Chartered by the crown in 1474, the Merchant Adventurers was England's preeminent regulated international trading company until the early nineteenth century. It functioned as a guild, with members who were the only merchants entitled to export finished cloth from the growing English woolen industry, which gave them an unchallenged monopoly. It was the only company entitled to export cloth from England to other countries. The organization served as a social channel for its members, who built The Merchant Adventurers Hall at York in the North of England after the group was formed in 1357. This source book collects eighteen substantial documents written between 1407 and 1805, the most important years of the society's history. This group includes the Charter of 1407, extracts from the Charter of Edward IV (1462) and the Laws and Ordinances of 1608. Taken together, these records form one of the most detailed pictures of business organizations and methods during the later Tudor, the Stuart, and the early Hanoverian eras. With detailed notes and an extensive introduction. CONTENTS The Merchant Adventurers, A Brief History The Laws and Ordinances The Rise and State of the Fellowship The Statute of 1497 Extracts from Wheeler, A Treatise of Commerce Residence towns of the Adventurers The number of freemen Extract from "the Debate betweene the Heraides" The Charter of 1407 Extracts from the Charter of Edward IV, 1462 Extracts from the Charter of Elizabeth of 1464 List of the Foreign Grants and Privileges of the Fellowship Abstract of the Privileges of the Merchant Adventurers at Dort Extracts from the Court Register of the Company Ordinance of the Lords and Commons, 1643 Extract from the Act of 1688, "laying open "the trade of the Society Correspondence by Wm. Rycant, Resident at Hamburg Letter from the States General of Holland concerning those of the Society still left in the City of Dort, 1751 Letter from Lord Bute to Mr. Mathias, 1761, and the French note concerning the establishment of a French Company Correspondence of Thornton, 1805 By-law of 1688 (continued from pages 197) "The bulk of this volume is devoted to the "Laws, Customes and Ordinances of the ffellowshippe of Merchantes Adventurers of the Realm of England, etc.," a large folio volume of over 200 pages kept since 1852 among the additional manuscripts of the British Museum, and probably compiled between 1608 and 1611. In these pages we have the public and official side of one of the great mediaeval industries of England-the continental distribution of the woollen goods for which that kingdom was once so remarkable. Though the society may be said to have lived for six centuries, from the twelfth to the beginning of the nineteenth, its chief activity seems to have been from the fifteenth to the middle of the eighteenth, first in the North of France and in the Low Countries, and then at Hamburg. The extensive private records of the "Merchant Adventurers" have not yet been found but enough original material exists in this volume to throw much light on the beginnings of the continental commerce of England, especially in the period when the English were ceasing to export the raw wool and taking up at home the manufacture of cloth for the continental market. Thereby the prosperity of Florence and other cities of Northern Italy was affected in no small degree, and the balance of industrial daring and consequent wealth moved northward. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries the rivalries of the Emperor and the Crown of England transferred the "Staple" or warehouses of the society from Antwerp to Hamburg, and brought on a long warfare with the Hanseatic League, that ended disastrously enough for the former." Thomas J. Shahan, The Catholic University Bulletin, Volume 8, No. 4, October, 1902

The United States holds strategic stockpiles of nearly 100 industrial minerals, metals, and other commodities. These stockpiles have influenced the world commodity markets in many ways. This work brings together in one place, documentary and statistical evidence about the size and nature of the U.S. strategic stockpiles, and the ways in which this influence has been evidenced, in markets for the important industrial metals.

In his penetrating analysis of Mexico's current economic, political, and social situation, Ramirez focuses on the major structural problems that underlie the nation's profound economic difficulties and the challenges they pose to its people. Writing for both economists and political scientists, Ramirez offers a framework of analysis for a better understanding of Mexico's economic crisis -- one based on an in-depth examination of both its historical origins and its present ramifications. The discussion is supported by comprehensive coverage of the relevant economic data, making this one of the most thorough treatments of the subject available in print.

Following an introductory chapter that provides essential background information, Ramirez addresses the historical and institutional background of the current situation. His study is unusually broad-based in scope, encompassing such issues as the social costs of modernization and the legacy of revolution during the first part of this century, Cardenas and the revolutionary process, economic growth via import-substitution policies, the exhaustion of the Mexican growth model during the 1970s and 1980s, the IMF austerity program. The final chapters present cogently argued policy recommendations -- including alternatives to the austerity measures imposed by international lending organizations. Ramirez's conclusions regarding the causes of Mexico's economic decline and his predictions for the country's economic future make an important contribution to the debate over Mexico's economic survival.

This book details very simply and for even the most novice of potential analysts not only how to perform analytics which describe what is happening, predict what is going to happen, and optimize responses, but also places these analytics in the context of proactive strategy development.

In this groundbreaking new study, Clements assesses the impact of alternative foreign trade strategies--export promotion and import substitution--on employment and income distribution in Brazil. The first work to evaluate specifically the impact of Brazil's foreign trade policies on income distribution, this volume uses a modified input-output technique to assess income distribution questions.

