Islamic Social Finance provides an introduction to the Waqf system, which has played a significant socio-economic role throughout the history of Islamic civilization. In a contemporary framework, Waqf creates new networks between micro-entrepreneurs, Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), and entrepreneurship through voluntary donations made by individuals in a society. In other contexts, Waqf supports the financial system and contributes to the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs). The authors explore the relationship between the roles Waqf plays in realizing the SDGs, its contributions in many sectors of the economy, and the Waqf practices among the Southeast Asia countries, particularly Malaysia. They highlight the existing Waqf models and framework that have been used by many countries for entrepreneurship that can be used or adapted for the benefits of SMEs. This book is a comprehensive overview for academics, postgraduate students, entrepreneurs, and policy makers who wish to understand how Waqf can contribute to the economic progress of individuals and society at large.

Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary. With contributions from an international range of active researchers, this Research Agenda provides a timely literature review on core topics related to consumer financial behavior. Chapters cover financial management behavior, desirable financial behavior and any financial behavior that helps improve financial wellbeing. The Research Agenda is split into two parts, first covering determinants of financial behavior and then outcomes. Top scholars in the field explore a broad range of determinants, including financial literacy, education, socialization, access, technology, retirement policies, trading and investment, and neuroscience. The book moves on to explore financial capability, wellbeing, fragility and vulnerability, offering a comprehensive examination of the topic. Economics and financial behavior researchers and students will benefit from the thorough and incisive literature reviews in this Research Agenda. It will also be a valuable resource for business practitioners looking for an up-to-date insight on research in the field.

This Handbook collects a set of academic and accessible chapters to address three questions: What should real estate economists know about macroeconomics? What should macroeconomists know about real estate? What should readers know about the interaction between real estate and macroeconomics? Content is focused on four widely discussed themes: real estate-related wealth and macroeconomics, housing price dynamics and affordability, financial crises and structural change, and non-residential real estate. The chapter authors, active researchers from around the world, present evidence from various countries and datasets that are of interest to audiences across the globe, summarize insights from previous research and shed light on current issues. The Handbook of Real Estate and Macroeconomics assists researchers on the big picture as well as a hot spots in frontier research, and facilitates worldwide policy discussions and analysis for practitioners in financial markets, corporate economists, and policy analysts in governments and NGOs.

This book summarises an investigation into elements of the economic and political institutions that affect prosperity in ECOWAS development. Information and material enclosed was obtained from most relevant literature and publicly available data. The work evaluates the macroeconomic consequences of various programs and policies, which are represented through key selected mainstream indicators for ECOWAS countries from 1960-2013, contrasted with the European Union 28 countries in the same period and illustrating the specific situation of Guinea-Bissau. It was found that actual progresses in the theoretical domain are slow, solid formal models are lacking, and inconsistency predominates as challenges, outcomes and relations from inputs to outputs are mostly evidenced by adoption of anecdotal examples. Negative prosperity is the norm and thus, the question of how, and what, the institutions are doing to address it, becomes especially relevant. It is also observed that the available source data is inconsistent and controversial; for same indicators, it varies wildly at intra and inter organisations. In the likeliness of many of the current aid and structuring programmes being based on data from the mentioned sources, a risk emerges that, even though mathematic and economic models may be advanced, they are based on fundamentally unreliable data that push wrongdoing and hinder prosperity. It also emerges that, frequently, institutions and programmes do have negative impact on the sub-region, because the framework that they provide is based on western values, mostly carried by western experts or local experts that acquired western behaviour and values ignoring the rural and peri-urban populations. It was found that circumstances where cultural differences are not accounted for, namely in acceptance of the distribution of power, collaboration, personal relations, traditions and manners of performing work and duties as well as managing free time, potentially hinder societal development.

Examining how religion influences the dynamics of consumption in developing nations, this book illuminates the strategic placement of these nations on the global marketing stage both in terms of their current economic outlook and potential for growth. Expert contributors highlight the individual aspects of religion that influence consumers, from perception of the self and motivations to personality and attitude. Discussing consumers’ religiosity and consumption in a range of cultural and social settings, taking social class, sub-cultures and values into consideration, the contributors analyse how these factors interrelate to shape family and societal consumption issues. Chapters also explore the ethical issues related to consumption and religion as well as the place of religion in branding and brand culture in developing nations. Taking a broad approach, the book draws on examples of practices from religions including Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Sikhism, Atheism, and African Traditional Religions. This book will be a valuable resource for scholars and students of marketing, consumer behaviour and economic psychology. Its insights into consumption practices in religious contexts will also be beneficial for business managers and policy makers.

