Free
The online economy offers challenges to traditional businesses as well as incredible opportunities. Chris Anderson makes the compelling case that in many instances businesses can succeed best by giving away more than they charge for. Known as "Freemium," this combination of free and paid is emerging as one of the most powerful digital business models. In Free, Chris Anderson explores this radical idea for the new global economy and demonstrates how it can be harnessed for the benefit of consumers and businesses alike. In the twenty-first century, Free is more than just a promotional gimmick: It's a business strategy that is essential to a company's successful future.
Clusters of Creativity
Silicon Valley ist bekannt f羹r seinen spektakul瓣ren Erfolg: Zur Zeit beherbergt es 7.000 Unternehmen, vorrangig im Elektronik- und Softwarebereich und nicht weniger als 20% der gr繹?ten High-Tech Unternehmen weltweit. Im Silicon Valley geht durchschnittlich alle 5 Tage ein Unternehmen an die B繹rse, und alle 24 Stunden werden 62 neue Million瓣re geboren. Der Grund, warum das Silicon Valley so au?erordentlich erfolgreich ist und viele andere High-Tech Regionen 羹bertrifft, liegt darin, dass es drei grundlegende Energien angezapft hat: das Streben nach Wissen, der Drang nach Innovation und unerschrockenen Unternehmergeist. Obwohl der au?ergew繹hnliche Erfolg des Silicon Valley weiter anh瓣lt, kann man nicht l瓣nger davon ausgehen, dass es nur EIN Silicon Valley gibt und alle anderen Technologiezentren in der Welt nur billige Kopien des Originals sind. "Silicon Fen" in Cambridge, England und "Silicon Island" in Taiwan im Hsinchu Science Park nutzen die gleichen wirtschaftlichen Kr瓣fte sehr effektiv. "Clusters of Creativity" analysiert das Silicon Valley im Zusammenhang mit den Erfolgen von Cambridge und Hsinchu im internationalen Massenmarkt. Von Geschichte, Kultur und Zweck her sind sie eher verschieden, von der Dynamik her, sind sie jedoch 瓣hnlich. Dieses Buch untersucht, wie Silicon Valley funktioniert und wie man Wissen, Innovation und Unternehmertum - ein erprobtes Rezept f羹r Wertsch繹pfung - in anderen Unternehmen und Regionen in die Praxis umsetzt.
Policy and Economic Performance in Divided Korea During the Cold War Era: 1945-91
The Korean peninsula during the Cold War provided a cruel but historically unparalleled real-world "experiment" in the relationship between polity and material advance: an ethnically and culturally homogenous nation was, in 1945, suddenly divided by an arbitrary boundary line and then subjected to two radically different and adversarial political economies for successive decades on end. Assessing the competition between the North and South Korean economies from partition to the end of the Soviet era, Nicholas Eberstadt argues that the storyline is not quite as simple as the now-prevailing narrative suggests (that centrally-planned economies are doomed to fail against market-oriented alternatives). Rather, he suggests, the race for material progress was just that: a race, the results of which were far from preordained at the outset. In Policy and Economic Performance in Divided Korea during the Cold War Era: 1945-91, Eberstadt presents an impressive compilation of hard-to-find comparative data on economic performance for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK, or North Korea) and the Republic of Korea (ROK, or South Korea) over two critical generations. By a number of indicators, Eberstadt argues, Kim Il Sung's North Korea actually outperformed South Korea for much of this period-not only in the years immediately following partition, but perhaps also into the 1970s. To explain these surprising results, Eberstadt details the impact of government policies on the course of growth of both economies and offers some unorthodox observations about material performance under these two contending polities. He finds that prevailing economic development theory on such issues as planned-versus- market economies, military burden, and the relationship between material advance and poverty, may require reexamination in light of the experience of the two Koreas between partition and the end of the Cold War.
People, Planet, Profit
Social and environmental issues are more important than ever and consumers are committed to supporting change. 'Doing good' is no longer a peripheral activity but fundamental to every aspect of how we do business, every day, for everyone. People, Planet, Profit is the first book to truly address business growth in the context of social and environmental concerns. It's a practical guide to new business opportunity, operational improvement and competitive advantage. Full of inspiring case studies, it looks at the challenges faced by key players such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Nokia, Nike, Amazon, M&S and Walmart. With plenty of comments from industry insiders, it's essential reading for CEOs and business managers who are searching for new ways to create value, to make sense of business in a rapidly shifting landscape, and to deliver profitable growth whilst also doing "the right thing".
Animal Spirits
From acclaimed economists George Akerlof and Robert Shiller, the case for why government is needed to restore confidence in the economy The global financial crisis has made it painfully clear that powerful psychological forces are imperiling the wealth of nations today. From blind faith in ever-rising housing prices to plummeting confidence in capital markets, "animal spirits" are driving financial events worldwide. In this book, acclaimed economists George Akerlof and Robert Shiller challenge the economic wisdom that got us into this mess, and put forward a bold new vision that will transform economics and restore prosperity. Akerlof and Shiller reassert the necessity of an active government role in economic policymaking by recovering the idea of animal spirits, a term John Maynard Keynes used to describe the gloom and despondence that led to the Great Depression and the changing psychology that accompanied recovery. Like Keynes, Akerlof and Shiller know that managing these animal spirits requires the steady hand of government--simply allowing markets to work won't do it. In rebuilding the case for a more robust, behaviorally informed Keynesianism, they detail the most pervasive effects of animal spirits in contemporary economic life--such as confidence, fear, bad faith, corruption, a concern for fairness, and the stories we tell ourselves about our economic fortunes--and show how Reaganomics, Thatcherism, and the rational expectations revolution failed to account for them. Animal Spirits offers a road map for reversing the financial misfortunes besetting us today. Read it and learn how leaders can channel animal spirits--the powerful forces of human psychology that are afoot in the world economy today. In a new preface, they describe why our economic troubles may linger for some time--unless we are prepared to take further, decisive action.
