Product Description
Discover how to use managerial economics to both diagnose and solve business problems with this breakthrough text, ideal for today's MBA student or business professional. Froeb/McCann's MANAGERIAL ECONOMICS: A PROBLEM SOLVING APPROACH, 2E incorporates less math and fewer technical models, graphs and figures than traditional managerial economics texts while emphasizing the real decisions that contemporary managers face on a daily basis. Succinct, fast-paced presentations and interactive applications emphasizing the role of the decision maker make this an excellent long-term resource for anyone pursuing business career success. New chapters and updates reflect the most recent economic developments and challenges worldwide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Great Read
I thoroughly enjoyed this textbook more than any other I have read.The real world examples made it an interesting read and helped bring context to the concepts.I actually enjoyed reading it and feel like I learned more from this textbook than any I've ever bought.

Managerial Economics: A Problem Solving Approach is a great read!
This is the only textbook I have read front to back and actually enjoyed. It presents concepts in a way that is easy to read and understand, and supplements the concepts with real world examples. It teaches in a way that allows you to actually remember the main concepts by asking you to solve some of the real-world problems before continuing reading. It is a much more effective tool than the standard textbook that asks you to memorize a bunch of definitions that you will forget after the final exam. Highly recommended!

Great learning experience
Froeb keeps your attention by using examples that are relative to everyday problems.By far the best economics book I've read so far.

An enjoyable textbook
As far as textbooks go, I believe you could hardly ask for a more concise and interesting read.It is full of realworld examples and even the occasional joke.

Excellent Text!
Who says textbooks are boring?!This is a text you will want to read cover-to-cover - even if it's not required coursework.I've even suggested it to my non-student peers.Written in language even I can understand.Now, if Froeb would just write a Statistics text I could understand that subject too!:) ... Read more

Product Description
Unlike other histories of economics, Mark Skousen's book provides a running plot with a singular heroic figure, Adam Smith, at the center of the discipline. Skousen unites the great thinkers by ranking them for or against Adam Smith and his "system of natural liberty." He shows how Karl Marx, Thorstein Veblen, John Maynard Keynes, and even laissez-faire disciples Robert Malthus and David Ricardo detracted from Smith's classical model of democratic capitalism during periods of economic failure and upheaval, while Alfred Marshall, Irving Fisher, Ludwig von Mises, and Milton Friedman, among others, remodeled and improved upon Smithian economics as the world economy recovered and prospered. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (34)

Good.
Haven't finished it yet but so far so good.The narrator is clear and understandable and not boring and monotone.

Outstanding Overview
This book could (and probably should) be a required text for a college level Economics 101 class.That said, this book stands out as a very approachable work.Skousen introduces the reader to the key principles of competing economic theories in a lively and compelling narrative that traces the development of the discipline from Adam Smith to the present.
Far from being a dry text, it puts the economic concepts and economists in their historical context.The concepts and their relative merits are discussed in some detail but as a reader you do get regular breaks as you are introduced to the players and learn about their lives
If you are curious about economics; if you would like to better understand the principles that underlie many of today's public policy debates and you enjoy reading history or biographies, this is a book that you will find to be entertaining and rewarding.

Never has an Economics book been so much fun
I have the unabridged Audible version of the book.
Never have i looked so eagerly to finish any book.
This book is the most interesting, and most informative of all economics books i have read, put together.
It is eminently simple, fun and is filled with dry wit and sarcasm many a time.
I hope they make it a text book, as students would love this.

Great Read
Mark Skousen has done the impossible. He has made the history of economics interesting. His fascinating sidenotes bring the great economists to life as real people and in his easy writing style he clearly lays out the evolution of economic thought over the last two centuries. Of great importance to me was his objective presentation of the dichotomy between big government, Keynesian, socialist, marxist economic thought and that of small government, laissez-faire, capitalist and monitarist thinkers. Understanding these ideas is extremely important today. Read this book!!

Fantastic 400-paged History of Economic Thought
This book is a history of economic thought (i.e., not economic models) from a laissez-faire economist who is heavily influenced by the Austrian school. The target audience of this book is economics students and intelligent laymen who are seeking a book that is more comprehensive than Mark Skousen's 200-something-paged `The Big Three in Economics' but does not require the commitment of a 1200-paged tome. This book is a rich and easy-to-use reference. However, Skousen's pleasant writing style makes this book very readable from cover-to-cover. Skousen exhibits the rare ability of being able to concisely articulate complex material without muddying the essentials.

