This book analyses Jamaica's ability to satisfy its short and long run foreign currency obligations in light of recurrent balance of payment support from international lending agencies. Jamaica is one of the top five indebted nations in the world, and despite entering 13 successive arrangements with the International Monetary Fund over the past 40 years, its depreciating currency continues to drive up debt servicing requirements. The island nation's longstanding relationship with multilateral lending agencies like the IMF serves as a case study for other developing countries that are unable to generate sufficient intrinsic net international reserves and, consequently, suffer from incredibly low GDP growth per annum. The book closes with policy recommendations to bolster the Jamaican economy into solvency so that it can create a sustainable foreign debt repayment plan, and suggests strategies for supporting local economic objectives within global geopolitical constraints.

NAFTA has been described by one expert as being a partial customs union. It is, in any case, a special kind of free trade area because it consists of two highly developed economies and one large third world economy. In this book, the contributors examine the specific interests of the three member countries, Canada, Mexico, and the United States in the creation of NAFTA. They also assess the influence of this trade area on their economics. Looking to the future, doubts are expressed about the feasibility of using NAFTA (a hope expressed by the USA) as a stepping stone in the creation of a Free Trade Area of the Americas. Instead, the contributors see the consolidation of MERCOSUR in Latin America and the creation of a new Trans-Atlantic Market - as proposed by Sir Leon Brittan - as more likely developments.

The book covers the legal, economic, socio-political and international aspects of economic integration and the contending forces of national identity and economic interests after the economies between Taiwan and China are integrated and the trading bloc is emerging across the Taiwan Strait.

Product recalls spanning toys, children's products, food, pet food, and automobiles have increased dramatically in the recent past. Consequently, the safety of imported products has been pushed to the top of the agenda for companies, consumers, and governments. It has often been argued that recalls occur due to differences among national standards, cost pressures and opportunistic behavior by companies. However, analysis of US toy recalls over a 20 year period reveals that the key to decreasing recalls and harm from defective products lies in improving product designs, learning from recalls and swiftly acting on incidents. Together, these point to the inherent dangers in the disaggregation of value chain and the need to effectively manage those dangers.

This book analyzes Africa's unprecedented economic growth, the state of its financial sector, and the varied opportunities for Islamic finance investors. It considers the role - potential and realized - of Islamic finance in fostering financial inclusion in areas such as banking, microfinance, capital market development, insurance, and private equity business. The book stresses that investing in Africa through Islamic finance will open new markets, ensure higher profit margins, diversify risk, and create business competition; and that these changes that will provide financial products that can satisfying the desires and beliefs of all consumers and unlock the real potential of the continent's financial system. The book also looks into the rise of international interest in Africa and concludes by scrutinizing the challenges impeding further economic growth, as well as the specific barriers that need to be addressed in order to promote the implementation of Islamic finance. Investors, policymakers, and academics ready to confront these challenges will find much of value in this book.

In 1999 a number of member states of the European Union will adopt a common currency. This change in the monetary system requires that a Eur opean Central Bank is set up and a common monetary policy is pursued. There is general agreement among those countries which are likely to join the common currency that price level stability has to be the ultimate objec tive of monetary po1icy. It is an open issue, however, what kind of policy is best suited for that purpose. The alternative strategies under discussion are a direct inflation targeting, an intermediate monetary targeting or a mixture of both. For these policy strategies a stable money demand relation is of cen tral importance. Therefore a workshop on Money Demand in Europe was organized at the Humboldt University in Berlin on October 10/11, 1997. This research conference brought together academic and central bank econo mists and econometricians predominantly from Europe to discuss issues on specification, estimation and, in particular, stability of money demand rela tions both in a single equation and in a systems framework. In this volume revised versions of the papers presented and discussed at the workshop are collected. The volume thereby gives an overview of money demand analysis in Europe on the eve of the introduction of the Euro in some European countries. It contributes to the discussion on a suitable monetary policy for the new European Central Bank."

This work is a view of the pressures that Europe faces over the coming decades. It cogently demonstrates how a new world order of market forces is coercing Europe to modernise. Drawing on five years of research, this book shows that for Europe, free markets do not directly equate to greater international competitiveness. Accessible, provocative and stimulating, After Liberalisation provides a radical vision of Europe in the global economy of the twenty first century.

This book contains a set of essays by eminent international scholars from Australia, New Zealand, the U.K. and the U.S. It addresses the issues of globalisation and international competitiveness and includes discussions of market power, competition policy and the effects of foreign trade, globalisation and the labour market. The contributors also examine economic integration and regional policy cooperation, trade and communications, economic growth, including export led growth and foreign direct investment in developing countries, and the diffusion of technology.

While major theories of economic regionalism in the existing literature are primarily constructed to explore institutionalized regional integration, European integration in particular, the analytical framework developed in this work explains the unique process and pattern of regional integration in East Asia.

