Search results for ""author ltd e"

The authors of this fascinating and original work contend that by analysing the conduct of organization members, a great deal can be learnt about firm behaviour and about the cooperative and competitive forces that underlie industry evolution. The empirical chapters in this volume are preceded by a conceptual overview of macro-organizational theories that explicitly bring in the role of individual actions. A rich set of studies carried out in the Dutch accounting sector is used to illustrate that changes in competitive positioning and behaviour are triggered by employee actions including advancement and defection to competitors. New insights on entrepreneurship, mergers and acquisitions and organizational dissolution further develop the multi-level focus of the set of studies presented here. The book aims at stimulating intellectual debate on the role of migration of human and social capital through inter-firm mobility and will provide a fascinating read for academics, researchers, students and practitioners with an interest in organizational theory, strategic management and human resource management.

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Trust is increasingly recognized as a crucial aspect of successful economic relationships, albeit a difficult one to define, and Mark Casson has been at the forefront of recent research in this area.In this sequel to his classic work The Entrepreneur, Professor Casson examines how the entrepreneurial firm succeeds by synthesizing information from different sources. The quality of this information is just as important as the quantity and the cheapest way to ensure quality is through a moral obligation to tell the truth. The author argues that a nation needs to invest in social institutions, such as schools, families and organized religion, in order to instil a sense of moral obligation and so sustain entrepreneurial success. Themes raised in this important volume include cultural perspectives on economic issues, entrepreneurship in a cultural context and the political economy of national culture.Entrepreneurship and Business Culture presents a state-of-the-art analysis of entrepreneurship and the social structures in which it is embedded. Together with its companion volume, The Organization of International Business, this topical and wide-ranging book offers a definitive analysis of the importance of trust in economic life as well as the related concepts of networking, consultation and empowerment.

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Emerging technologies create challenges for traditional regulatory approaches. The contributors to this book - leading scholars in law, innovation, and technology - address the need for new governance methods and models.The unique characteristics of emerging technologies - their diverse applications, the myriad concerns raised by new technologies, the need for public engagement, and the issue of effective coordination between governance players - create the need for new governance approaches. The authors identify innovative new methods of governance, taking into account an environment where changes in technologies can out-pace the corresponding regulatory frameworks.Scholars of technology, science and innovation will find this book to be an enlightening read, as will lawyers, policymakers and think-tanks working within the emerging technologies arena.Contributors: J.W. Abbott, K.W. Abbott, B. Allenby, M. Baram, D.M. Bowman, J. Kuzma, P.H. Lindøe, R.A. Lindor, T.F. Malloy, G.N. Mandel, G.E. Marchant, M. Masterton, L. Paddock, J. Paterson, M.A. Saner, W. Wallach

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Electronic commerce is big business, and it is getting bigger: it now accounts for 7.5 percent of all retail sales in the US, and continues to expand at double-digit annual rates. The steady growth of Internet commerce over the past twenty years has given rise to a host of new legal issues in a broad range of fields. This authoritative Research Handbook comprises chapters by leading scholars which will provide a solid foundation for newcomers to the subject and also offer exciting new insights that will further the understanding of e-commerce experts. Key topics covered include: contracting, payments, intellectual property, extraterritorial enforcement, alternative dispute resolution, social media, consumer protection, network neutrality, online gambling, domain name governance and privacy.With the rise of Internet commerce, this book will be an invaluable resource for business lawyers as well as legal scholars with an interest in any phase of e-commerce law.Contributors include: A. Bridy, N.R. Cahn, I. Calbol, M.W. Carroll, C.M. Hayes, S.J. Hughes, A. Katz, J.P. Kesan, N.S. Kim, C.L. Kunz, A.R. Levinson, D. Lindsay, C. Markou, S.T. Middlebrook, J. Moringiello, E.A. Morse, J.P. Nehf, C. Riefa, S.E. Rolland, J.A. Rothchild, A.J. Schmitz, D.J. Shakow, S.B. Spencer, H. Travis, M. Trimble, A. Vranaki, S. Walsh, J. Winn

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From New York Times bestselling author and literary phenomenon Virginia Andrews comes a shivery gothic tale of romance, class divisions, and the secrets that haunt families for generations. Fern and her mother have lived as servants in Wyndemere House, the old Gothic mansion of the Davenport family, for as long as she can remember. And her friendship with Dr. Davenport’s son Ryder was never a problem… until they came of age. As cruel forces try to come between Fern and Ryder, what really holds the biggest threat to their happiness is the past, and the truths it threatens them with.For family intrigue and psychological chills, there is no author quite like Virginia Andrews.

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Does the economic crisis concern you? The highly competent Greek and British co-authors of this book answer in the affirmative. They demonstrate the close and vicious interrelationships between human attitudes and behavior on the one hand, and unemployment, overemployment, poverty, mortgage default and human ill health and suffering on the other. We need to learn from this important book's recent and scarring lessons.'- Lennart Levi, Member of the Swedish Parliament 2006 2010, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden'This book is a must for those who want to understand in detail the profound impact and emotional toll the economic crisis had on individuals, organizations and the nature of work. No part of society has been left untouched. The books strength lies not just in the mapping of the costs and consequences but in the well-being agenda it sets for the future.'- Philip Dewe, University of London, UK'This volume is timely. As the authors note, the global economic recession of 2008, from which we are still recovering, looks very much like the Great Depression of the late 1920s. They identify several causes of the 2008 crisis and consider individual and organizational costs of these events. These costs, compounded by changes in the larger organizational and global context, will last a long time. Their guidance on improving individual, organizational and societal health is workable.'- Ronald J. Burke, Schulich School of Business, York University, CanadaThe global economic crisis of 2008 caused the collapse of the world s financial institutions, large-scale unemployment, the devaluing of housing stocks leading to mortgage defaults and left many countries in debt, unable to meet their financial obligations. The consequences of this in the workplace were substantial and for those who remained employed, longer working hours, heavier workloads, an insecure working environment and micro-management became manifest.Examining the impact of the recession on organizations and individuals at work, this book explores the long lasting effect the crisis will have on workplaces for the future. The book is divided into three parts: in Part I, a historical economic review is provided for the reader. In Part II, an assessment is given on how occupational stress in the 21st Century has impacted the working environment in a host of negative ways. In Part III, the authors address unique coping strategies to be applied at the individual, organizational and societal levels in the future.An insightful and thorough account of how the economic crisis has unfolded on an international scale is presented and the profound psychological impact that this recession has had on the workplace assessed. Such comprehension will be invaluable for students and academics in the social sciences, organizational and social psychologists and practitioners of occupational health.Contents: Part I: Economic Review 1. Introduction 2. The Origin of the Economic Crisis 3. Lessons Learnt from the Past Part II: Occupational Stress In Times of a Changing World 4. The Psychological Implications of the Economic Crisis 5. The Individual and Organizational Costs of Stress 6. The Consequences of Occupational Stress in Times of a Changing Economic World Part III: Post Economic Crisis - From Sustainability to Wellbeing 7. Organizational Effectiveness and Wellbeing at Work: Post Economic Crisis 8. Individual and Societal Wellbeing: An Agenda for the Future: Post Economic Crisis References Index

