With China replacing the United States as the world's leading energy user and net oil importer, its relations with the Middle East is becoming a major issue with global implications. Horesh and his contributors set out to analyse the implications of China's growing presence in the Middle East.

Structural Revolution in International Business Architecture Volume 2 fills important gaps in the existing literature of management science by providing new and improved methods of optimal control system modeling. These research methods are applied in a variety of problems of management science and national economic management. Applications are on oil field development, energy system modeling, resource modeling, time varying control of dynamic system of national economy, and investment planning.

This book provides a comprehensive analysis of South-South regional trade issues, with a particular focus on sustainably fostering Africa's regional trade agenda. It examines the extent to which South-South regional trade agreements (RTAs) have contributed toward enhancing regional integration and economic expansion in Africa in particular, and in the South in general. The authors recommend new conceptual frameworks, appropriate initiatives, and workable policy recipes to help South-South RTAs enhance Africa's economic transformation trajectory. The book underscores the geo-politics, as well as the opportunities and challenges that emerging economies now represent for Africa in the context of South-South regional trade policy. Readers will learn how Africa can strengthen its regional trade game by securing and building on the positive outcomes of South-South RTAs.

Gale explains why international negotiations have not produced a sustainable solution to tropical rainforest degradation. Using an innovative, critical approach to international regimes, the author analyzes the structure and operation of the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO). He shows how the timber industry and producing- and consuming-country governments created a blocking alliance that favoured developmentalist interests and ideas. The ITTO bolstered this alliance by permitting environmentalists merely to voice, but not to negotiate, their concerns.

Monetary problems are important and widely debated, but the complexity of the international monetary system and the disparate systems that make it up gives rise to many fallacies about the inner workings of these systems. When shared by those who decide economic and monetary policies, these fallacies can have damaging consequences. This book provides a rigorous and approachable analysis of these systems and consequences, providing the keys to untangling and understanding their mechanisms and influence. A clear understanding of the working of monetary systems becomes an indispensable decision-making tool when it comes to pressing questions about reform and issues of global debate such as whether a country should join (or leave) the Eurozone or attempts to cure the so-called 'balance of payments problems'. Starting from basic concepts, Pascal Salin progressively builds upon his analysis of monetary systems in a coherent and easily readable way, drawing on the most reliable theoretical contributions from research and giving examples of lessons that can be drawn from this rigorous examination of topics including devaluations, fixed and flexible exchange rates, monetary integration, monetary crises, monetary policy, and more. His clear, orderly style pares down accumulated details and theories to leave a concise and usable toolkit for analysis and action. This book makes it possible for anyone, starting from scratch, to come to a comprehensive understanding of the working of monetary systems. Students and scholars in economics as well as policy makers and practitioners will find this lucid volume an important resource and reference, as it provides intellectual instruments to evaluate the working of any monetary system.

This wide-ranging set of papers deals with crucial questions in economic theory, economic policy and economic history. The papers help explain why economic performance deteriorated dramatically in the West over the past three decades as the ''Golden Age'' of capitalism after World War II was replaced by global neoliberal capitalism. They show that theoretical frameworks rooted in the radical and heterodox traditions can explain this evolution and the current global economic and financial crisis, something mainstream theories cannot do. Topics include but are not limited to: methodology: a critique of ''positivism'' is used to explain why mainstream reliance on fairy-tale assumptions should be replaced by realistic assumption sets as argued by Marx and Keynes Marx, Keynes and Minsky on financial market instability versus mainstream theories of ''efficient'' financial markets how Keynes's assumption that the future is unknowable revolutionized not only macro theory but the micro theory of agent choice as well structural causes of the current global financial crisis how innovative theories of competition, globalization, capital investment and financialization inspired by Marx, Keynes and Schumpeter can be used to explain the crisis tendencies of neoliberal capitalism the influence of class conflict on economic policy, including in the current ''austerity'' regimes. The papers in this book should be of interest to most economists and can be used in both graduate and upper level undergraduate courses. Many of these papers are accessible to anyone who reads the business press.

