The Politics of Energy Research and Development examines and evaluates U.S. research and development policies to promote nuclear, solar, conservation, and other technology options. This volume is the third in the series "Energy Policy Studies, "which explores fundamental, long-term social, political, and economic dimensions of energy technology, resources, and use. Contributions represent a wide range of theoretical and policy perspectives, including sociology, economics, political science, urban and regional studies, environmental analysis, and history and philosophy of technology.

Contents: Richard L. Ottinger, "Introduction: The Tragedy of U.S. Energy R&D Policy"; Amor DEGREES B. Lovins, "The Origins of the Nuclear Power Fiasco"; Richard T. Sylves, "Nuclear Exotica: Peaceful Use of Nuclear Explosives"; Eugene Frankel, "Technology, Politics and Ideology: The Vicissitudes of Federal Solar Energy Policy, 1974-1983"; Maxine Savitz, "The Federal Role in Conservation Research and Development"; J. David Roessner, "Commercialization Issues in Energy Technology Policy"; John Byrne and Daniel Rich, "In Search of the Abundant Energy Machine"; and Grant P. Thompson, "Energy Policy in the Interim: Waiting for the Next Shoe to Drop."

Electoral promises help to win votes and political candidates, or parties should strategically choose what they can deliver to win an election. Past game-theoretical studies tend to ignore electoral promises and this book sheds illuminating light on the functions and effects of electoral promises on policies or electoral outcomes through game theory models. This book provides a basic framework for game-theoretical analysis of electoral promises. The book also includes cases to illustrate real life applications of these theories.

An indispensable roadmap and a refreshingly optimistic take on our economic future: Award-winning New Yorker staff writer and brilliant creator of NPR's Planet Money shows us how the 21st century economic paradigm offers unprecedented opportunities for curious, ambitious individuals to combine the things they love with their careers.

From 'Focus on Intimacy at Scale' to 'Find Your Valuable Five Percent' and 'The Harder Your Core Customer Is to Reach, The Better You Will Do', Adam Davidson lays down the Ground Rules for success in the new economy.

Drawing on inspiring case studies - a sweatshop-owner's daughter fighting for better working conditions, an Amish craftsman meeting the technological needs of his fellow farmers - as well as the latest academic research, he shows us how the twentieth-century economy of scale has given way in this century to an economy of passion.

Davidson's special talent for breaking down daunting economic terminology and making theory accessible have won him not only respect as an economics guru but also most of broadcast journalism's highest honours. In this breath-of-fresh-air book, he inspires us all to see that with intimacy, insight, attention, automation, and of course, passion, we can succeed in this new economic world.

The Cobb-Douglas regression, a statistical technique developed to estimate what economists called a 'production function', was introduced in the late 1920s. For several years, only economist Paul Douglas and a few collaborators used the technique, while vigorously defending it against numerous critics. By the 1950s, however, several economists beyond Douglas's circle were using the technique, and by the 1970s, Douglas's regression, and more sophisticated procedures inspired by it, had become standard parts of the empirical economist's toolkit. This volume is the story of the Cobb-Douglas regression from its introduction to its acceptance as general-purpose research tool. The story intersects with the histories of several important empirical research programs in twentieth century economics, and vividly portrays the challenges of empirical economic research during that era. Fundamentally, this work represents a case study of how a controversial, innovative research tool comes to be widely accepted by a community of scholars.

Brazil features regularly in global comparisons of large developing economies. Yet since the 1980s, the country has been caught in a low-level equilibrium, marked by lackluster growth and destructive inequality. One cause is the country's enduring commitment to a set of ideas and institutions labelled developmentalism. This book argues that developmentalism has endured, despite hyperactive reform, because institutional complementarities across economic and political spheres sustain and drive key actors and strategies that are individually advantageous, but collectively suboptimal. Although there has been incremental evolution in some institutions, complementarities across institutions sustain a pattern of 'decadent developmentalism' that swamps systemic change. Breaking new ground, Taylor shows how macroeconomic and microeconomic institutions are tightly interwoven with patterns of executive-legislative relations, bureaucratic autonomy, and oversight. His analysis of institutional complementarities across these five dimensions is relevant not only to Brazil but also to the broader study of comparative political economy.