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Elementary Bayesian Statistics is a thorough and easily accessible introduction to the theory and practical application of Bayesian statistics. It presents methods to assist in the collection, summary and presentation of numerical data.Bayesian statistics are becoming an increasingly important and more frequently used method for analysing statistical data. The author defines concepts and methods with a variety of examples and uses a stage-by-stage approach to coach the reader through the applied examples. Also included are a wide range of problems to challenge the reader and the book makes extensive use of Minitab to apply computational techniques to statistical problems. Issues covered include probability, Bayes's Theorem and categorical states, frequency, the Bernoulli process and Poisson process, estimation, testing hypotheses and the normal process with known parameters and uncertain parameters.Elementary Bayesian Statistics will be an essential resource for students as a supplementary text in traditional statistics courses. It will also be welcomed by academics, researchers and econometricians wishing to know more about Bayesian statistics.

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City distribution plays a key role in supporting urban lifestyles helping to serve and retain industrial and trading activities, and contributing to the competitiveness of regional industry. Despite these positive effects, it also generates negative (economic, environmental and social) impacts on cities worldwide. Relatively little attention has been paid to these issues by researchers and policymakers until recently. The analyses found in City Distribution and Urban Freight Transport aim to improve knowledge in this important area by recognizing and evaluating the problems, with a focus on urban freight transport system. This book offers a thorough evaluation of city distribution and urban freight transport, highlighting the importance of developing methodologies that reflect and integrate stakeholder perceptions. Case studies demonstrate that knowledge and awareness in the area of urban freight transport is low, and that broadening knowledge in this area is integral to the innovation of new urban freight policies. The authors argue that the main challenge for researchers lies in developing methodologies that facilitate communication and cooperation between the different actors, citing that this can be achieved by defining either a common evaluation framework with quantitative indicators or an evaluation framework where the points of view have been explicitly modeled. This will be of interest to researchers, city planners and policymakers. Students and scholars of development, public policy, and urban studies will also find much of relevance in this important volume.Contributors: A. Comi, Á. Costa, L. Dablanc, W. Debauche, V. Gatta, R. Gevaers, P. Hebes, C. Macharis, J. Maes, E. Marcucci, S. Melo, J. Menge, A. Nuzzolo, M. Percoco, H.J. Quak, A. Stathopoulos, C. Vaghi, E. Valeri, E. Van de Voorde, T. Vanelslander, E. Van Hoeck, T. van Lier, S. Verlinde, F. Witlox

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'Peter J. Taylor has produced a sweeping, empirically grounded, defense of cities as fundamental building blocks of long-term, large scale social structures; a way of freeing social science from state-centric bias; and indeed, mankind's hope. However, the single greatest strength of this complex, seductive, argument is the insistence on treating cities relationally, as process. Here the key to understanding the significance of cities is by studying them in terms of the dynamic networks they form and in their relations to states.'- Richard E. Lee, Binghamton University, USAccepting that cities are extraordinary, this book provides an original city-centred narrative of human creativity, past, present and future.In this innovative, ambitious and wide-ranging book, Peter Taylor demonstrates that cities are the epicenters of human advancement. In exploring cities as sites through which economies flourish, by harnessing the creative potential of myriad communication networks, the author considers cities from varying temporal and spatial perspectives. Four stories of cities are told: the origins of city networks; the domination of cities by world-empires; the genesis of a singular modern creative interval in which innovation culminates in today s globalised cities; and finally, the need for cities to act as centres for human creativity to produce a more resilient global society in the current crisis century.Providing a long-term view through which to consider the role of cities in attending to incipient crises of the twenty-first century, this closely argued thesis will prove essential for students and scholars of urban studies, geography and sociology, and all those with a professional interest in, or personal fascination for, cities.Contents: Preface Part I: Setting Down and Setting Up 1. A Cities' Perspective 2. Conceptual Toolkits Part II: Narrative I: Beginning Conjectures 3. City and State Beginnings: Western Asia's Great Creative Interlude 4. Geographies of Beginning Creative Interludes Part III: Narrative II: World-systems 5. Normal History 6. Making the Modern World-system: Western Europe's Great Creative Interlude Part IV: Narrative III: Prospective Conjectures - Where Are We and Where Are We Going? 7. Working in an Urban World 8. Towards Green Networks of Cities for the Twenty-first Century References Index

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This book gives an overview of key themes domestically and internationally from the 19th Communist Party Congress held in Beijing in October 2017, setting out the main policy priorities for the Xi government in China as the country moves towards fulfillment of the first Centenary Goal, the hundredth anniversary of the Communist Party of China in 2021.Written as the first full length analysis by an international group of authors of different aspects of the Congress, making it perfect for graduate students and researchers, as well as individuals interested in China Studies.

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This Companion takes stock of the trajectory, achievements, shortcomings and prospects of Marxist political economy. It reflects the contributors’ shared commitment to bringing the methods, theories and concepts of Marx himself to bear across a wide range of topics and perspectives, and it provides a testimony to the continuing purpose and vitality of Marxist political economy. As a whole, this volume analyzes Marxist political economy in three areas: the critique of mainstream economics in all of its versions; the critical presence of Marxist political economy within, and its influence upon, each of the social science disciplines; and, cutting across these, the analysis of specific topics that straddle disciplinary boundaries. Some of the contributions offer an exposition of basic concepts, accessible to the general reader, laying out Marx’s own contribution, its significance, and subsequent positions and debates with and within Marxist political economy. The authors offer assessments of historical developments to and within capitalism, and of its current character and prospects. Other chapters adopt a mirror-image approach of pinpointing the conditions of contemporary capitalism as a way of interrogating the continuing salience of Marxist analysis. This volume will inform and inspire a new generation of students and scholars to become familiar with Marxist political economy from an enlightened and unprejudiced position, and to use their knowledge as both a resource and gateway to future study.

