Regulatory regimes appear wherever market economies exist and whenever there is competition for limited resources. However, the rationale of public regulation of markets, as well as the mechanisms that characterise regulatory regimes, is not well understood. The State, Regulation and the Economy illustrates how economic theory, whether positive or normative, is not convincing in explaining the complex interactions between the state and the market. Instead, the book examines regulation and state intervention from an institutional and historical perspective. Utilising empirical evidence from Scandinavia and the US, the authors argue that the form and content of state interventionism is strongly influenced by historical and path dependent factors, and go on to propose an approach which illuminates the role of specific historical events in forming regulatory policy. Various aspects of regulation are discussed with reference to infrastructure and network industries, one of the few areas in the economy where the role of the state has changed dramatically during the past two decades. The authors believe that the fast changing attitudes and policies towards regulation might be better understood by applying a longer time horizon combined with analysis based on new institutional economics. Scholars of economics, business administration, economic history and political science, as well as those wishing to gain a greater insight into the historical dimension of regulation, will find this an original and valuable book.

Evolutionary Economics and Path Dependence presents important new theoretical and empirical work on economic change, learning processes, institutional change, choice and path dependency.The theoretical section includes discussion of the microfoundations of path dependency, path dependency in industrial networks, path dependence and the theory of the firm, lock-in effects in relation to professional organizations, the notion of bricolage in relation to path dependency and new and neo-institutional perspectives on the theory of the firm. The empirical part focuses on institutional change in the communications and transport sectors of the economy. More specifically it shows how path dependency occurs and develops through various types of lock-in effects within institutions. This book will be essential reading for academics and students of economics and economic history wishing to keep up-to-date with research at the frontier of this exciting field.

The notion and interpretation of path dependence have been discussed and utilized in various social sciences during the last two decades. This innovative book provides significant new insights onto how the different applications of path dependence have developed and evolved.The authors suggest that there has been a definite evolution from applications of path dependence in the history of technology towards other fields of social science. They also discuss the various definitions of path dependence (strong or weak) and explore the potential applications of path dependence in new areas such as political economy and economic geography. With new perspectives on how the debate surrounding path dependence has evolved, this book will strongly appeal to postgraduate students and scholars of economic history, economic geography, political science and business studies.

This book contains proceedings of a conference organised by the SALTSA research programme and National Institute for Working Life, Sweden, with the support of DG V the Directorate of Economic and Social Affairs.

Will the enlargement of the European Union have long-term effects on the European labour market, i.e. lead to greater integration and homogenisation? Will Europe be one labour market in the future? The challenges of a common European labour market will be much more accentuated as a consequence of the growth of the EU in the coming decade. Two important issues are discussed in the contributions to this volume: firstly, enlargement, globalisation and the new labour market challenges for Europe; secondly, Amsterdam and the effects of the Euro on the labour market.

In this book, highly acclaimed researchers make important contributions to the present state of research on European labour markets. Topics covered include the role of wage-setting institutions and unions in relation to monetary policies and globalisation, welfare adjustment in Europe, the convergence or divergence of European labour markets, democracy and changing labour markets, as well as the risk of social competition and tax evasion. The book will be influential in the ongoing discussions regarding a common labour market and provide a much needed contribution to one of the most debated subjects in European politics and economics.