What happens when advances in technologg allow mang things to be produced for more or less nothing? And what happens when those things are then made available to us for free? In his groundbreaking new book, The Long Tail author Chris Anderson considers a brave new world where the old economic certainties are being undermined by a growing flood of free goods - newspapers, DVDs, T-shirts, phones, even holiday flights. He explains why this has become possible - why fast-evolvingtechnologies, particularly the Internet, have caused production and distribution costs in many sectors to plummet to levels unthinkable even a decade ago. He shows how the flexibility provided by the online world allows producers to trade ever more creatively, offering items for free to make real or perceived gains elsewhere. He pinpoints the winners and losers in the Free universe. And he demonstrates the wags in which, as an increasing number of things become available for free, our decisions to make use of them will be determined by tw

The first and last economic depression that you will experience in your lifetime is just ahead. The year 2009 will be the beginning of the next long-term winter season and the initial end of prosperity in almost every market, ushering in a downturn like most of us have not experienced before. Are you aware that we have seen long-term peaks in our stock market and economy very close to every 40 years due to generational spending trends: as in 1929, 1968, and next around 2009? Are you aware that oil and commodity prices have peaked nearly every 30 years, as in 1920, 1951, 1980 -- and next likely around late 2009 to mid-2010? The three massive bubbles that have been booming for the last few decades -- stocks, real estate, and commodities -- have all reached their peak and are deflating simultaneously. Bestselling author and renowned economic forecaster Harry S. Dent, Jr., has observed these trends for decades. As he first demonstrated in his bestselling The Great Boom Ahead, he has developed analytical technique

The microfinance revolution, begun with independent initiatives in Latin America and South Asia starting in the 1970s, has so far allowed 65 million poor people around the world to receive small loans without collateral, build up assets, and buy insurance. This comprehensive survey of microfinance seeks to bridge the gap in the existing literature on microfinance between academic economists and practitioners. Both authors have pursued the subject not only in academia but in the field; Beatriz Armendariz founded a microfinance bank in Chiapas, Mexico, and Jonathan Morduch has done fieldwork in Bangladesh, China, and Indonesia. The authors move beyond the usual theoretical focus in the microfinance literature and draw on new developments in theories of contracts and incentives. They challenge conventional assumptions about how poor households save and build assets and how institutions can overcome market failures. The book provides an overview of microfinance by addressing a range of issues, including les

Introduction to Modern Economic Growth is a groundbreaking textfrom one of today's leading economists. Daron Acemoglu givesgraduate students not only the tools to analyze growth and relatedmacroeconomic problems, but also the broad perspective needed toapply those tools to the big-picture questions of growth anddivergence. And he introduces the economic and mathematicalfoundations of modern growth theory and macroeconomics in arigorous but easy to follow manner.

The New Manager’s Guide and Mentor The Harvard Business Essentials series is designed to provide comprehensive advice, personal coaching, background information, and guidance on the most relevant topics in business. Whether you are a new manager seeking to expand your skills or a seasoned professional looking to broaden your knowledge base, these solution-oriented books put reliable answers at your fingertips. Today’s competitive workplace demands that managers evaluate employee performance, and provide coaching. This book will help managers prepare for a formal performance meeting with a direct report, and create a development plan to increase employee productivity.

From a leading trading systems developer, how to makeprofitable trades when there are no obvious trends How does a trader find alpha when markets make no sense, whenprice shocks cause diversification to fail, and when it seemsimpossible to hedge? What strategies should traders, longconditioned to trend trading, deploy? In Alpha Trading: ProfitableStrategies That Remove Directional Risk, author Perry Kaufmanpresents strategies and systems for profitably trading indirectionless markets and in those experiencing constant priceshocks. The book Details how to exploit new highs and lows Describes how to hedge primary risk components, find robustness,and craft a diversification program Other titles by Kaufman: New Trading Systems and Methods, 4thEdition and A Short Course in Technical Trading, both byWiley Given Kaufman's 30 years of experience trading in almost everykind of market, his Alpha Trading will be a welcome addition to thetrading literature of professional and serious

