. Key features: Contains an analysis of the economic policies, consequences and theories surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic Examines the connection between contemporary issues in world politics, economic theory and policymaking It overcomes the typical contradiction between the opportunity to offer students a preliminary mainstream education and the need to nurture rather than crush their critical spirit It helps students to understand that economics is not a discipline that changes in a smooth, linear manner but, on the contrary, represents a dynamic field of research that develops through intense theoretical debate and continual empirical testing, and is shaped by the resultant disputes concerning economic policy Includes the typescript of a lively and informative debate between Emiliano Brancaccio and Olivier Blanchard, together with comparative economic policy examples.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. Taking a detailed tour through the emerging economic field of financial inclusion, this timely book charts the subtle conceptual shifts that gave rise to the focus on inclusivity in development finance, and provides an overview of key concepts, issues, and empirical findings. Diving into the crucial interaction of financial inclusion with gender, further chapters present new conceptual frameworks for thinking about these interactions, as well as discussing the impacts of gendered financial exclusion on both economic and empowerment outcomes. Key Features: Comprehensive introduction to the theory and practice of financial inclusion Accessible style, with focus boxes detailing more advanced material In-depth analysis of the relationship between female empowerment and financial inclusion Up to date discussions of recent developments in FinTech, the impact of microfinance, and the new frontiers of financial inclusion research Discussing what is known about the economic impacts of financial inclusion and what is still to be discovered, this book is an ideal companion for students and researchers of development finance and economics. It aims to inspire current and future cohorts of researchers and policymakers, as well as practitioners with an interest in financial inclusion.

State Profiles 2022: The Population and Economy of Each U.S. State has been completely updated and provides a wealth of current, authoritative, and comprehensive data on key demographic and economic indicators for each U.S. state and the District of Columbia. Each state is covered by a compact standardized chapter that allows for easy comparisons and timely analysis between the states. A ten-page profile for each U.S. state plus the District of Columbia provides reliable, up-to-date information on a wide range of topics, including: population, labor force, income and poverty, government finances, crime, education, health insurance coverage, voting, marital status, migration, and more. If you want a single source of key demographic and economic data on each of the U.S. states, there is no other book like State Profiles. This book provides an overview of the U.S. economy which provides a framework for understanding the state information. State Profiles is primarily useful for public, school, and college and university libraries, as well as for economic and sociology departments. However, anyone needing state-level information including students, state officials, investors, economic analysts, and concerned citizens will find State Profiles wealth of data and analysis absolutely essential!

This timely book evaluates international human capital policies, offering a comparative perspective on global efforts to generate new ideas and novel ways of thinking about human capital. Examining educational reforms, quality of education and links between education and socio-economic environments, chapters contrast Western experiences and perspectives with those of industrializing economies in Asia, focusing particularly on Korea and the USA. Contributors analyse trends in Korean education, including state, charter and private education, higher education and student loans and debt, and provide policy prescriptions for the improvement of higher education financing in the USA. Offering theoretical insights into the relationship between socio-economic and educational benefits for children and young people, and human capital formation, further chapters consider recent empirical evidence on disadvantaged people in the USA, before broadening the scope of analysis to consider the effects of human capital on industrial structure and productivity among OECD countries. Providing a unique and incisive understanding of human capital formation in the context of education, this book lays out guidance to scholars and researchers of human capital, particularly those concentrating on policies in Korea and the USA. It will also be useful to policymakers involved in economic and education policy.

The financial crisis that began in 2008 and its lingering aftermath have caused many intellectuals and politicians to question the virtues of capitalist systems. The 19 original essays in this Handbook, written by leading scholars from Asia, North America, and Europe, analyze both the strengths and weaknesses of capitalist systems. The volume opens with essays on the historical and legal origins of capitalism. These are followed by chapters describing the nature, institutions, and advantages of capitalism: entrepreneurship, innovation, property rights, contracts, capital markets, and the modern corporation. The next set of chapters discusses the problems that can arise in capitalist systems including monopoly, principal agent problems, financial bubbles, excessive managerial compensation, and empire building through wealth-destroying mergers. Two subsequent essays examine in detail the properties of the "Asian model" of capitalism as exemplified by Japan and South Korea, and capitalist systems where ownership and control are largely separated as in the United States and United Kingdom. The handbook concludes with an essay on capitalism in the 21st century by Nobel Prize winner Edmund Phelps.

With the economy currently in turmoil, understanding how businesses and consumers interact is more important than ever for business owners and students of economics, alike. A handy, fluff-free resource tool, our 3-panel (6-page) guide simplifies the world of microeconomics through the use of definitions, formulas and full-color tables and charts."

The Internet stock bubble wasn't just about goggle-eyed day traderstrying to get rich on the Nasdaq and goateed twenty-five-year-olds playing wannabe Bill Gates. It was also about an America that believed it had discovered the secret of eternal prosperity: it said something about all of us, and what we thought about ourselves, as the twenty-first century dawned. John Cassidy's Dot.con brings this tumultuous episode to life. Moving from the Cold War Pentagon to Silicon Valley to Wall Street and into the homes of millions of Americans, Cassidy tells the story of the great boom and bust in an authoritative and entertaining narrative. Featuring all the iconic figures of the Internet era -- Marc Andreessen, Jeff Bezos, Steve Case, Alan Greenspan, and many others -- and with a new Afterword on the aftermath of the bust, Dot.con is a panoramic and stirring account of human greed and gullibility.

