In November 1997 Hungarians voted in favor of membership in NATO, primarily as a step toward membership in the European Union and integration into Western society. Andor examines the changes in Hungarian social, political, and economic life after the collapse of communism in Central Europe. He analyzes the difficulties, both internal and external, to making that transition.

In the early 1990s, public discourse was dominated by the enthusiastic slogans proclaiming Hungary's return to Europe. Things can only get better was the prevailing feeling surrounding the dismantling of the state socialist system and the construction of the new parliamentary democracy. From the very early years of transition, however, Hungarians faced large-scale and unexpected hardships in their changing lives which made them the most disappointed nation in Eastern Europe by 1993. In the second half of the 1990s, the policies of the Socialist-Liberal coalition, and particularly the positive developments in the enlargement process of NATO and the EU, restored the belief in a rapid and successful accession to the major Western economic and security organizations. But, as Andor indicates, the beginnings of negotiations about entry into NATO and EU will be merely the starting point of difficulties arising in both economics and politics. A thoughtful and cautious look at a changing Hungary that will be of interest to scholars, researchers, and policymakers involved with Central Europe and contemporary European politics and economics.

This book discusses various aspects of blockchains in economic systems and investment strategies in crypto markets. It first addresses the topic from a conceptual and theoretical point of view, and then analyzes it from an assessment and investment angle. Further, it examines the opportunities and limitations of the taxation of crypto currency, as well as the political implications, such as regulation of speculation with crypto currencies. The book is intended for academicians and students in the fields of economics and finance.

This book provides an economic analysis of various aspects of 'market quality', a new concept which emerged in the 21st century, using the tools of 'oligopoly theory' and 'auction theory' that evolved over the 19th and 20th centuries. In the economics literature the link between the theories of oligopoly and auctions with market quality remains largely unexplored. This book attempts to forge such a link as it brings together relevant theoretical results in the literature on these topics under a unified framework. While the book is mainly theoretical in nature, it also discusses some specific issues related to the problems of market quality in emerging economies like India. Illustrated by carefully chosen examples, this book is highly recommended to readers who seek an in-depth and up-to-date integrated overview of the new field of market quality economics and are interested in some open research problems in this area. How should auctions and other allocation mechanisms be designed for oligopolistic industries to achieve such goals as efficiency, high-quality output and fast production? Krishnendu Ghosh Dastidar's book offers novel analysis of this question and also some interesting answers. Highly recommended. Eric S. Maskin, Nobel laureate in Economics

Building on his companion volume on closed economic systems, Dompere develops a theory of aggregate investment, optimal capital, and output dynamics for open economic systems under neo-Keynesian conditions with special reference to growth policy. By constructing and tracing the path of equilibrium aggregate investment, the study isolates and analyzes the internal and external factors that influence the adjusting of investment to aggregate finance and profit. It examines the role international trade and finance play in alleviating domestic technological and savings constraints on capital creation and growth. The theory's conclusions are used to analyze the rate of accumulation and finance needed to support a rate of output growth selected as part of an internal aggregate decision process. The analysis is extended to aggregrate development capital-output planning. The study goes on to discuss conceptual and aggregational problems of measures of economic openness implied in the data requirements across national economies. Here a unique set of theoretical measures of economic openness, different from the traditional, is developed. The book, further, presents a critique and appraisal of the essential capital elements implied by endogenous growth theory.

For Marxists, imperialism is the highest stage of capitalism. Critical analysis of imperialism has been a feature of Marxist throughout the twentieth century. The conceptualising and theorising of imperialism by Marxists has evolved over time in response to developments in the global capitalist economy and in international politics. Murray Noonan here provides the first complete analysis of Marxist theories of imperialism in over two decades. Presenting three phases of imperialist theories, he analyses and compares 'Classical', 'Neo' and 'Globalisation-era' Marxist theories of imperialism. The book moves chronologically, tracking the origins of imperialism theorised by J.A. Hobson at the beginning of the twentieth century up to the present day. He critically identifies and engages with a new 'Globalisation-era' phase of Marxist imperialism theory. Through a detailed scholarly analysis of the history and evolution of these theories, Noonan offers vital new perspectives on imperialist theory and its relevance and application in the twenty-first century.

The volume focuses on privatisation in transition countries, addressing issues ranging from corporate governance to the relationship between privatisation and the emergence of markets, from a multi-disciplinary perspective. The contributors investigate both the theoretical groundwork of privatisation and enterprise restructuring as well as recent empirical evidence. The contributions show that changes in ownership titles are but one part of the story, being closely interwoven as they are with the transformation of corporate governance, enterprise restructuring, network transformation and the emergence of markets.

