This book provides an introduction to energy economics. It shows how to apply general economic theory as well as empirical and advanced econometric methods to explain the drivers of energy markets and their development. Readers learn about the specific properties of energy markets as well as the physical, technological, environmental, and geopolitical particularities of energy sources and products. The book covers all types of energy markets, ranging from liquid fuels, gaseous fuels, and solid fuels to electricity. It also addresses emission allowances, energy efficiency, and nuclear risks. The authors discuss the engineering properties of energy technologies including renewables, the economics of natural resources and environmental protection, market liberalization, and energy trade as well as the experience of the German energy transformation. This book will serve students as a textbook and practitioners as a reference for their understanding of energy markets and their development.

Health care arguably is the single most regulated industry in industrial countries, and possibly in newly industrialized and developing countries as well. But what exactly is being regulated, what are the instruments used, and what are the effects and side-effects of such regulation? Regulation of Health: Case Studies of Sweden and Switzerland seeks to resolve problems in answering these key questions regarding the health care sector in two countries - Sweden and Switzerland. The volume contains a series of studies that compare the regulation of health and health care in these two apparently very similar countries, in considerable detail. The contributing teams acquired a great deal of knowledge about health regulation in both countries; they also derived comparative predictions when regulation differs, using actual observations to check whether these predictions are borne out. These comparisons are based on the conditions prevailing in the mid-nineties.

Insurance Economics brings together the economic analysis of decision making under risk, risk management and demand for insurance among individuals and corporations, objectives pursued and management tools used by insurance companies, the regulation of insurance, and the division of labor between private and social insurance. Appropriate both for advanced undergraduate and graduate students of economics, management, and finance, this text provides the background required to understand current research. Predictions derived from theoretical arguments are not merely stated, but also related to empirical evidence. Throughout the book, conclusions summarize key results, helping readers to check their knowledge and comprehension. Issues discussed include paradoxes in decision making under risk and attempts at their resolution, moral hazard and adverse selection including the possibility of a "death spiral", and future challenges to both private and social insurance such as globalization and the availability of genetic information. This second edition has been extensively revised. Most importantly, substantial content has been added to represent the evolution of risk-related research. A new chapter, Insurance Demand II: Nontraditional Approaches, provides a timely addition in view of recent developments in risk theory and insurance. Previous discussions of Enterprise Risk Management, long-term care insurance, adverse selection, and moral hazard have all been updated. In an effort to expand the global reach of the text, evidence and research from the U.S. and China have also been added.

Confronted with the continuing cost expansion in the health care sector, policy makers face a dilemma: limiting moral hazard in medical care requires that consumers participate in the cost, yet copayment is strongly resisted by today's socially insured. Thus, the experiences of three private German health insurers will be of interest to physicians, social scientists, and policy makers. Insurer A writes conventional plans with deductibles and coinsurance; B pays back three-monthly premiums as a fixed rebate for no claims; while C runs an experience-rated bonus system starting with a rebate of three-monthly premiums for the first year without a claim, reaching a maximum of five after three years. While both rebates and bonuses are quite popular among insureds, this study shows that bonus options are particularly effective in limiting the demand for ambulatory and even hospital care. But what about adverse effects on health caused by the desire to save one's bonus? On this issue, there is some surprising evidence.

This volume reflects both the main issues confronting health economics and the state of the art in health economics a decade before the end of the twentieth century. It contains a selection from almost 150 papers presented at the Second World Congress on Health Economics, held at the University of ZUrich, Switzerland, 10-14 September 1990. This is ten years after the last Congress (held in Leiden, The Netherlands) and more than 17 years after the Tokyo meeting organized by the International Economic Associ ation (which might be called the First World Congress were it not for its small size and symposium-like character). Out of the 16 papers appearing in this book, only four were invited, and they were refereed like all the others. The remaining contributions are survivors of stiff competition. However, in spite of the large sample of papers we were able to draw from, certain gaps of coverage persist. In particular, environmental impacts on health were designated as a field of priority interest in the call for papers to this Congress. Yet, not even half a dozen contribu tions were submitted, which is remarkable in view of the intense interest of the public in the health effects of environmental degradation, ranging from noise level to ozone concentration. Another specially designed field was the political economy of health, dealing with the behavior of policy makers when deciding about changes in the health care systems. It did not attract as many contributions as we had hoped for or expected."