This volume discusses the determinants of happiness and presents case studies of how public policy can help promote happiness. Happiness is a private matter and individual pursuit, however public policy does have an important role and can contribute much through various enabling means. Possible examples of such influence include establishing a set of institutions that allow private enterprises to flourish, investing in infrastructure and in education, protecting people from harm and reducing risks and alleviating pain when harm is unavoidable. This book takes a multidisciplinary approach that encompasses Economics, Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology, Political Science and an international perspective.

This book sheds new light on long-established concepts of microeconomic production theory and combines general theoretical analysis with references to management tools. It deals with concepts of microeconomic production theory, using the fund-flow model of Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen as a basic reference. This long-neglected model allows for a representation of productive operations that can easily be accommodated to empirical application.

A Basic Income Guarantee (BIG) is the unconditional government-ensured guarantee that all citizens will have enough income to meet their basic needs without a work requirement. Significant questions include: Why should we adopt a BIG? Can the U.S. afford it? Why don't the current welfare programs work? Why not guarantee everyone a job? Would anyone work if his or her income were guaranteed? Has a BIG ever been tested? This book answers these questions and many more in simple, easy-to-understand language.

Despite the promise for international development, despite the proven track record of exceptional loan repayment rates, and despite the development of competitive markets in countries like Bolivia, Peru and Bangladesh or the global expansion of microfinance access to tens of millions of new clients, little research has explored the impact this expansion has had on global poverty and economic and social development in general. To address this gap, this volume brings together leaders in the microfinance industry and researchers representing a range of academic disciplines. Our goal is to outline a multidisciplinary research agenda for the field. The topics addressed in this volume and the questions posed can serve to guide social scientists, technology experts, development specialists, investors, microfinance practitioners, policymakers and students.

Global changes in business and tax environments are having profound impact on the volume and direction of intrafirm trade and transfer pricing strategies. Tang reports on the findings of a survey of 95 Fortune 1000 companies, sponsored by the Institute of Management Accountants, and provides highly relevant information not easily found on how companies are reacting to this new business environment. He covers corporate financial goals and strategies and divisonal performance measurements systems, among other topics, and gives highly detailed case studies based on reports from five major respondents to his survey: Whirlpool, Dow Chemical, Guidant Corporation, Masco, and Eaton. Tang's book is essential, up-to-date reading for upper level students, researchers, analysts, and corporate executives in multinational firms worldwide. Tang starts with a presentation of the major changes in the global business environment and explains their impact on intrafirm trade and transfer pricing. In Chapter 2 he reports results of his questionnaire survey, and in Chapters 3 to 7 examines up close the details revealed in his five corporate case studies. He compares these corporations in Chapter 8, focusing on corporate strategies and financial goals, transfer pricing and performance evaluation practices, and concommitant tax planning strategies. He then relates his case study research to other major findings derived from his questionnaire survey, and ends the book with a general, summarizing, analytical conclusion.

Arab entrepreneurs in Israel form part of a traditional, yet peripheral, ethnic minority attempting to integrate into Israel's larger economy. This study, based on extensive fieldwork, focuses on the obstacles that these Arab entrepreneurs and new industrialists must overcome in their development towards industrialization. The research exposes a highly flexible entrepreneurial culture making use of a limited set of opportunities and resources. The work makes a strong contribution to comparative cross-cultural research and theoretical formulations on issues of ethnic entrepreneurship.

You just know that an improvement of the user interface will reap rewards, but how do you justify the expense and the labor and the time guarantee a robust ROI ahead of time? How do you decide how much of an investment should be funded? And what is the best way to sell usability to others?
In this completely revised and new edition, Randolph G. Bias (University of Texas at Austin, with 25 years experience as a usability practitioner and manager) and Deborah J. Mayhew (internationally recognized usability consultant and author of two other seminal books including The Usability Engineering Lifecycle) tackle these and many other problems. It has been updated to cover cost-justifying usability for Web sites and intranets, for the complex applications we have today, and for a host of products offering techniques, examples, and cases that are unavailable elsewhere. No matter what type of product you build, whether or not you are a cost-benefit expert or a born salesperson, this book has the tools that will enable you to cost-justify the appropriate usability investment.
.Includes contributions by a host of experts involved in this work, including Aaron Marcus, Janice Rohn, Chauncey Wilson, Nigel Bevan, Dennis Wixon, Clare-Marie Karat, Susan Dray, Charles Mauro, and many others;
.Includes actionable ideas for every phase of the software development process;
.Includes case studies from inside a variety of companies;
.Includes ideas from "the other side of the table," software executives who hold the purse strings, who offer thoughts on which proposals for usability support they've funded, and which ones they've declined."

This book examines transaction cost economics, the influential theoretical perspective on organizations and industry that was the subject of Oliver Williamson's seminal book, Markets and Hierarchies (1975). Written by leading economists, sociologists, and political scientists, the essays collected here reflect the fruitful intellectual exchange that is occurring across the major social science disciplines. They examine transaction cost economics' general conceptual orientation, its specific theoretical propositions, its applications to policy, and its use in systematic empirical research. The chapters include classic texts, broad review essays, reflective commentaries, and several new contributions to a wide range of topics, including organizations, regulations and law, institutions, strategic management, game theory, entrepreneurship, innovation, finance, and technical information.

