Local industrial clusters, such as Silicon Valley in the United States, have become an important subject of scholarly inquiry in recent years. This book offers a unifying view by capturing the general characteristics and prerequisites of local industrial clusters both on a theoretical as well as an empirical level. The book establishes a mathematical model to analyse the dynamics of clustering and the conditions that are to be satisfied if a local industrial cluster is to evolve. This model allows predictions about the spatial distribution of firms to be deducted, which are empirically tested in the book. This thorough methodology allows the author to postulate upon whether the number of local clusters that emerge in an industry is random, or whether it is predetermined. An impressive scholarly exercise, this book also contains important policy lessons. As such, Local Industrial Clusters will be a valuable read for policy-makers as well as academics.

This book, first published in 1971, reports on the first detailed study of pricing decisions ever made in the UK. Based on case studies, it shows precisely how thirteen pricing decisions were taken. In doing so, it reveals the objectives pursued by these firms and how conflicts between these objectives were resolved. The assessments of the pricing decisions show the strengths and weaknesses of the procedures used by the firms, and the relative importance of economic and organizational elements in such decisions.

This exciting new book from Geoffrey Hodgson is eagerly awaited by social scientists from many different backgrounds. This book charts the rise, fall and renewal of institutional economics in the critical, analytical and readable style that Hodgson's fans have come to know and love, and that a new generation of readers will surely come to appreciate.

Marginal Cost in the New Economy outlines a bold new approach for resolving a wide variety of public policy debates. It proposes that a single standard - marginal cost methodology - be adopted to replace the haphazard arrays of methods and techniques currently employed to measure the costs and benefits of disputed policy issues. The book's objective is to substitute a single set of harmonious principles for the inconsistent, erratic, and often self-serving approaches to cost-benefit determination currently applied to numerous public issues. The author explains how this methodology would provide an effective starting point for evaluating issues ranging from the relatively simple, such as school vouchers, to the more complex, including prescription drug prices and anti-trust questions. The book also includes a review of the economic requirements of the New Economy as contrasted with traditional microeconomics.

Marginal Cost in the New Economy outlines a bold new approach for resolving a wide variety of public policy debates. It proposes that a single standard -- marginal cost methodology -- be adopted to replace the haphazard arrays of methods and techniques currently employed to measure the costs and benefits of disputed policy issues. The book's objective is to substitute a single set of harmonious principles for the inconsistent, erratic, and often self-serving approaches to cost-benefit determination currently applied to numerous public issues. The author explains how this methodology would provide an effective starting point for evaluating issues ranging from the relatively simple, such as school vouchers, to the more complex, including prescription drug prices and anti-trust questions. The book also includes a review of the economic requirements of the New Economy as contrasted with traditional microeconomics, which makes it equally useful for courses in microeconomics, public policy, or price theory.

This book is a timely assessment of 20 years of progress in the field of housing economics and its application to policy and practice. Two decades on from the publication of Duncan Maclennan's influential "Housing Economics, "16 leading housing experts - both academics and policy makers from across the world - now honour Maclennan's contributions.

The chapters here present a contemporary survey of key issues in housing, from urban housing markets and sub-market modelling, to the economics of social housing, the basis for housing planning, economic analysis of neighbourhoods, and the connections between academic work and policy development.

For students, researchers and practitioners in housing, urban economics and social policy, "Housing Economics and Public Policy"

. provides up to date and comprehensive reviews of major areas of the housing economics literature

. sheds light on the economic, social and spatial processes that affect housing

. includes discussion of major areas of cutting edge housing economics research and identifies continuing gaps

. presents a synthesis of housing economics research on both sides of the Atlantic

. assesses the impact of theory on policy and practice

This exciting new book from Geoffrey Hodgson is eagerly awaited by social scientists from many different backgrounds. This book charts the rise, fall and renewal of institutional economics in the critical, analytical and readable style that Hodgson's fans have come to know and love, and that a new generation of readers will surely come to appreciate.

As the twenty-first century begins, significant changes are occurring in the way that services and goods are produced and consumed. One of the key drivers of this change is information and communications technology (ICT). It has transformed the role of space and time in patterns of economic development, in the rise of globalisation and in the scale and structure of organisations. ICT has therefore accelerated the process of continual change and evolution that is the hallmark of both the capitalist economy and of organisations.
A student-friendly account is given of the diversity of theoretical perspectives for understanding the evolving economic geography of advanced capitalist economies. A series of detailed firm and employees' case-studies from Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific, are used to inform the theoretical case-studies. These also highlight and examine the significance of the increased blurring of the distinction between services and manufacturing functions in the production and consumption process.

The Microeconomics of Wellbeing and Sustainability: Recasting the Economic Process explores the civil economy tradition in economic thought. Gaining increasing consensus worldwide, this alternative-not heterodox-view of the economic process and agents explains how modern economics is placing increasing emphasis on the determinants of subjective wellbeing and environmental sustainability. With support from behavioral economics, this book makes a foundational contribution that will help users better understand and prepare for future economic challenges.