Against Intellectual Monopoly
"Intellectual property" - patents and copyrights - have become controversial. We witness teenagers being sued for "pirating" music - and we observe AIDS patients in Africa dying due to lack of ability to pay for drugs that are high priced to satisfy patent holders. Are patents and copyrights essential to thriving creation and innovation - do we need them so that we all may enjoy fine music and good health? Across time and space the resounding answer is: No. So-called intellectual property is in fact an "intellectual monopoly" that hinders rather than helps the competitive free market regime that has delivered wealth and innovation to our doorsteps. This book has broad coverage of both copyrights and patents and is designed for a general audience, focusing on simple examples. The authors conclude that the only sensible policy to follow is to eliminate the patents and copyright systems as they currently exist.
The Tyranny of Dead Ideas
"Offers the most plausible way to renovate our political and policy thinking to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century."--Joe Klein, TimeA leading political and business thinker identifies the greatest threat to our economic future: the things we think we know-but don't. America is at a crossroads. The global economic downturn that began in 2008 has laid bare the structural weakness of our economy, putting the country through its most severe test since the Great Depression. Yet our political and business leaders have failed to prepare us because they are in the grip of a set of "dead ideas" about how a modern economy should work. Even the proponents of "change" in the Obama administration remain tentative in pushing the boundaries of the conventional wisdom. But as Matt Miller shows in this provocative and influential analysis, the American economy will turn the corner only if we move beyond these outdated ways of thinking and recognize the ascendance of a new set of "destined ideas" that will reinvigorate our economy, our politics, and our day-to-day lives. And in a new preface, Miller shows how today's financial crisis has finally stripped these dead ideas of their power, offering hope for a durable recovery.
The Theory of Moral Sentiments
Written by Scottish philosopher and political economist Adam Smith, "The Theory of Moral Sentiments" provides much of the foundation for the ideas in his later works, most notably in "The Wealth of Nations." Through this initial text, Smith expresses his general system of morals, exploring the propriety of action, reward and punishment, sense of duty, and the effect of numerous factors on moral sentiment. In so doing, Smith devised innovative theories on virtues, conscience, and moral judgment that are still relevant and accessible today. Though somewhat surprising to find a philosopher of Smith's abilities discussing aspects such as luck and sympathy and how they affect self-image or relationships, "The Theory of Moral Sentiments" never loses its critical excellence in its good-natured understanding of the human exploration for the meaning of being good.
The Rural Entrepreneurs
Stock and station agents have been a key driving force behind rural-led economic development in Australia and New Zealand. By providing remote and inexperienced farmers with vital finance, marketing, and technical services and advice through expansion and crisis, they have filled an entrepreneurial gap. In the twentieth century, the leading agents expanded their range of activities and became some of Australasia's earliest nationwide firms and biggest businesses. The Rural Entrepreneurs provides new insights in understanding Australasia's rural history and economic development.
Game Over
You already know about the devastating recession we're in. Jobs are being cut by the tens of thousands. Real estate values are plummeting. Retirement plans and 401ks are going up in smoke. And then there's rising inflation. And whether we like it or not, higher gasoline prices again are right around the corner. Then there's the ever-present confusion and dips in the stock market, and, whether we want to admit it or not, the fact that the world is finally beginning to run out of essential raw materials, such as silver, titanium, and, of course, oil. Yes, the economy is definitely a wreck. Even worse, according to most experts, our problems are not going away soon. We're going to be in serious financial trouble for a long time. So . . . are you ready for some good news? As you will discover in Game Over, bestselling author and investment advisor Dr. Stephen Leeb shows you how to not only survive in the current economic maelstrom but actually find a way to thrive. Dr. Leeb first tells you just how bad things are by exposing the basic suppositions of our institutions, and how quickly outdated they've become. Warning bells are sounding especially for Americans looking forward to a relaxing retirement and living off their savings, investments, Social Security, and Medicare. The time to sit up and take action is now. Dr. Leeb provides a clear-cut and well-crafted financial road map to protect every investor in the years to come. Specifically, he reveals which key investments will steadily rise . . . the best ways to hedge surging inflation . . . and which sectors will boom. Many will lose their savings, watch their investments shrink, and never fulfill their financial dreams. But with Dr. Leeb's advice, you can make sure yours come true.
Globalization and Competition
Globalization and Competition explains why some middle-income countries, principally those in Asia, grow fast while others are not successful. The author criticizes both old-style developmentalism and the economics of the Washington Consensus. He argues instead for a "new developmentalism" or third approach that builds on a national development strategy. This approach differs from the neoliberal strategy that rich nations propose to emerging economies principally on macroeconomic grounds. Developing countries face a key obstacle to growth, namely, the tendency to overvaluate foreign exchange. Instead of neutralizing it, the policy that rich countries promote mistakenly seeks growth through foreign savings, which causes additional appreciation of the national currency and often results in financial crises rather than genuine investment.