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This Companion takes stock of the trajectory, achievements, shortcomings and prospects of Marxist political economy. It reflects the contributors’ shared commitment to bringing the methods, theories and concepts of Marx himself to bear across a wide range of topics and perspectives, and it provides a testimony to the continuing purpose and vitality of Marxist political economy. As a whole, this volume analyzes Marxist political economy in three areas: the critique of mainstream economics in all of its versions; the critical presence of Marxist political economy within, and its influence upon, each of the social science disciplines; and, cutting across these, the analysis of specific topics that straddle disciplinary boundaries. Some of the contributions offer an exposition of basic concepts, accessible to the general reader, laying out Marx’s own contribution, its significance, and subsequent positions and debates with and within Marxist political economy. The authors offer assessments of historical developments to and within capitalism, and of its current character and prospects. Other chapters adopt a mirror-image approach of pinpointing the conditions of contemporary capitalism as a way of interrogating the continuing salience of Marxist analysis. This volume will inform and inspire a new generation of students and scholars to become familiar with Marxist political economy from an enlightened and unprejudiced position, and to use their knowledge as both a resource and gateway to future study.

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Despite the efforts of teachers and educators, every year secondary schools across the English-speaking world turn out millions of functionally illiterate leavers. The costs in human misery and in wasted productivity are catastrophic. What can schools do to prevent this situation? In this highly accessible book James and Dianne Murphy combine more than 50 years of experience to provide teachers with a thorough, easy to use introduction to the extensive research on reading and its effects on student achievement. Drawing on the work of experts from around the world, the authors explore how we learn to read, how the many myths and misconceptions around reading developed, and why they continue to persist.Building on these foundations chapters go on to examine how the general secondary school classroom can support all levels of reading more effectively, regardless of subject; how school leaders can ensure that their systems, practices and school culture deliver the very best literacy provision for all students; and what it takes to ensure that a racing intervention aimed at adolescent struggling readers is truly effective. The overall message of this books is one of great optimism: the authors demonstrate that the right of every child to learn to read is entirely achievable if schools employ the best research-driven practice.

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'Hodgson's masterful review of orthodoxies and heterodoxies focuses on the absurdity of recommending planning, or scorning it, without answering the empirical question asked in the 1930s by the ''socialist calculation debate.'' How well does planning or the market work? Idealism assumes the answer without actually doing the science. - Deirdre N. McCloskey, University of Illinois at Chicago, US 'Every young heterodox scholar should read this book, as should veteran heterodox economists who are puzzled about why important heterodox contributions have not had the impact they deserved to have. The book provides a compelling account of the challenges that heterodox economists have faced, and continue to face, and it leaves the reader with a strong sense that things could have been, and could be, much better if more heterodox economists strove to integrate compatible aspects of the many diverse approaches that constitute heterodox economics.' - Peter E. Earl, University of Queensland, Australia 'Is there a future for the alternatives to mainstream economics? Dealing with this important question does not only require a deep understanding of the current economic theories and of the history of economic thought. It demands also a careful analysis of the institutional mechanisms by which scientific communities commit themselves to certain paradigms and change these commitments. In this excellent book Hodgson deals with all the dimensions of this complex issue.' - Ugo Pagano, University of Siena, Italy 'Drawing a well-balanced picture of heterodox economics with its many political shades and theoretical nuances is no easy task. Professor Hodgson's mastery in solving the task sets new standards. His compelling analysis of the state and the future of the field is a ''must read'' for everyone in the heterodox camp and an invaluable source of information for all scholars in the history, philosophy, and sociology of economics.' - Ulrich Witt, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Germany and Griffith University, Australia Over the last 50 years, and particularly since the financial crash in 2008, the community of heterodox economists has expanded, and its publications have proliferated. But its power in departments of economics has waned. Addressing this paradox, Geoffrey M. Hodgson argues that heterodox economists are defined more by a left ideology than by a shared understanding of the nature of orthodox economics and of what should replace it. Heterodox economists cannot agree on what heterodoxy means. Employing insights from the sociology and philosophy of science, the author explores the marginalization of heterodox economics in the academic community and its exclusion from positions of power. This perceptive book also shows how the weaknesses of a particular version of heterodoxy stemming from the Cambridge economics of the 1970s have been replicated globally in much of contemporary heterodox economics. The author considers how the field can adapt in order to improve and sustain its presence in academia. Social scientists and economists will find this book both enlightening and useful. In particular, it will be invaluable to student networks and others critical of mainstream economics, and to those teaching economics at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

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This fascinating sequel to the 1998 Teaching Economics to Undergraduates provides more alternatives to the lecture and chalkboard approach that dominates university economics teaching. Distinguished contributing authors provide a wide range of innovative teaching techniques and examples aimed at more effectively engaging undergraduates in the learning of economics.New topics covered in this volume include game theory, using active learning techniques in large classes, a streamlined content agenda for macroeconomic principles, distance learning, and assessment of student learning. Other chapters revisit topics from the first volume, though often from different perspectives or with new approaches provided by different authors. Topics covered in these chapters include cooperative learning techniques, using technology in the classroom (including dozens of websites), bringing the work of the Nobel Laureates into undergraduate classes, and teaching with experimental economics, case studies, or team writing assignments and presentations. Teaching Economics is an invaluable and practical tool for teachers of economics, administrators responsible for undergraduate instruction and graduate students who are just beginning to teach. Each chapter includes specific teaching tips for classroom implementation and summary lists of dos and don'ts for instructors who are thinking of moving beyond the lecture method of traditional chalk and talk.

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This fascinating sequel to the 1998 Teaching Economics to Undergraduates provides more alternatives to the lecture and chalkboard approach that dominates university economics teaching. Distinguished contributing authors provide a wide range of innovative teaching techniques and examples aimed at more effectively engaging undergraduates in the learning of economics.New topics covered in this volume include game theory, using active learning techniques in large classes, a streamlined content agenda for macroeconomic principles, distance learning, and assessment of student learning. Other chapters revisit topics from the first volume, though often from different perspectives or with new approaches provided by different authors. Topics covered in these chapters include cooperative learning techniques, using technology in the classroom (including dozens of websites), bringing the work of the Nobel Laureates into undergraduate classes, and teaching with experimental economics, case studies, or team writing assignments and presentations. Teaching Economics is an invaluable and practical tool for teachers of economics, administrators responsible for undergraduate instruction and graduate students who are just beginning to teach. Each chapter includes specific teaching tips for classroom implementation and summary lists of dos and don'ts for instructors who are thinking of moving beyond the lecture method of traditional chalk and talk.

