Modern-day markets do not arise spontaneously or evolve naturally. Rather they are crafted by individuals, firms, and most of all, by governments. Thus "marketcraft" represents a core function of government comparable to statecraft and requires considerable artistry to govern markets effectively. Just as real-world statecraft can be masterful or muddled, so it is with marketcraft. In Marketcraft, Steven Vogel builds his argument upon the recognition that all markets are crafted then systematically explores the implications for analysis and policy. In modern societies, there is no such thing as a free market. Markets are institutions, and contemporary markets are all heavily regulated. The "free market revolution" that began in the 1980s did not see a deregulation of markets, but rather a re-regulation. Vogel looks at a wide range of policy issues to support this concept, focusing in particular on the US and Japan. He examines how the US, the "freest" market economy, is actually among the most heavily regulated advanced economies, while Japan's effort to liberalize its economy counterintuitively expanded the government's role in practice. Marketcraft demonstrates that market institutions need government to function, and in increasingly complex economies, governance itself must feature equally complex policy tools if it is to meet the task. In our era-and despite what anti-government ideologues contend-governmental officials, regardless of party affiliation, should be trained in marketcraft just as much as in statecraft.

Nick Mount is one of the world's leading glass artists. In his sixtieth year he was honoured with a major exhibition in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as well as the Object Living Treasure Award. This book, written in the style of an extraordinary yarn, is not so much about Nick Mount's achievements as a glass artist as it is about the elements that have shaped his career and continue to inform his work. His philosophy, work ethic and environment, peers and family have all been factors in his work and success. Together they form the fabric of his work. Nick Mount has received numerous awards, including the Bavarian State Prize in Germany, an Australia Council Fellowship, and the Arts SA Triennial Project Grant. He acknowledges the honour of being able to work with his hands, and has enormous gratitude for a lifetime of assistance from Dr and Mrs G.J. Mount, Pauline, Hugo, Peta and Pip. Nick Mount The Fabric of Work is richly illustrated with photographs of Nick's pieces, including many made recently. These vibrant works range from the extraordinary flamboyant scent bottles to more recent wood and glass fruit pieces that reflect a lush quietude.

The Political Economy Reader advocates a particular approach to the study of political economy – the "market-institutional" perspective – which emphasizes the ways in which markets are embedded in political and social institutions. This perspective offers a compelling alternative to the market-liberal view, which advocates freer markets and less government intervention in the economy, as if states and markets were naturally at odds with each other. The reader embraces a truly interdisciplinary approach to the study of political economy, with extensive coverage from sociology, economics, history and political science. It includes some of the most important classical and contemporary theoretical perspectives on political economy. And it engages some of the most topical debates in political economy today, such as climate change, the global financial crisis, inequality, the digital platform economy, and the COVID-19 pandemic. For political economy courses at a variety of levels and from a range of disciplines, the reader is also of interest to scholars and citizens wanting perspective on the intersection of economics, politics, and society. New to the Second Edition • More than 20 new readings included by such notables as Elinor Ostrom, E. J. Hobsbawm, Dani Rodrik, Amartya Sen, Thomas Piketty, and Mariana Mazzucato among many others. • Fully updated introductions to the book and each thematic chapter of readings. • Coverage of key emerging debates including climate change, the financial crisis, inequality, the digital platform economy, and COVID-19

Key Strategy Tools empowers managers with 88 strategic tools to help build sustainable competitive advantage and ensure long-term success for your business. Within the structure of a straight forward strategy process, the Strategy Pyramid, the book gives you classic strategy models such as Porter's Five Forces or Kim and Mauborgnes Blue Ocean Strategy, as well as broader strategic techniques like rating your competitive position or making strategic investment decisions. This edition introduces you to recent leading strategic thinking such as Markidess Fast Second, McGraths Discovery-driven Growth, Blank and Riess Lean Start-ups and Martins Integrative Thinking. The book describes each tool succinctly and guides you on how and when to apply them and when to be wary.

Whether you seek financial backing or board consent, The Financial Times Essential Guide to Writing a Business Plan will give you the critical knowledge you need to get the go-ahead. By focusing clearly on your objective, it will help you to gather the necessary evidence and address all your backers concerns. This brand-new edition draws out the specific challenges faced by start-ups, particularly on pinning down your perceived market niche and determining your competitive advantage. There are new chapters on pitching the plan and performing against the plan, using key performance indicators and milestones. Finally, new appendices outline alternative sources of funding and display an example business plan from start to finish.Written by a seasoned practitioner with years of experience in both writing and evaluating business plans for funding, it will help you formulate a coherent, consistent and convincing plan with your backers needs in mind. Follow its guidance and your plan will have every chance of winning the backing you need for your business to succeed.

A myth-busting book challenges the idea that we’re paid according to objective criteria and places power and social conflict at the heart of economic analysis. Your pay depends on your productivity and occupation. If you earn roughly the same as others in your job, with the precise level determined by your performance, then you’re paid market value. And who can question something as objective and impersonal as the market? That, at least, is how many of us tend to think. But according to Jake Rosenfeld, we need to think again. Job performance and occupational characteristics do play a role in determining pay, but judgments of productivity and value are also highly subjective. What makes a lawyer more valuable than a teacher? How do you measure the output of a police officer, a professor, or a reporter? Why, in the past few decades, did CEOs suddenly become hundreds of times more valuable than their employees? The answers lie not in objective criteria but in battles over interests and ideals. In this contest four dynamics are paramount: power, inertia, mimicry, and demands for equity. Power struggles legitimize pay for particular jobs, and organizational inertia makes that pay seem natural. Mimicry encourages employers to do what peers are doing. And workers are on the lookout for practices that seem unfair. Rosenfeld shows us how these dynamics play out in real-world settings, drawing on cutting-edge economics, original survey data, and a journalistic eye for compelling stories and revealing details. At a time when unions and bargaining power are declining and inequality is rising, You’re Paid What You’re Worth is a crucial resource for understanding that most basic of social questions: Who gets what and why?

Want to take your company to the next level? You need a roadmap, a strategy. Preferably one that is simple, workable and saleable. This book provides you with just that. It sets out a straightforward strategy development process, the ‘Strategy Pyramid’, and guides you through it. It uses a lively central case study throughout, as well as drawing on examples of how real businesses have developed winning strategies. Whether you are intent on growing your business, or setting out on your start-up, this book offers an uncomplicated, practical and readable guide on how to get the strategy you need for your business to succeed. It offers sound advice on the following areas: Setting goals and objectives Forecasting market demands Gauging industry competition Tracking competitive advantage Targeting the strategic gap Bridging the gap with business strategy Bridging the gap with corporate strategy Addressing risk and opportunity The FT Essential Guide to Developing a Business Strategy will help businesses of all sizes to chart and realise their growth ambitions.