Money is a core feature in all discussions of economic crisis, as is clear from the debates about the responses of the European Central Bank and the Federal Reserve Bank of the United States to the 2008 economic crisis. This volume explores the role of money in economic performance, and focuses on how monetary systems have affected economic crises for the last 4,000 years. Recent events have confirmed that money is only a useful tool in economic exchange if it is trusted, and this is a concept that this text explores in depth. The international panel of experts assembled here offers a long-range perspective, from ancient Assyria to modern societies in Europe, China and the US. This book will be of interest to students and researchers of economic history, and to anyone who seeks to understand the economic crises of recent decades, and place them in a wider historical context.

This volume contains some research papers from the International Conference on Information Technology and Management organized by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, in conjunction with the Institute of Systems Management (ISM). It comprises 30 selected and refereed papers in the development of enabling technologies, electronic commerce and knowledge management, and IT systems and applications. These papers feature the results of the latest research in the areas of information systems, enabling technologies, and business management, as well as potential applications in industries including education, finance, logistics, medical tourism, and IT services.

This thoroughly revised course is designed for pre-intermediate level students who want to improve their English in a business and professional context. At the same time as drawing on the learner?s own experience, the course provides activities which give the less experienced learner the opportunity to participate effectively. The course offers: units based on topics learners will meet such as describing a company, welcoming visitors and dealing with problems; a variety of challenging tasks and communicative activities that ensure that all four skills are developed; clearly structured and measured progression, with revision units to enable learners to check their progress; clear and accessible layout. The Teacher?s Guide provides support and guidance, as well as a full key and tapescripts. The Home Study Book offers the learner further practice to consolidate their studies. Getting Ahead leads perfectly into Further Ahead.

This book demonstrates the complementarity of educational and training approaches to developing intercultural competence as represented by those who work in commercial training and those who work in further and higher education. It does so by presenting chapters of analysis and chapters describing courses in the two sectors.

Now in a second edition, this book guides students in developing Intercultural Communication Competence through its accessible style and unique theoretical framework of ten interconnected principles. Thoroughly revised and updated with new case studies and examples and a sharper focus on practical application, the book engages students in active learning by showing them how these principles come to play in their intercultural journeys. It features detailed case studies that are accompanied by guiding questions that help students link theory to their daily lives. At the end of each chapter, the "Side Trips" discussion prompts encourage students to think more critically about the issues as they are presented. Suitable for upper-level or graduate intercultural communication courses within communication and linguistics departments.