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Philipp Maier offers a unique examination of the extent to which governments and various interest groups have exerted pressure on central banks. The book looks in particular at the Deutsche Bundesbank - which acted as the blueprint for the European Central Bank (ECB) - and utilises an original set of indicators to measure external pressure and support from the government and other institutions.The author demonstrates that although some of the rhetoric of the Bundesbank may have been a response to political pressure, the operation and conduct of German monetary policy has not been influenced. The role of various pressure groups remains a more contentious issue, as there is evidence that the Bundesbank may have acted to appease the financial sector. The author also finds that a high degree of public support towards the Bundesbank has helped to mitigate the effect of external forces. As the ECB was closely modelled on its German counterpart, the author is able to extend his analysis to the European level and draw out explicit predictions for the ECB. He argues that external pressure is unlikely to influence the conduct of monetary policy, as it will be less efficient and organised, and public support is likely to be high. In the future, however, this could be jeopardised by a rapid enlargement of EMU which may result in more concentrated and powerful pressure groups.This interesting empirical study of the effect of governments, interest groups and public support on the behaviour and rhetoric of Central Banks will be welcomed by financial and monetary economists, students and scholars of European finance and European policymakers.

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The insightful chapters collected here show that markets are a matter of concern because they can be spaces for making concerns matter.'- David Stark, Columbia University, US and author of The Sense of Dissonance: Accounts of Worth in Economic Life'Do those impersonal allocation mechanisms that we call markets even exist as such? Or should we drop this questionable euphemism if what we want is to address the political struggles and bureaucratic processes that control economic life? Readers interested in a measured approach to the subject matter will find a set of clues here. By considering markets as nodes of concerns, the works assembled in this volume guide us along a subtle path.'- Fabian Muniesa, Ecole des Mines de Paris, FranceConcerned Markets tackles the intersection between markets and politics, investigating the very current issue of designing markets to include multiple values.When political, social, technological and economic interests, values, and perspectives interact, market order and performance become contentious issues of debate. Such 'hot' situations are becoming increasingly common and make for rich sites of research. With expert empirical contributions investigating the organization of such 'concerned' markets, this book is positioned at the centre of the rapidly growing area of interdisciplinary market studies. Markets investigated include those for palm oil, primary health care and functional foods. The authors also examine markets and environmental concerns as well as better market design for those at the bottom of the pyramid.Scholars, postgraduate and PhD level students in finance, economic sociology, marketing, organization theory and economics will find this book essential reading. Policymakers and practitioners will benefit from the fresh insight into the design and maintenance of market systems.Contributors include: L. Araujo, F. Azimont, R. Chakrabarti, F. Cochoy, S. D'Antone, G. Dix, S. Geiger, D. Harrison, J. Hauber, L. Johansson, H. Kjellberg, A. Mallard, K. Mason, W.I. Onyas, C. Ruppert-Winkel, A. Ryan, R. Spencer, I. Stigzelius

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A hilarious story about the world's worst detectives by the bestelling author of the Alex Rider series, Anthony Horowitz.Meet the Diamond Brothers, the world's most defective detectives, by the author of the number one bestselling Alex Rider series. Tim is broke. So when a mysterious stranger offers him a wad of money for his overcoat, it seems like a stroke of good fortune. But there are worse things than being broke. Being shot, for one – which is what happens to the stranger, and could soon be the fate of the Diamond Brothers…

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EU Telecommunications Law provides a comprehensive overview of the current European regulatory framework as it applies to telecommunications and examines the challenges facing regulators in this sector. Key chapters focus on the selection of appropriate regulatory models that serve to encourage effective investment in next-generation networks and ensure their successful deployment.Andrej Savin provides an up to date overview of all the relevant sources, guiding the reader through these disparate materials in a simple and systematized way. In particular, the book provides analysis of the 2016 proposal for a European Electronic Communications Code (EECC). Using the 2009 Regulatory Framework on electronic communications as a basis the author analyses each of the 2009 framework’s five main directives, comparing them with the changes proposed in the EECC.Providing a comprehensive introduction to the main areas of EU telecoms regulation, this book will be of great value to telecoms and IT lawyers. It will also appeal to academics carrying out research in IT law or competition law as it relates to IT and telecoms.

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This insightful book analyzes the evolution of the operational tasks and cooperation of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX), the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) and the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (EUROPOL). Exploring the recent expansion of the legal mandates of these decentralized EU agencies and the activities they undertake in practice, David Fernández-Rojo offers a critical assessment of the EU migration agencies.The book identifies two key trends in the administration of the European Area of Freedom, Security and Justice. Fernández-Rojo discusses how on one hand the new legal frameworks of FRONTEX, EASO and EUROPOL stress that their operational roles are limited to providing national authorities with technical assistance, while on the other hand these agencies are increasingly involved in guaranteeing the enforcement of EU migration, asylum and border management measures. The book expertly illustrates how FRONTEX, EASO and EUROPOL establish an effective and uniform national implementation of laws and policies, with a focus on their multilateral cooperation in the hotspots established in the aftermath of the refugee crisis.Examining the de jure and de facto operational powers and cooperation of EU migration agencies, this book will be critical reading for academics and students of law, international relations and political science. Its assessment of the effectiveness of policy implementation will also be beneficial for legal practitioners, policy makers and NGOs.

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A companion volume to the International Handbook on the Economics of Corruption published in 2006, the specially commissioned papers in Volume Two present some of the best policy-oriented research in the field. They stress the institutional roots of corruption and include new research on topics ranging from corruption in regulation and procurement to vote buying and private firm payoffs.Understanding the consequences of corrupt transactions requires one to know what is being bought with a bribe and how the behavior of public and private actors has been affected. The contributors therefore emphasize how the economic analysis of corruption must take account of the broader context within which bribery and self-dealing operate. Several chapters offer new approaches to empirical research on corruption that range from individual-level data to the macro-economy. Chapters with an explicit policy focus deal with the efficacy of anti-corruption agencies, multi-stakeholder initiatives, red flag warning systems and international conventions.This cutting-edge work will be an unmatched resource for scholars and students of corruption, professionals in international aid and finance organizations, and scholars and professionals with more general interests in economic and political development.Contributors: T.S. Aidt, D.M. Aldrighi, E. Auriol, F. Boehm, E. Buscaglia, B. Clausen, S. Cole, A. Estache, B. Flyvbjerg, Y. Jeong, C. Kenny, A. Kraay, A. Lambert-Mogiliansky, E. Molloy, P. Murrell, M. Musatova, L.V. Peisakhin, G. Piga, J.D. Potter, F. Recanatini, S. Rose-Ackerman, T. Søreide, S. Straub, M. Tavits, A. Tran, R. Truex, M. Vagliasindi, P.C. Vicente, R.J. Weiner, L. Wren-Lewis

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Darwinism is fast becoming an orthodoxy of modern thought, a framework within which a wide range of knowledge communities conduct their discourse. Ever since its formation, Darwinian theory has experienced a close, though not always comfortable, association with economics. Evolutionary economists now appear to show little concern for the consistency of knowledge in their embrace of Darwinism.Darwinism and Evolutionary Economics brings together contributions from eminent authors who, building on Darwin's own insights and on developments in evolutionary theory, offer challenging views on how economics can use evolutionary ideas effectively.This collection of critical essays provides a thorough examination of the application of Darwinian theory to economic thought, and will appeal to evolutionary economists and all those with an interest in Darwin, innovation and evolutionary science.