A major reason complex programs are so difficult to evaluate is that the assumptions that inspire them are poorly articulated. Stakeholders of such programs are often unclear about how the change process will unfold. Thus, it is so difficult to reasonably anticipate the early and midterm changes that need to happen in order for a longer-term goalto be reached. The lack of clarity about the "mini-steps" that must be taken to reach a long-term outcome not only makes the task of evaluating a complex initiative challenging, but reduces the likelihood that all of the important factors related to the long term goal will be addressed. Most of the resources that have attempted to address this dilemma have been popularized as theory of change or sometimes program theory approaches. Although these approaches emphasize and elaborate the sequence of changes/mini steps that lead to the long-term goal of interest and the connections between program activities and outcomes that occur at each step of the way, they do not do enough to clarify how program managers or evaluators should deal with assumptions. Assumptions, the glue that holds all the pieces together, remain abstract and far from applicable. In this book the author tackles this important assumptions theme head-on-covering a breadth of ground from the epistemology of development assumptions, to the art of making logical assumptions as well as recognizing, explicit zing and testing assumptions with in an elaborate program theory from program design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

The management of a water supply network can be substantially improved defining permanent sectors or districts that enhances simpler water loss detection and pressure management. However, the water network partitioning may compromise water system performance, since some pipes are usually closed to delimit districts in order not to have too many metering stations, to decrease costs and simplify water balance. This may reduce the reliability of the whole system and not guarantee the delivery of water at the different network nodes. In practical applications, the design of districts or sectors is generally based on empirical approaches or on limited field experiences. The book proposes a design support methodology, based on graph theory principles and tested on real case study. The described methodology can help water utilities, professionals and researchers to define the optimal districts or sectors of a water supply network.

In recent years, there has been an explosion of research on the early origins of adult health. A growing body of evidence documents that maternal health before conception, prenatal and perinatal exposures, and conditions in childhood play critical roles in health over the life course. Scientific understanding of the multiple and interacting influences on child health and their role in later health continues to evolve rapidly, but greater attention to how families shape the conditions of early life that underlie childhood health is needed. This volume aims to advance understanding of this topic, with attention to mechanisms through which health disparities emerge and are sustained across the lifespan.

This book explores how low fertility levels could fundamentally change a country's population and society. It analyzes the profound effects below average birthrates have on virtually all aspects of society, from the economy to religion, from marriage to gender roles. An introduction written by Dudley L. Poston Jr. provides a general overview of this relatively new phenomenon that has already impacted nearly one-half of the countries of the world today. Poston also discusses the broad implications of the changes that these societies are currently experiencing and the ones that they will soon confront. Next, each of the 12 essays collected in this volume look into how a low fertility level affects a particular demographic or societal structure or process. In addition, case studies offer an in-depth portrait of these changes in the United States and China. Coverage includes the dynamics of low and lowest-low (where the birthrate is well below average) fertility, high and increasing life expectancies in the United States, the implications of native-born fertility and other socio-demographic changes for less-skilled U.S. immigration, ageing and age dependency in post-industrial societies, good mothering and gender roles in China, the increasing prevalence of voluntary childlessness, how low fertility and prolonged longevity could result in slow economic growth, the decreasing relevance of traditional religious systems, and more. The emergence and persistence of population decline produced by low fertility levels has the potential to greatly alter key aspects of society as well as individual lives. Containing insightful analysis from some of the top minds in demography today, this book will arm readers with the knowledge they need to fully understand these transformations.

Until his death in 1984, Lionel Robbins was one of the world's most influential economic theorists and the foremost British economist of his generation. Appointed to a professorship at the prestigious London School of Economics when only thirty years old, Robbins dominated British economic thought for decades and proved a powerful force in the formulation of post-World War II economic policy.