This book covers an enormous menu of important economic thinkers. A few of the more important figures covered, along with their respective influences, include:

* Adam Smith: the advent of economics, the advance of the growth model of the economy, the attack on mercantilism and the idea that a bunch of agents all individually pursuing selfish goals is good for society as a whole.
* Jean-Baptiste Say: rejects the labor theory of value implicitly advanced by Smith and explicitly advanced by Ricardo, argues the importance of the entrepreneur in a flourishing economy and the famed say's Law of Markets, which argues that production, not consumption, drives the economy.
* Karl Marx: The belief of Capitalism as an exploitative system and the dialectical theory of ongoing class struggles.
* Carl Menger and Eugen Bohm-Bawerk: The birth of the Austrian school of economics. Menger incorporates Aristotelian ideas to present an objective alternative to the labor theory of value. Bohm-Bawerk writes a scathing rebuttal to Marxian economics.
* David Ricardo - the Introduction of the Ricardian vice of placing too much emphasis on abstract mathematical modeling and less on the real-world interactions. Later, Leon Walras places further emphasis on abstract mathematics and less on the underlying interactions.
* Ludwig Von Mises and Friedrich Hayek: The foundation of modern Austrian economics, the movement towards a subjective theory of value and the introduction of Austrian business cycle theory.
* John Maynard Keynes: The emergence of economic justification for deficit spending, the encouragement of big governments, the belief that consumption, not production, drives the economy and the growing Pragmatic emphasis on only thinking in the short-run.
* Paul Samuelson: The spreading of Keynesian economics throughout the United States.
* Milton Friedman: The rise of the Monetarist school and the growing acceptance that poor monetary policy, not capitalism, caused the Great Depression.
* Julian Simon's bet with Thomas Malthus on resource and population economics.

Plus much, much more! Overall this is an amazing book and is a must read for anyone wanting a solid portrait of the history of ideas in economics. My only complaint is that there should have been a chapter on Julian Simon. All of the material on him is a long side-note in the chapter on Thomas Malthus.
... Read more

Product Description
The best way to learn economics is through hands-on work, which is exactly what students will get when they purchase the Study Guide, written by Michael Baye.Each chapter presentation includes outlines, key concept reviews, multiple-choice and true/false questions, technical problems, and a complete set of answers to all aforementioned materials. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Good book - great service
The book arrived in perfect condition and just the item I wanted.
So, very pleased with amazon's performance on this one.

disappointment
This seller was a disappointment to me.He sent me two books that were not the right book.They did however refund my money and appologized for their error.

good quality and timely!
i am satisfied with the book. the book was in pretty good condition and though it was lightly used as I can see, it is overall good.

Managerial Economics and Business Strategy
I thought it was awesome. It came in great shape and looked great. I was impressed.

NIce Book
Item received was good.

Received in time.

Thank you. ... Read more

Product Description
Economic Development , 10/e is the leading textbook in this field, providing a complete and balanced introduction to the requisite theory, the driving policy issues, and the latest research. Principles and Concepts: Economics, Institutions, and Development: A Global Perspective; Comparative Economic Development; Classic Theories of Economic Growth and Development; Contemporary Models of Development and Underdevelopment. Problems and Policies: Domestic: Poverty, Inequality, and Development; Population Growth and Economic Development: Causes, Consequences, Controversies; Urbanization and Rural-Urban Migration: Theory and Policy; Human Capital: Education and Health in Economic Development; Agricultural Transformation and Rural Development; The Environment and Development; Development Policymaking and the Roles of Market, State, and Civil Society. Problems and Policies: International and Macro: International Trade Theory and Development Strategy; Balance of Payments, Developing-Country Debt, and Issues in Macroeconomic Stabilization; Foreign Finance, Investment, and Aid: Controversies and Opportunities; Finance and Fiscal Policy for Development; Some Critical Issues for the Twenty-First Century. For all readers interested in economic development. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Great as an introduction to this fascinating subject!
In my studies of development, this book more often than any other served as a quick reference and fairly handy bibliography. I recommend this book to any undergraduate student or student of public policy the world over. It should be a !