Health Economics presents a systematic treatment of the economics of health behavior and health care delivery. Appropriate both for advanced undergraduate and graduate students of economics, this text provides the background required to understand current research,

presenting theoretical models as well as empirical evidence and summarizing key results. Without neglecting ethical concerns, modern microeconomic theory is applied to

formulate theoretical implications and predictions. Issues discussed include the economic valuation of life and health, moral hazard in health care utilization, supplier-induced demand, the search for remuneration systems with favorable incentives, risk selection in health insurance markets, and technological change in medicine.

Health, The Medical Profession, and Regulation presents new evidence concerning health and the environment, inequality of health in many countries, and the compatibility of different quality of life measurements, along with new solutions to problems of health policy. The book is grouped into three sections. Section I, comprising six papers, looks into the determinants of people's health. Section II consists of three papers and deals with the supply side of the market for health care services. Finally, Section III contains three contributions devoted to health regulation. The intended market for this volume includes, but is not limited to, health economists, policy makers, insurers, and governmental advisors who need to stay abreast of the latest developments in health services research worldwide.

This book provides an introduction to energy economics. It shows how to apply general economic theory as well as empirical and advanced econometric methods to explain the drivers of energy markets and their development. Readers learn about the specific properties of energy markets as well as the physical, technological, environmental, and geopolitical particularities of energy sources and products. The book covers all types of energy markets, ranging from liquid fuels, gaseous fuels, and solid fuels to electricity. It also addresses emission allowances, energy efficiency, and nuclear risks. The authors discuss the engineering properties of energy technologies including renewables, the economics of natural resources and environmental protection, market liberalization, and energy trade as well as the experience of the German energy transformation. This book will serve students as a textbook and practitioners as a reference for their understanding of energy markets and their development.

Health care arguably is the single most regulated industry in industrial countries, and possibly in newly industrialized and developing countries as well. But what exactly is being regulated, what are the instruments used, and what are the effects and side-effects of such regulation? Regulation of Health: Case Studies of Sweden and Switzerland seeks to resolve problems in answering these key questions regarding the health care sector in two countries - Sweden and Switzerland. The volume contains a series of studies that compare the regulation of health and health care in these two apparently very similar countries, in considerable detail. The contributing teams acquired a great deal of knowledge about health regulation in both countries; they also derived comparative predictions when regulation differs, using actual observations to check whether these predictions are borne out. These comparisons are based on the conditions prevailing in the mid-nineties.

Confronted with the continuing cost expansion in the health care sector, policy makers face a dilemma: limiting moral hazard in medical care requires that consumers participate in the cost, yet copayment is strongly resisted by today's socially insured. Thus, the experiences of three private German health insurers will be of interest to physicians, social scientists, and policy makers. Insurer A writes conventional plans with deductibles and coinsurance; B pays back three-monthly premiums as a fixed rebate for no claims; while C runs an experience-rated bonus system starting with a rebate of three-monthly premiums for the first year without a claim, reaching a maximum of five after three years. While both rebates and bonuses are quite popular among insureds, this study shows that bonus options are particularly effective in limiting the demand for ambulatory and even hospital care. But what about adverse effects on health caused by the desire to save one's bonus? On this issue, there is some surprising evidence.