Susan Howson here collects Robbins's most important work in one invaluable volume. "Economic Science and Political Economy" is a crucial addition to any library of economic history and theory.

The book aims to present "traditional features" of regional science (as geographical concepts and institutions), as well as relatively new topics such as innovation and agglomeration economies. In particular it demonstrates that, contrary to what has been argued by recent economics literature, both geography and institutions (or culture) are relevant for local development. In fact, these phenomena, along with the movement of goods and workers, are among the main reasons for persisting development differentials. These intriguing relationships are at the heart of the analysis presented in this book and form the conceptual basis for a promising institutional approach to economic geography.

This thoroughly updated second edition incorporates key ideas and discussions on issues such as wider economic impacts, the treatment of risk and the importance of institutional arrangements in ensuring the correct use of technique. Gines de Rus considers whether public decisions, such as investing in high-speed rail links, privatizing a public enterprise or protecting a natural area, may improve social welfare. Key features include: A comprehensive overview of the philosophy of the Cost-Benefit Analysis approach to appraisal to engage students with a basic model for informing responsible decision-making Expert blending of relevant case studies with insightful analysis, enabling students to see the model's application to real-world scenarios An accessible and readable style, which encourages classroom discussions as well as insights for the practical application of this economic tool. Introduction to Cost-Benefit Analysis is an ideal textbook for graduate and advanced undergraduate students of economics, engaging with important ideas and the latest thinking in the field. It will also benefit economists and practitioners involved in the economic evaluation of projects. Acclaim for the first edition: 'In Introduction to Cost-Benefit Analysis, Gines de Rus provides the conceptual foundations of a cost-benefit analysis undertaken for public investments. . .This book serves well as an introductory textbook for courses in urban planning, public economics, and policy and program evaluation for advanced undergraduate and graduate students. . .economists may find it useful as a guide of the basics of cost-benefit analysis.' - Uma Kelekar, Journal of Planning Education and Research 'Gines de Rus has produced an excellent book which will be very useful to advanced undergraduate and graduate students in public economics as well as to professional economists working with project evaluations. The book can serve as a manual for how to undertake best-practice project analysis within a broad range of projects but in particular within the transportation sector. This text is highly recommended.' - Per-Olov Johansson, Stockholm School of Economics, Sweden 'This book shows that cost-benefit analysis does not need to be an esoteric and arcane subject. In a step-by-step presentation, with little more than introductory microeconomics, some clear reasoning, and many examples, Professor Gines de Rus presents the essentials of applied welfare economics concepts. Any undergraduate student or practitioner who wants to start their training in CBA should consider reading this text.' - Massimo Florio, University of Milan, Italy

Gordon maintains that the United States must implement policy measures to reduce the large amounts of capital it is borrowing from the rest of the world--a problem she attributes, mainly, to low private savings rates and high federal budget deficits. She explains how the United States became a debtor nation, describes the changes in global capital markets that occurred in the 1980s, and analyzes the extent of global capital requirements, the drop in the U.S. savings rate, and the policy measures that could be taken to raise it. Unlike most discussions that focus on faulty international trade practices as a cause of U.S. deficits, Gordon places a large share of the responsibility on U.S. macroeconomic policies. Concise, readable, lucid, Gordon's book will be useful to professionals in banking and finance, and to academics and upper-level students of international business, finance, and economics.

This volume provides theoretical treatments of remittance on how its development potential is translated into reality. The authors meticulously delve into diverse mechanisms through which migrant communities remit, investigating how recipients engage in the development process in South Asia.

An account of the history, structure, and operation of the First and Second Banks of the United States, this study examines how the banks performed as national and central institutions, and what happened to the economy when the charter of the Second Bank was allowed to expire in 1836. Historians have paid little recent attention to the early history of central banking in the United States, and many Americans believe that the Federal Reserve, created in 1913, was our first central bank. The economic crisis during the American Revolution actually led to the founding of a national bank, called the Bank of North America, during the period of Confederation. Although it became a private bank before the Constitution was ratified in 1788, it proved to be such a success that in 1791 Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury, was able to convince President Washington that a similar bank should be established.