Book for online class
Book is good for what you expect. Many models and graphs illustrating the economic stages and values in developing countries

non-technical and has very broad coverage
An excellent introductory book if you are looking for a broad study of the subject.

If you have never taken an economics course before then this could be a somewhat confusing read, especially if you wish to understand the models used. A basic first-year course/book would be ideal.

Still, Todaro does a good job in explaining the economic models he presents, so if you are someone who is intimated by economics you don't have to worry: 95% of this book is text, 4% graphs and 1% maths.

This is one of those textbooks that you can easily just read through, as it is very well written and the topics well presented. It's a textbook that engages you on many levels - you start to think intellectually about economics and you start evaluating economic theory both on a moral/ethical basis and on a practical basis. Development economics is a very confronting topic if you have never studied applied economics before.

The main analytical tool used is graphs, and the little mathematics that's used is on the same level as most introductory courses in mathematics. Some chapters do have mathematical treatments in the appendix, but even these are quite basic - as long as you know what differentials are and how to calculate them.

The language used is easy to understand, and the exercises are all in discussion format.
Todaro writes in a no-nonsense way, he tells it as it is, which I found very refreshing after only having read formal and "traditional" books on economics beforehand.

I especially liked how each chapter has case study where a specific country is studied, in my edition these countries were analyzed: Brazil, Nigeria, Cuba, Malaysia, South Korea, Argentina, India, South Africa, China, Kenya, Mexico, Egypt, Bangladesh, Ghana, Pakistan, Taiwan, Venezuela, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Jamaica, Uganda, Chile, Poland.

This is a very broad and multidisciplinary book that goes into a range of areas: economics, culture/anthropology, politics etc. so it should suit alot of people in different fields.

As others have mentioned already there is very little mathematical analysis in this book and compared to other books on economics there are very few graphs in this book. If you want something more technical I can refer you to Ghatak's book Introduction to Development Economics (any edition). However I am very critical to previous reviewers who seem to equate Economics with only mathematics and graphs - Economics is a social science and should therefore focus on social, psychological and cultural analysis, which this book does. Mathematics should not be the focus of analysis, otherwise you are better-off majoring in mathematics or acounting.

As a person who only studied "traditional" economics this book was an eye-opener, it made my knowledge of economics become real and made me want to achieve practical outcomes with my studies.
Personally I am very critical to the usefulness of Western economic models in their application to developing countries, I am also very critical to the economic advice given by the IMF/the World Bank because they exemplify everything I think is wrong with mainstream Economics as it is practiced and taught in universities: that people hide behind abstract models that have little to do with reality, people who understand mathematics and theory but know nothing of running a business or industry. It would be better for developing countries to consult with successful businessmen and entreprenours like Richard Branson than any economist.
I want to mention this because Todaro is also quite critical to the IMF/WB and the Western economic approach so far in understanding economic development. So if you believe that what you learn in your undergraduate courses are 100% relevant to society this book will be a wake-up call and you will start to realize that "standard Economics" is not the final product and is still very primitive, and that despite its impressive use of mathematics it lacks substance.

Anyway, the book is best suited for those studying: development, demographics, economic growth, international economics, international studies...

Great deal on Amazon.
The cost of this new on amazon is the same as the bookstore at my college for a used one. If your class requires this book, just be sure to use the online study guide that comes with it. Will help you a lot: www.aw-bc.com/todaro_smith.

Very illuminating
This book talks about many issues on economic development, and it also includes alternative approaches. You do not have to be a economics major to understand that book. ... Read more

Product Description
This market-leading text from well-respected authors Anderson/Sweeney/Williams introduces sound statistical methodology within a strong applications setting. A wealth of real business examples, proven methods, and application exercises within STATISTICS FOR BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS, Revised 10e clearly demonstrate how statistical results provide insights into business decisions and present solutions to contemporary business problems. Comprehensive coverage, trusted for its accuracy, allows you to select the topics best for your course, including coverage of the latest statistical and business software to manage statistical information. This edition's accessible approach is strengthened with the innovative new CengageNOW integrated online course management and learning system that saves you time while using personalized study plans to ensure student understanding. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Lied about attached CD-rom
the book I purchased was suppose to have an attached CD-rom specified in the description

"1 of Statistics for Business and Economics, 10th Edition (with Student CD-ROM)"

they however sent me one without one

im very discouraged

the shipping was however pretty fast, although I made sure to order this book from within the state of florida, where i live.

eventually They did actually send me what i had purchased

so i have changed my rating to 4 star

they gave me what i bought from them
thank you

Thanks for your fast shippment
Thanks for your fast shippment~
It is arrived at my place so fast than my expectation.