This volume reflects both the main issues confronting health economics and the state of the art in health economics a decade before the end of the twentieth century. It contains a selection from almost 150 papers presented at the Second World Congress on Health Economics, held at the University of ZUrich, Switzerland, 10-14 September 1990. This is ten years after the last Congress (held in Leiden, The Netherlands) and more than 17 years after the Tokyo meeting organized by the International Economic Associ ation (which might be called the First World Congress were it not for its small size and symposium-like character). Out of the 16 papers appearing in this book, only four were invited, and they were refereed like all the others. The remaining contributions are survivors of stiff competition. However, in spite of the large sample of papers we were able to draw from, certain gaps of coverage persist. In particular, environmental impacts on health were designated as a field of priority interest in the call for papers to this Congress. Yet, not even half a dozen contribu tions were submitted, which is remarkable in view of the intense interest of the public in the health effects of environmental degradation, ranging from noise level to ozone concentration. Another specially designed field was the political economy of health, dealing with the behavior of policy makers when deciding about changes in the health care systems. It did not attract as many contributions as we had hoped for or expected."

Health, The Medical Profession, and Regulation presents new evidence concerning health and the environment, inequality of health in many countries, and the compatibility of different quality of life measurements, along with new solutions to problems of health policy. The book is grouped into three sections. Section I, comprising six papers, looks into the determinants of people's health. Section II consists of three papers and deals with the supply side of the market for health care services. Finally, Section III contains three contributions devoted to health regulation. The intended market for this volume includes, but is not limited to, health economists, policy makers, insurers, and governmental advisors who need to stay abreast of the latest developments in health services research worldwide.

Die Sicherung der Energieversorgung gehoert zu den zentralen Herausforderungen moderner Zivilisationen. Allerdings greifen solche Antworten zu kurz, die das interessengeleitete Handeln der wesentlichen Akteure ausser Acht lassen. Deshalb behandelt das Buch die Gesetzmassigkeiten der Energiemarkte unter Ruckgriff auf industrie- und institutionenoekonomische Theorien. Wo immer moeglich werden die theoretisch hergeleiteten Voraussagen anhand statistischer Evidenz gepruft. Auch die technisch-naturwissenschaftlichen Bedingungen werden stets berucksichtigt.

by RolfM. Jeker, Federal Office for Foreign Economic Affairs Services have only quite recently become an important issue in foreign economic policy and particularly in international trade negotiations. Trade policy was traditionally perceived to deal almost exclusively with exports and imports of goods. The increasing importance of services both nationally and internationally is, mainly, due to the gains in agricultural and industrial productiv ity (freeing resources for services activities), and the progress in communication technology, facilitating trade in invisibles. Notable examples of contractual and legal frameworks for services in international trade relations are the internal market program of the European Community extended by the Agreement on the European Economic Are. a (EEA) to EFTA countries, the multi lateral Uruguay-Round negotiations under the auspices of the GATT on a General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) signed by the United States, Canada and Mexico. This trend is of particular significance to Switzerland, a country where services contribute about 65% to the value added of the economy, a share which will probably still increase somewhat. Ser vices also contribute to an important extent to the traditional surplus in the current account of the Swiss balance of payments. Switzerland clearly has comparative advantages in the field of ser vices, as is well demonstrated by its long and successful tradition in key services sectors like banking, insurance, tourism, consulting and engineering."

Insurance Economics brings together the economic analysis of decision making under risk, risk management and demand for insurance among individuals and corporations, objectives pursued and management tools used by insurance companies, the regulation of insurance, and the division of labor between private and social insurance. Appropriate both for advanced undergraduate and graduate students of economics, management, and finance, this text provides the background required to understand current research. Predictions derived from theoretical arguments are not merely stated, but also related to empirical evidence. Throughout the book, conclusions summarize key results, helping readers to check their knowledge and comprehension. Issues discussed include paradoxes in decision making under risk and attempts at their resolution, moral hazard and adverse selection including the possibility of a "death spiral", and future challenges to both private and social insurance such as globalization and the availability of genetic information. This second edition has been extensively revised. Most importantly, substantial content has been added to represent the evolution of risk-related research. A new chapter, Insurance Demand II: Nontraditional Approaches, provides a timely addition in view of recent developments in risk theory and insurance. Previous discussions of Enterprise Risk Management, long-term care insurance, adverse selection, and moral hazard have all been updated. In an effort to expand the global reach of the text, evidence and research from the U.S. and China have also been added.