While the First Bank of the United States performed well during its tenure, its charter was allowed to lapse in 1811. A Second Bank of the United States was created five years later in 1816, and it prospered under the leadership of its third president, Nicholas Biddle, from 1823 to 1830, when central banking was practiced. This success ended with the 1828 election of Andrew Jackson, who refused to recharter the bank and withdrew the government's funds in 1833. Severely weakened, the Bank continued, but its charter finally expired in 1836, much to Biddle's dismay.

Taking eleven countries in Europe, Canada, South Africa, America, Latin America and Australia, this book discusses recurring barriers to cluster development in the renewable energy sector. The authors look at the real-world dynamics and tensions between stakeholders on the ground, with a particular focus on the relationships between SMEs and other actors. This trans-regional study is unique in its scale and scope, drawing on a decade of field research to show how by learning from the successes and failures of other clusters, costs and risk can be reduced. The book fills a significant gap in the literature for policymakers, managers and economic developers in a key market.

This edited collection investigates the role of Italy in pursuing the EU five targets by 2020: R&D/innovation expenditures; the energetic measures for climate change; migration; the counter actions against poverty and social exclusion. This ambitious book uses a multidisciplinary approach and original field studies to tackle this important topic.

Since the establishment of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) tensions concerning immigration trends and policies, which continued to escalate at the turn of the millennium resulted in revised national security policies in Mexico, Canada, and the United States. These tensions have catalyzed the three governments to rethink their political and economic agendas. While national feminist scholarship in and on these respective countries continue to predominate, since NAFTA, there has been increasing feminist inquiry in a North American regional frame. Less has been done to understand challenges of the hegemonies of nation, region, and empire in this context and to adequately understand the meaning of (im)mobility in people's lives as well as the (im)mobilities of social theories and movements like feminism. Drawing from current feminist scholarship on intimacy and political economy and using three main frameworks: Fortressing Writs/Exclusionary Rights, Mobile Bodies/Immobile Citizenships, and Bordered/Borderland Identities, a handpicked group of established and rising feminist scholars methodically examine how the production of feminist knowledge has occurred in this region. The economic, racial, gender and sexual normativities that have emerged and/or been reconstituted in neoliberal and securitized North America further reveal the depth of regional and global restructuring.

Politicians, business leaders and citizens look with hope to the Latin American middle class for political stability and purchasing power, but the economic position of the middle class remains vulnerable. The contributors document the remarkable emergence of this middle group in Latin America, whose measurement turns out not to be an easy task.

Over the past two decades, how has urban agriculture changed in sub-Saharan Africa? Is city farming now better integrated into environmental management and city governance? And, looking ahead, how might urban agriculture address the needs of the low-income households and modernizing cities of Africa? In this book, leading specialists in the fields of urban agriculture and urban environment present a unique collection of case studies that examines the growing role of local food production in urban livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa. Amongst many issues, the authors probe the changing role of urban agriculture, the risks and benefits of crop-livestock systems, and the opportunities for making locally produced food more easily available and more profitable. Concluding chapters reflect on the policy and governance implications of greater integration of urban natural resources and the built environment, an expanded role for urban agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa and the crucial role of women in urban food systems. "African Urban Harvest" will be of interest to decision-makers, development professionals, researchers, academics, and students and educators in urban planning, development studies, African studies, and environmental studies.