Exceeded Expectations
I live in Arizona and placed an order with this person who lives in Missouri. I had the package at my home within three days of clicking the purchase button!!!

Excellent service and the book is in great condition as was stated on Amazon.

Thank you very much.

Very difficult to comprehend
I've noticed that the majority of reviews of this textbook only address issues related to shipment and the condition of the book upon arrival.But what about content?It's awful.Really.Who wants a math book that reads like a textbook.I've taken a few algebra classes this year and this is my first stats class.The algebra books contained multitudes of clear examples with step by step instructions.This book has long, complicated text-only paragraphs that you have to re-read multiple times and then they fail to provide many (there are a few, but very lacking)illustrated examples of HOW to arrive at the answer.This sort of book needs to be supplemented by other methods of information (classroom, tutors, Internet) to be really useful.Of course, some of us can't rely on our teachers to help, as the quality of professors varies about as much as textbooks!!It CANNOT stand on its own most of the time. Very hard to grasp.Two thumbs down.

excellent book
this is statistics for business and economics, 10th edition (with student cd-rom) by dennis J.sweeney

i think this book is great... ... Read more

Product Description
Master the fundamentals of mathematical economics with Schaum's - the high-performance study guide! It will helpyou cut study time, hone- problem-solving skills and achieve your personal best on exams.

Students love Schaum's Outline because they produce results. Each year hundreds of thousands of students improve their test scores and final grades with these indispensable study guides.

If you don't have a lot of time but want to excel in class, this book helps you:

*Use detailed examples to solve problems*Brush up before tests*Find answers fast*Study quickly and more effectively*Get the big picture without spending hours poring over lengthy textbooks

Schaum's Outlines give you the information your teachers expect you to know in ahandy and succinct format - without overwhelming you with unnecessary jargon. you get a complete overview of the subject. Plus, you get plenty of practice exercises to test your skill. Compatible with any classroom text, Schaum's let you study at your own pace and remind you of all the important facts you need to remember - fast! And Schaum's are so complete, they're perfect for preparing for graduate or professional exams.

Inside, you will find:

*Full coverage of Mathematical Economics, from derivatives to phase diagrams*Simplified expanations of indefinite and definite integral calculus*710 solved problems in mathematical economics, including step-by-step annotations*Examples and worked problems that help you master mathematical economics

If you want top grades and a thorough understanding of mathematical economics, this powerful study tool is the best tutor you can have! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

Introduction to mathematical Economics
This text makes a sound foundation upon which a budding econometrician can build: clear concepts, well set out, and most affordable.

A must for every PhD aspirant
Great book that covers the math that you will need for PhD in Economics. If you are an undergrad and are wondering what a PhD in economics entails read this book to get an idea of what is the ''least'' that is expected.

Very useful book for an intermediate econ class
This book is a very good supplement for an econ class. The mathematical methods are dealt with very clearly and presented in an easy-to-understand way. Very helpful indeed.

Perfect yourself in mathematical economics
Very helpful book especially since the problems are fully solved and explained. A good book to follow while taking a class related to financial theory.

A Lifesaver
Awesome, awesome, awesome!!!

I used this text to prepare for my business PhD program (which requires PhD level micro and stats). I'd never taken calculus or linear algebra, so I was pretty nervous about the quant aspects of the program. I bought this book about six months before school started and went through chapter-by-chapter, and I couldn't be happier with the results. Thanks to the great explanations and huge amount of practice problems, I was able to master all of the topics I needed, and even got the highest grade in our pre-PhD "math for economists" course. This book would be worth 10x its price. ... Read more

Product Description
International Economics, the best-selling textbook in the field, is written by two of the world's preeminent economists. Both the real trade portion of the book and the monetary portion are divided into a core of chapters focused on theory, followed by chapters applying the theory to major policy questions, past and current. The Sixth Edition has been throughly revised to reflect the changes of today's global economic landscape, including the unprecedented expansion of globalization, the increasingly crucial nature of international economic relations, the gains from trade, and recent anti-globalization controversies such as the continuing debate over the optimal level of trade.Consistent with previous editions, the text presents an integrated treatment of the Ricardian model, specific factors, factor endowments, and imperfect competition models of trade, along with in-depth analysis of empirical evidence. It covers the effects and causes of trade policy, including strategic trade policy and the income-distribution effects of trade.The book also provides a unified model of open-economy macroeconomics, based on an asset-market approach to exchange rate determination with a central role for expectations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Your first lesson in International Economics
Your first lesson in International Economics is to get the international version of this book.It will be softcover, also the 8th edition, and half the price.It will be the same, page for page.