This is the most complete text available on the economics of health behavior and health care delivery. Appropriate both for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students of economics, this text provides the key analytical tools required to understand current research. Issues discussed include the "cost explosion" in health care, the power of medical associations, the search for remuneration systems with favorable incentives, and technological change in medicine. Rather than simplifying the issues facing today's healthcare systems, the book models existing complexities as they are, adapting economics to reflect the views of the average person.

Jenseits von Verbands- und Parteiinteressen erlautern die Autoren in dem Band Einsichten und Hintergrunde u.a. zur Ausgabendynamik im Gesundheitswesen, zur Rolle von Arzten und zu Ineffizienzen in Krankenhausern. Die Themen werden stringent mithilfe mikrookonomischer Methoden analysiert, ohne dabei ethische Gesichtspunkte ausser Acht zu lassen. Neue Ergebnisse der empirischen Forschung werden ebenso diskutiert wie aktuelle Reformvorschlage, z.B. die Burgerversicherung und die Einfuhrung von Pauschalpramien in der Krankenversicherung."

Fur die nachhaltige Losung der Energieversorgungsproblematik greifen aus okonomischer Sicht alle Antworten zu kurz, die nicht das interessengeleitete Handeln der wesentlichen Akteure berucksichtigen. Deshalb behandelt das Buch die nachfrage- und angebotsseitigen Gesetzmassigkeiten der verschiedenen Energiemarkte, und zwar unter Ruckgriff auf industrie- und institutionenokonomische Theoriebausteine. Wo immer moglich werden die theoretisch hergeleiteten Voraussagen durch die Konfrontation mit statistischer Evidenz auf ihre Praxisrelevanz gepruft.

Auch als gebundene Ausgabe lieferbar: ISBN 978-3-540-71698-3; ausfuhrliche Informationen zum Buch ->springer.de"

Das Buch macht den Leser mit den zentralen Fragestellungen und dem analytischen Werkzeug der Versicherungsokonomie vertraut. Es fuhrt Beitrage zur Nachfrage nach Versicherung, zum Angebot an Versicherung und der Versicherungsregulierung sowie zur Sozialversicherung in einer vereinheitlichten Darstellung zusammen, die bisher nur verstreut in Zeitschriften und Sammelbanden verfugbar waren. Es werden empirisch uberprufbare Voraussagen der Theorie abgleitet und den Ergebnissen internationaler empirischer Forschung gegenubergestellt. Ausformulierte Folgerungen fassen den Stoff zusammen und erleichtern die Kontrolle des Wissensstands."

Dieses Lehrbuch vermittelt in kompakter Form einen UEberblick uber die Theorie des Internationalen Handels. Die mikrooekonomische Analyse der internationalen Wirtschaftsbeziehungen wird oft als eine Anwendung der Allgemeinen Gleichgewichtstheorie dargestellt und wirkt entsprechend trocken und abstrakt. Demgegenuber wird hier die Theorie als Werkzeug zur Erklarung und Voraussage von beobachtbaren Phanomenen verstanden. Deshalb schliesst jedes Kapital mit einer Diskussion von empirischen UEberprufungen und ihren Ergebnissen ab. Das Buch enthalt zu jedem Kapital UEbungsaufgaben und geht insbesondere auf die Aussenwirtschaftdaten Deutschlands, OEsterreichs und der Schweiz ein.