Deeper than Debt
An introduction to the history and current implications of the debt crisis, which positions debt in the wider context of globalisation and development. Deeper than Debt brings together a wide range of viewpoints to discuss the effects of economic globalisation on the lives of the poor majority in debtor countries. This primer text argues that, due to debt, four fifths of the world's population cannot develop while inequality between the rich and the poor grows. This book provides invaluable analysis for activists who have campaigned successfully with Jubilee 2000 and other campaigns, and for those wanting a deeper look at development and economic issues raised by international debt.Debt is a good thing - for creditors. In the current global economy, the debt owedby the poorest countries allows the richest to have enormous infl uence over mostSouthern economies. Such control is enforced via the International Monetary Fund, which requires poor countries to export raw materials at low prices, cut back onsocial spending on areas such as health and education, and to privatise nationalwealth - all to generate dollars to pay rich creditors. Debt means four fi fths of theworld 's population cannot develop, while inequality between the rich and poorgrows.Deeper than Debt brings together a wide range of arguments and views to examinethe effects of economic globalisation on the lives of the poor majority in debtorcountries, and how debt can illuminate the process of the ever-deepeninginequality between rich and poor.Deeper than Debt will provide invaluable analysis for debt activists who havecampaigned successfully with Jubilee 2000 and for those wanting a deeper look atthe development and economic issues raised by debt.George Ann Potter is an economic anthropologist with 20 years' experience ofdevelopment management and policy work. She lives and works in Bolivia whereshe is involved in the Jubilee 2000 campaign. She has written extensively on debt.including a book, Dialogue on Debt ( 1988).
Crouching Dragon, Hidden Tiger
The media is feeding on the boastful self-confidence of a newly invigorated entrepreneurial class in India, and on the growing irritation with the Indian upstart in the Chinese leadership. To say these two countries will dominate the global economy in 50 years if they stay on their present trajectories is undoubtedly true. But to take for granted that they will succeed in doing so is naive. Both countries are in the early stages of transformation from pre-capitalist to capitalist societies and this transition is, by its very nature, jarring. The transition closes old avenues of progress and opens new ones, creating new winners and new losers by the hundreds of thousands. The faster the rate of economic change, the less time given to existing social institutions to adapt, and the greater, therefore, is the propensity for violent change. This book examines the interaction of economic with political and social change in China and India as they have progressed down the road to capitalism. It examines the social and political conflicts that the market has unleashed, and the success and failure of the countries in trying to contain it.
No Logo
A Tenth Anniversary Edition of Naomi Klein's No Logo with a New Introduction by the Author NO LOGO was an international bestseller and "a movement bible" (The New York Times). Naomi Klein's second book, The Shock Doctrine, was hailed as a "master narrative of our time," and has over a million copies in print worldwide. In the last decade, No Logo has become an international phenomenon and a cultural manifesto for the critics of unfettered capitalism worldwide. As America faces a second economic depression, Klein's analysis of our corporate and branded world is as timely and powerful as ever. Equal parts cultural analysis, political manifesto, mall-rat memoir, and journalistic expos矇, No Logo is the first book to put the new resistance into pop-historical and clear economic perspective. Naomi Klein tells a story of rebellion and self-determination in the face of our new branded world.
Business Cycles and Equilibrium
An updated look at what Fischer Black's ideas on business cycles and equilibrium mean today Throughout his career, Fischer Black described a view of business fluctuations based on the idea that a well-developed economy will be continually in equilibrium. In the essays that constitute this book, which is one of only two books Black ever wrote, he explores this idea thoroughly and reaches some surprising conclusions. With the newfound popularity of quantitative finance and risk management, the work of Fischer Black has garnered much attention. Business Cycles and Equilibrium-with its theory that economic and financial markets are in a continual equilibrium-is one of his books that still rings true today, given the current economic crisis. This Updated Edition clearly presents Black's classic theory on business cycles and the concept of equilibrium, and contains a new introduction by the person who knows Black best: Perry Mehrling, author of Fischer Black and the Revolutionary Idea of Finance (Wiley). Mehrling goes inside Black's life to uncover what was occurring during the time Black wrote Business Cycles and Equilibrium, while also shedding light on what Black would make of today's financial and economic meltdown and how he would best advise to move forward. The essays within this book reach some interesting conclusions concerning the role of equilibrium in a developed economy Warns about the use and abuse of modeling Explains the risky business of risk in a straightforward and accessible style Contains chapters dedicated to "the effects of uncontrolled banking," "the trouble with econometric models," and "the effects of noise on investing" Includes commentary on Black's life and work at the time Business Cycles and Equilibrium was written as well as insight as to what Black would make of the current financial meltdown Engaging and informative, the Updated Edition of Business Cycles and Equilibrium will give you a better understanding of what is really going on during these uncertain and volatile financial times.
Wealth, War and Wisdom
Der zweite Weltkrieg war verheerender H繹hepunkt in der Geschichte, der aus Sicht des Autors fast die westliche Zivilisation gekostet hat. Biggs besch瓣ftigt sich in seinem Buch daher mit der Frage, wie es Menschen in solchen Extremzeiten gelingen kann ihr Kapital zu sicher. Er analysiert dazu das Investitionsverhalten der Anleger von 1930-1945, und zwar sowohl auf Seiten der Sieger als auch auf Seiten der Besiegten. So stellt er beispielweise fest dass Grundeigent羹mer ihren Reichtum st瓣rker sch羹tzten, als die Menschen die ihr Geld in Aktien angelegt hatten. Interessant ist vor allem, dass sich die Lehren aus dem Krieg direkt auf die heutigen turbulenten M瓣rkte anwenden l瓣sst.
Superfreakonomics
Freakonomics lived on the New York Times bestseller list for an astonishing two years. Now authors Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner return with more iconoclastic insights and observations in SuperFreakonomics--the long awaited follow-up to their New York Times Notable blockbuster. Based on revolutionary research and original studies, SuperFreakonomics promises to once again challenge our view of human behavior and the way the world really works.Applying their signature economic approach, Levitt and Dubner tackle a new set of provocative questions: Behavioral Economics: Why do street prostitutes have more in common with a department-store Santa than you'd think, and what can monkeys teach us about the stock market?Counterintuitive Thinking: Explore the real data behind life-and-death decisions, from whether it's safer to walk drunk or drive drunk to why a suicide bomber might buy life insurance.Unintended Consequences: Discover how the arrival of cable TV empowered women in rural India and why the invention of the car seat may not be the simple lifesaver we assume it is.Cheap and Simple Fixes: From a simple hand-washing protocol that saved thousands of lives to a garden hose that could reverse global warming, learn why the best solutions are often the easiest.