Managers are often under great pressure to improve the performance of their organizations. To improve performance, one needs to constantly evaluate operations or processes related to producing products, providing services, and marketing and selling products. Performance evaluation and benchmarking are a widely used method to identify and adopt best practices as a means to improve performance and increase productivity, and are particularly valuable when no objective or engineered standard is available to define efficient and effective performance. For this reason, benchmarking is often used in managing service operations, because service standards (benchmarks) are more difficult to define than manufacturing standards. Benchmarks can be established but they are somewhat limited as they work with single measurements one at a time. It is difficult to evaluate an organization's performance when there are multiple inputs and outputs to the system. The difficulties are further enhanced when the relationships between the inputs and the outputs are complex and involve unknown tradeoffs. It is critical to show benchmarks where multiple measurements exist. The current book introduces the methodology of data envelopment analysis (DEA) and its uses in performance evaluation and benchmarking under the context of multiple performance measures.

This book covers a wide spectrum of issues in behavioural game theory (BGT), ranging from players' heterogeneity, social preferences and reciprocity, to learning, information and punishment in public good games. The book opens up the interdisciplinary aspects of BGT, and presents models which are tested through experimental methods.

This collection of essays examines the development of the American South from the end of the Civil War to the end of World War II. Written by both well-known and emerging scholars, the essays are divided into sections that address some of the major issues of that era, such as race relations, economic development, political reform, the roles of southern women, the messages of folk music, and the problems of the region's historians. Each article offers fresh insights or new information on its subject, and collectively the articles help to illuminate how the most traditional of American regions tried to cope with the forces of modernization.

The Microeconomics of Risk and Information covers the principal areas in the field, including risk aversion, simple portfolio theory, precautionary savings, production under risk, risk sharing in the Edgeworth box, adverse selection and moral hazard. Keeping to a strict two-dimensional environment and using only some basic calculus, this textbook is written principally for students of advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate courses in economics, finance, and other fields, who have studied microeconomics at the intermediate level. Compact and clear, the book reflects the author's twenty-year experience teaching the course in the one-semester format to students around the world.

Trading across borders, export intermediaries are specialized service firms that connect domestic manufacturers with overseas buyers. How do they do it? What determines their success or failure? Have they really lowered transaction costs for their clients, minimized agency costs, and possessed competitive resources and capabilities in world trade? Surprisingly, no study until now has answered these questions or has explored the underlying issues as thoroughly as Peng does here.

Peng develops an integrated model of export intermediary performance. He focuses on the nature of export transactions and manufacturer-intermediary relationships which may lead to agency problems, and underlines the importance of valuable, unique, and hard-to-imitate resources and capabilities for intermediaries' competitive advantages. Peng employs a distinct analytical approach that highlights three underlying themes--transactions, agents, and resources--then tests his model with six critical case studies and a 1,000-firm mail survey. Operators of export intermediaries seeking ways to improve their performance, aspiring entrepreneurs studying the export business for niche opportunities, manufacturing executives seeking top quality service from export intermediaries, and government officials in charge of export promotion and pertinent legislation--all will find Peng's book a useful examination of issues critical to their work.

This text explores the rise of consumerism and the expanding variety of goods available in Japan. Japan is placed within the comparative context of the 'consumer revolution' in Europe and North America, contributing to the analysis of the ways in which consumption and everyday life change in the course of economic development.

This book focuses on the concepts of social capital, corporate social responsibility, and economic development in relation to economic theory of institutions and behavioural economics. It also takes a macroeconomic and empirical approach, on the relationship between social capital, ethical behaviour and economic development.

This textbook presents the basics of game theory both on an undergraduate level and on a more advanced mathematical level. It is the second, revised version of the successful 2008 edition. The book covers most topics of interest in game theory, including cooperative game theory. Part I presents introductions to all these topics on a basic yet formally precise level. It includes chapters on repeated games, social choice theory, and selected topics such as bargaining theory, exchange economies, and matching. Part II goes deeper into noncooperative theory and treats the theory of zerosum games, refinements of Nash equilibrium in strategic as well as extensive form games, and evolutionary games. Part III covers basic concepts in the theory of transferable utility games, such as core and balancedness, Shapley value and variations, and nucleolus. Some mathematical tools on duality and convexity are collected in Part IV. Every chapter in the book contains a problem section. Hints, answers and solutions are included.

This book challenges the generally accepted theories of classical economics, explaining why the expected utility theory, even if it were true, fails to be of much help in solving economic controversies.

The human factor has received scant attention in modern Economics, however this volume redresses the balance by incorporating human psychology into economic analysis. This book constructs a new basic structure model of economic circulation based on a new flow-like concept of utility (diminishing utility) and analyzes the direct relationship between human psychology and economic fluctuation, while expanding it into a consistent explanation of the generation and the collapse of financial bubbles.