The international carriage of goods by sea has been regulated by international conventions. These includethe "International Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law relating to Bills of Lading" ("Hague Rules"); the "Protocol to Amend the International Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law Relating to Bills of Lading" ("Visby Rules"); and the "UN Convention on the Carriage of Goods by Sea." They were adopted in 1924, 1968 and 1978 respectively and the transport industry's commercial needs have since substantially changed. Furthermore the advent of subsequent regimes has resulted in the uniformity in the carriage of goods by sea once provided by the Hague Rules being lost. In order to update and modernize existing regimes the "UN Convention on Contracts for the International Carriage of Goods Wholly or Partly by Sea" ("Rotterdam Rules") was adopted on December 11, 2008 by the UN General Assembly and opened for signature on September 23, 2009. Since then drafters of the Rotterdam Rules, academics and practitioners have been publicizing, discussing, and evaluating the Rules. This book is an effort to further explore those same goals.
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International Finance and Financial Crises: Essays in Honor of Robert P. Flood, Jr. contains the proceedings of a conference held in honor of Robert P. Flood, Jr. Bob Flood has made important contributions to many areas of economic analysis, including regime switching, speculative attacks, bubbles, stock market volatility, macro models with nominal rigidities, dual exchange rates, target zones, and rules versus discretion in monetary policy. Contributors were invited to address any of the topics or others of their choosing. The results include five papers on topics in international finance; two of these papers, as well as the panel discussion, focus on speculative attacks and financial crises. The other three take new directions in exploring topics in which existing models leave much to be desired.

This volume addresses various aspects of the microstructure of world trading markets and provides scientific evidence on the functioning of specific foreign markets. The study of market microstructure has previously focused on the U.S. markets, but with the rapid expansion in foreign markets there is a real need to understand the nature and functioning of foreign trading markets.

The rapid integration of global governments, businesses and capital has faced a dramatic and often hostile backlash in recent years. As populist agendas worldwide gain momentum, Deglobalization 2.0 explores the key drivers of reactionary movements. From the 'Make America Great Again' movement in the US, to Continental European populism, Peter van Bergeijk explains the critical catalysts of anti-globalization sentiment. Through a historical lens, this book draws out similarities and differences between contemporary developments and the economic crises of the 1930s, offering a unique understanding of the political and economic drivers of deglobalization. Focusing on wealth inequality, social uncertainty and international competition for economic supremacy, van Bergeijk examines and offers answers for the lacunae in the globalization debate. Provocative, insightful and accessible, this book confronts the deglobalization issue as a matter of real urgency and is thus vital reading for policy makers and managers working in international affairs and economic relations. It also offers guidance for academics in international economics and relations moving into the uncharted territory of deglobalization processes.

This book includes every aspect of the cotton trade, starting with the history and background, its growth and production patterns. It goes on to examine the international trade itself, the key players, recent trends, and a look at cotton prices, forecasting, and the factors that affect the cotton price. The author looks at end uses for cotton by analyzing the garment industry as a whole and the competition for cotton. This is related to cotton consumption and the global economics of this commodity. The final chapter looks to the future and attempts to forecast trends for the industry over the coming years.

This volume presents detailed analyses of the role and significance of Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the economies of East Asia. Various aspects of SME operations are studied, including: * the role and significance of networking in the conduct of business * the contribution of culture to business acumen and entrepreneurialism * human resource development constraints and issues * technology transfer processes * the utilisation and application of information technology by SMEs * the impact of electronic commerce * the policy framework needed to stimulate the growth of the SME sector. A common framework is adopted between the different studies, enabling substantive lessons to be derived and policy measures to be identified. The Role of SMEs in National Economies in East Asia will be of interest to academics and researchers of industrial organisation, Asian economics and Asian studies as well as policymakers concerned with SME growth in the area.

This study argues that owing to the wide diversity of nations, their often conflicting policies, and insistence on preserving their sovereignty, the processes of worldwide integration are facilitated by tying these countries together in a system of flexible exchange rates externally, while putting in place a rules-oriented monetary regime internally. The examination of the various issues involved in such an arrangement focuses on money and monetary policy drawing on historical, theoretical, philosophical, and empirical results.

The yen is now one of the major currencies freely traded in the world, and yet, many Japanese exporters take on a currency risk by invoicing in US dollars. In this book, the authors examine why this is the case, particularly for those exporters who have a strong presence in global markets. Managing Currency Risk enhances our understanding of exporters? behaviour by analysing the key factors that influence their choice of invoice currency. Detailed research based on unique data sets is used to highlight how firm size, product competitiveness, intra/inter-firm trade and the geography of export destination impact this decision. This book is a valuable resource for international finance researchers and political economists wishing to discover up-to-date information regarding currency invoicing by multinational firms. It will also be a vital tool for financial and governmental practitioners to discover more about their competitors? behaviour.

