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Introduction to Intercultural Economics
By Rongxing Guo. 2011
This book presents a methodological framework for the analysis of intercultural issues frequently misinterpreted by existing theories. It uses a…
challenge-and-response theory of cultural development to examine the relationship between different natural disasters and threats and the developments of ancient civilizations. The spatial interaction of ancient civilizations is assessed; and four non-linear patterns of intercultural dynamics are presented. Our empirical analyses of the four major ancient civilizations (the Mesopotamian, the Egyptian, the Indus, and the Chinese) focus on intercultural influences as well as how they have shaped the spatial dynamics of the world as a whole. This book also examines various aspects of intercultural economic influences, such as those of culture on international trade. Evidence from a broad panel of nations supports the presumption that high-income trade partners will be less sensitive to the measures of cultural dissimilarity than low-income trade partners between which cultural dissimilarity leads to barriers to international trade. The treatment of linguistic and religious factors as continuous variables in this book has improved past studies in which 'language' was treated as one or more dummy variables and 'religion' was ignored.The Welfare State in Post-Industrial Society
By Jon Hendricks, Jason L. Powell. 2009
In recent years, major social forces such as: ageing populations, social trends, migration patterns, and the globalization of economies, have…
reshaped social welfare policies and practices across the globe. Multinational corporations, NGOs, and other international organizations have begun to influence social policy at a national and local level. Among the many ramifications of these changes is that globalizing influences may hinder the ability of individual nation-states to effect policies that are beneficial to them on a local level. With contributions from thirteen countries worldwide, this collected work represents the first major comparative analysis on the effect of globalization on the international welfare state. The Welfare State in Post-Industrial Society is divided into two major sections: the first draws from a number of leading social welfare researchers from diverse countries who point to the nation-state as case studies; highlighting how it goes about establishing and revising social welfare provisions. The second portion of the volume then moves to a more global perspective in its analysis and questioning of the impact of globalization on citizenship, ageing and marketization. The Welfare State in Post-Industrial Society seeks to encourage debate about the implications of the most pressing social welfare issues in nation-states, and integrate analyses of policy and practice in particular countries struggling to provide social welfare support for their needy populations.Foreclosing the Future
By Bruce Rich. 2013
World Bank President Jim Yong Kim has vowed that his institution will fight poverty and climate change, a claim that…
World Bank presidents have made for two decades. But if worldwide protests and reams of damning internal reports are any indication, too often it does just the opposite. By funding development projects and programs that warm the planet and destroy critical natural resources on which the poor depend, the Bank has been hurting the very people it claims to serve. What explains this blatant contradiction? If anyone has the answer, it is arguably Bruce Rich—a lawyer and expert in public international finance who has for the last three decades studied the Bank’s institutional contortions, the real-world consequences of its lending, and the politics of the global environmental crisis. What emerges from the bureaucratic dust is a disturbing and gripping story of corruption, larger-than-life personalities, perverse incentives, and institutional amnesia. The World Bank is the Vatican of development finance, and its dysfunction plays out as a reflection of the political hypocrisies and failures of governance of its 188 member countries. Foreclosing the Future shows how the Bank’s failure to address the challenges of the 21st Century has implications for everyone in an increasingly interdependent world. Rich depicts how the World Bank is a microcosm of global political and economic trends—powerful forces that threaten both environmental and social ruin. Rich shows how the Bank has reinforced these forces, undercutting the most idealistic attempts at alleviating poverty and sustaining the environment, and damaging the lives of millions. Readers will see global politics on an increasingly crowded planet as they never have before—and come to understand the changes necessary if the World Bank is ever to achieve its mission.The Economy of Recognition
By Carlos Hoevel. 2012
Introducing an alternative philosophical foundation to the study of economics, this book explains and adopts the perspective of the Italian…