Presenting a truly comprehensive history of Basic Income, Malcolm Torry explores the evolution of the concept of a regular unconditional income for every individual, as well as examining other types of income as they relate to its history. Examining the beginnings of the modern debate at the end of the eighteenth century right up to the current global discussion, this book draws on a vast array of original historical sources and serves as both an in-depth study of, and introduction to, Basic Income and its history. Commencing with Thomas Paine's advocacy for Basic Capital and Thomas Spence's for a Basic Income, Torry analyses thought from a variety of authors during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and explores the widespread debate across Europe from the 1980s to the present day. Chapters further investigate a terminologically diverse debate in Canada and the USA and highlight the significance of recent research on feasibility in the UK. Concluding with a study of the anatomy of what is now a single global debate about Basic Income, this book will be of value to policy makers, students and scholars of Basic Income, social and economic history, and the economics of social policy.

The Research Handbook of Financial Markets carefully discusses the histories and current states of the most important financial markets and institutions, as well as explicitly underscoring open questions that need study. By describing the institutional structure of different markets and highlighting recent changes within them, it accurately highlights their evolving nature. Taking the perspective that finance and macroeconomics are intertwined, this illuminating Research Handbook brings together prominent experts to investigate key market interactions. Chapters act as self-contained case studies of particular markets, allowing for a thorough individual examination of each. Ultimately, they offer a holistic understanding of financial markets and the current state of research. Academics and researchers in economics and finance curious about developments within financial regulation and banking will find this comprehensive Handbook to be hugely valuable. Market participants will additionally find it to be a useful reference, along with regulators seeking to mitigate financial instability.

This incisive Handbook offers a timely and critical analysis of the gendered nature of public sector employment. Bringing together key theoretical, conceptual, and empirical research from around the world, Hazel Conley and Paula Koskinen Sandberg examine the ways in which female public sector workers experience intersectional discrimination in the workplace. Covering key sites of employment for women across the globe, the Handbook considers a comprehensive range of gendered public sector occupations. Chapters investigate how women's employment in public services is influenced by complex political and economic tensions, exploring core issues such as the relationship between gender, ethnicity, occupational segregation and work-life balance, flexible working, and workplace bullying; gendered pay and pension inequality; the sources of feminist activism in public sector employment; and the impact of the pandemic on feminised public sector occupations. Ultimately, the Handbook highlights that while change is possible, it will require a radical rethinking of how public services are valued and funded in society. Providing cutting-edge analysis and empirical data on gender and public sector employment, this Handbook will be an essential resource for academics and researchers interested in the role of the State as Employer. Its thought-provoking yet accessible insights into gendered employment will further benefit students of social policy, gender politics, employment relations, and the sociology of work.

Presenting an in-depth overview of the foundations and developments of post-Keynesian macroeconomics since Kalecki and Keynes, this timely book develops a comprehensive post-Keynesian macroeconomic model with the respective macroeconomic policy mix for achieving non-inflationary full employment. The different versions of the model for closed and open economies are concerned with the key areas of macroeconomics, such as full employment, constant inflation and external balance. Eckhard Hein expertly illustrates how to embed these post-Keynesian macroeconomics and macroeconomic policies into the post-Keynesian research programme more generally, whilst also providing a review of its methods and historical roots. Furthermore, the book links post-Keynesian short-run macroeconomics to long-run distribution and growth theories. Finally, it applies these theoretical approaches to the current research on macroeconomic regimes and regime changes within finance-dominated capitalism and on the macroeconomic challenges of the ecological crisis and of the required socio-ecological transformation. This book will be a crucial read for academics and graduate students interested in post-Keynesian macroeconomics. Providing a thought-provoking alternative to orthodox economic policies, this will also be of interest to policy advisers and politicians.

This comprehensive Encyclopedia is an indispensable resource in the area of law and development. Bringing together more than 80 entries, the Encyclopedia spans a variety of approaches, contextualised histories, recent developments and forward-looking insights into the role of law in development. Entries cover the social, economic and environmental aspects of sustainable development, and offer a conceptual and contextualised perspective on key topics and terms. The Encyclopedia pluralises scholarship in the field by featuring eminent scholars of law and development alongside up-and-coming voices from both the Global South and North with diverse approaches and backgrounds. The Encyclopedia of Law and Development is an invaluable reference point for scholars seeking to engage with issues at the intersection of law and development from both within and outside of the legal field. It is also a thorough but succinct overview for post-graduate students wishing to familiarise themselves with the various aspects of law and development research and study. Key features: More than 80 entries Organised alphabetically for ease of reference Entries by both leading scholars and up-and-coming voices Each entry features selected references for further study Up-to-date outlook linked to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Sustainable Development Goals.