Since the Bank of England was made independent in 1997，the conduct of monetary policy has been relatively uncontroversial.The debates between Keyneisans，monetarists and supporters of fixed exchange rate mechanisms now appear very distant. Despite the apparent consensus there are many issues related to the conduct of monetary policy that are not yet settled and which will soon come to the fore.Is the current form of independence for the Bank of England appropriate？ Should a central bank target inflation or the prices level？ How does a central bank deal with asset price deflation？ Should more account be taken of monetary aggregates？ Should central banks target asset prices？ What is the relationship between the money supply and asset price inflation？ How should central banks ensure financial stability？ The IEA was at the forefront of changing the parameters of the debate surrounding monetary policy in the 1970s and 1980s.This text，brings together some of the leading authors in th

One positive side-effect of the recent financial marketmeltdown that toppled giant, century-old institutions and costmillions their jobs is that it created a strong desire among manyAmericans to better understand how the U.S. economy functions. In The Little Book of Economics , Greg, Ip, one of thecountry’s most recognized and respected economics journalists,walks readers through how the economy really works. Written for the inquisitive layman who doesn’t want to plowthrough academic jargon and Greek letters or pore over charts andtables, The Little Book of Economics offers indispensibleinsight into how the American economy works – or, doesn’t. Withengaging and accessible prose, the book

The first edition of Theory of Valuation is a collection of important papers in the field of theoretical financial economics published from 1973 to 1986, and original accompanying essays contributed by eminent researchers including Robert C Merton, Edward C Prescott, Stephen A Ross, and Joseph E Stiglitz. Since then, with the perspective of major theoretical strides in the field, the book has more than fulfilled its original expectations. The realization that it remains today a compendium of classic articles and a must-read for any serious student in theoretical financial economics, has prompted the publication of a new edition. This second edition presents a summary statement of significant research in theoretical financial economics for both the specialist and non-specialist financial economist. It also provides material for PhD-level courses covering valuation theory, and elective reading for advanced Master’s and undergraduate courses. In addition to reproducing the original contributions, this edition

As the world's best newspaper columnist, [Friedman] has in bucket-loads the quintessential journalistic knack of finding telling ways of bringing facts and their implications into sharp focus... He brings home the speed, closeness, complexity and deep mutual entanglement of the world economy by relating in detail a plethora of truly amazing facts about how it works... Friedman's book is an essential read for anyone interested to know where the next lightning-fast passage of travel over the surface of our ever-more-flattened earth is going to take us.

Jamaica Day By Day is the perfect pocket guide book forindependent travellers with a practical, colourful format and easyto use maps and expertly designed tours. The guide highlights themust-see places and offers knowledgeable opinion on where to stay,eat and shop. Discover best spas, shopping, kid's activities, music,history, food, sport, romantic locations and communitytourism. How to find the best beaches and outdoor activities on landor sea, including golf, bird-watching and advice on getting off thebeaten track to explore Jamaica's stunning mountains, rivers andwaterfalls. The big resorts covered - read all you need to know aboutMontego Bay, Falmouth, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Negril, Lucea,Treasure Beach, Kingston and the Blue Mountains. Tips on getting around Jamaica. Tours dividing the must-see places to visit into a longweekend, one week and a fortnight. Discover exciting day trips from the main resorts. Helpful tips and all you need to know to make the most o

Lack of motivation can lead to employee inefficiency and low productivity-not to mention higher turnover rate. This evergreen collection of Harvard Business Review articles will help managers in struggling companies retain their key workers and create happy working environments. This timeless volume features new and classic articles on leadership, inspiration, compensation, performance measurement, and more.

As the dollar continues to weaken against other currencies, it is increasingly clear that this event will have a significant impact on investors and consumers around the world. Never before has the "reserve currency of the world" been so burdened by debt or suffered from such serious structural imbalances. The Demise of the Dollar . . . And Why It’s Great for Your Investments examines the reasons for the dollar’s current slide and offers an up-close look at the Federal Reserve’s attempts to "manage" the dollar’s value. Filled with in-depth insights, wry wit, and sound advice, this intriguing text offers an inside glimpse of the reality of today’s dollar and its impact on the world’s economies as well as readers’ personal portfolios.

