Search results for ""edward elgar publishing ltd""

Economic activities that degrade the environment do not simply pit humans against nature. They also pit some humans against others. Some benefit from these activities; others bear net costs from pollution and resource depletion. In a provocative and original analysis, James K. Boyce examines the dynamics of environmental degradation in terms of the balances of power between the winners and the losers. He provides evidence that inequalities of power and wealth affect not only the distribution of environmental costs, but also their overall magnitude: greater inequalities result in more environmental degradation. Democratization - movement toward a more equitable distribution of power - therefore is not only a worthwhile objective in its own right, but also an important means toward the social goals of environmental protection and sustainable development.Combining theoretical analysis with empirical evidence from around the world, James K. Boyce demonstrates that changes in our relationship with nature ultimately require changes in our relationships with each other. He maintains that a more democratic and environmentally sustainable future is possible, but warns that it is not inevitable.This book will appeal to students, scholars, policymakers and other readers interested in the environment, economics and public policy.

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Recent years have seen a rapid growth of interest in farm, community and other small-scale forestry activities. Small-scale private forestry has social benefits which, together with the withdrawal of forest resources from the timber industry, are considered a strong imperative for government intervention to promote free tree planting.Sustainable Small-scale Forestry addresses a broad spectrum of important social, economic and policy issues associated with farm forestry which should benefit production and the environment. The volume presents extensive research in both tropical and temperate regions such as Australia, Asia, America and Europe. The importance of these countries exchanging experiences in farm forestry and assistance measures is highlighted.Edited by members of the Cooperative Research Centre for Tropical Rainforest Ecology and Management, this volume will be essential reading for those in involved with social and economic issues, forest policy, natural and land resource economics, and environmental management. Practitioners, researchers and students of forestry and vegetation management will also find the book to be an indispensable source of reference.

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This authoritative four-volume collection presents the most important published articles and papers on the economics of intellectual property - a subject that is of increasing interest to both economists and lawyers. Publication is timely in view of the growing interest in the relationship of innovation and knowledge to economic growth as well as the challenges to copyright being posed by the new electronic media. International in scope, this four-volume set will be an essential source of reference to both economists and lawyers concerned with the rapidly developing field of intellectual property.

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The allocation of subsidies is often regarded as a fundamental role of governments in order to realise and maintain benefits to society. The possibility that public subsidies could actually be counterproductive contradicts common perception. The authors of this challenging book present recent evidence which, in their view, suggests that subsidies may in fact turn out to be a contemporary plague. Public Subsidies and Policy Failures provides extensive analysis of the theory and political economy of public support policies, demonstrating how subsidies can harm the environment, distort trade, and benefit those in society who do not require support. Furthermore, they often fail to achieve the desired and expected goals. The authors employ a theoretical framework to illustrate the impact of subsidies on developed and developing economies, as well as on international trade. They examine public subsidies in various natural resource and industrial sectors and discover that many turn out to be policy failures. They also investigate the various barriers and lock-in mechanisms by which subsidies become entrenched in economic and political structures. The book goes on to propose concrete actions, policy strategies and international 'Grand Deals' which will engender effective subsidy reforms.Scholars, researchers and students will welcome this rigorous investigation into the political and economic costs and benefits of public subsidies. International trade organisations and policymakers will also benefit from the strategic emphasis.

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Knowledge, Social Institutions and the Division of Labour gives rise to a new and richer institutional analysis of the economy centred around the analysis of language, the division of labour and social knowledge. It is in this perspective that the economic analysis of institutions comes to be associated with the study of civil society, or with the broad framework of communication and coordination behind the interaction of individuals in economic and non-economic spheres.This fascinating book is divided into three parts beginning with the issue of the development of science as an aspect of the division of labour, starting from methodological problems on the communication of scientific knowledge. The volume goes on to explore issues on the moral bases of social interaction and, more particularly, of commercial society before ending with in depth analyses of questions on the division of labour, social institutions and the diffusion of knowledge in society.

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The increasing demands which society places on the natural environment have led us to seek new ways of estimating the monetary costs of environmental degradation so that they can be compared with the benefits of development. This book provides a comprehensive and readable examination of the major techniques used in cost-benefit analysis and project appraisal to value environmental goods and services.Written by two leading practitioners in environmental valuation, the book includes detailed examinations of the theory and practice of a wide range of valuation techniques including contingent valuation, hedonic pricing, choice experiments and travel cost methods. Complementing the theory are case studies on various policy areas such as water quality, recreation, landscape and biodiversity drawn from Europe, the United States and Asia. The book concludes with an informative and provocative review of important contemporary issues as well as suggesting areas of future research in the practice of environmental valuation.Economic Valuation of the Environment will be essential reading for environmental and ecological economists and those practising resource management as well as for planners and policymakers.