In this book, Thompson and Hickson strongly challenge the standard interpretation of the basis of growth and viability of dominant wealthy nations. Briefly, efforts of the economically wealthy and the government leaders to increase their wealth and protect it from aggressors, internal and external, are cast in a new evolutionary light. The challenge is to the idea that societies' leading intellectual formulators of political and social policy have been helpful. Their alternative, and persuasive, interpretation is that the rise and survival of wealthier nations has been achieved because of an effective democracy'. The authors explain why an effective democratic state must avoid narrow, short-sighted', rational-appearing concessions to a sequence of aggressors. In short, the Thompson-Hickson interpretation of the rise of wealthy dominant nations does not rely on the advice of superior intellectual advisors, but instead rests on the pragmatic, almost ad hoc, actions of democratic legislators.

In an international political economy characterised both by constancy and change, this study, first published in 1996, links together one seemingly incongruous continuity in international trade relations with an increasingly dramatic development in the economies of industrial countries. On the one hand, industrialised countries have become progressively dependent upon one another. On the other hand, the liberal international trade regime has yet to falter. These two points are tied together by seeking to explain the maintenance of liberal trade relations in terms of the mutual economic dependence of industrial countries. In particular, the study examines what may be a fundamental constraint on trade protectionism today: the reliance of industrialised countries on external trade relations, and especially on markets within the industrial world.

The Stability and Growth Pact provides for the systematic surveillance of the fiscal policies of 25 EU member states. On this basis, this book provides an overview of themes in current fiscal policy, including the impact of ageing populations on fiscal sustainability, fiscal policy over the cycle, fiscal decentralization and expenditure reforms.

World Economic Issues at the United Nations: Half a Century of Debate attempts an objective analysis of the discussions in the policy forums of the United Nations on the major issues in the world economy over the past half a century. The book opens with a brief survey of the world economy since the Second World War. The following chapter presents a bird's-eye view of the issues discussed as well as a perspective on each of the issues. Starting with the issues of growth and stability in industrial countries, the study goes on to present discussions on the evolving issues of development of less developed countries. The volume devotes a substantial chapter on the efforts at establishment of the new international economic order. The more mundane matters of food needs of developing countries and their pervasive poverty are not lost sight of. Discussions on other major issues of interest and concern to developing countries, such as those of primary commodities, and the crisis of external debt, as well as issues of international trade, occupy a substantial space in the study. Two short chapters dwell on debates relating to transnational corporations and the international monetary system, especially as they concerned developing countries. The book concludes with a substantial chapter on resources, environment and sustainable development, a subject of growing importance at the United Nations. A principal justification of the study is that these discussions and debates constituted a major body of thinking on the world economy that is worth surveying. A central aim is to follow the evolving ideas over time in each field, to describe not only what was debated but how, and in the process it throwslight on the nature and limits of international economic cooperation. An all important question underlies an investigation of this nature. Many of those who were engaged in the half century of debate sought to change the world economy, some by only tinkering with it, others by radical reform. Has anything changed as a result? One would like to ponder, even though the answer may not be all that clear. The present study is offered as a modest contribution to any examination of the past achievements and future roles of the organization.

A very welcome addition to the largely scarce literature on the history of Middle Eastern-US relations in the area of economic development. Choice Although the United States' economic relations with the Third World have gone through various phases as political and fiscal conditions have shifted, Dr. Godfried contends that the main policy outlines established in the Middle East in the 1940s have dominated the American approach to Third World development ever since. His careful analysis of the issue traces the U.S. role in the North-South conflict over economic development and shows how U.S. development policy evolved during and after World War II, with particular reference to the Arab Middle East.

This text analyzes US-Japan relations amidst the changing nature of power and international relations. Chapters explore the relative successes and shortcomings of American liberalism and Japanese neomercantilism, the bilateral trade duels over finance, high technology and agriculture, and the costs and benefits of foreign investment and military spending. The book concludes with suggestions for a systemic and radical overhaul of American policies toward itself, the global economy, and Japan. William R. Nester has also written "Japan's Growing Power Over East Asia and the World Economy", "The Foundations of Japanese Power", "Japanese Industrial Targeting", and "Japan and the Third World".

The twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall saw many reflect on the political, economic and social changes of recent years. The legacy of communism and the economic prospects of post-communist countries are rigorously analysed in this stimulating study of the long term consequences of transition.

Policy makers in Southern Africa are increasingly convinced that regional trade liberalization can improve growth performance and stimulate development throughout the region. To succeed where previous attempts have failed, however, governments must address two key issues. The first of these is policy coordination - the broad range of domestic policies must be made compatible with the proposed trade reforms. The second is institution building - concerted attention must be devoted to strengthening weak institutions and infrastructure. The contributors are among the leading authorities on regional integration in Africa.