Consumer Services have been viewed as parasitic activities, dependent on other sectors of the economy for their viability and vitality. Yet local economic policy is now looking towards consumer services to solve severe economic problems. The rapid expansion of the service sector is now a principal feature of contemporary global economic restructuri

This book examines how markets have evolved and provides insights for improved consumer policy making. It explores, for the first time, how what we have learned through the study of behavioural economics is changing the way policy makers are addressing problems.

This text seeks to raise the curtain on competitive pricing strategies and asserts that businesses often miss their best opportunity for providing consumers with what they want - an experience. It presents a strategy for companies to script and stage the experiences provided by their products.

Consumer Services and Economic Development evaluates the role of consumer services as motors for local economic development in contemporary advanced economies. The contributions that specific consumer service industries are making to local economic development are analysed. Tourism, sports, universities, retailing and the cultural industries are each examined in turn. Following this, the roles that the consumer services sector are playing in economic regeneration are investigated in a number of different contexts: a global city; several contrasting urban areas; and a rural locality. In each case, whether consumer services have taken a lead or supportive role in local economic development is surveyed, and their effectiveness in promoting economic regeneration is evaluated. This book dispels the common myth that consumer services are residual activities dependent upon other economic sectors for their vitality and viability. Providing a comprehensive overview and evaluation of the contributions of the consumer services sector to economic development, this book reveals the need for a fundamental reconceptualization of both the function of services in particular and economic development theory and practice more generally.

"Economic Development Finance provides a foundation for students and professionals in the technical aspects of business and real estate finance and surveys the full range of policies, program models, and financing tools used in economic development practice within the United States."--Jacket.

Waste to Wealth proves that 'green' and 'growth' need not be binary alternatives. The book examines five new business models that provide circular growth from deploying sustainable resources to the sharing economy before setting out what business leaders need to do to implement the models successfully.