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This book introduces readers to the discipline of ecological political economy, an approach that aims at a theoretical synthesis of nature, production and power relations. At its heart is a critical appreciation of the social institutions and organizations that can provide the basis for strong environmental sustainability. The complex of ecological, political and economic interrelationships are analysed by eleven authors from backgrounds in economics, political theory, political economy, law and theology. Unifying the disparate treatments is each author's commitment to critical reflection in the pursuit of an ever-more informed debate. Key themes include the nature of 'community', the role of civil society in resisting and reforming modern (un)sustainable development, the new place of transnational advocacy networks, the transformative possibilities for the state and new economic institutions.This book will be of special interest to political scientists and economists, as well as geographers, sociologists and students of environmental studies.

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The rise of the institutionalist and evolutionary approaches in economics has posed a serious intellectual challenge to the dominant neo-classical paradigm. This book draws together leading scholars in the fields of institutional and evolutionary economics who apply cutting-edge research to one of the most controversial issues of our day, namely, the role of the state.The authors offer a sound methodological guide to the research in this fast-evolving area of economics. They provide a firm theoretical foundation for the role of the state and review the history of policy making. They also use country studies to reinforce their approach, including the role of the state in the Asian Crisis, the current debate on state reform in Japan, public administration in Central and Eastern Europe and the practice of state reform in Brazil. This book will inspire readers to reassess their views on the role of the state and state reform.

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In the past, economists have not always been able to agree on the idea that copyright is an efficient way of protecting cultural intellectual property. Indeed, many economists argue that copyright is not even necessary. In Copyright and Economic Theory a rigorously extensive yet simplified economic theory of copyright piracy is presented, and used to analyse important aspects of intellectual property transactions including the royalty contract, optimal copyright law, and copyright collectives. The author also analyses important areas of discussion in copyright, such as how can it be that a certain degree of piracy is beneficial, not only socially, but also for copyright holders and producers of originals? Are linear royalty contracts optimal? How many copyright collectives should a given economy have? Would a copyright collective prefer to act as a leader or a follower in a Stackelberg duopoly?The book analyses and contrasts existing theories concerning the economic theory of copyright, and presents a simple economic model in which copyright can be effectively studied, considering all principal areas of interest in copyright.This book will be fascinating reading for academics in economics, law and industrial organisation as well as for legal professionals including lawyers, copyright collectives and relevant governmental organisations.

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This volume addresses important issues in economic theory and international trade with contributions from internationally renowned researchers - including some of Murray C. Kemp's many colleagues and former students.Economic Theory and International Trade begins with an examination of classical trade theory and welfare economics. It goes on to discuss international trade policy, including international trading agreements, taxation, tariffs and quotas. Attention then turns to the role of market structure in joint ventures, innovation, tariff policy and political economy. The final section is devoted to economic dynamics and international economics, with an emphasis on learning mechanisms, sustainable growth and immigration.This book will be indispensable to academics and graduate students in the area of international trade. Economic theorists and international trade specialists such as research units and researchers in government will also find this book of great interest.

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China has experienced dramatic growth and development in the past two decades of economic reform. Yet, since the Asian crisis, the growth rate has declined from its historically high levels and deep-rooted problems such as unemployment, income inequality, surplus rural labour and non-performing debt in state enterprises have resurfaced - all with the potential to undermine the sustainability of growth.China in the Global Economy focuses on the theme of twin transitions occurring in the Chinese economy: the transition from a centrally planned economic system to a market oriented one, and from an agrarian to a modern industrialised society. China's exporters face unprecedented competition in the world market and the flow of foreign direct investment has fallen restraining the growth of the domestic economy. These new challenges have fuelled debate on the perspective of the Chinese economy and its role in the global economy.The book covers developments in the macroeconomy, productivity and reform of state-owned enterprises, issues of international trade such as the management of the exchange rate, the pattern of exports and the development of e-commerce and problems in the agricultural sector and the environment.This important and highly topical book will be warmly welcomed by economists as well as academics and researchers involved with both Asian and globalisation studies.

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This ground-breaking book focuses on the implications of the complexity vision, such as that held by economists at the Santa Fe Institute, for the teaching of economics. This complexity vision suggests that answers to questions such as how do markets develop and how do they evolve need to be approached head on. Complexity economics is beginning to do just that. Most of the work in complexity is highly formal and technical; it seems far away from issues such as the teaching of economics. This book is different. The focus of this book is not on the grand theories, or technical aspects, of complexity. Instead it is on the teaching of economics. It asks the question: how would the teaching of economics change if complexity is taken seriously? An outstanding group of contributors, including Brian Arthur, Buz Brock, and Duncan Foley, provide interesting and provocative answers to that question in a non-technical and highly accessible style. It is a book that should be read by all those teaching economics, as well as those who are interested in where the complexity revolution in science might be leading.