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Become an instant Jedi expert with this handy pocket-sized guide! Everyone knows what a Jedi is. But can you tell your Ki-Adi-Mundi from your Ahsoka Tano? Do you know which Jedi served on the Jedi High Council, or which Master trained which Padawan? Well, if not, don't worry--just about everything you need to know about Jedi can be found in the pages of this Pocket Expert.Packed with facts, stats and interesting info about the most legendary Jedi in the galaxy, with this book in your pocket you'll be a Jedi Master in no time!© AND ™ 2022 LUCASFILM LTD.

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Modern evolutionary economics is now nearly two decades old and in this excellent book, a distinguished group of evolutionary economists identify the most important developments and discuss the direction of future research.By moving away from traditional concerns with the operation of selection mechanisms towards a preoccupation with the manner in which the novelty and variety provide fuel for such mechanisms, the authors identify a key development in the field. Evolutionary economists have been drawn into the modern complexity science literature which attempts to provide an understanding of how and why 'complex adaptive systems' engage in processes of self-organization. The goal is to provide an integrated analysis of both selection and self-organization that is uniquely economic in orientation. After a brief overview of the many key achievements and continuing challenges, the first part of the book deals with theoretical perspectives, discussing institutional change, social constructions, complexity, selection and self-selection and the usefulness of theory. Part two deals with empirical perspectives and includes discussion of replicator dynamics, the measurement of heterogeneity and complexity, and modelling organizations as complex adaptive systems. This unique book will appeal to evolutionary and industrial economists and policymakers involved with issues of innovation and management scientists.

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Using case studies from the UK and Europe, Chris Couch examines the nature and achievements of the expanded towns programmes that emerged in the mid-20th century to accommodate population growth and overspill from densely populated urban areas. Thought-provoking insights into lessons to be learnt are provided, alongside arguments for further planned expansion of smaller towns today. This timely book investigates how development pressures caused by rapidly growing populations, have led to some disregard for health and housing standards, and how a fresh look at the relationship between urban form and public health is necessary, particularly in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic. The author raises the importance of strong planning and public land acquisition, concluding with a strong case for a new programme of planned expansion in smaller towns. Written in an accessible style, this book is an excellent resource for students and researchers in urban planning, geography and history as well as housing policy, estate management and the built environment. Practitioners and policy makers within town planning and urban development would also find this an invaluable read.

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This comprehensive second edition of The Elgar Companion to Social Economics presents an overview of a dynamic and growing field in economics that emphasizes the key role that values play in the economy and in economic life. Social economics treats the economy and economics as being embedded in the larger web of social and ethical relationships. It also regards economics and ethics as essentially connected, and adds values such as justice, fairness, dignity, well-being, freedom and equality to the standard emphasis on efficiency.Leading contributors in the field elucidate a wide range of recent developments across different subject areas and topics. Contributors map the likely trends and directions of future research, making this second edition of the Companion a leading reference source and guide to social economics for many years to come.Providing concise discussion and an indication of what to expect in future decades, this interdisciplinary Companion will be of great interest to students and academics of social economics and socio-economics, as well as institutional, evolutionary and heterodox economics. It will also appeal to management scholars and those concerned with business ethics.Contributors include: R. Aalbers, M. Altman, D.B. Audretsch, P. Bardhan, P.D. Bush, J. C. Caldas, D. Campbell, M.D. Carr, L.F. Carvalho, M.M. Co gel, F.A. Cowell, C. Dannreuther, J.B. Davis, A. Deshpande, G. DeMartino, W. Dolfsma, S.C. Dow, W.M. Dugger, Z. Emami, D.M. Figart, D. George, I. Grabel, S.P. Hargreaves Heap, G.M. Hodgson, M. Keilbach, O. Kessler, S. Kesting, M. Klaes, A. Kleinknecht, E. Kuiper, H. Lopes, C. Lutz, A. Mayhew, B. McMaster, A. Mehmood, P. Mellizo, F. Moulaert, E. Mutari, P.A. O'Hara, J. Paavola, M. Power, I. Ray, J. Rodrigues, I. Røpke, H. Schenk, N. Sirven, M.A. Starr, G. van der Velde, I. van Staveren, J. Vail, M.D. White, L.R. Wray

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This volume comprises a selection of key papers which map out the latest developments in various aspects of spatial economics and economic geography. Edited by a leading authority in the field, this collection brings together papers which reflect both the depth of analysis and also the diversity of the different lines of enquiry regarding issues of Innovation and Geography, Cities and Clustering, Labour and Land Markets, and Empirics. Together these seminal pieces represent the 'state-of-the-art' in the field of spatial economics and economic geography and therefore provide an ideal base on which further analyses will build.Along with an original introduction by Professor McCann, this volume will be of relevance to academics, researchers and students interested in the field of spatial economics and economic geography.

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The normative and institutional distance travelled since UNCHE has been considerable. There have been notable successes, but more often than not environmental indicators continue to evince disturbing downward trends. This collection brings together cutting-edge scholarship designed to explore where we have been, where we are, and where we might be going - Global Environmental Law at a Crossroads. Contributors explore the continuing challenges we face, but they also look ably and deeply at the opportunities for improvement in governance that might address these challenges. For those concerned where we are headed, this will be a welcome addition to the library.'- Donald K. Anton, The Australian National University College of Law'This is a remarkable publication wherein some of the world s leading environmentalists discuss in an informed and transparent manner global, regional and national environmental challenges. The unique character of this book is that it links global issues of the environment (sustainable development; the creation of the World Environmental Organization) with national issues such as the right of nature in Ecuador. The book also presents a critical overview of the Rio+20 Conference. The particular feature of this outstanding book is its very analytical and straightforward approach to environmental issues adopted by its authors. Such a book is a must to all environmental lawyers, scholars and practitioners and in particular for a young generation of people who are interested in our planet.'- Malgosia Fitzmaurice, Queen Mary University of LondonGlobal Environmental Law at a Crossroads analyzes cutting-edge developments in environmental law around the globe. Written in the aftermath of the 'Rio+20' conference, this book addresses environmental governance from the international, regional and national levels. The topics include climate change initiatives, market-based environmental measures, water and food systems management, environmental governance structures and theories, and examples of environmental policy innovations from around the world. The global coverage draws on experiences from the EU, the Middle East, China, Brazil, Ecuador, Nigeria, Ethiopia, New Zealand and Australia.This book will be a useful resource to scholars and students of environmental law and policy. Government and environmental officials as well as resource managers will find of interest the analyses of varied experiences around the world. These comparative experiences provide a rich introduction to the emerging field of global environmental law.Contributors: R. Ako, M.B. Tekle, P. Chen, D. Craig, E. Daly, T. Daya-Winterbottom, S. Fulton, A.L. Garcia Campos, Ni. Goeteyn, J.J. i Manzano, A. Kennedy, I.E. Kornfeld, L.-H. Lye, N. Lugaresi, F. Maes, J.R. May, A.M. de Oliveira Nusdeo, C. Parrod, L. Schiano di Pepe, A. Telesetsky, J. Williams, S. Wolfson,Y. Zhao

