Government and Markets is the first book to tackle systematically and in a multidisciplinary fashion the role of democratic governments during and after the transition from plan to market. The role of governments during the transformation is important for eliminating the obstacles and putting into place the conditions for the emergence of a viable market economy. Moreover, governments need to play a key role in establishing a political-legal order that promotes political liberties and economic freedom. In contrast to other literature on the transformation process in formerly planned systems, this volume focuses also on the creation of autonomous and accountable governments as part of the liberal economic order. Finally, the volume analyzes the role of the legal state in creating a competitive market economy. Government and Markets addresses itself to scholars, politicians policy makers interested in the establishment of a democratic, competitive order in formerly planned political economic systems.

Building the 'New Europe' is at the core of the new international economic and political initiatives leading the world through the nineties and toward the twenty-first century. This challenge rests on dual processes: on the one hand, the European Community-wide single market and monetary integration; and, on the other, the East European transition to the market place and integration with Western economies. The volume is divided into two parts. The first section includes essays on the general and specific topics linked to the transitions to a market economy and to a pluralist political system. The second section comprises essays on individual countries, such as Hungary, Poland, Yugoslavia and the Republics of the former Soviet Union.

The degree to which the extensive business networks of ethnic Chinese in Asia succeed because of ethnic characteristics, or simply because of the sound application of good business practice, is a key question of great current concern to those interested in business, management and economic development in Asia. This book brings together a range of leading experts who present original new research findings and important new thinking on this vital subject. Based on rich empirical research data and a multidisciplinary explanatory framework, this book assesses the role, characteristics and challenges of Chinese entrepreneurship and business networks in various East and Southeast Asian countries: the People's Republic of China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Australia. Chinese Entrepreneurship and Asian Business Networks demonstrates that Chinese network capitalism is contingent upon, for example, time, place, institutional frameworks, and that explanatory approaches of Chinese economic behaviour which stress culture and ethnicity are too simplistic.

This compelling two-volume collection presents the major literary contributions to the economic analysis of the consequences of trade liberalization on growth, productivity, labor market outcomes and economic inequality. Examining the classical theories that stress gains from trade stemming from comparative advantage, the selection also comprises more recent theories of imperfect competition, where any potential gains from trade can stem from competitive effects or the international transmission of knowledge. Empirical contributions provide evidence regarding the explanatory power of these various theories, including work on the effects of trade openness on economic growth, wages, and income inequality, as well as evidence on the effects of trade on firm productivity, entry and exit. Prefaced by an original introduction from the editor, the collection will to be an invaluable research resource for academics, practitioners and those drawn to this fascinating topic.

A study of workers struggles against management regimes in Britain's car industry from the Second World War to the late 1980s.

Globalisation, like no other term, has gained in recent years a prominent position in nearly all branches of social science. Consequently, its definitions abound, also in economics -- a discipline to which it has a special relevance. In economic terms, Globalisation is the historical process of gradual, yet persistent liberalisation followed by the coalescence of the hitherto largely fragmented markets of goods, capital and labour into a single global market. The concurrent regional integration processes, should by no means be seen as a trend opposed to Globalisation, which they may even facilitate in some circumstances by moving integration to a higher level: from that of national economics up to that of international organisations, for instance, the EU integrating with NAFTA, ASEAN with CIS or Mercosur with Caricom. Thus defined Globalisation depends on a variety of circumstances and has numerous implications. It is an extremely dynamic and complex process which, therefore, allows of no unambiguous assessment. Globalisation is an irreversible process, although -- as the experience of the last two or three years has shown -- its progress can be significantly impeded in the short run by various kinds of political and economic shocks. So the idea is to follow an enlightened and wise development strategy and a well-co-ordinated policy -- in this case, on the international and global scale -- that would minimise the attendant problems and eliminate, as far as possible, the concomitant social stress. How to achieve this goal is the question the authors address in this volume.