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The formulation of a common European monetary policy offers an important challenge to policymakers both in Europe and around the globe. The analysis of monetary transmission mechanisms in Europe, and the US, provides insights of great importance as the institutional environment of monetary policy changes.Historically, it has been proved difficult to empirically establish the effects of monetary policy measures on the economy. This study of the monetary transmission mechanism pays close attention to the role of financial markets in the transmission process. The author analyses aspects of monetary transmission, such as interest rates and exchange rates, with evidence from several European countries including the Netherlands, UK and Germany as well as from the US. This research on monetary transmission greatly increases our understanding of the effect, or ineffectiveness, of monetary policy on economies in general.The author presents a comprehensive discussion of the outcomes of empirical research along with an extensive survey of the literature and a discussion of the methods used, since interest in the subject was renewed in the 1980s. This work will be invaluable to policymakers in central banks and government ministries as well as academic researchers and economists alike.

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In this book, Achim Korber carefully examines the influence of environmental policy on trade policy. He explores environmental protectionism and models it using public choice theory.The author focuses on: a theoretical analysis of ecological protectionism and the potential misuse of environmental regulation as a tool to gain competitive advantage a comprehensive case study on the tuna-dolphin cases of the GATT/WTO. The study reveals that the US legislation was not - as it was widely perceived - a victory for the environmentalists but for the billion dollar industry of the US tuna canneries an in-depth literature survey on various approaches to protectionism including an analysis of lobbying models including the contest-success function. The Political Economy of Environmental Protectionism, with its wealth of new material, will be of great interest to environmental, political, and trade economists as well as policymakers and researchers.

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The Silicon Dragon is a systematic study of the growth of high-tech giants in the Greater China Region, depicting the success story of the microelectronics industry in Taiwan. Literature and studies on Taiwan's success are surprisingly limited, and this book aims to fill this gap, addressing questions such as: How has Taiwan achieved such an outstanding performance in the information industry? How did Taiwan obtain and maintain its competitive advantage? What was the secret of success? What role did the government and manufacturers play during the development process? What insights can newcomers gain from these achievements? The book examines the government policies that acted as catalysts to the growth of high-tech industries in Taiwan, along with the roles of high-tech 'incubators' and government-administered science parks. The authors provide case studies of high profile companies including Acer, Philips Semiconductors and Macronix International, and interviews with key decision makers to highlight the corporate strategies adopted in response to government policies and global commercial demand. Finally, insightful narratives on the birth and growth of a government-fostered strategic industry are provided, as is a synopsis of the Asian contribution to the evolution of the global microelectronics development. This book will strongly appeal to academics, researchers and students with an interest in engineering, technology and business management. Business managers and government officials will also find much to interest them in this book.

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Taiwan's economic development experience represents a unique case study especially in the wake of the Asian financial crisis. Taiwan has performed outstandingly in terms of macroeconomic and industrial development, particularly during recent democratic and social change. This book aims to provide a broad picture of these institutional reforms and policy evolutions.The expert contributors detail and examine the interactive relationship between Taiwan's economic liberalization, political democratization and social pluralization. Taking 1980 as a watershed, the book highlights the impact these economic and cultural changes have exerted on SMEs, foreign trade and investment, technological progress, industrial development and policy, and the reform of financial and fiscal systems. They investigate the contentious issue of whether political democratization is beneficial for economic development and go on to discuss the creation of an efficient Taiwanese economy and the resolution of conflicts created by social pluralization. The book analyses the comparative advantage of Taiwan over comparable countries, paying particular attention to the Asian financial crisis.The authors offer a fresh approach by observing Taiwanese development post 1980 and integrating economic, political and social analysis. As such, development economists and scholars of Asian economics will find this unique book both useful and enlightening.

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This authoritative collection presents the most important published articles on the cultural, legal, philosophical and economic dimensions of property rights. It shows how the economics of property rights has enriched our ability to understand as well as to predict a wide range of real world events.This first volume focuses on the history, development and consequences of property rights as they interact with formal and informal institutions. The second volume considers the effects of alternative property rights on economic performance.This important two-volume collection will be an essential source of reference for both economists and political scientists concerned with property rights.

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Technology and knowledge are two of the most important factors for maintaining a competitive advantage in today's global economy. This book examines recent trends in the analysis of knowledge and technology from an evolutionary perspective.Technology and Knowledge emphasizes the importance of knowledge in the creation of technological change and innovation. The authors examine the role of knowledge underlying innovation, and the flows of knowledge and other interactions between and within firms. Combining empirical work with simulations to solve models which are too complex to be understood analytically, the book presents a balanced and complementary approach to an area that is critically important for economic growth and international competitiveness.This book will be warmly welcomed by academics working in the fields of technological change, innovation, knowledge and industrial organization.