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Cultural economics deals with many aspects of the creative economy including the art market, heritage, live performing arts and cultural industries. Teaching Cultural Economics introduces the range and scope of these subjects through short chapters by experienced teachers who are expert in the topic of their chapters. The guide starts out with chapters on the experience of teaching cultural economics by leading exponents in the field. Chapters then follow grouped by general topic: financing cultural production, artists' labour markets, consumer behaviour in the cultural sector, digitisation and copyright and case studies of creative industries. The breadth of material provided within these pages is invaluable to teachers who wish to offer courses in cultural economics and are seeking guidance for developing a new course, as well as for teachers who are already teaching cultural economics and are seeking inspiration for new case studies. The material can also be used by teachers of other courses who wish to teach cultural economics as part of their curriculum. Contributors include: V. Ateca-Amestoy, H. Bakhshi, A. Baldin, F. Benhamou, T. Bille, E. Bjørnsen, R. Buijze, S. Cameron, L. Champarnaud, D.C. Chisholm, M.J. del Barrio-Tellado, L. Delomeaux, J. Denis, P. Di Caro, L. Di Gaetano, J. Farchy, K. Goto, C. Handke, S.J.C. Hemels, L.C. Herrero- Prieto, P. Kaszynska, E. Lazzaro, I. Mazza, J. McKenzie, A. Mignosa, T. Navarrete, T. Orme, G. Pignataro, I. Rizzo, B. Seaman, R. Towse

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The implementation of a democratic order embedded in a market economy environment has proved immensely difficult. Furthermore, this process is subject to tremendous variety within Central and Eastern Europe. Ten years after the collapse of communism it was apparent that only Poland and Slovenia surpassed their 1989 levels of GDP. This book scrutinises the arrangements to enforce good governance in this area both by means of external help and domestic political leadership.From the popular assumption that transformation is a collective good, it follows that the problem of free-riding has to be faced. Consequently there is a danger that transformation may never be completed. This book empirically tests the relationship between economic performance and good governance focusing upon voluntary coercion as a means to prevent free-riding behaviour. The author examines the role of international organisations and discusses elite formation as an important element of good governance - something often ignored in the economic analysis of economic performance.Scholars and researchers of political and economic transformation in Central and Eastern Europe as well as those from the fields of political economy, international relations and political science will find this book enlightening.

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Higher employment, economic growth and innovation are fundamental objectives of modern economies. One effective means of attaining these goals is the development of successful entrepreneurs, and this book aims to provide a deeper, research-based understanding of the factors influencing successful entrepreneurship. Mirjam van Praag compares and contrasts the economic theory of entrepreneurship with determinants of successful entrepreneurship derived from empirical evidence, in an attempt to discover what makes for an accomplished entrepreneur.The author's state-of-the-art historical, theoretical and empirical research on successful entrepreneurship - all from an explicit economic perspective - comprehensively addresses questions such as: 'What are the factors that influence individuals' decisions to start a business venture as opposed to working as an employee?' and 'What are the individual characteristics that make one successful as an entrepreneur?' thereby supporting or dispelling various existing myths. Individual factors contributing to the success of entrepreneurs that are considered include, amongst others, human capital, financial capital and psychological traits. The importance of such factors for the various phases of entrepreneurship, including start-up, delivery and performance is also measured.Providing recommendations that aim to promote successful entrepreneurship, this unique book will be of great importance to a wide-ranging audience, including academics with an interest in economics, social science and business studies. Policymakers, capital suppliers, business consultants and trainers and, of course, potential entrepreneurs themselves will also find the book invaluable.

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Financing Federal Systems provides a comprehensive selection of Edward M. Gramlich's essays, which have made a major contribution to public finance and macroeconomics over three decades.The structure of fiscal federalism is a major issue in most countries around the world. Developed economies are continually confronting the question of fiscal federalism as they consider harmonizing tax and trading arrangements. Emerging market economies are addressing these issues as they organize systems to promote growth and development.The book begins with a new introduction by the author which provides a clear and concise overview of the current issues in fiscal federalism. The book comprises some 23 papers and features empirical, theoretical and diagnostic work together with comprehensive evaluations of the fiscal federal systems in the United States, Australia, Sweden and Canada. It includes work on state and local government behaviour, grant policies, macroeconomic policies, state tax limitations, federal tax policy, sub-national fiscal policy, infrastructure investment and public welfare policies.Financing Federal Systems will complement graduate and undergraduate courses in public finance and fiscal federalism. It will also appeal to policymakers and local government practitioners.

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Tapping the Oceans provides a detailed analysis of the political and ecological debates facing water desalination in the twenty-first century.Water supplies for cities around the world are undergoing profound geographical, technological and political transformations. Increasingly, water-stressed cities are looking to the oceans to fix unreliable, contested and over-burdened water supply systems. Yet the use of emerging desalination technologies is accompanied by intense debates on their economic cost, governance, environmental impact and poses wider questions for the sustainable and just provision of urban water. Through a series of cutting-edge case studies and multi-subject approaches, this book explores the perspectives, disputes and politics surrounding water desalination on a broad geographical scale. As the first book of its kind, this unique work will appeal to those researching water and infrastructure issues in the fields of political ecology, geography, environmental science and sustainability. Industry and water managers who wish to understand the political debates around desalination technology more fully will also find this an informative read. Contributors include: E. Feitelson, M. Fragkou, S. Gorostiza, A. Loftus, H. March, J. McEvoy, D. Pavón Gamero, D. Sauri, A. Scheba, S. Scheba, E. Swyngedouw, M. Usher, J. Williams

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This compendium of essays brings together some of William Baumol's most distinguished and acclaimed papers with some that are more rare, including a discussion of the growth and innovation mechanism that accounts for the unprecedented growth performance of the market economies. Amongst many other papers of note are a discussion of appropriate regulatory principles for privatized and deregulated firms, and a survey of the accomplishments of economists in the past century and the past millennium. This collection includes the following essays: Productivity Growth, Convergence and Welfare: What the Long-Run Data Show On the Possibility of Continuing Expansion of Finite Resources Social Wants and Dismal Science: The Curious Case of the Climbing Costs of Health and Teaching Towards Microeconomics of Innovation: Growth Engine Hallmark of Market Economics Use of Antitrust to Subvert Competition Predation and the Logic of the Average Variable Cost Test. The papers engage with an eclectic range of issues and represent a vignette of the author's varied contributions to the economic literature.