The Great Crash, 1929
John Kenneth Galbraith's classic examination of the 1929 financial collapse. Arguing that the 1929 stock market crash was precipitated by rampant speculation in the stock market, Galbraith notes that the common denominator of all speculative episodes is the belief of participants that they can become rich without work. It was Galbraith's belief that a good knowledge of what happened in 1929 was the best safeguard against its recurrence. Atlantic Monthly wrote, "Economic writings are seldom notable for their entertainment value, but this book is. Galbraith's prose has grace and wit, and he distills a good deal of sardonic fun from the whopping errors of the nation's oracles and the wondrous antics of the financial community."
Castles, Battles, & Bombs
Castles, Battles, and Bombs reconsiders key episodes of military history from the point of view of economics-with dramatically insightful results. For example, when looked at as a question of sheer cost, the building of castles in the High Middle Ages seems almost inevitable: though stunningly expensive, a strong castle was far cheaper to maintain than a standing army. The authors also reexamine the strategic bombing of Germany in World War II and provide new insights into France's decision to develop nuclear weapons. Drawing on these examples and more, Brauer and Van Tuyll suggest lessons for today's military, from counterterrorist strategy and military manpower planning to the use of private military companies in Afghanistan and Iraq. "In bringing economics into assessments of military history, [the authors] also bring illumination. . . . [The authors] turn their interdisciplinary lens on the mercenary arrangements of Renaissance Italy; the wars of Marlborough, Frederick the Great, and Napoleon; Grant's campaigns in the Civil War; and the strategic bombings of World War II. The results are invariably stimulating."-Martin Walker, Wilson Quarterly "This study is serious, creative, important. As an economist I am happy to see economics so professionally applied to illuminate major decisions in the history of warfare."-Thomas C. Schelling, Winner of the 2005 Nobel Prize in Economics
The World Is Curved
David Smick keeps a low profile, but experts consider him one of the most insightful financial market strategists in the world. For more than two decades, he has conferred with central bankers (such as Alan Greenspan and Ben Bernanke) and advised top Wall Street executives and investors, from George Soros to Michael Steinhardt to Stan Druckenmiller. Political leaders (from Bill Bradley to Jack Kemp) have regularly sought his policy advice. The World Is Curved picks up where Thomas Friedman's The World Is Flat left off, taking readers on an insider's tour through the private offices of central bankers, finance ministers, even prime ministers. Smick reveals how today's risky environment came to be--and why the mortgage mess is a symptom of potentially far more devastating trouble. He wrestles with the two questions on everyone's mind: How bad could things really get in today's volatile economy? And what can we do about it? Drawing on riveting anecdotes in language anyone can understand, Smick explains: Why the churning cauldron we call China (the next great bubble to burst) represents a powerful threat to everyone's pocketbookHow Japanese housewives have taken control of their nation's savings, and why it matters to usHow greed-driven bankers and investment bankers have put everyone's pensions and 401(k)s at riskWhy today's "incredible shrinking central banks" may not be able to save us when the next crisis hitsWhy the big-money Russian, Chinese, Saudi, and Dubai sovereign wealth funds represent a tectonic shift in global financial power, away from the United States, Europe, and JapanWhy the world desperately needs a "big think" financial doctrine to guide today's dangerous ocean of moneyThe World Is Curved is the rare book that speaks simultaneously to the Wall Street, Washington, and London elite, yet its apt storytelling shows Main Street readers how to survive in these turbulent times.
The Holy Grail of Macroeconomics
The revised edition of this highly acclaimed work presents crucial lessons from Japan's recession that could aid the US and other economies as they struggle to recover from the current financial crisis. This book is about Japan's 15-year long recession and how it affected current theoretical thinking about its causes and cures. It has a detailed explanation on what happened to Japan, but the discoveries made are so far-reaching that a large portion of economics literature will have to be modified to accommodate another half to the macroeconomic spectrum of possibilities that conventional theorists have overlooked. The author developed the idea of yin and yang business cycles where the conventional world of profit maximization is the yang and the world of balance sheet recession, where companies are minimizing debt, is the yin. Once so divided, many varied theories developed in macro economics since the 1930s can be nicely categorized into a single comprehensive theory- The Holy Grail of Macro Economics
When the Boomers Bail
As the industrialized world recovers from the great recession, we face an even graver economic threat. A structural shortage of qualified workers is creating a zero-sum labor market that is forcing communities to steal talent from each other in order to survive and grow. The cause of this impending economic disaster: a baby boom generation who didn't have enough kids to replace themselves, and an education system that has failed to properly prepare students for the new demands of today's market. Add to that 78 million soon-to-be-retired Baby Boomers who will go from high-earning producers to resource-sapping dependents, and the situation worsens. Any community unable to attract and hold talent will join a growing number of economically doomed places where economic development is impossible. This suddenly makes deciding where to live or invest a much higher-stakes game. In When the Boomers Bail, economic architect Mark Lautman details the causes of the problem, explains how it changes game and what you can do about it.