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Waste Management and Planning presents a comprehensive selection of leading papers covering four main aspects of waste management: the waste problem, evaluation of waste management options, economic instruments and legislation and policy. Part I examines the technical aspects of waste management, such as waste generation, composition, management options and technologies. Part II discusses the evaluation of waste management options and includes papers on lifecycle assessment, multicriteria evaluation, and economic assessments. Part III focuses on economic instruments, packing policies, virgin material taxes and unit pricing. Part IV includes papers on public participation, waste facility siting and waste policy and legislation in the US, Europe and Tanzania.This volume will be an invaluable source of reference for waste management students and practitioners, and environmentalists, students and all those interested in waste management issues.

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In the second half of 1997 Thailand, Malaysia, Korea and Indonesia experienced a massive outflow of foreign capital - more than $100 billion. The effects of this rival the worst years of the Latin American debt crisis and the early years of the Great Depression.The Asian crisis demonstrates how interconnected the global economy has become, and this book is the first attempt, by an international group of experts, to understand the Asian financial crisis by taking into account the dynamics of private capital flows. The authors answer some of the most important questions relating to the Asian crisis, and seek to find solutions to prevent such crises occurring again, including: what caused the crisis in Asian countries? why did most analysts fail to anticipate the crisis? why were the effects so severe? what is the key to recovery in Asia and other crisis countries? what can be done to prevent such a crisis from occurring again? how can the international system deal with such circumstances more successfully? Private Capital Flows in the Age of Globalization will be invaluable to policymakers, investors and scholars working in the fields of money, finance and banking, Asian studies, development and international economics.

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Thorstein Veblen has made an immeasurable impact on the development of economics. His legacy has been to challenge orthodox thinking and inspire the institutionalist and evolutionary school of thought. In this book, a distinguished group of contributors analyses the impact, a century later, of Veblen's 1898 challenge to economics. The authors examine the contribution of Veblen and some of his disciples to heterodox economics. They also reassess other contemporaneous discussions and contributions by other authors - Mitchell, Ayres, Commons, Keynes, Schumpeter, Tinbergen, Frisch - and present an overview of the state of the art in evolutionary economics.

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Globalisation has had a major impact on manufacturing competitiveness and industrial development in transitional and developing economies. This up-to-date book critically examines the experience of a wide range of countries, focusing on the policy challenges they face in the new global economy.The rising demand for manufactured goods is causing increased pressure on developing and transitional countries to introduce policies aimed at enhancing productivity, mobilising resources, building capabilities and changing internal structures. Yet policymakers face difficult trade-offs between allocative efficiency and sustainable development. This book begins by looking at key policy issues in manufacturing including international best practices, policy convergence and policy benchmarking. The discussion then moves on to discuss the measurement of manufacturing competitiveness and the policies necessary for companies to compete successfully in the new global economy. The policy recommendations are underpinned through a wide range of case studies from different regions and countries.The book offers policymakers, scholars and researchers a unique perspective, and serves as a comprehensive guide for formulating policies vital for national industrial development and integration into the world economy. It will help those concerned with policy formulation in developing and transitional countries take informed decisions and better cope with the challenges and opportunities of the global economy.

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This new dictionary makes an important and innovative contribution to the reference literature on the environment. International in scope, it provides up-to-date entries on macro and micro issues in environmental law in both developed and developing countries.Written by an author with both practical experience in the field, and six previous dictionaries to his name, this book adopts non-technical language to improve access to key topics in environmental law. It combines the use of case studies, best practice models, straightforward definitions and clear explanatory boxes.This dictionary will be invaluable to everyone involved with environmental law; including students of law as well as those in engineering and the social sciences. It will also provide essential reference for all official national and international agencies, environmental protection groups and NGOs, plus environment and planning departments at every level.

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The Foundations of Pension Finance presents in two authoritative volumes a selection of the most important published articles on systems of retirement income provision - an area that is of vital importance for the future of the economy in general and the financial system in particular.The collection makes a very important contribution towards a better understanding of the various factors which influence the outcomes arising from systems of retirement income provision. The fields of pension finance and pension economics are fortunate in having benefited from penetrating contributions from a range of distinguished scholars.The volumes are divided into five sections. The first section features material relevant to the role of pensions in the broad overall development of financing arrangements in the context of the economy as a whole. The second focuses more closely on pension provision in the context of capital markets. The third looks at pensions as they affect the economic behaviour of the personal sector, while the fourth is a companion piece examining the link between pensions and corporate finance. The final section examines important issues in pension reform facing government.This book will be essential reading for economists concerned with pensions and the problems of old age, financial economists as well as practitioners involved in the pension industry.