In a world of open markets and global trade, development thinking seeks stability and prosperity for the world's poor by expanding access to financial products. This book challenges the development sector's embrace of 'financial inclusion' by exploring how the new risks and instabilities that accompany the pivot towards the global economy undermining the functioning of money itself. Cast against fundamental change in the monetary environment accompanying the globalisation of markets, the book examines the rapid liberalisation of money and markets in Pakistan. It argues that liberalisation has generated substantive problems not only for the central bank as guardian of national currency, but for ordinary households. By pinpointing how globalisation generates new risks for households in the everyday economy, the book reveals jarring contradictions between free markets and financial inclusion whilst challenging money theory by positing substantive and empirically-grounded monetary contestation that demonstrates a burden of risk imposed on ordinary people, that is only exacerbated by financial inclusion.

The Microfinance revolution is usually considered to have been led by the NGOs, donor agencies, and more recently banks who offer poor people financial services. But what can we learn from the ways that poor people already manage their money? What are the essential elements that they prize so much that they are willing to pay high interest rates to money lenders, or spend time and energy setting up elaborate savings clubs? The poor and their money emphasizes the pivotal role of savings in the lives of the poor, and in so doing overturns the common misconception that they are 'too poor to save'. Building on the huge acclaim that followed its first publication, the second edition of The Poor and Their Money brings readers up to date with microfinance developments in the twenty first century, including India's self-help group movement, village banks, and microfinance on Wall Street. It also describes the most detailed accounts to date of poor people's day-to-day financial strategies - their financial diaries. The book's clarity and avoidance of jargon make it appealing not only to microfinance students and practitioners, but to general readers as well.

Can private health insurance fill gaps in publicly financed coverage? Does it enhance access to health care or improve efficiency in health service delivery? Will it provide fiscal relief for governments struggling to raise public revenue for health? This book examines the successes, failures and challenges of private health insurance globally through country case studies written by leading national experts. Each case study considers the role of history and politics in shaping private health insurance and determining its impact on health system performance. Despite great diversity in the size and functioning of markets for private health insurance, the book identifies clear patterns across countries, drawing out valuable lessons for policymakers while showing how history and politics have proved a persistent barrier to effective public policy. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

This Palgrave Pivot presents experiments that reveal core dynamics of trade in a complex system. Monetary trade is stripped of all its complications and placed in agent-based models, a complexity research tool capable of reproducing emergent behaviour and evolution. Included are ground-breaking repeatable experiments exploring the impact of evolutionary prerequisites empirically present in markets. Isolating the core dynamics of trade results in very simple agent-based models. However, decades of complexity research demonstrate that even the simplest systems result in emergent behaviour that is extremely difficult to anticipate. Readers who are only familiar with the linear-system theories and models used to train almost all undergraduate economics students might be surprised to witness price detaching from supply and demand, and extreme poverty and wealth arising in trade systems populated by agents with equal ability and opportunity. Watch as empirical evolutionary prerequisites are introduced and price patterns characterising two different markets - asset markets and speculative markets - emerge irrespective of supply and demand. In addition to laying the groundwork of monetary trade in a complex system, more complicated models feature mortal reproductive agents. Including 'living' populations in economic models reveal how the complexity characteristics of our market economy are impacting impoverishment and starvation. This book invites anyone interested in economics to join the growing ranks of people who are fascinated by the insights offered by complexity research.

Firms are a ubiquitous feature of the economic landscape, with much of the activity undertaken within an economy taking place within their boundaries. Given the size of the contribution made by firms to economic activity, employment and growth, having a theoretical understanding of the nature and structure of firms is crucial for understanding how an economy functions. The Theory of the Firm firstly offers a brief overview of the past, consisting of a concise discussion of the classical view of production, followed by an outline of the development of the neoclassical - or 'textbook' - approach to firm level production. Secondly, the 'present' of the theory of the firm is discussed in three sections. The first section considers the post-1970 theory of the firm literature per se, while the second section scrutinises the relationship between the three most prominent of the modern sets of theories: the reference point, property rights and transaction cost approaches. The third section looks at the theory of privatisation. The unique aspects of this book includes its discussions of the post-1970 contributions to the theory of the firm; the integration of the theory of the entrepreneur with the theory of the firm; and the theory of privatisation. This volume offers an intuitive introduction to the theories of the firm as well as simple formal models of the most important contributions to the literature. It also outlines the historical evolution of the traditional and modern theories of the firm. This book is of great interest to those who study history of economic thought, industrial economics and organizational studies.

For Intermediate Microeconomics courses. Microeconomics exposes students to topics that play a central role in microeconomics. From game theory and competitive strategy, to the roles of uncertainty and information, and the analysis of pricing by firms with market power, the text helps students understand what's going on in the world of business. It also shows students how microeconomics can be used as a practical tool for decision-making and for designing and understanding public policy. The 9th Edition further illustrates microeconomics' relevance and usefulness with new coverage and examples, and an improved exposition that is clear and accessible as well as lively and engaging. With Microeconomics, readers will be able to fully appreciate how a modern economy functions.