This innovative book examines the maritime component of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), focusing on three key trade routes and addressing the question of how China protects its overseas assets. Gerald Chan explores China's rising maritime power, using geo-developmentalism as a theoretical framework to analyse the country's development of port facilities and infrastructure along important trade routes. Through developing these sea routes, he argues that a new global order is in the making. The book also offers an in-depth and balanced review of two major criticisms of China's BRI: the first being so-called 'debt trap diplomacy', and the second being security concerns surrounding China's IT industry, the resolution of which Chan suggests will pave the way towards developing a 'digital Silk Road'. Following on from Chan's previous work on high-speed rail and other land networks, this book offers a comprehensive and up-to-date account on infrastructure building in this context. It will prove a stimulating read for scholars and students of Chinese foreign policy and international relations, as well as policy makers, government officials and businesses seeking to better understand China's foreign trade and development policies.

Presenting a wide range of topics and written 150 years since Carl Menger’s Principles of Economics was published, this timely book reviews Menger’s life and theories and explains how his insights on the creation of money are still inspiring and relevant today.   Highlighting state-of-the-art results on Menger’s methodology and economic theory, the book expertly analyses key topics such as the debt theory of money, capital wealth and the gender wage gap. Chapters also cover up-to-date topics such as Bitcoin and technological progress reinvigorating the study of Menger’s philosophies and their application for future work in economics and the history of economic thought.   Comprehensive in its approach, this book will provide an excellent addition to the mainstream literature for scholars and students of economics, Austrian economics and the philosophy of economics. Researchers interested in economic development and other areas such as Bitcoin will find this an excellent resource for their research.

The challenge of including youth in the labour market is a problem which many European countries are facing. Examining the transition from education to employment, Youth, Diversity and Employment combines insights from law and the social sciences to link the challenges and specific barriers facing young and vulnerable people today. Based on original research, this book presents ways in which social protection policies in Europe can utilise the synergy between redistribution and regulations to combat economic inactivity and exclusion of young people. Drawing on the experiences of Nordic countries, which represent cases of high theoretical and political relevance, and systematically examining the significance of social regulation on the employment opportunities for young adults, this book develops an original approach to social protection policies. This book focuses on ways to strengthen the demand for the work capacity of European youth, identifying principles which will make the best progress in policy making to assist youth transitions into work. Arguing that gender, ethnicity, and disability are increasingly important factors to consider, chapters reveal how to ensure that the full use of skills that young adults have can be brought to the workforce effectively. This book will be a valuable tool for students and scholars of social policy, sociology, employment and human rights law, and cultural studies, as well as for researchers, who will find the analytical framework and new data useful for future research into youth transitions, policy, and social protection policies. Contributors include: O.M. Arnardottir, O. Backman, R. Halvorsen, M.J. Hotvedt, B. Hvinden, C. Hyggen, V. Jakobsen, K. Jokumsen, L. Kolouh-Soederlund, S. Kuivalainen, T. Lorentzen, S. Niknami, K. Nousianen, T. Olsen, E. OEsterbacka, J.G. Rice, M.A. Schoyen, L. Schroeder, M. Seeleib-Kaiser, T.F. Spreckelsen, J. Tagtstroem, R. Traustadottir, M. Ventegodt, E. Wadensjoe

Utilizing a multi-paradigmatic approach in considering the scientific methodology of mainstream financial economics, and suggesting improvements, this book identifies eleven biases of the scientific methodology of mainstream financial economics. It explores intellectual bias, local bias, fad bias, ideological bias, automaticity bias, confirmation bias, cultural bias, stereotyping bias, under-productivity bias, homogeneity bias, and isolation bias. Applying this approach, which consists of four key paradigms; functionalist, interpretive, radical humanist, and radical structuralist; Kavous Ardalan considers the methodology of mainstream financial economics and identifies these biases, the rectification of which provides a broad and balanced understanding of the multi-faceted subject matter. Generating insightful theories, concepts, and analytical tools, the multi-paradigmatic approach enables a systematic and methodical approach, in the discussion of which Ardalan commences with a foundational philosophical introduction and then applies it to the methodology of financial economics. The book concludes with useful guidance on broadening both teaching and research techniques using this valuable approach in a diverse world. Active scholars and researchers in financial economics and related fields will find this a fascinating alternative read to the more traditional books, alongside those looking for an alternative method of teaching this all-important field.

This crucial Handbook investigates an urgent area for policy-makers, academia and industries alike: the circular economy. International experts on the subject bring together the latest thinking on this critical global issue. Providing a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms and consequences of the circular economy, as well as its limitations, it raises important questions concerning how the world should proceed when non-renewable resources, such as fossil fuels and minerals, are being depleted and the environment is struggling to cope with the waste and emissions of unsustainable production and consumption systems. Contributors explore a broad range of themes, such as new sustainable production and consumption systems, new design requirements, recycling systems, new business models and the social impacts of the circular economy, while also consolidating the many ways in which the topic has been dealt with in research, business and policy-making. Shedding light on a concept that has become increasingly relevant during the last decade, the Handbook of the Circular Economy is essential reading for students, academics and policy-makers trying to make sense of the plethora of ways in which the term has been applied and interpreted.

