Indirect taxes have become an increasingly important revenue-raising tool for governments in developed countries. In this book, John Creedy applies his wealth of experience and expertise to the analysis of indirect taxes and, in particular, concentrates on the modelling of indirect tax reform and its distributional implications.Initially, he examines the implications of alternative indirect tax systems and provides an introductory survey of various measures of welfare change and excess burden in the context of indirect taxes. He pays particular attention to the measurement issues involved and uses partial equilibrium models to uncover various aspects of tax reform. Specifically, he: addresses the questions of measuring welfare changes arising from price changes examines the built-in flexibility of various forms of consumption taxation calculates the possible redistributive effects of indirect taxes and illustrates his methods using case study examples of the indirect tax system in Australia examines the horizontal inequity of different consumption taxes considers the optimal direction of small changes in indirect tax rates analyses the positive and negative effects of a carbon tax Modelling Indirect Taxes and Tax Reform will be useful to scholars and policymakers interested in public economics and finance and modelling taxes.

In recent years, household indebtedness in the United States reached its highest levels in history. From mortgages to student loans, from credit card bills to US deficit spending, debt is widespread and increasing. Drawing on scholarship from economics, accounting, and critical rhetoric and social theory, Kellie Sharp-Hoskins critiques debt not as an economic indicator or a tool of finance but as a cultural system. Through case studies of the student-loan crisis, medical debt, and the abuses of municipal bonds, Sharp-Hoskins reveals that debt is a rhetorical construct entangled in broader systems of wealth, rule, and race. Perhaps more than any other social marker or symbol, the concept of “debt” indicates differences between wealthy and poor, productive and lazy, secure and risky, worthy and unworthy. Tracking the emergence and work of debt across temporal and spatial scales reveals how it exacerbates vulnerabilities and inequities under the rhetorical cover of individual, moral, and volitional calculation and equivalency. A new perspective on a serious problem facing our society, Rhetoric in Debt not only reveals how debt organizes our social and cultural relations but also provides a new conceptual framework for a more equitable world.

This important and timely book examines the impact of different financial systems on investment. It considers the increasing effects of globalization on the relationship between national financial systems and investment, which is especially relevant in light of the recent Asian crisis. Marc Schaberg explores the way in which countries finance investment and the institutional arrangements which are in place for channelling finance to investment projects. He specifically examines the patterns of sources and uses of funds in non-financial enterprise sectors in the US, UK, France, Japan and Germany. Using time series data and econometric tests, he measures and categorises the financial systems of these countries. He also assesses the empirical evidence to question the commonly held assumption that financial systems are converging. Globalization and the Erosion of National Financial Systems will be welcomed by students and scholars working in the areas of money and banking as well as by financial economists.

Global Bank Regulation: Principles and Policies covers the global regulation of financial institutions. It integrates theories, history, and policy debates, thereby providing a strategic approach to understanding global policy principles and banking. The book features definitions of the policy principles of capital regularization, the main justifications for prudent regulation of banks, the characteristics of tools used regulate firms that operate across all time zones, and a discussion regarding the 2007-2009 financial crises and the generation of international standards of financial institution regulation. The first four chapters of the book offer justification for the strict regulation of banks and discuss the importance of financial safety. The next chapters describe in greater detail the main policy networks and standard setting bodies responsible for policy development. They also provide information about bank licensing requirements, leading jurisdictions, and bank ownership and affiliations. The last three chapters of the book present a thorough examination of bank capital regulation, which is one of the most important areas in international banking. The text aims to provide information to all economics students, as well as non-experts and experts interested in the history, policy development, and theory of international banking regulation.

This innovative book proposes a new institutional arrangement for government to fulfil the needs of its citizens as well as possible. Existing aspects of federalism and direct democracy in Europe are strengthened, and as a result future developments arising in the region are coped with better. In this book Bruno Frey and Reiner Eichenberger propose a new model of federalism which includes new types of governmental units established by citizens from below. These units are called functional, overlapping and competing jurisdictions as they extend over task-specific areas and therefore overlap. They also provide competitive governance via direct and representative democratic institutions, and as jurisdictions they have independent power over taxation policy. This new model is more responsive to citizens' preferences and adjusts more dynamically to provide public services efficiently. The authors suggest that this new system should be allowed to develop in Europe to safeguard diversity and ensure that decentralization emerges effectively. It would also allow for the flexible integration of East European transition economies into the European Union and may also combine with traditional modes of government in developing countries. This book will be warmly welcomed by economists, political scientists and sociologists interested in the future of the European Union, by all those studying federal systems of government, and by those interested in the prospects for improving democratic institutions throughout the world.

This outstanding collection of Michael Brennan's writing spans almost thirty years and reflects the rapid development and growing importance of the field of finance over this period.The papers cover corporate finance, option pricing and derivative markets, international finance and the role of information in financial markets. The chapters on corporate finance include Brennan's seminal 1970 paper on the effects of personal taxation on financial market equilibrium, an analysis of consistency in utility rate regulation and the classic piece on the application of options analysis to natural resource investments. The chapters on option pricing range from the earliest analysis of the American put option to a synthesis of methods of valuing derivatives, portfolio insurance and the effect of derivatives on trading volume and welfare. More recent papers include empirical asset pricing studies and an innovative proposal to strip the dividends from the S&P500 portfolio. Michael Brennan has been at the forefront of recent developments in financial economics and financial management and this collection of his work will be warmly welcomed by those working in finance, monetary economics, banking and financial sector research.