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This major book provides a new understanding of systems of corporate governance, notably in the USA, Japan and the EU. It discusses how governance influences corporate cultures and strategies, particularly in response to the effects of deepening integration in the world economy. These effects present challenges for governments, obliging them to focus increasingly on problems of the management of structural and foreign trade policies. Challenges in international financial markets also have to be confronted by policymakers as industries are funded more and more through cross-border investments, which reflect the responses of systems of corporate governance to globalization.The book links studies of corporate governance with surveys of efficiencies and failures in international financial markets, as well as examining aspects of corporate governance systems that have special significance for the management of economic policies as globalization continues. The contributors advocate increased international cooperation to promote more structural complementarities in the world economy.

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Globalisation of the world economy portends a wide range of benefits to citizens of all countries. However, this ground-breaking book finds that the impacts of trade liberalisation and globalisation appear to have a negative impact on agricultural sustainability in developing countries.This book explores the proposition that globalisation and trade liberalisation is an international win-win game and finds that there is substantial evidence to suggest that there could be a range of agricultural problems and negative impacts on rural communities and the environment in poorer countries. The authors use cutting-edge research from Brazil, Bolivia, Burkino Faso, Indonesia, The Philippines and Thailand to suggest that special attention needs to be paid to local issues in poor countries in the face of globalisation.Sustainable Agriculture and Environment will prove invaluable to scholars and policymakers in the areas of environmental and ecological economics.

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This book examines the monetary integration of the group of countries which constitute the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), signalling the emergence of a truly European economy. The authors devote their considerable expertise to the analysis of macroeconomic policies within EMU and the economic analysis underlying the conduct of these policies.The authors first analyse the development of the euro area from a historical perspective. They then examine the criteria for the first eleven countries to qualify for EMU and speculate whether the same countries would have joined if the qualification date had been a year later. The authors go on to examine purely macroeconomic aspects of the euro area including: the degree of real convergence in the euro area the short-run and long-run determinants of the euro area's current account the euro area's financial markets and implications for the international role of the euro the organizational structure and internal procedures of the European System of Central Banks the Eurosystem's single monetary policy strategy fiscal policy and the Stability and Growth Pact exchange rate policy issues. This book will become required reading for scholars and policymakers in the area's of European studies, macroeconomic policy and financial economics.

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The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change recognises that, in the formulation of a global strategy for reducing global emissions of carbon (the main factor in global warming) forests could play an important role. This book highlights that role and demonstrates how the forests of the world may be harvested judiciously and sustainably. The authors argue that the forests are more than just a source of timber and wood; they discuss the role that forests play in reducing global warming, in preventing soil erosion and in helping to minimise the loss of biodiversity. Drawing on the expertise of contributors associated with the analysis of forests, this book is an in depth and fascinating discussion as well as a policy guide for the sustainable management of forests.The book begins by considering the relevant biophysical aspects of forest management and then goes on to study the value of forests for providing carbon sinks that absorb, in part, the carbon released into the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels. The book ends with a more detailed analysis of case studies in forest policy in North, Central and South America.This book will be of great interest to academics and policy groups within the many areas of environmental economics including global climate change and sustainable development.

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This book provides the first comprehensive comparative analysis of the emerging civil service systems in 9 Central and East European states. Its comparative nature provides a fascinating insight into the emerging patterns of administrative development in the region since the beginning of the transition period. The authors apply the same methodological framework developed by the Civil Service Research Consortium to all the country case studies, which gives the book a high level of coherence and enhances the comparability of the country case studies. This methodological framework provides a solid background for the in-depth analysis of the history of the civil service system, internal labour market, public opinion, relations between politicians and administrators and civil service reform and development. Special attention is given to topical issues such as the influence of the European Union on the emerging civil service systems and possibility of European Union candidature.Civil Service Systems in Central and Eastern Europe will be warmly welcomed by academics and advanced level students in public administration, law, political science and transition studies as well as policymakers and international organizations helping to develop civil services in former communist countries.

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In this seminal book, a distinguished group of experts pinpoint and rigorously analyse central topics in international business research. This volume will become a major reference tool for understanding the economics of multinational enterprise. The emphasis throughout is on a new dynamic research agenda, for theory, for empirical research and for public policy.The wide-ranging topics discussed include: the importance of the location of production market structure and multinational enterprise technology, productivity and the multinational firm multinational enterprises and developing countries international business and public policy issues analytic models. The juxtaposition of ideas will provoke productive discussions among faculty and at conferences, and will stimulate useful new thought processes in any individual researcher. This book will be required reading for academics and scholars seeking guidance on the future research agenda for the economics of multinational enterprise.