philosopher Antonio Rosmini (1797-1855), whose interpretation of economic action was fundamentally at odds with the prevailing and all-conquering utilitarianism of modernity. Rosmini, one of the most important Italian and Catholic philosophers of the modern age, eschewed the traditional concepts of subjectivism and individualism at the core of the utilitarian thesis, prefiguring today's critique of 'autistic economics' with his assertion that micro-economic formulae consecrating the 'maximization of utility' derive not from scientific principles or even hypotheses, but from uncritically adopted philosophical ideas. It was an assault on the determinism he perceived as the fatal flaw in accepted economic theory. Rosmini's notion of human and economic action, based on human beings' 'personal' capacities for objective knowledge, truth recognition, moral goodness and happiness, deeply transform the meaning of central economic activities such as labour, wealth creation and consumption, and become crucial factors in any analysis of the operation of the economy. After introducing the fundamentals of Rosmini's thought, the author details the theoretical and institutional features of utilitarian economics, tracing their influence on social norms. He juxtaposes these with Rosmini's alternative philosophy which places the concept of social justice at its heart, and which attempts to establish a framework for relations between the public and private realms. The contemporary case is then made for adopting Rosmini's principles, thus changing an economic paradigm widely held to be unassailable. The fruit of unprecedented and systematic research on Rosmini's economic ideas, this volume offers a detailed conceptual framework to guide alternative approaches to conventional neoclassical economics.Theoretical and Practical Reason in Economics
By Ricardo F. Crespo. 2012
The aim of the book is to argue for the restoration of theoretical and practical reason to economics. It presents…
Nancy Cartwright and Amartya Sen's ideas as cases of this restoration and sees Aristotle as an influence on their thought. It looks at how we can use these ideas to develop a valuable understanding of practical reason for solving concrete problems in science and society. Cartwright's capacities are real causes of events. Sen's capabilities are the human person's freedoms or possibilities. They relate these concepts to Aristotelian concepts. This suggests that these concepts can be combined. Sen's capabilities are Cartwright's capacities in the human realm; capabilities are real causes of events in economic life. Institutions allow us to deliberate on and guide our decisions about capabilities, through the use of practical reason. Institutions thus embody practical reason and infuse certain predictability into economic action. The book presents a case study: the UNDP's HDI.The Rise of a New Superpower
By Angelo Arcuri. 2013
The book explains the reasons for the recent economic success of Turkey by examining the transformation of the private sector…
and the development policies implemented by the Turkish government. Further concrete insights are provided by professionals working for institutional and business players such as SACE, the first Italian insurance group in the field of export credit, and ABIGEM, a business center supporting SMEs in Turkey. Turkish Airlines, winner of the Best Airline in Europe award in 2012, also contributed to the volume through useful information provided by its press office. Turkey's strategic role in the energy market is then analyzed, with discussion of the limits and opportunities of the oil, gas, and renewable sectors. In addition, careful attention is paid to the difficult relations between Turkey and the European Union and to Turkey's application for EU membership. Turkey is one of the most important emerging countries in the world thanks to the booming economic growth that has been achieved there during the past decade. This book analyzes the increasingly key role played by Turkey within the international community by focusing on two main issues: the economic scenario and the energy market.Export Consortia in Developing Countries
By Donatella Depperu, Fabio Antoldi, Daniele Cerrato. 2010
The book analyzes export consortia from the strategic management perspective. It builds on an empirical analysis of nine export consortia…
promoted by UNIDO in developing countries between 2004 and 2007. The book is based heavily on actual export consortium experiences, in order to combine a rigorous research approach with a more pragmatic view of the phenomenon. The material will be of interest to a variety of readers. Scholars in the field of management represent the authors' primary target. The book includes a literature review which combines the topics of SME internationalization, strategic networks, and the issues which relate specifically to SME alliances in the form of export consortia. Entrepreneurs and executives will find useful business models and management tools for the successful design and implementation of export consortia. Insights into the functioning of export consortia may also be of interest to policy-makers and institutions that develop support programs for the growth of SMEs in developing countries.The Nation State and Beyond
By Roland Wenzlhuemer, Isabella Löhr. 2012
The history of globalization is anything but a no-frills affair that moves smoothly along a clear-cut, unidirectional path of development,…