The Untilled Garden
This study traces the origins of conservation thinking in America to the naturalists who explored the middle-western frontier between 1740 and 1840. Their inquiries yielded a comprehensive natural history of America and inspired much of the conservation and ecological thinking we associate with later environmental and ecological philosophy. These explorers witnessed one of the great environmental transformations in American history, as the vast forests lying between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi gave way to a landscape of fields, meadows, and pastures. In debating these changes, naturalists translated classical ideas like the balance of nature and the spiritual unity of all species into an American idiom. This book highlights the contributions made by the generation of natural historians who pioneered the utilitarian, ecological, and aesthetic arguments for protecting or preserving nature in America.
A History of Economic Thought
An invigorating study of the development of systematic economic ideasStudy of the grand ideas in economics has a perpetual intellectual fascination in it's own right. It can also have practical relevance, as the global economic downturn that began in 2007 reminds us. For several decades, the economics establishment had been dismissive of Keynesianism, arguing that the world had moved beyond the "depression economics" with which it dealt. Keynesian economics, however, has now staged a comeback as governments attempt to formulate policy responses to the Great Recession of the first decade of the twenty-first century.Many of the issues that faced economists in the past are still with us. The theories and methods of such men as Adam Smith, T. R. Malthus, David Ricardo, J.S. Mill, Karl Marx, Alfred Marshall, and J. M. Keynes are often relevant to us today--and we can always learn from their mistakes.In his stimulating analysis Professor Barber assesses the thought of a number of important economists both in terms of the issues of their day and in relation to modern economic thought. By concentrating on the greatest exponents he highlights the central properties of the four main schools of economic thought - classical, Marxian, neo-classical, and Keynesian - and shows that although each of these traditions is rooted in a different stage of economic development, they can all provide insights into the recurring problems of modern economics.
The Rise and Fall of the U.S. Mortgage and Credit Markets
The mortgage meltdown: what went wrong and how do we fix it? Owning a home can bestow a sense of security and independence. But today, in a cruel twist, many Americans now regard their homes as a source of worry and dashed expectations. How did everything go haywire? And what can we do about it now? In The Rise and Fall of the U.S. Mortgage and Credit Markets, renowned finance expert James Barth offers a comprehensive examination of the mortgage meltdown. Together with a team of economists at the Milken Institute, he explores the shock waves that have rippled through the entire financial sector and the real economy. Deploying an incredibly detailed and extensive set of data, the book offers in-depth analysis of the mortgage meltdown and the resulting worldwide financial crisis. This authoritative volume explores what went wrong in every critical area, including securitization, loan origination practices, regulation and supervision, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, leverage and accounting practices, and of course, the rating agencies. The authors explain the steps the government has taken to address the crisis thus far, arguing that we have yet to address the larger issues. Offers a comprehensive examination of the mortgage market meltdown and its reverberations throughout the financial sector and the real economy Explores several important issues that policymakers must address in any future reshaping of financial market regulations Addresses how we can begin to move forward and prevent similar crises from shaking the foundations of our financial system The Rise and Fall of the U.S. Mortgage and Credit Markets analyzes the factors that should drive reform and explores the issues that policymakers must confront in any future reshaping of financial market regulations.
The Kite and the Kingdom
A violent response to Michael Kinsley's 'Creative Capitalism' An effective and practical remedy to the Crisis (in its last chapter), supported with common sense: 1) True Capitalism, but not the Free Markets, had died a few years before the fall of Communism around 1989. 2) No one has yet pointed out the true convincing cause of the current crisis. 3) Most big charitable foundations including Bill & Melinda Gates' Foundation, have fraudulent effects or turn into swindlers without the knowledge of their major or minor actors. 4) Cause of the Crisis: The irrationality in Math, Physics, Economics, Finance and Faith is governed by the same principle and is caused by the excessive 'expert knowledge' in each field. 5) One out of 100 active US adults is likely to attempt suicide in 2009 20% above the 2008 figures. This is an indicator of the direction of human progress unless... 6) Any explanation that cannot be simplified for conveying to a below 15, such mechanism of Macro-Economics, Science, Politics, Business, is most likely a con. How about explaining the current economic crisis to above 15? 7) Exploitation of man and machine is the only way towards progress. Any under-exploitation is a waste of wealth and pleasure that must accompany progress. 8) If the cost of guarding a tree from fruit thieves, birds, is higher than the value of the fruits it gives, the tree is no longer worthwhile to maintain. Today the Capitalistic world is that kind of a tree and the only straight forward wise solution is: True and Natural capitalism! 9) Is there a concrete and swift way to solve the current crisis to reduce the threat of the unknown outcome?
A Billion Dollars a Day
A Billion Dollars a Day "This text provides a good narrative on the economics of government intervention, the structure of the world food system and history of the WTO, and the provision of farm subsidies by developed economies, with a special focus on the U.S. and EU."P. Lynn Kennedy, Louisiana State University"This extremely well-researched and documented book provides a comprehensive overview of the impact (both intentional and unintentional) that developed nations' agricultural policies can have on underdeveloped agricultural-based nations."Jay E. Noel, Cal Poly State University "This text's discussion and explanation of subsidies is well developed in a historical and international context that is not found elsewhere." Conrad Lyford, Texas Tech University "Peterson has done a nice job of taking complicated issues and explaining them in a manner that is understandable for students with limited background in policy, development, and trade. This well-written text brings both a U.S. and a world perspective to the timely and important topics of government farm policy and food prices."Rick Whitacre, Illinois State UniversityWhy do Europe, the United States, and some key Asian countries spend, in aggregate, a billion dollars a day on various agricultural price supports, when much of this money ends up in the hands of large agribusiness? In a lively, non-technical, and up-to-date account, this book addresses the core questions that surround the issues of agricultural subsidies.Peterson provides a detailed examination of subsidy histories and the current policies of the United States, various European countries, Australia and New Zealand, and Korea and Japan. Also included is a discussion of how these policies affect developing countries - examining, in particular, their impact on farmers in low-income countries.