This book expands the foundations of general systems theory to enable progress beyond the rich heuristic practices available today. It establishes a foundational framework for the development of scientific transdisciplinary systems principles and shows how these can amplify the potential of individuals and teams working in multi-, inter- and transdisciplinary contexts or striving to translate their progress across disciplinary boundaries. Three general scientific systems principles are presented, and their relevance to the design, analysis, management and transformation of systems is explored. Applying lessons from the history and philosophy science, this book disambiguates key concepts of general systemology, clarifies the role of general systemology within the field of systemology, and explains how general systemology supports other forms of transdisciplinarity. These insights are used to develop new perspectives, strategies and tools for addressing long-standing challenges to the advancement and transdisciplinary application of general insights into the nature of complex systems.The material presented in this book includes comprehensive models of the structure of systemology as a disciplinary field, the structure and significance of the general systems worldview, and the role of general systemology as the heart of systems science, systems engineering and systems practice. It explains what a fully-fledged general theory of systems would look like, what its potential is, what routes are available to us to develop it further, and how to leverage the knowledge we have attained so far. Many examples and analogies show how general systemology has the potential to enable scientific discovery, insightful theory building, and practical innovation in all the disciplines as they study, design, nurture or transform complex systems. This book is essential reading for anyone wishing to master the concepts, terminology, models and strategies needed to make effective use of current general systems knowledge and to engage in the further development of the philosophy, science, and practice of general systemology.

The book examines how the interests of the member states, which provide the primary driving force for developments in European integration, are internalised and addressed by the law of the European Union. In this context, member state interests are taken to mean the policy considerations, economic calculations, local socio-cultural factors, and the raw expressions of political will which shape EU policies and determine member state responses to the obligations arising from those policies. The book primarily explores the junctions and disjunctions between member state interests defined in such a manner and EU law, where the latter expresses either an obligation for the member states to comply with common policies or an acceptance of member state particularism under the common EU framework.

With the collapse of the Eastern Bloc, Central and Eastern European states have had to confront fundamental changes in economic, social, and governmental structures. So far, many of these countries in transition from a command to a market-based system have experienced rapid deterioration of socioeconomic conditions and standards of living. Although there have been successes in some areas, such as greater political and consumer choices, the overall situation has reached crisis proportions, as evidenced by increased unemployment, crime, and family disorganization.

The essays in this collection address significant issues dealing with the frameworks of social justice and equality, policies for families and women, implications for the welfare state, and the impact on health care. As such, the collection is invaluable for all scholars and researchers involved with contemporary Central and Eastern European public policy and social conditions.

This book presents startling evidence that state monopolies can produce better outcomes than the free market. It provides an empirical comparison of the property insurance market in five European countries: Britain, Spain, France, Switzerland, and Germany. The market and cost structures of insurers in each country are described, and particular features of each market and the outcomes for customers examined. The regulatory frameworks vary widely from country to country and so do the market outcomes, both in terms of premium level and in terms of available insurance cover. In view of the increase in major floods and other forms of natural damage (such as subsidence) over the last decades, the non-availability of insurance cover in many competitive insurance systems is likely to become a major political issue. This book shows that state monopoly is an adequate policy response. Competitive insurance systems are shown to provide incomplete cover at a substantially higher cost. In mixed systems, where the private sector can obtain reinsurance from the state (such a system is being tried in France) the state tends to end up paying most of the costs (it reinsures most of the bad risks) while the private insurance companies keep most of the premium income. The book will be of interest to academic economists interested in privatization, regulation, the theory of the firm, and insurance; Policy-makers concerned with regulation and privatization; Insurance companies, regulators, and analysts.

The book covers some of the major issues concerning the problematic relationship between respect for democratic principles and the new European Economic Governance. Innovative approaches are highlighted throughout the book: new frameworks and arrangements are proposed on the basis of efficiency analyses, as well as their institutional and legal suitability. Though the perspective adopted is essentially a legal one, the economic and policy background are also given due consideration.The papers presented here offer a balanced mix of empirical (including comparative) and theoretical analysis; several also combine the two approaches, carrying out empirical analyses, then setting the results against theoretical options. Given the relative dearth of literature on democratic principles and the EMU, let alone a comprehensive enquiry, the book marks a valuable new contribution.

This book provides a concise introduction to China's electricity sector, suitable for university students and business analysts. It is business focused, combining an introduction from an established regional electricity consultancy with five academic chapters covering governance, market stakeholders and reform, wind and solar power, environmental regulation, and developments in financing. It is written in an accessible but rigorous style for people with limited knowledge of the topic, with minimal jargon but full referencing throughout the academic chapters. Each academic chapter starts with a summary and three key points to guide the reader's understanding.