As the twenty-first century begins, significant changes are occurring in the way that services and goods are produced and consumed. One of the key drivers of this change is information and communications technology (ICT). It has transformed the role of space and time in patterns of economic development, in the rise of globalisation and in the scale and structure of organisations. ICT has therefore accelerated the process of continual change and evolution that is the hallmark of both the capitalist economy and of organisations.
A student-friendly account is given of the diversity of theoretical perspectives for understanding the evolving economic geography of advanced capitalist economies. A series of detailed firm and employees' case-studies from Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific, are used to inform the theoretical case-studies. These also highlight and examine the significance of the increased blurring of the distinction between services and manufacturing functions in the production and consumption process.

In recent years the understanding of the cognitive foundations of economic behavior has become increasingly important. This volume contains contributions from such leading scholars as Adam Brandenburger, Michael Bacharach and Patrick Suppes. It will be of great interest to academics and researchers involved in the field of economics and psychology as well as those interested in political economy more generally.

The theory of costs is a cornerstone of economic thinking, and figures crucially in the study of human action and society. From the first day of a principles-level course to the most advanced academic literature, costs play a vital role in virtually all behaviors and economic outcomes. How we make choices, why we trade, and how we build institutions and social orders are all problems that can be explained in light of the costs we face. This volume explores, develops, and critiques the rich literature on costs, examining some of the many ways cost remains relevant in economic theory and practice. The book especially studies costs from the perspective of the Austrian or "causal-realist" approach to economics. The chapters integrate the history of economic thought with contemporary research, finding valuable crossroads between numerous traditions in economics. They examine the role of costs in theories of choice and opportunity costs; demand and income effects; production and distribution; risk and interest rates; uncertainty and production; monopsony; Post-Keynesianism; transaction costs; socialism and management; and social entrepreneurship. Together, these papers represent an update and restatement of a central element in the economic way of thinking. Each chapter reveals how the Austrian, causalrealist approach to costs can be used to solve an important problem or debate in economics. These chapters are not only useful for students learning these concepts for the first time: they are also valuable for researchers seeking to understand the unique Austrian perspective and those who want to apply it to new problems.

This innovative text ushers in a new way of examining basic economic issues. It teaches economics from a different standpoint, using a division-of-labor theme to eliminate the need for a dichotomy between microeconomics and macroeconomics. This text shows how resource allocation and levels of division of labor are determining factors for demand and supply. It also illustrates the ways that unemployment and business cycles are seen as features of the network of division of labor.

While innovative in content, this book keeps the continuity of mainstream economics through a synthesis of existing and emerging branches of economics. It is an exceptional work that will encourage both creative and critical thinking.

The book focuses on three main themes:
*Overpopulation associated with low productivity, unemployment, persistent poverty and weak savings and investment capacity.
*The post-1950 development strategies and their outcomes
*The institutional structures that are constraining economic and political progress. Egypt in the Twenty First Century is a much needed investigation into the long-term economic reform and restructuring and examines the challenges ahead for the country. It provides authoritative analyses from a collection of respected academics and a wealth of new data. It will appeal to all those interested in the political economy of contemporary Egypt. agriculture, industry and political systems.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203710533

Measuring quality of life has been identified as fundamental in assessing the relative progress of societies and as having relevance for both monitoring and policy-making purposes. Self-reported measures of well-being, referred to as subjective well-being, have become increasingly topical given the growing awareness of the limitations of existing measures of well-being including gross domestic product (GDP). In the UK, the ONS's 'Happiness Index' was launched in 2010 by Prime Minister David Cameron. This book aims to improve our understanding of well-being through an analysis of time-use in a post-industrial society, the UK, drawing on empirical data from large-scale surveys such as Understanding Society and smaller-scale case study evidence. It uses a plurality of theoretical perspectives to explore the relationship between our use of time and our reported levels of satisfaction, and considers the policy lessons that we can take from our organization of time.

This textbook provides a one-semester introduction to mathematical economics for first year graduate and senior undergraduate students. Intended to fill the gap between typical liberal arts curriculum and the rigorous mathematical modeling of graduate study in economics, this text provides a concise introduction to the mathematics needed for core microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics courses. Chapters 1 through 5 builds students' skills in formal proof, axiomatic treatment of linear algebra, and elementary vector differentiation. Chapters 6 and 7 present the basic tools needed for microeconomic analysis. Chapter 8 provides a quick introduction to (or review of) probability theory. Chapter 9 introduces dynamic modeling, applicable in advanced macroeconomics courses. The materials assume prerequisites in undergraduate calculus and linear algebra. Each chapter includes in-text exercises and a solutions manual, making this text ideal for self-study.

England's economy between 1050 and 1550 mirrored that of much of continental Europe in its growing dependence upon trade over both short distances and long. The essays in this collection are the fruit of forty years of research into the complex and interrelated issues involved. Describing this change can be achieved in part through quantitative indices, such as the number and size of towns, markets and fairs, and the volume of monetary circulation. A full account also requires a discussion of widespread changes of work experience, customary practices and moral values as households became more dependent upon markets. In addition, the evidence of transformative commercial growth in the medieval period gives rise to numerous questions concerning its relationship to more modern times. Modern economic growth and modern capitalism have often been contrasted starkly with medieval economic stagnation and traditionalism, but recent research implies a more continuous process of economic development than that implied by these older stereotypes. Many of the items in this collection are also relevant to this more discursive aspect of medieval commercialisation.