Die staatliche Marktregulierung hat der deutschen Versicherungswirt schaft trotz aller politischen und wirtschaftlichen Umbruche fast ein Jahr hundert lang eine insgesamt stabile Marktordnung mit gunstigen Ent wicklungsbedingungen gesichert. Diese Ara neigt sich schnell ihrem Ende zu. Die Offnung der Versicherungsmarkte in der Europaischen Ge meinschaft nach dem Prinzip des Wettbewerbs der Aufsichtssysteme wird die deutschen Versicherungsunternehmen selbst dann intensiverem Wettbewerbsdruck aussetzen, wenn zunachst die wesentlichen Elemente des bestehenden Systems der materiellen Staataufsicht beibehalten werden sollten. Gleichzeitig wird die zunehmende Integration wesentli cher Teile der Versicherungswirtschaft in die Finanzdienstleistungsmark te neue Anforderungen an die Wettbewerbsfahigkeit der Versicherungs unternehmen stellen. Im Hinblick auf diesen Strukturwandel ist es zweifellos sinnvoll, wenn uber die Ziele und Instrumente der staatlichen Marktregulierung nachge dacht wird. Die nun schon mehrere Jahre andauernde Grundsatzdiskussi on uber die kunftige Marktordnung der Versicherungswirtschaft droht jedoch im Sande zu verlaufen. Nach zahlreichen Analysen und gutachter liehen Empfehlungen lassen sich bei den Argumenten fur eine substan tielle Deregulierung der Versicherungsmarkte ebenso wie bei den Gegen argumenten gewisse Abnutzungserscheinungen nicht mehr ubersehen. Dadurch werden die Grundlagen fur die notwendigen ordnungspoliti schen Entscheidungen nicht verbessert, wahrend mangels eindeutiger Signale und Anreize kostbare Zeit fur die Anpassung an die sich abzeich nenden Veranderungen der Marktstrukturen verstreicht. Fur diese unbefriedigende Situation gibt es vor allem zwei wichtige Grunde: - Die gerade fur die Versicherung bedeutsamen Grundannahmen uber die Funktionsbedingungen des Versicherungsprozesses sind bisher kaum diskutiert worden. Je nach Annahmen ergeben sich aber unter schiedliche Schi ussfolgerungen fur die Versicherungsmarktordnung."

Massnahmen der Gesundheits- und Sozialpolitik, z. B. der Kosten- dampfung im Gesundheitswesen, zielen oft auf eine Beeinflussung des Verhaltens der niedergelassenen Aerzte abo Mangels diffe- renzierter Vorstellungen liber die komplexen Zusammenhange werden dabei Primitivannahmen getroffen, z. B. nur ein Einkommensin- teresse des Arztes unterstellt oder plumpe Versuche direkter Kontrollen unternommen. Eine erfahrungswissenschaftliche Fundie- rung solcher Massnahmen setzt im Gegensatz hierzu voraus: eine konsistente und liberprlifte Theorie arztlichen Verhaltens, welche es ermoglicht, vorherzusagen, wie Veranderungen der sozialen Situation und demnach auch neu zu treffende Massnahmen auf die Handhabung der Handlungsparameter der Aerzte einwirken, womit dann auch erwlinschte oder unerwlinschte Wirkungen eintreten. Flir den deutschen Sprachraum liegt eine solche Theorie des Arztver- haltens bisher nicht vor, und in der internationalen Literatur wurden Theorien dieses Typs zwar formuliert, die aus ihnen zu ziehenden Schlussfolgerungen jedoch nur in wenigen Zusa enhan- gen liberprlift, z. B. hinsichtlich des zusammenhangs zwischen Arztdichte und Inanspruchnahme arztlicher Leistungen im Rahmen der Diskussion liber arztinduzierte Mehrnachfrage. Die hier vorgelegte Arbeit von P. Zweifel flillt daher eine be- deutsame Llicke aus. Dies gilt in methodischer Hinsicht, weil sie moderne mikrookonomische und okonometrische Verfahren auf einen Bereich anwendet, der angeblich wirtschaftswissenschaftlich nicht erschliessbar sein sollte und daher der medizinsoziologi- schen Deutung oder gar nur der Spekulation des gesunden Menschen- verstandes liberlassen war.