In Built to Serve, Dan Sanders, CEO of the award-winning, service-oriented United Supermarkets, makes this bold claim: the prevailing business culture is broken and a radical transformation is required-a paradigm shift that reshapes our understanding of the true purpose of work. Leaders have a choice-continue to chase a broken price-profit model and suffer the consequences or build a culture committed to servanthood and discover the fulfillment evident when people see their work as a ministry. The choice leaders make will not only determine economic success and failure but also will determine their organization's long term impact on humanity. The time is now. Sanders reveals how your people can adopt United's mission of “Ultimate Service, Superior Performance, Positive Impact.” He distills valuable lessons from nine decades of a people-centered culture that consistently delivers outstanding customer service and reveals how you can develop a fully engaged, productive workforce. Treat your

Many warn that the next stage of globalization--the offshoring of research and development to China and India--threatens the foundations of Western prosperity. But in The Venturesome Economy, acclaimed business and economics scholar Amar Bhidé shows how wrong the doomsayers are. Using extensive field studies on venture-capital-backed businesses to examine how technology really advances in modern economies, Bhidé explains why know-how developed abroad enhances--not diminishes--prosperity at home, and why trying to maintain the U.S. lead by subsidizing more research or training more scientists will do more harm than good. When breakthrough ideas have no borders, a nation's capacity to exploit cutting-edge research regardless of where it originates is crucial: "venturesome consumption"--the willingness and ability of businesses and consumers to effectively use products and technologies derived from scientific research--is far more important than having a share of such research. In fact, a ven

East-West business is booming as never before,as thousands of Americans flock to China to seize explosive opportunities.But knowing the right etiquette and right protocol-and being aware of cultural differences-is a must.Now an expert with a quarter-century's experience in dealing with the Chinese gives you the complete,up-to-date,and commonsense savvy you need.Here's how to interpret behavior,avoid the unintentional gaffe,and make your best impression-while closing million-dollar deals and forming priceless friendships. 作者简介 Scott D.Seligman has lived in mainland China,Taiwan,and Hong Kong for more than eight of the last twenty-five years. He was a member of the faculty of Tunghai University in Taichung,Taiwan,in the early 1970s,and following U.S. Recognition of the People's Republic of China in 1979 joined the staff of the U.S.-China Business Council,a private ,not-for-profit membership organization charged with promoting American trade and investment in the PRC.Mr.Seligman managed the

A lively, fact-packed account of China's spectacular, 30-year transformation from economic shambles following Mao's Cultural Revolution to burgeoning market superpower, this book offers a torrent of statistics, case studies and anecdotes to tell a by now familiar but still worrisome story succinctly. Paid an average of 25 cents an hour, China's workers are not the world's cheapest, but no nation can match this "docile and capable industrial workforce, groomed by generations of government-enforced discipline," as veteran business reporter (and Chicago Mercantile trading firm founder) Fishman characterizes it. Since Mexican wages were (at the time) four times those of China, NAFTA's impact has been dwarfed by China's explosive growth (about 9.5% a year), and corporations and entrepreneurs operating in China have few worries about minimum wages, pensions, benefits, unions, antipollution laws or worker safety regulations. For the U.S., Fishman predicts more of what we're already seeing: deficits, declining wages

In Loyalty Myths, the authors have assembled 53 of the most common beliefs about customer loyalty – all of them wrong or misconceived! Each of the beliefs in this book is debunked with real-world examples. While other books speak in platitudes; this book is the only one to validate each proposition with real data. Granted unprecedented access to customer records from a variety of multi-national corporations. Through these records, Ipsos Loyalty was able to precisely track the impact of this customer-centric construct on actual purchasing behavior. The authors’ findings and conclusions will stun business leaders around the world. The lessons learned from these provide a true guide for the proper use of customer loyalty.

Which is more dangerous, a gun or a swimming pool? What do schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers have in common? Why do drug dealers still live with their morns? How much do parents really matter? How did the legalization of abortion affect the rate of violent crime? These may not sound like typical questions for an economist to ask. But Steven D. Levitt is not a typical economist. He is a much-heralded scholar who studies the riddles of everyday life--from cheating and crime to sports and childrearing--and whose conclusions turn conventional wisdom on its head. Frealfonornics is a groundbreaking collaboration between Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, an award-winning author and journalist. They usually begin with a mountain of data and a simple question. Some of these questions concern life-and-death issues; others have an admittedly freakish quality. Thus the new field of study contained in this book: freakonomics. Through forceful storytelling and wry insight, Levitt and Dubner show that economic

This book contains money-making secrets that can change your life. THINK AND GROW RICH, based on the author's famed LAW OF SUCCESS, represents the distilled wisdom of distinguished men of great wealth and achievement. Andrew Carnegie's magic formula for success was the direct inspiration for this book. Carnegie demonstrated its soundness when his coaching brought fortunes to those young men to whom he had disclosed his secret. This book will teach you that secret--and the secrets of other great men like him. It will show you not only WHAT TO DO but HOW TO DO IT. If you learn and apply the simple basic techniques revealed here, you will have mastered the secret of true and lasting success. AND YOU MAY HAVE WHATEVER YOU WANT IN LIFE.