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Presenting a selection of innovative research contributions written by some of the best-known academics in the field, The Economics of Copyright covers issues that are at the forefront of the implementation and management of copyright.The book touches on all aspects of copyright management including the effects of copyright piracy, optimal contractual arrangements between authors and publishers, copyright and antitrust issues, and collective management of copyright. This selection of papers not only shows how fruitful the study of copyright from an economic theory perspective has been, but they also clearly indicate the directions (and analytical tools) that will be of principal interest over the next few years, as research in this area flourishes.Both legal scholars specialising in intellectual property and applied economics scholars will find this book of importance, as will organisations dealing with the management and protection of intellectual property rights. The book will also be good reading for any advanced university course dealing with the economics of copyright.

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This timely book offers a critical interpretation of the traditional social and economic accounts of sport. It provides an incisive analysis of professional sport and defines alternative foundations to the present model. The authors demonstrate that professional sport is an extremely complex phenomenon encompassing many unique factors depending on its global reach, financing and organization. In particular they address three significant issues: an analysis of the relationship between sport and economic development in order to explain the place of professional sport in modern societies a study of the main difficulties facing the organization of professional sports in terms of financing, collective bargaining and the consequences of revenue sharing for competitive balance an exploration of alternatives to current governance structures which would involve a return to professional ethics. This insightful and topical book is essential for academics and students of sport management, researchers of the economics of sport, managers of clubs and federations involved in professional sports, as well as civil servants and journalists.

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Is social capital the 'missing link' in economics? In this vital new book, the authors argue that the 'forgotten' production factor of social capital is as crucial in economic decision-making as the other more traditional factors of production such as physical, financial and human capital. They attempt to bridge the gap between theory and reality by examining the main factors that determine entrepreneurship, co-operative movements and the creation and destruction of social capital.To address the question of how social capital is created and destroyed, the authors develop an interdisciplinary approach combining political science, economics, anthropology, sociology and history. They show how bridging social capital enforces personal contact and acts as a lubricator for human co-operation, whereas bonding social capital enforces distance between people, increasing mistrust and, consequently, transaction costs. They demonstrate how entrepreneurship can facilitate voluntary collective action and create inclusive forms of social capital. Crucial in this respect is that entrepreneurs are motivated not only by economic incentives but also by social motives. Applying historical and contemporary case studies, they identify the serious human and economic consequences that result when social capital is disregarded. The authors believe that the implications of such a discovery demand a re-evaluation of traditional economic theory.This book will contribute substantially to academic and popular debates on social capital and will be an invaluable source of reference for all social scientists. It will particularly appeal to students and scholars of public policy, economics, sociology, political science, anthropology and history.

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Is social capital the 'missing link' in economics? In this vital new book, the authors argue that the 'forgotten' production factor of social capital is as crucial in economic decision-making as the other more traditional factors of production such as physical, financial and human capital. They attempt to bridge the gap between theory and reality by examining the main factors that determine entrepreneurship, co-operative movements and the creation and destruction of social capital.To address the question of how social capital is created and destroyed, the authors develop an interdisciplinary approach combining political science, economics, anthropology, sociology and history. They show how bridging social capital enforces personal contact and acts as a lubricator for human co-operation, whereas bonding social capital enforces distance between people, increasing mistrust and, consequently, transaction costs. They demonstrate how entrepreneurship can facilitate voluntary collective action and create inclusive forms of social capital. Crucial in this respect is that entrepreneurs are motivated not only by economic incentives but also by social motives. Applying historical and contemporary case studies, they identify the serious human and economic consequences that result when social capital is disregarded. The authors believe that the implications of such a discovery demand a re-evaluation of traditional economic theory.This book will contribute substantially to academic and popular debates on social capital and will be an invaluable source of reference for all social scientists. It will particularly appeal to students and scholars of public policy, economics, sociology, political science, anthropology and history.

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This book discusses the impact of taxation on economic growth, employment, investment, consumption and the environment. The public finance literature commonly distinguishes between three major functions of taxation: the traditional function of raising revenue to finance government expenditure; the distributional function as an instrument to alter the distribution of income and wealth amongst households; and the regulatory function that uses taxation at the benefit of stabilization and other economic policies. Especially after the Second World War, OECD countries have increasingly used taxation to achieve a variety of economic and social objectives. Today many governments use the tax system to stimulate economic growth and employment. Fiscal measures also play a role in creating a favourable climate for business investment and to promote a long-term sustainable environmental policy. Currently, in the debate on global warming, the use of tax instruments to tackle climate change is on the top of the international agenda.The authors aim to provide the reader with the necessary empirical information, while at the same time presenting an overview of the latest theory and best practices. In doing so, many relevant policy issues are touched upon. Based on theoretical and empirical studies and practical experiences in OECD countries, the book establishes guidelines for effective tax policy. The book offers tools for tax design in a globalising economy and the world of the internet with increasing tax competition and a growing battle for companies and brains between countries. The book also presents a 'carrot and stick' model to promote clean technologies, reduce pollution and combat climate change. The message from the authors is straightforward: broad, low, simple, and a shift from income to consumption taxation. These principles are illustrated in a concept proposal for a so-called Second Life Tax system.

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Countering the claims that competition contradicts and undermines ethical thought processes and actions, Christoph Lütge successfully argues that competition and ethics do not necessarily have to oppose one another. He highlights how intensified competition can in fact work in favour of ethical goals, and that many criticisms of competition stem from an out-dated understanding of how modern societies and economies function. Illustrating this view with examples from ecology, healthcare and education, the author calls for a more entrepreneurial spirit in analysing the relationship between competition and ethics. This book delivers important arguments for the ethics of innovation, using a combination of theoretical and practical evidence to support it.Researchers and scholars of economics, business, philosophy and politics will greatly benefit from the fresh interdisciplinary perspectives and thorough exploration of the complex relationship between modern competition and ethics.