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), a modified and modernized version of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), will continue to govern most economic relationships in North America, including the more than $1.3 trillion in annual regional trade in goods and services, for the foreseeable future. USMCA preserves the bulk of the NAFTA structures that permit North American manufacturers to compete effectively with their European and Asian counterparts in North American and foreign markets. Once in effect, USMCA should largely resolve the chilling effect on investment and new hiring generated by three years of uncertainty over NAFTA's future. This book provides a detailed analysis and critique of the provisions of the USMCA and the USMCA's relation to NAFTA. It is designed to assist lawyers and non-lawyers alike, including law, economics and public policy scholars, business professionals and governmental officials who require an understanding of one of the worlds' most economically and politically significant regional trade agreements.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Policy makers give a lot of attention to business creation and entrepreneurship, but they do not have a good resource for understanding The Truth about Entrepreneurship. The extensive media coverage of Wall Street entrepreneurship provides an incomplete portrayal of most business creation. While both high profile and everyday new firms provide major contributions to economic growth, the ongoing, bottoms-up activity pursued by over half a billion around the world is not widely recognized. This book reviews some of the most salient features of grass roots business creation, such as the total amount of activity, differences related to national economic development, the relationship to business churning and job creation, the impact of national context, the mixed contributions of high growth firms, the modest effect of external financial support, the unequal distribution of sunk costs related to successful payback, importance as an option for the most desperate in poor countries, and the tendency to overlook the continuing incremental impact of Main Street business creation. Entrepreneurial scholars, faculty, policy analysts and graduate students interested in economic development, entrepreneurship and public policy will find clarity and gain a depth of knowledge about policymaking and business creation with The Truth about Entrepreneurship.

Few international organizations embody the idea of historical progress as strongly as the European Union (EU). This book addresses the main shortcoming of treating EU as a vehicle of progress and political unity between European countries: the disregard of such an approach for the underlying diversity of the European continent. Critically examining the meta-ideology underpinning European integration, the author studies the implications of Europe's heterogeneity, disagreements over European policies, and of pluralism of values for the EU's governance. The book revisits legacies of post-communist transitions and the role played by international economic and political integration in Eastern Europe - as well as the implications of the EU's enlargements for the EU's governance. The result is a novel, polycentric perspective on the EU's governance. Policy practitioners, commentators, and other opinion leaders as well as academics and students interested in applied political economy and European studies will value this extensive exploration of Governing the EU in an Age of Division.

Covering pertinent areas of sustainable and responsible investment (SRI) this forward-looking book examines SRI in developing markets including its evolution, principles and concepts. It explores the drivers and challenges in developing economies and analyses the theoretical underpinnings to critical issues pertaining to SRI. This timely book investigates investment strategies and philosophies that attempt to incorporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns into investment decision-making. In turn it provides an in-depth review of a number of different motivations for SRI, including: personal values and goals, institutional missions, and the demands of clients, constituents or plan participants. Sustainable and Responsible Investment in Developing Markets further defines how to integrate ESG issues into investment portfolios, looking to sustainable and responsible investors with a focus on financial performance, who believe in using these investments to promote ESG practices. With a focus on sustainability in relation to business and investment, this expansive book will be a useful guide for finance, business, environment, geography and innovation students, and researchers, practitioners, and policymakers interested in understanding sustainable and responsible investment, specifically for developing countries.

Healing the economic and social wounds inflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic will take time, but the long road to recovery presents a unique opportunity to build back better. To catalyze change and succeed in the post-pandemic era, economic development policy and practice must see the crisis as an opportunity to rethink and redesign regional economic systems. This will involve creating a shared understanding of – and policies to address – the differential impacts of the pandemic across occupations, industries, and socioeconomic groups. Rethinking how existing economic development tools, frameworks, and practices can be optimized has never been more compelling. Special attention must be given to interventions capable of accelerating desirable trends that will shape the next normal in our contemporary discussions on the COVID-19 pandemic. This book explores the challenges and opportunities heralded by the virus in the broadest sense and presents case studies on equitable and inclusive economic recoveries. Regional Economic Systems after COVID-19 offers actionable insights for regional policymakers, business leaders, investment and trade promotion agencies, site selectors, students, scholars, researchers, and organizations involved in tourism, foreign direct investment, and economic development.