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Macroeconomic analysis has undergone profound and controversial changes during the past twenty-five years and, as such, economists have developed and evolved their approaches to the discipline. Reflections on the Development of Modern Macroeconomics presents a collection of eight original essays, from leading scholars, each of which focuses on an important issue relating to these developments.These accessible, reflective surveys include: to stabilize or not to stabilize: is that the question? Brian Snowdon and Howard Vane the rhetoric and methodology of modern macroeconomics Roger Backhouse how relevant is Keynesian economics today? Keith Shaw what remains of the monetarist counter-revolution? Thomas Mayer macroeconomics: before and after rational expectations Patrick Minford the ups and downs of modern business cycle theory Cillian Ryan and Andrew Mullineux the role of imperfect competition in new Keynesian economics Huw Dixon politics and the macroeconomy: endogenous politicians and aggregate instability Brian Snowdon and Howard Vane This book will attract a wide readership among intermediate undergraduates, as well as postgraduates and lecturers in the fields of macroeconomics and the history of economic thought.

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This important Handbook on international development policy and management covers a broad spectrum of contemporary topics across all the major areas of interest. With over 40 chapters, the book comprehensively explores the many themes and issues of significance for both policy and implementation, and provides easily accessible reference material on current practice and research. The 42 contributors come from a diverse range of backgrounds, and enjoy international reputations in their chosen fields.The Handbook is organised in two parts, one dealing with policy issues and the other with implementation and management issues. The first part, on policy, covers a wide range of economic, social and environmental topics. The second part explores the political context of implementation and development practice and goes on to cover a range of issues relating to management in the public and non-state sectors and the management of development projects. Each individual chapter provides background information on theory and practice, describes the current 'state of play', examines prospects for the future and includes an annotated guide to further reading.This extensive handbook will become an essential reference on international development policy and management. Although primarily designed for postgraduate students and scholars of development studies, it will also be welcomed by development practitioners, NGOs and aid agencies.

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This highly original new book examines the scientific status of economics from the perspective of practising economists. It studies how they evaluate their theories, the relationship between those theories and the phenomena they are intended to represent, and the philosophy, methodology and scientific credentials of economics. It examines the tension between economics as the logic of rational choice and as a predictive science, that is reason and reality respectively.It surveys the five most influential schools of thought in the methodology of economics, with special emphasis on theory appraisal: logical positivism, instrumentalism, a priorism, scientific realism and rhetorical analysis. Professor Fox assesses the extent to which economists have followed the precepts and consequences of their methodological position. He extends the discussion to consider the purpose of such economic inquiry, the scope of application and the appropriate structure of economic theory, as the legitimate sources of economic knowledge. In conclusion he argues that a resolution of existing and emerging methodological controversies in economics must begin with a better understanding of the various voices within the discipline.Intended as an introduction to the major schools of thought in economics, this book will be of interest to students and scholars of economics, philosophy and economic methodology.

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This modern and comprehensive book offers a broad survey of economic growth theory, with special emphasis on the impact of natural resources on long-term development. The book begins with the standard growth models of the 1950s and 1960s and extends its analysis to the so-called 'new' growth theory, in which the long-term growth rate of an economy becomes an endogenous variable. The impact of positive spillovers, human capital formation, public services and innovation on the growth process are carefully studied. Using models and empirical illustration, the author evaluates to what extent growth theory is able to explain the huge international differences in living standards prevailing in the world today. The theoretical foundation is then used to consider the issue of sustainable growth under stricter environmental regulation. Growth Theory and Sustainable Development shows that the understanding of growth theory is an important key to predict the sustainability of long-term development, making it required reading for students of economic development and environmental economics.

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Globalization and Labour Markets is an authoritative two-volume collection which will prove an invaluable source of reference to students and scholars in the field of labour markets in the new global economy.Volume I features articles on the Stolper-Samuelson theorem and trade and wages whilst volume II focuses on labour market microstructure and adjustment, trade and employment, migration and labour market adjustment and foreign direct investment and labour markets.

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Ten years after the collapse of communism in Poland, the debate continues over the impact of the transition to a market economy. Whilst few actually say the socialist system could - or should - have been preserved, the path of change has been far from smooth, and has produced both winners and losers in the race to reform.This book assesses the prevailing attitudes of both support and disenchantment among Poles towards transition, in the light of their own experiences. In particular Janice Bell uses statistical indicators on economic well-being, regional voting results and public opinion survey data to analyse the socio-economic influences on patterns of voting behaviour, and finds unemployment to be a crucial denominator.Groundbreaking in its perspective, this study will appeal to all those concerned with the social implications of reform programmes in former communist countries.

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This seminal reference tool provides a detailed chronological account of the development of European integration from the fragmentation at the end of the Second World War to the launch of the Euro on 31st December 1998. It offers a descriptive summary of important events, measures, arrangements, conferences and ideas that shaped the progress towards integration.Wim Vanthoor's chronology reveals that the attainment of political unions referred to by Winston Churchill in 1946 as 'The United States of Europe', was on the one hand a controversial point in the struggle for integration while on the other it was always kept in view as the ultimate objective. The author comes to the conclusion that with the creation of the economic and monetary union the efforts to achieve European political unification have reached an interim phase. Previous experience suggests that, in the long run, the European Union needs to be deepened in order to create the supranationality which the founding fathers of the European Community already had in mind when they signed the Treaty of Rome in 1957.This reference work will prove invaluable to students, scholars and professionals interested in the development of the European Union.

