Political Institutions and Development challenges the cliche that 'good institutions' are essential for sustainable socio-economic development by focusing on the need to adapt potential solutions to local conditions. The authors argue that there is no one optimal institutional design that can be successfully applied to any country. The macro- and micro-level studies contained in this book demonstrate that institutions are highly context-dependent and time-sensitive and must be tailored to local conditions. Specifically, law and order, effective governance, ethnic sensitivity, a supporting political culture, civil rights, and individual opportunities to participate in decision-making are also necessary. With its global perspective, this book explores the relationship between political institutions and development from such diverse regions as the Commonwealth of Independent States, East and South Asia, and Latin America. This book will appeal to scholars and researchers in political science, economics, political economy, development studies and globalization. It will also find a wider audience amongst policymakers, development agencies and policy communities throughout the world.

China is beginning to overtake the US as the world's largest economy, and a few other East and South Asian countries are steadily increasing their presence in global markets. The authors of this book agree that the contours of a 'different' economic and political order are emerging as the West is effectively struggling to hold onto its global pre-eminence. Meanwhile, the torch is slowly (albeit uncertainly) passing to a new generation of international players. Some version of a new multilateral order is emerging; an order that is both different from the previous one, but also marked by multiple and significant continuities. This book identifies possible factors responsible for the recent rise of many developing countries. It examines how robust these trends actually are and speculatively predicts the implications and consequences that may result from a continuation of these trends. It also suggests possible scenarios of future development. Ultimately, it argues that the rise of the 'Rest' would not only imply geopolitical shifts, but could also lead to the proliferation of the new growth models in the Global South and to profound changes in international economic relations. This innovative book is written from a multicultural and multidisciplinary perspective by the leading scholars in the field. It will appeal to professionals, PhD students and graduate students alike, namely those in the fields of international relations, political economy, political science, international development and regional studies. Contributors include: S. Amin, L.C. Bresser-Pereira, P. Dutkiewicz, J. Ghosh, S.S. Karatasli, S. Kumral, J.Y. Lin, J.A. Ocampo, D. Pasciuti, P. Patnaik, V. Popov, R. Sakwa, B.J. Silver, J.K. Sundaram

Vladimir Popov is a distinguished Russian chess coach who has guided his two most celebrated pupils, the Kosintseva sisters, into the Top 10 of womens chess. In Chess Lessons Popov shares his secrets of chess improvement. Chess is of course a complex game, but Popov has the ability as a coach and author to offer clear principles to help the reader achieve a deeper understanding of chess. Popov also offers many instructive and entertaining chess exercises for the reader to solve.

Modular reconfigurable robots were intensively studied. In particular, problems of planning of self-reconfiguration received considerable attention. Problems of reconfiguration planning play a central role for modular reconfigurable robots. Solutions for such problems lies at the heart of any control system of modular reconfigurable robots. Performance of such solutions is the base factor for the performance of the whole control system of modular reconfigurable robot. Recently, the optimal reconfiguration planning problem of finding the least number of reconfiguration steps to transform between two configurations for chain-type modular robots was introduced. It is preferred that the robot keeps connected throughout the reconfiguration process. Respectively, in this book we suppose that the robot keeps connected throughout the reconfiguration process. We describe an approach to solve the problem. Our approach is based on constructing logical models for considered problem. Also we consider genetic and local search algorithms for the problem. The book should be especially useful to professionals in modular robotics.

Monografiya posvyashchena issledovaniyu opportunisticheskogo povedeniya ekonomicheskikh agentov v sisteme trudovykh otnosheniy. V pervoy chasti monografii, posvyashchennoy teoretiko-metodologicheskim osnovam issledovaniya opportunizma rabotnikov, predstavleny sovremennye podkhody k resheniyu problemy opportunizma v ekonomicheskoy teorii firmy. Rassmotreny ekonomicheskie instituty upravleniya opportunizmom rabotnikov i opportunizmom menedzherov firm. Opredeleny institutsional'nye effekty upravleniya opportunizmom ekonomicheskikh agentov. Vo vtoroy chasti issleduyutsya sotsial'no-ekonomicheskie osnovy opportunizma rabotnikov rossiyskikh predpriyatiy. Opportunizm kak ekonomicheskoe yavlenie rassmatrivaetsya v kontekste trudovykh otnosheniy rabotnikov predpriyatiya. Vvodyatsya avtorskie ponyatiya "opportunizm rabotnikov predpriyatiy," "opportunizm rabotodateley po otnosheniyu k sobstvennikam predpriyatiy." vyyavlyayutsya osnovnye usloviya razvitiya i preodoleniya opportunizma rabotnikov na rossiyskikh predpriyatiyakh. Monografiya prednaznachena dlya uchenykh, aspirantov, rukovoditeley predpriyatiy, izuchayushchikh opportunisticheskoe povedenie na promyshlennykh predpriyatiyakh i v organizatsiyakh.