This book focuses on the changing gender patterns of work in a global retail environment associated with the rise of contemporary retail and global sourcing. This has affected the working lives of hundreds of millions of workers in high-, middle- and low-income countries. The growth of contemporary retail has been driven by the commercialised production of many goods previously produced unpaid by women within the home. Sourcing is now largely undertaken through global value chains in low- or middle-income economies, using a 'cheap' feminised labour force to produce low-price goods. As women have been drawn into the labour force, households are increasingly dependent on the purchase of food and consumer goods, blurring the boundaries between paid and unpaid work. This book examines how gendered patterns of work have changed and explores the extent to which global retail opens up new channels to leverage more gender-equitable gains in sourcing countries.

The second edition of Behavioral Economics: The Basics summarizes behavioral economics, which uses insights from the social sciences, especially psychology, to explain real-world economic behavior. Behavioral economic insights are routinely used not only to understand the choices people make but also to influence them, whether the aim is to enable citizens to lead healthier and wealthier lives, or to turn browsers into buyers. Revised and updated throughout with fresh current-event examples, Behavioral Economics: The Basics provides a rigorous yet accessible overview of the field that attempts to uncover the psychological processes which mediate all the economic judgements and decisions we make. The book showcases how behavioral economics is rooted in some now-old (philosophical, political, and moral) ideas surrounding economics, and in an important sense is a modern expression of some long-standing criticisms of mainstream economics. It contrasts the neoclassical economic perspective (ECON) with a more realistic perspective (HUMAN – the flesh-and-blood economic agent who is not perfect in all respects but who manages to do the best under limitations and constraints). This is a comprehensive overview of the whole field, covering all the main areas, presented in a rigorous yet accessible form. It should especially appeal to students, those with an interest in applying behavioral economic knowledge in their professional life, and anyone who wants to know how they are being influenced every day of their lives by (usually unseen) behavioral insights.

First published in 1986. The free market is often associated with liberty and individualism, and this connection has been made for more centuries than is generally realised. This essays collected in this book trace the development, importance and influence of the market as a dominating component of the shared human life from classical antiquity to the present. The authors, from various backgrounds, keep constantly in view the moral and political questions raised by the role of markets, as well as laying out succinctly what can be known or deduced about the actual operation of the market in Western and other cultures. This book will be of interest to students of economics and history.

Microeconomics: Theory & Applications, 13th Edition teaches students how fundamental tools of analysis are used explain and predict market phenomena. Designed for both economics and business students, this thorough yet accessible textbook describes basic microeconomic principles using various applications to clarify complicated economic concepts and provides an essential foundation of microeconomics knowledge. Clear and engaging chapters discuss cutting-edge models and explore numerous real-world examples of microeconomic theory in action. Comprehensive and topically relevant, this textbook offers greater coverage of input market analysis and applications than other texts on the subject. In-depth applications, such as consumer choice theory and noncompetitive market models, complement over 100 shorter applications that reinforce the graphical and logical techniques developed in the theory chapters. The authors' innovative use of relatable applications promotes student engagement and comprehension, and facilitates a case-based, active-learning approach. Discussion of globalization, ethics, sustainability, and other important contemporary themes helps students understand how economics impacts their lives in various, often unexpected ways.

Scholars, students, policy makers and business practitioners will find the theoretical and empirical models provided by this book helpful in understanding the economics of technical change at both the micro and macro levels. The major focus is on the question of how economic models can be used to study firms' behavior in the innovation process. The book also stresses strategies that policy makers can use to bolster technical change, technology diffusion, and economic growth.

Goel covers the main topics in the economics of technical change in seven chapters. Each chapter introduces a discussion of key issues and research of the area. This is followed by detailed models on key topics. The reader is exposed to general issues, as well as a detailed insight into one or two of the most crucial issues. This provides a familiarity with the current state of economic research and unresolved questions in the area.

This book is a timely exploration of an unprecedented, cataclysmic pandemic episode. It examines certain critical aspects of socio-scientific theory across a variety of diverse themes, and through an epistemic lens. The book investigates the general theory of pandemic episodes and their adverse long-term effects on human and environmental wellbeing. It includes an in-depth study of COVID-19 but also looks to the future to contemplate potential pandemics to come. The existing approach to the study of pandemics is critically examined in terms of the prevalent isolated and thus mutated way of viewing human and mechanical relations in the name of specialization and modernity. The book presents a novel model of science-economy-society moral inclusiveness that forms a distinctive theoretical approach to the issue of normalizing all forms of pandemic challenges. It is methodologically different from existing economic theory, including the critical study of microeconomic foundations of macroeconomics. Human and environmental existence along with its multidisciplinary outlook of unity of knowledge between modernity, traditionalism, and socio-cultural values is emphasized in the treatment and cure of pandemic episodes. The book is a unique reference work, offering fresh wisdom within the moral methodological worldview.