Towards a Zero-cost Economy
No matter how one looks at the economic and environmental woes plaguing America, in essence they are simply costs of all kinds-costs that keep escalating and accelerating at the same time. Housing foreclosures, rising energy and food prices, unaffordable healthcare, accumulating credit card debt, bailouts, devaluation of the U.S. dollar, budget deficits, rising unemployment, products built with planned obsolescence and obsolete technologies, global warming, depletion of natural resources, nuclear wastes, wars-all of these represent costs, either recurring, periodic, catastrophic, or of some other type. What can we do about the plague of cost? We should - and can - get rid of it for good. But how can we do this when everything has a cost of some kind? By implementing the concept of a zero-cost economy, as presented in this book. This blueprint can serve every country in the world, regardless of its specific economic and environmental conditions. The ultimate goal of a zero-cost economy is to create a cost-free and a carefree economy-Carefreeism, defined as economic security in a carefree economy. Carefreeism serves the general economic interests of all groups of people, from impoverished to the superrich, without being politically tainted by any political party. It is environmentally compatible as well as universally applicable concept. Therefore, the main goal of a conscious and responsible government, whether state or federal, should be to follow the concept of a zero-cost economy, immediately and rigorously, if the human race ultimately is to enjoy general economic security and prosperity in peace.
The Earthscan Reader on Adaptation to Climate Change
Climate change is now upon us. While mitigation is essential to reduce the future severity of climate change, it will take time and some effects will inevitably continue for centuries. Consequently, more attention is now being directed to adaptation as a means of reducing losses. As the importance of adaptation becomes more apparent, there is need for wider appreciation and understanding of the concept and its potential, as well as the obstacles to its effective deployment. This reader, the first of its kind, gathers some of the most significant writings on adaptation to climate change from the past two decades. Following an introduction tracing the evolution of adaptation from a biological concept into a policy objective, the book is divided into five parts: * Adaptation Theory * Adaptation, Vulnerability and Resilience * Adaptation and Disaster Risk * Adaptation and Development * Adaptation and Climate Change Policy This is the ideal collection for students, policymakers, researchers, activists and NGOs, and all people who need a solid grounding in all aspects of climate change adaptation.
Violence and Social Orders
All societies must deal with the possibility of violence, and they do so in different ways. This book integrates the problem of violence into a larger social science and historical framework, showing how economic and political behavior are closely linked. Most societies, which we call natural states, limit violence by political manipulation of the economy to create privileged interests. These privileges limit the use of violence by powerful individuals, but doing so hinders both economic and political development. In contrast, modern societies create open access to economic and political organizations, fostering political and economic competition. The book provides a framework for understanding the two types of social orders, why open access societies are both politically and economically more developed, and how some 25 countries have made the transition between the two types.
Development of Economic Analysis
Now in its seventh edition, Ingrid Rima's classic textbook charts the development of economics from the classical age, through the middle ages, to the era of classical economics; from the twentieth century to the present day. This is the clearest, most readable guide to economic thought, encouraging students to examine the relevance of the discipline's history to contemporary theory.
Economic Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy
What forces lead to democracy's creation? Why does it sometimes consolidate only to collapse at other times? Written by two of the foremost authorities on this subject in the world, this volume develops a framework for analyzing the creation and consolidation of democracy. It revolutionizes scholarship on the factors underlying government and popular movements toward democracy or dictatorship. Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson argue that different social groups prefer different political institutions because of the way they allocate political power and resources. Their book, the subject of a four-day seminar at Harvard's Center for Basic Research in the Social Sciences, was also the basis for the Walras-Bowley lecture at the joint meetings of the European Economic Association and Econometric Society in 2003 and is the winner of the John Bates Clark Medal. Daron Acemoglu is Charles P. Kindleberger Professor of Applied Economics at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He received the 2005 John Bates Clark Medal awarded by the American Economic Association as the best economist working in the United States under age 40. He is the author of the forthcoming text Introduction to Modern Economic Growth. James A. Robinson is Professor of Government at Harvard University. He is a Harvard Faculty Associate at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs and a member of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research's Program on Institutions, Organizations, and Growth. He is coeditor with Jared Diamond of the forthcoming book Natural Experiments in History.
The New Golden Age
Bringing his signature insight and expertise, the controversial economist Ravi Batra takes on a host of problems facing the world economy, including the oil and housing bubbles, falling minimum wages, corporate scandals, gross ethical lapses, the rise of celebrity economists at the Federal Reserve and elsewhere, and political crises of all kinds. He is unflinching in his criticism of the global economic elites and the suffering and deprivation they have caused in the lives of ordinary men and women. At the same time, he also offers an expansive, optimistic vision of how the international community can overcome the many challenges before it and bring about something historically unprecedented: true global economic prosperity.
A Farewell to Alms
Why are some parts of the world so rich and others so poor? Why did the Industrial Revolution--and the unprecedented economic growth that came with it--occur in eighteenth-century England, and not at some other time, or in some other place? Why didn't industrialization make the whole world rich--and why did it make large parts of the world even poorer? In A Farewell to Alms, Gregory Clark tackles these profound questions and suggests a new and provocative way in which culture--not exploitation, geography, or resources--explains the wealth, and the poverty, of nations. Countering the prevailing theory that the Industrial Revolution was sparked by the sudden development of stable political, legal, and economic institutions in seventeenth-century Europe, Clark shows that such institutions existed long before industrialization. He argues instead that these institutions gradually led to deep cultural changes by encouraging people to abandon hunter-gatherer instincts-violence, impatience, and economy of effort-and adopt economic habits-hard work, rationality, and education. The problem, Clark says, is that only societies that have long histories of settlement and security seem to develop the cultural characteristics and effective workforces that enable economic growth. For the many societies that have not enjoyed long periods of stability, industrialization has not been a blessing. Clark also dissects the notion, championed by Jared Diamond in Guns, Germs, and Steel, that natural endowments such as geography account for differences in the wealth of nations. A brilliant and sobering challenge to the idea that poor societies can be economically developed through outside intervention, A Farewell to Alms may change the way global economic history is understood.