Peter Hall and David Soskice's Varieties of Capitalism has become a seminal text and reference point across the social sciences, generating debate and research around political-economic models. Here, Bob Hancke presents the key readings on 'Varieties of Capitalism', including the original Hall and Soskice introduction, which encompass the key issues in the study of capitalism and capitalist diversity, its origins, and the debates that followed it. Beginning with the broad theoretical arguments around the idea of 'Varieties of Capitalism', the book then goes on to focus on specific empirical controversies, before finally considering recent attempts at rethinking this influential framework.
The Debating Varieties of Capitalism Reader is the perfect guide to understanding this set of ideas that have changed the way we look at comparative political economy."

In recent decades, the mainstream microeconomic and macroeconomic analysis was proven to be insufficient for exploring the dynamic and complex interactions among humans, institutions, and nature in our real economy. On the one side, microeconomics is filled with black-box models that fail to study the actual contractual relations between firms and markets, while on the other side macroeconomics were proven useless because they mistook the beauty of theoretical models for truth. Thus, questions have arisen about using new theoretical and empirical structures that would better describe our economic systems. Bridging Microeconomics and Macroeconomics and the Effects on Economic Development and Growth is an essential reference source that analyzes the hypotheses that govern the relationships of aggregate structures (macroeconomic analysis) that may be compatible with the assumptions that govern the behavior of individuals, households, and firms (micro analysis), and vice versa, in trying to achieve sustainable economic development and growth. Moreover, modern evolutionary growth thinking is used in trying to bridge the inconsistencies between microeconomics and macroeconomics and confront their failures in order to better describe the economic reality. While highlighting a broad range of topics including globalization, economic systems, and the role of institutions, this book is aimed toward economic analysts, financial advisors, policymakers, researchers, academicians, and students.

Across Europe, market mechanisms are spreading into areas where they did not exist before. In public administration, market governance is displacing other ways of coordinating public services. In social policy, the welfare state is retreating from its historic task of protecting citizens from the discipline of the market. In industrial relations, labor and management are negotiating with an eye to competitiveness, often against new non-union market players. What is marketization, and what are its effects? This book uses employment services in Denmark, Germany, and Great Britain as a window to explore the rise of market mechanisms. Based on more than 100 interviews with funders, managers, front-line workers, and others, the authors discuss the internal workings of these markets and the organizations that provide the services. This book gives readers new tools to analyse market competition and its effects. It provides a new conceptualization of the markets themselves, the dilemmas and tradeoffs that they generate, and the differing services and workplaces that result. It is aimed at students and researchers in the applied fields of social policy, public administration, and employment relations and has important implications for comparative political economy and welfare states.

Challenging conventional wisdom, Shienbaum argues that the U.S. federal government, not the private sector, created the dynamic New Economy. Declining economic competitiveness and relative global underperformance during the 1970s and early 1980s threatened America's post-war global leadership position, a role Washington was loath to relinquish, especially during the Cold War. Citing these threats to American leadership and security, government officials set out to make the U.S. economy more competitive by creating innovative technology policies combined with policies providing strong incentives to new entrants while removing regulatory protections from more established companies. The federal government, in other words, nurtured fragile high-tech start-ups while forcing larger companies to compete in the marketplace, in the process transforming regulatory capitalism into an entrepreneurial capitalism marked by innovation, entrepreneurship, and competition.

ShienbauM's book will be of interest to political scientists, policy makers, economists, and lay readers wanting to discover the causal factors that created the conditions for the unprecedented economic boom of the 1990s. Furthermore, by explicitly connecting government policy-making to economic change, Shienbaum reminds us of the basic but often-ignored truth that politics and economics are inescapably linked together. She concludes with a clear-eyed discussion of the limits of entrepreneurial capitalism and the forces lining up to oppose the New Economy.

The EMU debt crisis that emerged in 2010 has identified a group of Southern countries, especially Greece, Portugal, Spain and Italy, as low performers exhibiting several serious macroeconomic imbalances, and it has also highlighted that EU integration experienced by Eastern European countries (especially the latter-comers to EU) was not accompanied by a rapid process of real convergence. Since then, the research about the effects of peripherality have regained a renewed interest to ultimately ground better regional policy recommendations aimed at achieving a sustained reduction of income per capita disparities across EU regions. In this new work, Pascariu and Duarte, along with an international group of acclaimed scholars, delve into key challenges currently facing the European Union. They investigate this central question: does the domestic market system lead to the development of a center-periphery model, by highlight gaps, or does it support the convergence process? Analyzing the effects of peripherality across the EU regions, a two-fold approach is used to deliver policy recommendations grounded in economic theory, and of interest to other countries and regions facing a process of integration.