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This book represents an original study of long term patterns in technological development and innovation in large corporations. The author is primarily concerned with understanding open-ended transformation processes in the evolution of industrialised societies. US patent data from 1890 to 1990 is employed within an evolutionary framework. The book offers an overview of an intellectual agenda associated with a highly important and pervasive set of phenomena and challenges several dogmas currently alive within economic reasoning including: technological paradigms governing trajectories of opportunity the S-shaped image of the technological growth cycle and technological dynamics long waves industrial dynamics the variety of firms' technological profiles and corporate trajectories corporate technological leadership socio-economic transformation processes and underpinning 'rules'. Technological Change and the Evolution of Corporate Innovation details historically how the innovative and competitive landscapes within industrialised societies have become increasingly complex. This book will appeal to industrial and business economists, technology historians, researchers, students, policymakers and business analysts.

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This book surveys the current state of industry in sub-Saharan Africa and examines claims that Africa is de-industrialising. It focuses on the challenge for economic policy to find ways to reverse this trend.The contributors begin by analysing general issues relating to industrialisation in Africa, including the question of Africa's comparative advantage in industry, the role of small-scale enterprises and the scope for infant industry promotion. They then focus on issues such as: evidence of de-industrialisation within Africa comparative industrial performance between African countries and economies outside Africa• the role of regional trade integration lessons to be learnt from industrialisation in East Asia policies of major lending institutions towards industrial loans The authors then consider evidence from country studies including export performance in Nigeria, protection and transport costs in Uganda, public enterprises in Tanzania, enterprise reform in South Africa and the impact of free trade policies in Southern Africa. They find that the diversity of experience in the region and the complexity of the issues caution against accepting simple generalisations on African industrialisation.Industrial Development and Policy in Africa will be required reading for scholars of economic development and industrial economics.

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This important book provides a comprehensive analysis of the impact of privatization on the economic performance of companies in Central and Eastern Europe. It sheds new light on the achievements and shortcomings of the privatization process and draws out lessons for the future.After considering the theoretical issues surrounding privatization, the authors provide an in-depth examination of corporate governance and company performance in advanced market economies as well as transition economies. They begin with a description of the main principles, techniques and results of privatization in Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary and Poland. A statistical and econometric analysis of extensive company-level data and interviews from a large number of firms between 1990 and 1997 is then conducted to discover the main factors in changing economic performance. Using this information the authors compare the transformation of the company sectors in the four countries, and in addition assess company restructuring from the perspective of West European privatizations.Privatization and Economic Performance in Central Eastern Europe will be of interest to policymakers in governments and international organizations and those working in the fields of microeconomics, industrial organization and transition studies.

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In this controversial book Herman Daly, a leading commentator on the environment, offers lively criticism of existing work on ecological economics and the economics of ecology. The theme throughout the book is about changes in perspective, attitudes and policies required to avoid uneconomic growth - that is, the impoverishment that results when the environmental and social costs of growth exceed the benefits.Key issues addressed include: growth economics misunderstandings of thermodynamics economic development and population globalization money humans in the ecosystem. >This major new book will be of interest to economists, ecologists, environmentalists, public policy scholars and activists as well as social philosophers.

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How do young people survive in the era of high unemployment, persistent economic crises and poor living standards that characterise post-communist society in the former Soviet Union? This major original book - written by leading authorities in the field - shows how young people have managed to maintain optimism despite the very severe economic and social problems that beset the countries of the former Soviet Union.In most former Soviet countries the devastating initial shock of market reforms has been followed by precious little therapy. The effects have been most pronounced among young people as only a minority have prospered in the new market economies and inequalities have widened dramatically. Despite an all-round improvement in educational standards, most young people have been unable to obtain proper jobs. Housing and family transitions have been blocked. Uses of free time have shifted massively from the public into the private domain. Few young people have any confidence that their countries' political leaders will engineer solutions. Yet in spite of all this, the majority prefer the new uncertainties, and the merest prospect of the Western way of life, to the old guarantees. They are prepared to give the reforms more time to deliver, but this time is now fast running out.Surviving Post-communism will be an illuminating exposition of the realities of post-communist life for scholars of sociology and transition studies.