In 1923, with its currency effectively worthless (the exchange rate in December of that year was one dollar to 4,200,000,000,000 marks), the Weimar Republic was all but reduced to a barter economy. Expensive cigars, artworks and jewels were routine...

Entrepreneurship is a dynamic process constantly evolving through innovation, in that entrepreneurs devise profitable products and services that did not previously exist. This process requires entrepreneurs to have major skills in different business areas.

The second edition of this book is about entrepreneurship in the South African business environment, and about the entrepreneurial process. It highlights three main aspects, namely: the entrepreneurial part of starting and running a business; the marketing of products and services; and the financial aspects of a profitable and sustainable business.

In a practical and accessible way this book describes how entrepreneurs should arrange resources and activities in order for the potential business to operate as profitably as possible. The two aspects of marketing and finance are the most important functions of business that every entrepreneur needs to know in order to be sustainable both as a start-up enterprise and for long-term sustainability.

This volume details the astonishing contribution Jews have made over the years to the British economy: how they sustained the currency through many wars; how they invented jigsaw puzzles and postcards; and the creation of such household names as Lyons, Glaxo, Burtons, Shell, ICI, Ladbrokes, and many more.

While the depth and sophistication of South Africa’s financial and capital markets are lauded by indices the world over, South Africa is also considered to be the most unequal society in the world. The Economy On Your Doorstep probes the reasons for this tragic paradox of South African life and tries to go through and beyond the graphs, margin calls, trading updates, indices and earnings reports to explain how economic ‘actions’ frame the lives of South Africans in a transitional society faced with the challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality.

The economy is and always has been primarily about ‘people’. How they live, what they produce, under what conditions and what social, political and environmental factors influence decisions of consumption, investment and distribution – and how they act under conditions of uncertainty, scarcity, need and crisis. After all, economies are about people coming together to produce, exchange, distribute and consume goods and services that emerge from their communities and those of others. How and under what conditions can we ensure the expansion of our productive forces, while expanding access to the base of assets, services and support that allow for the social reproduction of our entire society and workforce?

Ayabonga Cawe outlines some key areas that can and should define a policy agenda towards a ‘people’s economy’ in South Africa and the long-term objectives of such a policy programme, and engages with the political economy of 21st century South Africa through an analysis of a few selected areas of the economy and the implications of this for policy action. This is what this book is about – an exposition of what we see around us and an explanation and discussion of possible ways beyond it.

In this well-researched book, Ayabonga Cawe, a development economist, columnist and broadcaster, makes sense of the post-apartheid political economy through the lives of the many people who live and survive in it every day.

PAPERBACK FOR SALE IN AFRICA ONLY The first comprehensive book on the participation of Muslim Fula business elites in the post-independence politics of Sierra Leone This groundbreaking volume explores the history of Muslim Fula business elites' participation in the post-independence politics of Sierra Leone. One of the country's main entrepreneurial groups, the Fula are also part of a largerIslamic presence in West Africa, extending from Senegal to Cameroon. Author Alusine Jalloh examines Fula political relationships with the successive governments of Sierra Leone following independence in 1961: first, with the Sierra Leone People's Party during the prime ministership of the brothers Dr. Milton A. S. Margai and Albert M. Margai, and later with the All People's Congress under the leadership of Siaka P. Stevens and Joseph S. Momoh. The study ends with the ouster in 1992 of President Momoh in a military coup. Using the lens of business history, this important work expands on the themes of immigration and ethnicity, and treats such issues as the rivalry betweenSierra Leonean-born Fula and those born in Guinea, the intersection of Fula business elites and the development of Islam in Sierra Leone, and relations between Sierra Leone and Guinea. The book will be of great interest to students and scholars of the business, Islamic, and political history of Sierra Leone, as well as those interested in global business history and ethnic history. Alusine Jalloh is Associate Professor of history and founding director of the Africa Program at the University of Texas at Arlington.

The correspondence from the most successful Irish-American trading firm of the colonial period forms a remarkable archive for economic historians of the eighteenth century. This is an edition of a letterbook that contains the first nine months of correspondence from this New York trading house. The letters to commercial contacts throughout the North Atlantic region offer a vivid picture of the transatlantic economy. And the private communications of Waddell Cunningham to his partner, Thomas Greg in Belfast, allow a rare behind-the-scenes look at the management and operation of an overseas merchant house. Guided by Professor Truxes's authoritative introduction, we can see in these letters the difficulties of decision-making over long distances, the problems of over-stretched resources, and the impact of the Seven Years War on the evolution of a vigorous enterprise.

Adam Smith (1723-1790) was one of the brightest stars of the eighteenth-century Scottish Enlightenment. An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations was his most important book. First published in London in March 1776, it had been eagerly anticipated by Smith's contemporaries and became an immediate bestseller. That edition sold out quickly and others followed. Today, Smith's Wealth of Nations rightfully claims a place in the Western intellectual canon. It is the first book of modern political economy, and still provides the foundation for the study of that discipline. But it is much more than that. Along with important discussions of economics and political theory, Smith mixed plain common sense with large measures of history, philosophy, psychology, sociology, and much else. Few texts remind us so clearly that the Enlightenment was very much a lived experience, a concern with improving the human condition in practical ways for real people. A masterpiece by any measure, Wealth of Nations remains a classic of world literature to be usefully enjoyed by readers today.