The people of the Middle East face puzzling political realities as they enter the new millennium. Robust Western-style democracies have not yet emerged in the Middle East, yet at the same time, many Middle Eastern countries have experienced an important increase in political liberties in the last two decades. Economic Development and Political Reform addresses critical trends in the Middle Eastern political economy in the 1980s and 1990s and builds upon the cross-regional political science literature concerning political and economic reforms in the developing world. The book argues that external capital has had a decisive impact on economic and political development in the region. The author focuses mainly on Turkey, Morocco, Egypt and Kuwait and also considers important developments in other Middle Eastern countries. He demonstrates that Middle Eastern states lacking substantial exogenous revenues - including oil and foreign aid - have experienced severe fiscal crises and have been forced to pursue neo-liberal economic strategies. By contrast, those states with greater exogenous resources have undergone milder economic crises and developed more populist economic models. Providing new theoretical perspectives on Third World political and economic reform, this innovative volume will be of particular interest to political economists, international governmental and developmental organizations, international financial institutions and non-governmental organizations in this region.

Are state and local economic incentives to attract new firms worthwhile? Mitsubishi Motors in Illinois provides in-depth analysis of the incentives offered to land Diamond-Star Motors, the plant's labor force, supplier organization, and its community impact to answer this question. The authors conclude with a benefit-cost analysis of the incentive package at the community and at the state level. Written in nontechnical language, the book is intended for planners and administrators in state and local government, economic and business development officers, and international corporate management, as well as economists and public policy analysts.

Although much research has been compiled separately on the various issues surrounding the establishment of Japanese auto manufacturing plants in the United States, this work is unique for its direct surveys of workers, suppliers, members of the community, and city and state leaders involved in the negotiations. Data on the local housing impact are drawn from detailed examination of loan applications in the community during the major hiring period at the plant. While some results confirm previous work, the authors find many differences, particularly in the composition of the labor force and the effect of just-in-time production methods on supplier location. The book provides a comprehensive view of the community and regional impact of a Japanese auto manufacturing plant which can be used as a model for planning economic development strategies to attract new firms to states and communities. Written in nontechnical language, the book is intended for planners and administrators in state and local government, economic and business development officers, and international corporate management, as well as economists and public policy analysts.

This important book uses the most recent advancements in growth theory and case studies to examine the status of economic and political development at the turn of the 20th century. The book first provides an overview of the process of economic development in light of endogenous growth theory. The authors then explore the sources of economic development in East Asian countries, including the role of capital accumulation, international trade, pre-takeoff conditions and intersectoral relations. Pre war Japan is used as a case study to examine the role of industrial structure in accelerating economic development. The contributors then discuss the implications of economic development for income distribution in labor-absorbing economies and newly industrialized countries as well as examining household income distribution in Taiwan. Inequality is analyzed in the context of a developing country experiencing hyper-inflation. The influence of institutions, such as the Bretton Woods system, on developing countries' growth potential is also examined and case studies of Kenya, Uganda, and Sri Lanka are used to explore the role of politics and conflict in the process of economic development. The Political Economy of Comparative Development into the 21st Century will be essential reading for scholars of the economics and politics of development.

This book offers a service science perspective on platform orchestration and on collaborative consumption, providing an overview of research topics related to service dominant logic in multi-sided markets. The chapters give an international and multi-disciplinary overview of the current topics of digital service platforms from many angles. This overview helps in filling the gap between service science and recent research of the platform economy and paves the way for future service platform research. Open standards and distributed databases such as blockchain configurations increase the connectivity of business ecosystems as devices and systems exchange data with each other instead of through intermediaries. This exchange opens up opportunities for new value constellations, makes services globally scalable, and connects local service systems as integrated systems of systems. The book brings together established academics from a number of disciplines. This collaboration makes it possible to provide novel constructs and empirical results that help the reader to understand how value is co-created and orchestrated in the era of digital service platforms. In addition to theory building, practical implications for wider managerial and policy use are highlighted. The topics in this book are related to service platform technologies; organizational capabilities; and strategies and management in the contexts of retail, healthcare, and the public sector. A wide selection of case studies is used to demonstrate the implications of platforms for different service and economic contexts. Combining both theory and practice, this book is highly recommended for readers interested in the service and marketing point of view on the platform economy and for practitioners strategizing for scalable service platforms.Chapters 4 and 10 are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.