This book provides the first comprehensive comparative analysis of the emerging civil service systems in 9 Central and East European states. Its comparative nature provides a fascinating insight into the emerging patterns of administrative development in the region since the beginning of the transition period. The authors apply the same methodological framework developed by the Civil Service Research Consortium to all the country case studies, which gives the book a high level of coherence and enhances the comparability of the country case studies. This methodological framework provides a solid background for the in-depth analysis of the history of the civil service system, internal labour market, public opinion, relations between politicians and administrators and civil service reform and development. Special attention is given to topical issues such as the influence of the European Union on the emerging civil service systems and possibility of European Union candidature. Civil Service Systems in Central and Eastern Europe will be warmly welcomed by academics and advanced level students in public administration, law, political science and transition studies as well as policymakers and international organizations helping to develop civil services in former communist countries.

A compelling argument for placing entrepreneurship at the heart of economic development provides a guidebook for how this can be done efficiently, effectively, and equitably. Investing in Entrepreneurs: A Strategic Approach for Strengthening Your Regional and Community Economy offers a compelling argument for making the support of entrepreneurship the centerpiece of local and regional economic development—and provides a plan to make it happen. The book is organized around a tool, developed by the authors, that permits a community to strategically map and manage its business assets in a way that can transform its economy. Investing in Entrepreneurs begins with a reflection on the importance of entrepreneurship, a discussion of its diminished place in economic development, and a call for its rise back to prominence. The importance of managing entrepreneurial assets is discussed, followed by a thorough articulation of the author's tool for accomplishing this in a holistic and strategic manner. Examples drawn from the authors' fieldwork illustrate the many ways in which the tool can be utilized to guide economic development efforts. A final chapter discusses possible resistance to this innovation and how that resistance can be successfully addressed.

Greece isn't the only country drowning in debt. The Debt Supercycle--when the easily managed, decades-long growth of debt results in a massive sovereign debt and credit crisis--is affecting developed countries around the world, including the United States. For these countries, there are only two options, and neither is good--restructure the debt or reduce it through austerity measures. "Endgame" details the Debt Supercycle and the sovereign debt crisis, and shows that, while there are no good choices, the worst choice would be to ignore the deleveraging resulting from the credit crisis. The book: Reveals why the world economy is in for an extended period of sluggish growth, high unemployment, and volatile markets punctuated by persistent recessionsReviews global markets, trends in population, government policies, and currencies

Around the world, countries are faced with difficult choices. "Endgame" provides a framework for making those choices.

Now in a fully revised and updated third edition, this essential textbook introduces the fundamentals of sport finance and sound financial management in the sport industry. It is still the only textbook to explain every aspect of finance from the perspective of the sport management practitioner, explaining key concepts and showing how to apply them in practice in the context of sport. The text begins by covering finance basics and the tools and techniques of financial quantification, using industry examples to apply the principles of financial management to sport. It then goes further, to show how financial management works specifically in the sport industry. Discussions include interpreting financial statements, debt and equity financing, capital budgeting, facility financing, economic impact, risk and return, time value of money, and more. The final part of the book examines financial management in four sectors of the industry: public sector sport, collegiate athletics, professional sport, and international sport. It provides an in-depth analysis of the mechanics of financial management within each of these sport sectors. Useful features, such as sidebars, concept checks, practice problems, case analysis and case questions will help students engage more deeply with financial techniques and encourage problem-solving skills. This new edition includes a completely new chapter on international sport, reflecting the globalized nature of the modern sport industry, as well expanded coverage of current issues such as digital media finance, recent legal cases affecting collegiate sport, and the central importance of collective bargaining. Financial Management in the Sport Industry is an essential textbook for any undergraduate or postgraduate course in sport finance, and an invaluable supplement to any course in sport business or sport management. It is also an important reference for all sport management practitioners looking to improve their understanding of finance. The book is accompanied by updated and expanded ancillary materials, including an instructor's manual, PowerPoint slides, and an image bank.

The market for retirement financial advice has never been more important and yet more in flux. The long-term shift away from traditional defined benefit pensions toward defined contribution personal accounts requires all of us to be more sophisticated today than ever before. However, the landscape for financial advice is changing all over the world, with new rules and regulations transforming the financial advice profession. This volume explores the market for retirement financial advice, to explain what financial advisors do and how to measure performance and impact. Who are these professionals and what standards must they abide by? How do they make money and what are their incentives? How can one protect clients from bad advice, and what is good advice? Does advice alone effect changes in personal habits? Answering these questions, along with new technology that will decrease the delivery costs of advice, will play a transformative role in helping more households receive the quality financial advice that they need. Accordingly, this volume illuminates the market and regulatory challenges so as to enhance consumer, plan sponsor, and regulator decisions.