Twenty-First Century Inequality & Capitalism: Piketty, Marx and Beyond is a collection that begins with economist Thomas Piketty's 2014 book. Most chapters critique Piketty from the perspective of critical theory, global political economy or public sociology, drawing on the work of Karl Marx or the Marxist tradition. The emphasis focuses on elements that are under-theorized or omitted entirely from the economists' analysis. This includes the importance of considering class and labor dynamics, the recent rise of finance capitalism, insights from feminism, demography, and conflict studies, the Frankfurt School, the world market and the world-system, the rise of a transnational capitalist class, the coming environmental catastrophe, etc. Our goal is to fully understand and suggest action to address today's capitalist inequality crisis. Contributors are: Robert J. Antonio, J.I. (Hans) Bakker, Roslyn Wallach Bologh, Alessandro Bonanno, Christopher Chase-Dunn, Harry F. Dahms, Eoin Flaherty, Daniel Krier, Basak Kus, Lauren Langman, Dana Marie Louie, Peter Marcuse, Sandor Nagy, Charles Reitz, William I. Robinson, Saskia Sassen, David A. Smith, David N. Smith, Tony Smith, Michael Thompson, Sylvia Walby, Erik Olin Wright.

This book describes various methods of analysis for ascertaining the effects of agglomeration economies, which are important for formulating regional economic policies. Specifically, it describes new analytical approaches using productivity and productive efficiency analyses as methods for understanding agglomeration economies. Additionally, the book provides application results for Japanese regions and proposes desirable regional policies. According to the new analytical methods advocated in this book, agglomeration economies are larger in major metropolitan areas than in local regions, and in the manufacturing sector than in the non-manufacturing sector. These results are consistent with general knowledge. Moreover, the majority of productivity growth pertaining to regional economies is explainable by improvements to accessibility. Improving accessibility for regions reduces transportation costs between them and strengthens agglomeration economies, which, in turn, enable the sustainable development of regional economies. Therefore, this book highlights the need not only to reinforce existing agglomeration areas, but also to form a network between these agglomerations and to strengthen it, so as to realize regional economic growth despite a decreasing population.

How can an environment be created in Cuba in which safety is not sacrificed for more open markets and politics? This book examines present security conditions in Cuba and forecasts the effects that economic and social liberalization could have on levels of criminality. For decades, Cuban citizens have enjoyed relatively good security, as a consequence of surveillance and tight political control by an authoritarian state. However, economic liberalization necessitated by the loss of Soviet support has resulted in illicit activities and increased criminality including drugs, contraband and human trafficking. Today, relatively good security and a stable political system coexist with widespread illegality. But as restrictions are eased, the average citizen is becoming less secure. Cuba's privileged geographical location, combined with economic scarcity, the remnants of the communist system and the local criminal organizations it created, also makes it vulnerable to more dangerous foreign criminal groups. Based on both quantitative and qualitative data including in-depth interviews with experts on Cuba and democratization and observational research in Cuba itself, the book seeks to identify the risks associated with liberalization and to explore workable solutions. More broadly, it aims to shed light on how the negative consequences of social and economic liberalization can be minimized for the average citizen during periods of political transition from authoritarian systems. How can an environment be created in which safety is not sacrificed for more open markets and politics?

Everywhere one travels in the world, people are excited about the new high technology production system. But the global villagers are also perplexed about the new social service needs that seem to accompany the high-tech economy: child care needs for working couples, elder care facilities for infirm senior citizens, burgeoning health care costs accompanying high-tech medicine, nursery school and college tuition costs, and more. There has been a global response to these social service needs, and this book will present and analyse that response. For, a new phenomenon may be emerging, as contradictory as it may appear, a kind of 'caring capitalism' may arise, worldwide. This book explores the various attempts around the globe to create a system of 'caring capitalism' and why nations have been pressured by the 'new middle class' to do so.

Volume 39C of Research in the History of Economic Thought and Methodology, features a symposium marking the 100th anniversary of the publication of Frank H. Knight's Risk, Uncertainty, and Profit. The symposium features contributions from Per Bylund, Richard E. Wagner, our own Carlos Eduardo Suprinyak and his co-author, Thiago Oliveira, as well as an essay from guest editor Ross B. Emmett. The Volume also includes general-research essays from David C. Coker, J. Patrick Higgins, and Charles R. McCann, Jr.

In this book, Korean multinational enterprises management strategies in China are analyzed. China is re centering Asia around its newfound economic might, even as neighboring countries such as Japan and Korea will remain more economically developed for generations to come. How do Asian companies adapt to the Chinese market? In this fascinating study, Haiying Kang and Jie Shen investigate how Korean enterprises have adapted human resources practices to the evolving corporate climate in China. Unorthodox blends of culture, legal expectations, and more make the market a truly interesting one to explore HRM practices on the margins. Compelling for academics in HRM but also related social sciences, HR practitioners, and corporate leaders alike, this book is a timely look at new Asian corporate cultures.