This book brings together empirical evidences and theoretical perspectives to provide a comprehensive overview of the microfinance sector in India. The essays in the volume: focus on the application of information and communication technology (ICT) solutions in microfinance institutions to strengthen the savings movement and widen credit access to the poor and marginalized sections of society; present case studies on self-help group (SHG) movements, federations and SHG-Bank Linkage programmes; propose measures for strengthening regulatory and governance structures of the microfinance sector; and identify linkages between overall financial inclusion and the contribution of microfinance institutions (MFIs). The volume will be indispensable for scholars and researchers of microeconomics, South Asian economics and development economics as well as professionals and aspirants in the microfinance, rural banking and financial inclusion sectors.

This volume is a history of economics - as it was interpreted, discussed and established as a discipline - in the 20th century. It highlights the pluralism of the discipline and brings together leading voices in the field who reflect on their lifelong work. The chapters draw on a host of traditions of economic thought, including pre-classical, classical, Marxian, neoclassical, Sraffian, post-Keynesian, Cantabrigian and institutionalist traditions in economics. Further, the volume also looks at the history of economics in India and its evolution as a discipline since the country's independence. This book will appeal to students, researchers and teachers of economics and intellectual history, as well as to the interested general reader.

This authoritative book from Cristiano Antonelli provides a systematic account of recent advances in the economics of innovation. By integrating this account with the economics of technological change, the book elaborates an understanding of the effects of the introduction of new technologies.
The innovation economics community will appreciate this excellent, comprehensive account, provided by a respected expert, and it is also a book that must be read by all those with an interest in Economic Theory.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203217438

In the context of Makassar, on the eastern Indonesian island of Sulawesi, the book explores the socioeconomic and cultural relationships that make life for small entrepreneurs in Makassar so distinctive. Using a new framework for the study of small enterprises - the 'small enterprise integrative framework' - this book gives us a greater understanding of the organization and operations of small enterprises in developing countries, at both the micro and macro levels. The application of this new framework for research reveals the diversity of labour flexibility, networking and cluster styles amongst the enterprises studies, and the constraints they face for growth. Whilst the recent Southeast Asian economic crisis has been heralded by certain commentators as a new era for small enterprises in the region, the book concludes that local realities for the small enterprises in Makassar mean that, whilst for some it has been a time of shifting fortunes, others have continued trading on the margins.

The increasing capital flows in the emerging markets and developed countries have raised various concerns worldwide. One main concern is the impact of the sharp decline of capital flows - so-called sudden stops - on financial markets and the stability of banking systems and the economy. The sudden stops and banking crises have been identified as the two main features of most financial crises, including the recent Asian Financial Crisis and Global Financial Crisis. However, how capital flows and banking crises are connected still remains unanswered. Most current studies on capital flows are empirical work, which faces various challenges. The challenges include how data has been collected and measured in each country and how sensitive the results are to the data and the adopted methodologies. Moreover, the links between capital flows and banking systems have been neglected. This book helps provide some insight into the challenges faced by empirical studies and the lessons of the recent crises. The book develops theoretical analysis to deepen our understanding on how capital flows, banking systems and financial markets are linked with each other and provides constructive policy implications by overcoming the empirical challenges.

This title focuses on one aspect of migration, namely its ethnic competition. Rather than observe population movements in general, the study is limited to the movements of specific ethnic groups. It explores the role played by ethnicity in determining which groups move and which groups stay.

This book can be used as a way of introducing business and management students to economic concepts as well as providing economics students with a clear grasp of how to use the skills they will need in the world of business.
Topics covered include:
*product differentiation
*price discrimination
*hiring and training workers
*labor-management relations
*international trade
A host of key features are employed to add colour to the text including case studies, examples and discussion questions. Scenarios presented centre upon a diverse range of subjects and firms including Eurostar, NHL hockey equipment, Chevrolet, Philips and pension plans.

This book provides an incredibly detailed and thorough account of how Vietnam's dependence on Soviet aid during the 1960s and 1970s sustained and yet ultimately undermined the centrally-planned economy. Foreign aid provided most of the resources which, in the context of an under-developed agrarian economy, permitted planned industrialisation. Yet, as in other socialist countries, chronic shortages emerged and, particularly when aid supplies were cut after 1975, encouraged individuals and enterprises to divert resources to local uses. The authors show how development of non-plan trading relations was based on supplies of scarce, aid-subsidised goods which provided the means for local authorities, enterprises and individuals to convert their positions of political and social power into capital. They further highlight the ways in which new, market-oriented trade relations emerged in symbiosis with the planning system and continue to influence the economic structure and institutions today. Economic Transition in Vietnam outlines the many problems currently facing Vietnam, not least how new global forms of integration are affecting future development.