eventually leading to seamless global integration. Accordingly, scholarship in the social sciences has increasingly argued against equating the history of globalization processes and transcultural entanglements with the master narrative of the gradual homogenization of the world. Examining the shifting patterns of global connections has, therefore, become the main challenge for all those who seek to understand the past, the present and the future of modern societies. And this challenge includes finding a place for the nation state. The studies presented here argue that looking at the nation state from the perspective of global entanglements opens the door for its interpretation as a dynamic and multi-layered structure that takes part in globalization processes and plays various and at times even contradictory roles at the same time.Free Markets and the Culture of Common Good
By Juan Andrés Mercado, Martin Schlag. 2011
Recent economic development and the financial and economic crisis require a change in our approach to business and finance. This…
book combines theology, economy and philosophy in order to examine in detail the idea that the functioning of a free market economy depends upon sound cultural and ethical foundations. The free market is a cultural achievement, not only an economic phenomenon subject to technical rules of trade and exchange. It is an achievement which lives by and depends upon the values and virtues shared by the majority of those who engage in economic activity. It is these values and virtues that we refer to as culture. Trust, credibility, loyalty, diligence, and entrepreneurship are the values inherent in commercial rules and law. But beyond law, there is also the need for ethical convictions and for global solidarity with developing countries. This book offers new ideas for future sustainable development and responds to an increasing need for a new sense of responsibility for the common good in societal institutions and good leadership.The China Path to Economic Transition and Development
By Yinxing Hong. 2016
This book by the renowned Chinese scholar Dr. Yinxing Hong provides the reader with a perceptive analysis of what has…
worked in China's development model. Over the past 30 years, China has experienced a remarkable economic rise, but it now faces the challenge of switching the drivers of this economic growth, which have proven so successful. The path has not been an easy one, and many challenges lie ahead. However, the rise of the Chinese economy has been the most significant global development in recent years. Is there a specific Chinese model? How was the Chinese transition, from a Soviet-style economic structure to one that is more open to market influences and the global market, achieved? In 15 essays, Dr. Hong provides fascinating insights to these and other key questions. The essays cover the challenges involved in transition and how the market-oriented reforms progressed; what the consequences of the transition were for public goods provision and how China opened up its economic system. The essays in Part II address the remaining challenges facing rural areas trying to develop a more consumer-driven economic base, and how to effectively modify the model of economic development. This book provides a sound basis for policymakers and scholars alike, as well as anyone who wants to get an insider's view of the progress and challenges faced by China's economic development.Justice, Luck & Responsibility in Health Care
By Chris Gastmans, Antoon Vandevelde, Yvonne Denier. 2012
In this book, an international group of philosophers, economists and theologians focus on the relationship between justice, luck and responsibility…
in health care. Together, they offer a thorough reflection on questions such as: How should we understand justice in health care? Why are health care interests so important that they deserve special protection? How should we value health? What are its functions and do these make it different from other goods? Furthermore, how much equality should there be? Which inequalities in health and health care are unfair and which are simply unfortunate? Which matters of health care belong to the domain of justice, and which to the domain of charity? And to what extent should we allow personal responsibility to play a role in allocating health care services and resources, or in distributing the costs? With this book, the editors meet a double objective. First, they provide a comprehensive philosophical framework for understanding the concepts of justice, luck and responsibility in contemporary health care; and secondly, they explore whether these concepts have practical force to guide normative discussions in specific contexts of health care such as prevention of infectious diseases or in matters of reproductive technology. Particular and extensive attention is paid to issues regarding end-of-life care.Equilibrium Models in an Applied Framework
By Ronny Norén. 2012
This book gives the historical development, explanations of technical specifications, and a basic understanding of how to use different equilibrium…