Banking on Basel
The turmoil in financial markets that resulted from the 2007 subprime mortgage crisis in the United States indicates the need to dramatically transform regulation and supervision of financial institutions. Would these institutions have been sounder if the 2004 Revised Framework on International Convergence of Capital Measurement and Capital Standards (Basel II accord)--negotiated between 1999 and 2004--had already been fully implemented? Basel II represents a dramatic change in capital regulation of large banks in the countries represented on the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision: Its internal ratings-based approaches to capital regulation will allow large banks to use their own credit risk models to set minimum capital requirements. The Basel Committee itself implicitly acknowledged in spring 2008 that the revised framework would not have been adequate to contain the risks exposed by the subprime crisis and needed strengthening. This crisis has highlighted two more basic questions about Basel II: One, is the method of capital regulation incorporated in the revised framework fundamentally misguided? Two, even if the basic Basel II approach has promise as a paradigm for domestic regulation, is the effort at extensive international harmonization of capital rules and supervisory practice useful and appropriate? This book provides the answers. It evaluates Basel II as a bank regulatory paradigm and as an international arrangement, considers some possible alternatives, and recommends significant changes in the arrangement.
Basic Writings
"One of the most profound thinkers of the 20th century." -- New York TimesThe finest single-volume anthology of the great philosopher's work, with a new introduction by leading Heidegger scholar Taylor CarmanBasic Writings is the finest single-volume anthology of the work of Martin Heidegger, widely considered one of the most important modern philosophers. Its selections offer a full range of the influential author's writings--including "The Origin of the Work of Art," the introduction to Being and Time, "What Is Metaphysics?," "Letter on Humanism," "The Question Concerning Technology," "The Way to Language," and "The End of Philosophy." This essential collection provides readers with a concise introduction to the groundbreaking philosophy of this brilliant and essential thinker.
Spin-Free Economics
With technology and globalization advancing at breakneck speed, the world economy becomes more complex by the day. Activists, politicians, and media enablers--conservative and liberal, left and right, informed and just plain wrong--consistently seize this opportunity to present woefully simplistic explanationsand hype the latest myths regarding issues affecting the economy. Their purpose is not to educate but to advocate and, in many cases involving the media, manufacture outrage to drive ratings higher. So, where can you find the truth about today's economy and how it affects you? Turn off the TV, put down the magazine, log off the Internet--and read this book.Spin-Free Economics places the current economic debates where they belong: in the middle of the road. With no political ax to grind, Nariman Behravesh takes a centrist approach to explain how today's economic issues affect individuals and businesses. Along the way, he debunks myths regarding the effects of immigration, unemployment, regulation, productivity, education, health care, and other headline issues. Spin-Free Economics answers today's most pressing questions, includingWill more regulation prevent financial crises?Are outsourcing and foreign ownership good or bad for Americans?Should we fear or embrace Asia's emerging economic powers?Is aid or trade the solution to global poverty?The vast majority of economists, Behravesh points out, are independent analysts who are in agreement on many of today's issues. Unfortunately, the subject has been taken over by opportunists, whose answers to the questions above invariably fall along partisan lines. Spin-Free Economics is a breath of fresh air for those seeking an alternative to the chatter of ideologues and cynics. Rejecting the manipulative approach of "sound-bite economics," Nariman Behravesh uses facts and insight tempered by clearheaded reason to present the most accurate assessment of the subject to date.
The Age of Heretics
In this second edition of his bestselling book, author Art Kleiner explores the nature of effective leadership in times of change and defines its importance to the corporation of the future. He describes a heretic as a visionary who creates change in large-scale companies, balancing the contrary truths they can't deny against their loyalty to their organizations. The Age of Heretics reveals how managers can get stuck in counterproductive ways of doing things and shows why it takes a heretical point of view to get past the deadlock and move forward.
Making the Connections
Companies know that communication with their people is vital if the energies and the efforts of their employees are to point in the same direction. Making the Connections shows how to use internal communication to turn strategy into action. Bill Quirke demonstrates practically how businesses can use internal communication to achieve differentiation, to improve their quality, customer service, and innovation, and to manage change more effectively. He describes the why, the what and the how of internal communication - why business needs better communication to achieve its objectives, what internal communication needs to deliver to add value, and how organizations need to manage their communication for best results. This new edition contains a wealth of new material, with pragmatic advice and new case studies. Four new chapters cover how to develop internal communication strategy, global communication, engaging employees, and helping leaders communicate more effectively. Making the Connections is based on the extensive international experience of one of the most knowledgeable and leading authorities on internal communication. This thoroughly revised new edition explores the impact of new technology, regulation, globalization and the changing relationship between employer and employees on the process of internal communication.
Pinochet's Economists
This book tells the extraordinary story of the Pinochet regime's economists, known as the Chicago Boys. Following their training as economists at the University of Chicago, they took advantage of the opportunity afforded them by the 1973 military coup to launch the first radical free market strategy implemented in a developing country. The ideological strength of their mission and the military authoritarianism of General Pinochet combined to transform an economy that, following the return to democracy, has stabilized and is now seen as a model for Latin America.