This book is novel in that it reveals significant issues of economics, management and business fields currently observed in network industries such as public utilities and transportation, and provides empirical evidence of their mechanisms and policy implications from various perspectives. This is a holistic collection of literature on public utilities economics and management, since the industries discussed include a wide range such as electricity, water supply, sewerage, transport, and postal service, which compound social infrastructure as public benefit service, and the issues examined contain not only economics topics such as cost, efficiency, and productivity, but also management topics such as governance, strategy and organizational restructuring. The book also investigates general private companies to derive future implications for policy and governance of public utilities, and covers multiple countries such as Japan, the US, and Vietnam. It demonstrates various empirical approaches and methodologies for public utility analysis through 17 chapters by experts in each field, which contributes to further cultivation of empirical studies in public utilities.

Bayesian econometric methods have enjoyed an increase in popularity in recent years. Econometricians, empirical economists, and policymakers are increasingly making use of Bayesian methods. This handbook is a single source for researchers and policymakers wanting to learn about Bayesian methods in specialized fields, and for graduate students seeking to make the final step from textbook learning to the research frontier. It contains contributions by leading Bayesians on the latest developments in their specific fields of expertise. The volume provides broad coverage of the application of Bayesian econometrics in the major fields of economics and related disciplines, including macroeconomics, microeconomics, finance, and marketing. It reviews the state of the art in Bayesian econometric methodology, with chapters on posterior simulation and Markov chain Monte Carlo methods, Bayesian nonparametric techniques, and the specialized tools used by Bayesian time series econometricians such as state space models and particle filtering. It also includes chapters on Bayesian principles and methodology.

In How Language Informs Mathematics Dirk Damsma shows how Hegel's and Marx's systematic dialectical analysis of mathematical and economic language helps us understand the structure and nature of mathematical and capitalist systems. More importantly, Damsma shows how knowledge of the latter can inform model assumptions and help improve models. His book provides a blueprint for an approach to economic model building that does away with arbitrarily chosen assumptions and is sensitive to the institutional structures of capitalism. In light of the failure of mainstream economics to understand systemic failures like the financial crisis and given the arbitrary character of most assumptions in mainstream models, such an approach is desperately needed.

For centuries Andean civilization and ecology has afforded a special fascination for European travellers and officials. In this volume, eight writers - anthropologists, economists and historians working in Bolivia, Britain, France, Ireland and Peru - describe and analyse aspects of rural society in various Andean regions. They focus on the impact of capitalist development on both the peasant economy and the landed elite in the Andes and the ways in which that impact has been shaped by a specific Andean culture and a characteristic Andean ecology and climate. Their discussion of Andean specificity centres on the notion of verticality, first developed by John Murra to describe political and economic adaptation to climatic variation in the Andean eco-system. The volume represents a substantial contribution to our understanding of Andean rural society and the nature of the Latin American peasantry and peasant economy. It will appeal to all those interested in economic anthropology, Latin America, peasant studies and the capitalist world-economy.

Entrepreneurship is often focused on understanding new ventures, but the entrepreneurial flame is required in growing organisations too. This textbook examines how organisations can become more entrepreneurial to achieve sustainable growth.

The authors show how entrepreneurship can be used to address crisis points of growth within small firms and to overcome the limitations of stagnation within large firms. By integrating entrepreneurship and innovation management, the book presents a framework to diagnose entrepreneurial behaviour within existing firms. Drawing upon research and reflecting practice across a range of industries, from football, through Silicon Valley, to the retail sector, it includes insights from leading practitioners.

The authors build an understanding of entrepreneurship in context to provide diagnostic tools to help organisations make entrepreneurship central to their culture. This unique text is therefore useful reading for business students from advanced undergraduate to executive education.

Table of Contents

1. How to Build an Entrepreneurial Organisation

2. Entrepreneurial Strategy

3. Strategy in Practice: insights from an entrepreneurial multinational

4. Entrepreneurial Culture and Leadership: structure, processes and people

5. Building a Culture of Entrepreneurship in Practice

6. Entrepreneurship with External Stakeholders

7. Managing Uncertainty and Failure

8. Building an Ambidextrous Organisation

9. Diagnosing an Entrepreneurial Change Programme