models in an applied framework. It contains an accessible analytical survey of economic equilibrium models, including multi-sector programming models (linear and quadratic) and the computable general equilibrium (CGE) model. The book introduces the importance of disinvestment, and hence, a model of economic transformation is developed. Finally, the globalisation process of the production system is examined. The equilibrium models in this book are presented in an easy way. Although the book is primarily written for advanced undergraduates and beginning graduates, the reading of the book will appeal to anyone interested in economic theory and applied modelling in the field of economics.Understanding Economic Growth
By Jati Sengupta. 2011
Modern economies have undergone a dramatic change. There has been a shift from large scale material manufacturing to the design…
and application of new technology with R&D and human capital. The new information age has introduced significant productivity gains through increasing returns and learning by doing, which has challenged the traditional growth models based on competitive market structures. Institutions outside the traditional markets and the genetic principle of survival of the fittest have dominated the current theory of industry growth. This book coordinates and integrates the two strands of economic growth and development: the endogenous theory of growth and the extra-market models of evolutionary economics dominated by innovation efficiency. It presents this new paradigm in terms of both theory and historical experiences. The book addresses the role of innovations and human capital, the impact of information technology, the role of institutions as mechanisms of evolutionary economies and the experiences of Asian growth miracles, and will be of interest to readers in economics and political science concerned with economic growth and development.The Market as God
By Harvey Cox. 2016
The Market has deified itself, according to Harvey Cox's brilliant exegesis. And all of the world's problems--widening inequality, a rapidly…
warming planet, the injustices of global poverty--are consequently harder to solve. Only by tracing how the Market reached its divine status can we hope to restore it to its proper place as servant of humanity.Market Integration Through Data Protection
By Mario Viola de Azevedo Cunha. 2012
In the context of the continuous advance of information technologies and biomedicine, and of the creation of economic blocs, this…
work analyzes the role that data protection plays in the integration of markets. It puts special emphasis on financial and insurance services. Further, it identifies the differences in the data protection systems of EU member states and examines the development of common standards and principles of data protection that could help build a data protection model for Mercosur. Divided into four parts, the book starts out with a discussion of the evolution of the right to privacy, focusing on the last few decades, and taking into account the development of new technologies. The second part discusses the interaction between data protection and specific industries that serve as case studies: insurance, banking and credit reporting. The focus of this part is on generalization and discrimination, adverse selection and the processing of sensitive and genetic data. The third part of the book presents an analysis of the legislation of three EU Member States (France, Italy and UK). Specific elements of analysis that are compared are the concepts of personal and anonymous data, data protection principles, the role of the data protection authorities, the role of the data protection officer, data subjects' rights, the processing of sensitive data, the processing of genetic data and the experience of the case studies in processing data. The book concludes with the proposal of a model for data protection that could be adopted by Mercosur, taking into account the different levels of data protection that exist in its member states.Cambridge International AS and A Level Economics Revision Guide
By Terry Cook. 2013
Get your best grades with this Cambridge International AS and A Level Economics Revision Guide. - Manage your own revision…
with step-by-step support from experienced examiner Terry Cook - Maintain an appropriate international focus in exams with examples and case studies from around the world - Get the top marks by applying economic terms accurately with the help of definitions and key words Use the Revision Guide to prepare for the big day: - Plan and pace your revision with the revision planner- Use the expert tips to clarify key points - Test yourself with rapid-fire questions and answers and tick off each topic as you complete it - Practise your exam skills with exam-style questions Also available: Cambridge International AS and A Level Economics textbook by Peter Smith (ISBN: 9781444181364). This title has not been through the Cambridge endorsement process.Ethical Reflections on the Financial Crisis 2007/2008
By Wilfried Ver Eecke. 2012
In this book the author reflects on the philosophical and ethical bases of the financial crisis 2007-08 and the subsequent…