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The central focus of this book is the relationship between money, the sphere of production, and the State.It explores how best to adapt the fundamental ideas of the circulationist perspective to achieve a better understanding of the financialisation of the production processes within contemporary capitalist economies. Importantly, the expert contributors illustrate that the true challenge ahead is to address how these new emerging forms can be eventually tamed, a challenge that the recent financial crisis has forcefully proven essential.This book will prove an illuminating read for scholars and researchers in the heterodox economics domain.Contributors: R. Bellofiore, H. Bougrine, V. Chick, M. Cingolani, E. Correa, S. Dow, T. Ferguson, M. Forstater, A. Girón, C. Gnos, R. Johnson, M. Lavoie, W.C. Marshall, E. Nell, L.-P. Rochon, M. Seccareccia, J. Smithin, B. Vallageas, G. Vidal, L.R. Wray

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Emergence - the process by which new and coherent structures, patterns and properties ‘emerge’ from within complex systemsTraditional architecture starts from the premise that architectural structures are singular and fixed, and however well integrated are separate from their environment and context. Emergence requires that the opposite is true – that those structures are complex energy and material systems that have a lifespan, exist as part of an environment of other active systems, and develop in an evolutionary way.This book, based on the authors’ internationally renowned Emergent Technologies and Design course at the Architectural Association in London, introduces a new approach to the practice of architecture. The authors use essays and projects to demonstrate the interrelationship of concepts such as emergence and self-organisation with the latest technologies in design, manufacturing and construction.With projects from their course, and critiques and commentary from some of the world’s leading design theorists and practitioners, the authors of Emergent Technologies and Design have introduced a radical new way of understanding the way in which architecture is conceived, designed and produced.

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The end of the cold war has created a new and unprecedented type of mixed economy in Eastern Europe. This innovative up-to-date book questions whether the former Eastern block countries will follow the path of West European mixed economies, or if a quite different economic system will emerge.Mixed Economies in Europe presents new work by distinguished authors who offer an evolutionary perspective on the dynamics of mixed economies. In so doing, they provide a unique, policy-orientated assessment of the formation and transformation of mixed economies in both Eastern and Western Europe. In particular, they emphasise the importance of institutional arrangements and regulatory frameworks.The book shows that the liberalization of markets, both within and between European countries has led, in many cases, to a divergence of economic performance across regions and is likely to continue to do so in the future. This raises policy considerations for the EC and its constituent governments which have not, as yet, been adequately addressed.

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Modern liberalism asserts the transcendental, autonomous self's 'natural rights' against others' moralistic and political preferences, and regards the economist's utilitarian social welfare theory as instrumental to the achievement of 'social justice'. Timothy Roth argues that the liberal enterprise ignores Kant's 'two points of view', confuses Kantian autonomy with moral and political license, mistakes utilitarian impersonality for impartiality, and takes no account of the indeterminacy of social welfare theory's fundamental theoretical constructs. In contrast, the author shows that Kant's 'two points of view' inform the conservative's constitutive political position and animate the consequence-detached, explicitly normative work of the conservative, constitutional political economist. He shows that, unlike modern liberalism, conservatism is grounded in Kant's 'two points of view', that utilitarian social welfare theory cannot be instrumental to the achievement of social justice, and that constitutional political economy is conservative economics. Economists interested in political economy, methodological issues, social welfare theory, public choice theory, or the moral foundations of economics will find much of interest in this thought-provoking volume. Political scientists interested in the philosophical foundations of modern liberalism and conservatism will also want to add this title to their library.

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East Asia's Monetary Future is an illuminating and valuable work which uniquely focuses on a long-term monetary view of the region. There are multiple and varied future scenarios which can be applied to this region - an enlarged Singapore-Brunei currency area, a greater China monetary bloc and even a Northeast Asian bloc comprising Japan and Korea.Leading scholars from East Asia, Europe and the US contribute valuable new insights to the key questions facing the organization and future of the monetary system in East Asia. Central questions discussed and analysed in the book include, amongst others: should the region move towards monetary union? Should countries peg their exchange rates to the US dollar? Is complete dollarization an option for East Asia? The authors argue that, having realized price stability over the last twenty years, in contrast to Latin America and Africa, the next logical step would be the gradual formation of various currency blocs within the region. This comprehensive discussion of the fundamental issues at stake will ensure the book's appeal to academics and researchers of Asian studies and financial economics. Financial experts working in this area and policymakers will also find much of interest to them within this book.

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This book provides a much-needed re-examination of monetary and fiscal policies, their application in the real world and their potential for macroeconomic policy in the 21st century. It provides a detailed discussion and critique of the 'new consensus' in macroeconomics along with the monetary and fiscal policies encapsulated within it. The authors argue that monetary policy is an ineffective means of controlling inflation and, if not used properly, can also have detrimental effects on the supply-side of the economy. They further contend that fiscal policy remains a potent instrument for influencing aggregate demand. Using detailed analysis the authors emphasise the role of capacity constraints as possible inflation barriers and argue against the NAIRU as a labour market phenomenon. The book concludes by critically examining the economic policies of the European Economic and Monetary Union.Written by two of the leading scholars in the field, this provocative new volume is concise, well argued and rich in new insights. It will interest all those concerned with the current problems and future development of monetary and fiscal policy.

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This innovative book uses a little-known methodological research tool to study ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Local Exchange Trading Systems (LETS), the subject of the book, is a novel and interesting social phenomenon which seems to constitute a more ecologically rational and socially inclusive form of economic activity. LETS is a system for exchanging goods and services without the use of formal, legal tender. Unlike barter, LETS members buy and sell using their own nominal currency units, but the currency in which trade is conducted is purely a means of exchange, not a commodity in itself or a store of value.The authors of this book examine LETS, and in particular they discuss whether LETS can be viewed as an aspect of the 'greening' of citizenship, with the potential to contribute to the transition to, and maintenance of, a more sustainable society. They describe the part LETS can play in raising environmental awareness; offering more sustainable practices of production and consumption and helping to create in the community the preconditions for sustainability.In their study of LETS, the authors use Q methodology, (a qualitative methodology for the systematic study of subjectivity and shared discourses) and at the same time they evaluate its usefulness for social scientific environmental research. They find that it is a powerful methodological approach which is consistent with many of the core principles, values and aims of ecological economics. They also conclude that Q has the potential to contribute to environmental policy analysis and the creation of a more participative, democratic and effective form of environmental policy making.This book will be of great interest to all social scientists interested in social movements, environment and citizenship, and in particular those wanting to understand the application of Q methodology for social science research.

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