Discover Your Inner Economist
One of America's most respected economists presents a quirky, incisive romp through everyday life that reveals how you can turn economic reasoning to your advantage--often when you least expect it to be relevant.Like no other economist, Tyler Cowen shows how economic notions--such as incentives, signals, and markets--apply far more widely than merely to the decisions of social planners, governments, and big business. What does economic theory say about ordering from a menu? Or attracting the right mate? Or controlling people who talk too much in meetings? Or dealing with your dentist? With a wryly amusing voice, in chapters such as "How to Control the World, The Basics" and "How to Control the World, Knowing When to Stop" Cowen reveals the hidden economic patterns behind everyday situations so you can get more of what you really want.Readers will also gain less selfish insights into how to be a good partner, neighbor and even citizen of the world. For instance, what is the best way to give to charity? The chapter title "How to Save the World--More Christmas Presents Won't Help" makes a point that is every bit as personal as it is global.Incentives are at the core of an economic approach to the world, but they don't just come in cash. In fact, money can be a disincentive. Cowen shows why, for example, it doesn't work to pay your kids to do the dishes. Other kinds of incentives--like making sure family members know they will be admired if they respect you--can work. Another non-monetary incentive? Try having everyone stand up in your next meeting if you don't want anyone to drone on. Deeply felt incentives like pride in one's work or a passing smile from a loved one, can be the most powerful of all, even while they operate alongside more mundane rewards such as money and free food.Discover Your Inner Economist is an introduction to the science of economics that shows it to be built on notions that are already within all of us. While the implications of those ideas lead to Cowen's often counterintuitive advice, their wisdom is presented in ordinary examples taken from home life, work life, and even vacation life... How do you get a good guide in a Moroccan bazaar?
Economics
Introduces students to both traditional economic views and their progressive critique. This book offers a discussion of economic history and the history of economic thought, including the ideas of Karl Marx, Thorstein Veblen, and John Maynard Keynes. It also includes pedagogical tools to encourage student participation and learning.
Economic Development 101
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 101 is a comprehensive handbook covering the basics of economic development that all community leaders who serve in volunteer positions such as board member, committee chair, task force leaders, etc. should know about economic development at the local level. Economic development volunteers have invaluable experience in business and other professions, but many do not understandenough about economic development to be effective participants - to work closely with economic development professionals and make a real and valuable contribution. This book provides volunteers with the basics of economic development they need to know to be not just a participant, but an effective volunteer leader in local economic development organizations (EDOs). ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 101 is an excellent tool for conducting board training, planning retreats, strategic planning sessions, and training for volunteers. Major topics covered include: economic development defined, purpose of economic development, sustainable economic development, capacity building, effect of economic development on a community, critical factors and there effect on economic development, roles and responsibilities of the volunteer leader, the local economic development organization (EDO), hiring an economic development professional, strategic planning for economic development, business attraction and recruiting, business retention and expansion, technology transfer, entrepreneurship and business start-ups, and workforce development.
Rewealth!: Stake Your Claim in the $2 Trillion Development Trend That’s Renewing the World
Across the globe, developers, investors, planners, civic leaders, community activists, and entrepreneurs are tapping into the $2 trillion market of the 21st century's most exciting trend-rewealth. By renewing what's already been developed and repairing damage done to natural resources, we are turning a 5000-year legacy of depletion and destruction into a $100 trillion worldwide inventory of restorable assets.In ReWealth!, redevelopment expert Storm Cunningham reveals a vast new realm of fast-growing, highly profitable opportunities to revitalize our communities and our planet. He outlines the practices and strategies that achieve rapid, resilient renewal, generating tremendous wealth-not to mention personal satisfaction and happiness-through remarkable career and investment options.Cunningham explains the three proven, universal principles that, when combined, enable nondestructive, unlimited economic growth that actually heals nature and society. He shows how you can generate rewealth by replenishing natural resources, rebuilding communities, redeveloping polluted land, restoring structures, and revitalizing economies.You'll discover how toCreate a renewal vision, a renewal culture, and a renewal engine within a communityEarn a living reversing crises in energy, food, poverty, disease, culture, climate change, and moreCreate faster, more effective, better-funded, and more sustainable economic growth through renewal partnershipsFuel your education, career, and lifestyle through renewal activitiesAvoid "bad" public-private partnerships during revitalizationYou'll also read the inspiring personal stories of the people and organizations that restore our world: from James Aronson, who is helping Africa shift from dewealth to rewealth; to two cities that pioneered a universal model for community revitalization; to two young friends whose $10 million tea company restores jungle habitats and tribal lands in three nations.ReWealth! will help you, your organization, and your community make the world healthier, wealthier, and happier through rejuvenation.
John Maynard Keynes
"Today, Mr. Minsky's view [of economics] is more relevant than ever."- The New York Times"Indeed, the Minsky moment has become a fashionable catch phrase on Wall Street."-The Wall Street JournalJohn Maynard Keynes offers a timely reconsideration of the work of the revered economics icon. Hyman Minsky argues that what most economists consider Keynesian economics is at odds with the major points of Keynes's The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money. Keynes and Minsky refuse to ignore pervasive uncertainty. Once uncertainty is given center stage, recurring episodes of financial system crises are all but inescapable. As Robert Barbera notes in a new preface, "Benign economic circumstances...invite increasingly aggressive financial market wagers. Innovation in finance is a signature development in a capitalist economy. Once leveraged wagers are in place, small disappointments can have exaggerated consequences." Thus for Minsky economic calm on Main Street engenders financial system fragility which, in turn, ensures a perpetuation of boom and bust cycles.Minsky colleagues Dimitri B. Papadimitriou and L. Randall Wray write in a new introduction, "We offer this new edition, in the hope that it will contribute to the reformation of economic theory so that it can address the world in which we actually live-the world that was always the topic of Minsky's analysis."