recession. He finds in Adam Smith solid arguments for the new free market economy, capitalism, but also arguments for a role for the government in the case of public goods (roads) and of merit goods (education, control of banking). Where the provision of public goods requires that the government respect consumer sovereignty there the provision of merit goods legitimizes the violation of that principle. By making use of the history of economic thought (e.g., the neo-liberal tradition) the author demonstrates that Musgrave's idea of merit goods can be expanded to eleven domains in which the government has an important function. He legitimizes that move by using the Kantian argument that we must accept the possibility conditions for what we want. The author demonstrates that Rajan, Reich and Reinhart & Rogoff make use of seven of his eleven categories of merit goods in order to explain the financial crisis 2007-08 and the subsequent recession. The author thereby provides a philosophical and ethical analysis of the government's failures at the basis of the financial crisis.Principles of Economics
By OpenStax. 2014
Principles of Economics covers the scope and sequence for a two-semester principles of economics course. The text also includes many…
current examples, including; discussions on the great recession, the controversy among economists over the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), the recent government shutdown, and the appointment of the United States’ first female Federal Reserve chair, Janet Yellen. The pedagogical choices, chapter arrangements, and learning objective fulfillment were developed and vetted with feedback from educators dedicated to the project. The outcome is a balanced approach to micro and macro economics, to both Keynesian and classical views, and to the theory and application of economics concepts. Current events are treated in a politically-balanced way, as well.The Age of Oversupply: Overcoming the Greatest Challenge to the Global Economy
By Daniel Alpert. 2014
The invisible hand of capitalism is broken. Economic and political forces are preventing markets from correcting themselves, and we're now…
living in an unprecedented age of oversupply.Governments and central banks across the developed world have tried every policy tool imaginable, yet our economies remain sluggish or worse. Howdid we get here, and how can advanced nations compete and prosper once more?In this bold call to arms, economic policy expert Daniel Alpert argues that a global labor glut, excess productive capacity, and a rising ocean of cheap capital have kept the economies of the first world, and notably the United States, mired in underemployment and anemic growth.Distracted by a technology boom and a massive debt bubble in the 1990s and early 2000s, advanced nations failed to assess the ultimate impact of the torrent of labor and capital unleashed by formerly socialist economies. After the financial crisis of 2008, the United States and Europe joined an already sclerotic Japan in dire economic straits. Today, as the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) and others poach jobs from Western Europe, the United States, and Japan, household incomes in the developed world continue to decline. Many policymakers believe in outdated supplyside economic remedies. They miss the connection between global oversupply and the lack of domestic investment and growth. But Alpert shows how they are intertwined: We cannot understand the housing bubble and the financial crisis without appreciating how the rise of the emerging nations distorted the economies of rich countries. And we can't chart a path for growth in the developed world without recognizing that many of these distorting forces are still at work.The Age of Oversupply offers a bold, fresh approach to fixing the West's economic woes through large-scale fiscal stimulus measures, investments in infrastructure, and an aggressive private debt reduction plan. It also delivers a vigorous challenge to proponents of austerity economics.Greenback Planet
By H. W. Brands. 2011
The world runs on the U. S. dollar. From Washington to Beijing, governments, businesses, and individuals rely on the dollar…
to conduct commerce and invest profitably and safely-even after the global financial meltdown in 2008 revealed the potentially catastrophic cost of the dollar's hegemony. But how did the greenback achieve this planetary dominance a mere century and a half after President Lincoln issued the first currency backed only by the credit-and credibility-of the federal government?In Greenback Planet, acclaimed historian H. W. Brands charts the dollar's astonishing rise to become the world's principal currency. Telling the story with the verve of a novelist, he recounts key episodes in U. S. monetary history, from the Civil War debate over fiat money (greenbacks) to the recent worldwide financial crisis. Brands explores the dollar's changing relations to gold and silver and to other currencies and cogently explains how America's economic might made the dollar the fundamental standard of value in world finance. He vividly describes the 1869 Black Friday attempt to corner the gold market, banker J. P. Morgan's bailout of the U. S. treasury, the creation of the Federal Reserve, and President Franklin Roosevelt's handling of the bank panic of 1933. Brands shows how lessons learned (and not learned) in the Great Depression have influenced subsequent U. S. monetary policy, and how the dollar's dominance helped transform economies in countries ranging from Germany and Japan after World War II to Russia and China today. He concludes with a sobering dissection of the 2008 world financial debacle, which exposed the power-and the enormous risks-of the dollar's worldwide reign.