Each year, millions of Americans sink further into debt and the sad truth is that most Americans have been conditioned to believe that debt is a normal part of life. If credit problems are adversely affecting your life, there are ways to improve your financial situation, and Credit Hell: How to Dig Out of Debt can show you how. Written by Howard S. Dvorkin—a nationally known expert in the debt counseling field—Credit Hell walks you through the "getting-out-of-debt" process from assessing the state of your finances and developing a budget, to negotiating with your creditors, consolidating your debts, and rebuilding your finances after your money troubles are over. Filled with in-depth insights and practical advice, this user-friendly guide: Shows you how to deal with important debts like your mortgage, car loans, and taxes owed to the IRS Discusses why having a good credit history and a high credit score is important; how to order your credit report from each of the three national credit rep

It is 2007 and three supertankers are ablaze in the Strait of Hormuz. World oil prices skyrocket. US Military Intelligence concludes that behind this catastrophe at the gateway to the Persian Gulf stands Iran, assisted by an expansionist China. Joined by new, young naval intelligence officer Lt. Jimmy Ramshawe, Admiral Arnold Morgan threatens the Iranian Navy with annihilation, deploying the US Navy to Hormuz along with the nuclear submarine, USS Shark, carrying two teams of Navy SEALS. With the US Navy distracted, China is able to unleash an attack on Taiwan, America's weak ally. The situation is critical as mutiny occurs onboard the USS Shark, jeopardising the entire operation by preventing the SEALS from assisting the increasingly desperate Taiwanese Air force- 作者简介 Patrick Robinson is the author of seven previous international bestselling thrillers: Nimitz Class, Kilo Class, H. M. S. Unseen, Seawolf, The Shark Mutiny, Barracuda 945 and Scimitar SL-2. He is also the author of several no

In the summer of 2003, the New York Times Magazine sent Stephen J. Dubner, an author and journalist, to write a profile of Steven D. Levitt, a heralded young economist at the University of Chicago. Levitt was not remotely interested in the things that interest most economists. More... Instead, he studied the riddles of everyday lifefrom cheating to crime to child-rearingand his conclusions turned the conventional wisdom on its head. For instance, he argued that one of the main causes of the crime drop of the 1990s was the legalization of abortion twenty years earlier. (Unwanted children have a greater likelihood of becoming criminals; with so many unwanted children being aborted in the 1970s, the pool of potential criminals had significantly shrunk by the 1990s.) The Times article yielded an unprecedented response, a deluge of interest from thousands of curious, inspired, and occasionally distraught readers. Levitt and Dubner collaborated on a book that gives full play to Levitts most compelling ideas.

The Business Game--here's how you can win Are you a businessowner, manager, or employee who struggles with: Taxes, cash flow,sales, and profits Marketing and advertising effectiveness Hiring,motivating, and managing talent The economy, stock market, andcompetitors Bosses, boards, stockholders and partners Never-endingto-do lists and sacrificing your quality of life to succeed? If youanswered "yes" to any of these, you've been playing The BusinessGame and suffering the consequences. Even if you're rolling inprofits right now, there are hidden costs you're paying to earnthat money--money that's always at risk. You learned "the rules"and you've been faithful to them, thinking you can win. But youcan't really win The Business Game, because it's "designed" to beunwinnable--that is, as long as you play by the rules you weretaught. The only way to truly win is to bust loose from the "old"game and start playing a new game with a new set of rules. Thisbook helps you discover who you really are, what you're reallycapa

Ever wondered why the gap between rich and poor nations is so great, or why it's so difficult to get a foot on the property ladder, or why you can't buy a decent second-hand car? This book offers the hidden story behind these and other forces that shape our day-to-day lives,often without our knowing it.