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This major annual publication is an authoritative state-of-the-art survey of current issues in environmental and resource economics written by the leading academics in the field.The discipline of environmental and resource economics has undergone a rapid evolution over the past three decades with the early literature focusing mainly on valuation and the design of policy instruments to correct externalities and encourage optimal resource exploitation. In the past few years, the field has broadened its scope by making numerous links with other disciplines in economics as well as the natural and physical sciences. As a result there has been an explosion in the literature which has made it increasingly difficult to keep up with developments in the field. The Yearbook cuts through this by focusing on the principal issues of current interest. In this edition, experts in their specific field consider the problems of the monitoring and enforcement of environmental policy and examine possible voluntary approaches to environmental protection. Topics examined include policies to counter tropical deforestation, the analysis of transportation and environmental policy, models of climate change control, environmental labelling and the use of cost-benefit analysis.The Yearbook will provide economists, scholars and practitioners working in environmental and resource economics with a comprehensive overview of the up-to-date issues written by the leading international scholars.

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Why do some policies succeed so well while others, in the same sector or country, fail dramatically? The aim of this book is to answer this question and provide systematic research on the nature, sources and consequences of policy failure. The expert contributors analyse and evaluate the success and failure of four policy areas (Steel, Health Care, Finance, HIV and the Blood Supply) in six European countries, namely France, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, Spain and Sweden. The book is therefore able to compare success and failure across countries as well as policy areas, enabling a test of a variety of theoretical assumptions about policy making and government. The book also sheds more light on the legitimacy of governance in Western Europe and goes beyond understanding the concepts of success and failure to explaining their genesis empirically.Success and Failure in Public Governance will be of interest to academics and researchers of political science, public policy and public administration as well as to practitioners of public policy.

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Making the Environment Count brings together, in one accessible volume, an outstanding selection of Alan Randall's essays published over the past 30 years. It explores ideas on making the environment count from a conceptual perspective and addresses a range of topics pertinent to the study of environmental economics including: the limits of markets in reflecting environmental quality, and the implications of this for policy and institutional design cost-benefit analysis, with emphasis on its welfare-theoretic foundations, and its ability to reflect the public's demand for environmental quality conservation, biodiversity and sustainability developments in methodology the ethical foundations of public policy conceptual foundations of empirical methods of valuing the environment By improving access to Alan Randall's many important contributions, this volume makes a significant addition to the literature and will be welcomed by environmental economists.

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What value do we place on our cultural heritage, and to what extent should we preserve historic and culturally important sites and artefacts from the ravages of weather, pollution, development and use by the general public? This innovative book attempts to answer these important questions by exploring how non-market valuation techniques - used extensively in environmental economics - can be applied to cultural heritage.The book includes twelve comprehensive case studies that estimate public values for a diverse set of cultural goods, including English cathedrals, Bulgarian monasteries, rock paintings in Canada, statues in the US, and a medieval city in Africa. The authors demonstrate the potential utility of these techniques, and highlight the important social values that cultural heritage can generate. Given limited resources, such studies can help set priorities and aid the decision making process in terms of their preservation, restoration and use. The authors conclude by reviewing the majority of cultural valuation studies done to date, and draw some general conclusions about the results achieved and the potential benefits, as well as the limitations, of valuing these types of goods.This highly original book will be of great use and interest to academics in the fields of environmental, resource, and cultural economics, as well as NGOs and policymakers involved in cultural heritage at the national, international and global level.

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This book analyses the main problems in the functioning of the welfare state and possible actions for its reform. Focusing on the European Union, it looks at the achievements of and challenges to the welfare state as we enter the 21st century.The authors consider the general problem of redistribution and how to make it more efficient, by reducing huge benefits and tax disincentives that individuals encounter in different life periods or life choices. In addition, they analyse issues such as: economic effects of the welfare state mechanisms for improving incentives in the welfare state implications of Economic and Monetary Union for the welfare state options in pension funding impact of ageing on the pensions systems in the European Union< detailed projections of social expenditure The Welfare State in Europe will be essential reading for those working in the areas of public administration and finance, European studies, social policy, economics and political science. In its provision of policy suggestions it will also be welcomed by policymakers and government advisers.

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This insightful book focuses on the economic consequences of structural reform policies in the economies at the cutting edge of reform: Denmark, The Netherlands, New Zealand and Norway. The contributors examine policies aimed at improving the underlying path of growth, employment and saving-investment balances of the economy and apply state of the art methods to measure and model structural reforms. They examine the areas of competition policy, regulation of entry barriers, non-tariff trade barriers and employment protection rules as well as the quality of education and training, the efficiency of various public sector agencies and labour supply effects of care for children and the elderly. Special attention is paid to two 'success stories': New Zealand's 'Kiwi-model' and the Dutch 'Polder-model'. The book provides a welcome addition to the scarce evidence on both the costs and the benefits of structural reform and identifies the policy problems and the analytical issues at stake.This book will be indispensable to policymakers and academics with an interest in structural reform and macroeconomic policy.

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