Then take the person of your choice out for a nice dinner.You'll be glad you did.

Best econ book I've ever used
This is easily the best economics textbook I have ever used (and after getting an MA in economics, I've used several). It has clear, colorful graphs with notes right next to the graphs explaining the movements. The main text is very accessible for the lay reader, but each chapter also includes boxes and appendices going into greater depth. It also addresses the policy challenges and political economy, both of which are crucial to understanding international economics. Highly recommended!

Received Wrong Edition of Book
I ordered and paid for a 6th edition of this book (recommeded by my professor). I received a 3rd edition, which I already own. Big disappointment!

An important and useful text for understanding trade theory
Krugman and Obstfeld, two world renowned international economists, provide a full detailed analysis and examples for the basis of trade among nations. It is relatively straightforward to comprehend for both economists and noneconomists. International trade is an important component of economic policy for the growth and development of countries. This book examines various theoretical trade models and provides real world examples of policy formulation and their impact. The authors do not take any political positions, thus making their analysis a purely objective, or positive study.

I would highly recommend this book to students interested in doing research in international trade and development. It is a must read for prospective international economists. Noneconomists might also find it as a useful reference.I found the book to be invaluable in my graduate research and dissertation.

Krugman
Some complicated theories explained in a way that can be understood.

Esay flow from a concept to the next. ... Read more

Product Description
McConnell and Brue�s Economics: Principles, Problems, and Policies is the leading Principles of Economics textbook because it is innovative and teaches students in a clear, unbiased way.The 17th Edition builds upon the tradition of leadership with three main goals: help the beginning student master the principles essential for understanding the economizing problem, specific economic issues, and the policy alternatives; help the student understand and apply the economic perspective and reason accurately and objectively about economic matters; and promote a lasting student interest in economics and the economy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Good book- lower edition- save a lot
The newer edition of this book is out- however all the 18th edition does is flip the micro and macro sections. very easy to figure out. saved a lot of money.

An excellent textbook, thorough and unbiased
I love this textbook. It is easy to read, contains all the necessary fundamentals and includes a lot of illustrative material, which makes learning economics even easier. Although economics is always inextricably intertwined with politics, this book presents old and new economic theories in a balanced and unbiased fashion. I can't recommend this textbook highly enough.

Received as expected - quality good
Received as expected - quality good - High school reference book. Price was very reasonable for quality received.

Economic Book Deliver
I ordered the Economic Book on the 29th of october and i think it took about 2 weeks to be receive by me, the sender was late sending the book. Because he/she was late sending the book, they sent the study guidebook along with the book to make up for sending the book late. I was notified by email. I would like to thank them for being honest and letting me know they were late;although, the study guide didn't help me, it still was very business like to send it anyways and that is really important. I would do business with them again!

Great
Book came extremely fast. It is used but in good shape. I'm very happy with it. ... Read more

Product Description
This straightforward, nontheological approach toprosperity has been effective for thousands. Learn to work with theflow of life and attract wealth in every area of your life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

Butterworth's Economics Enlightening and Encouraging
Prior to reading Spiritual Economics by Eric Butterworth, I had no knowledge of who he was or what to expect from his writings.Nevertheless, I have been forever "blessed" and "changed" by this work. He eloquently drives home the time-tested point that "true" riches are possessed internally. A must read for anyone seeking higher spiritually rather than more religion.

Insightful, Informative and Revealing!
I wish I had read this book years ago.The world is changing so fast in recent decades that I've sensed a wandering in my own and in society's moral compass.This book helped clarify for me what is happening and why I was feeling the disconnect.I highly recommend this book and wish there was a way to put it into the hands of college students, perhaps even high school students everywhere.

A Pretty Balanced View Of "Spiritual" Prosperity
I agree that the "law" of tithing has often been abused. Churches are among the offenders, but there are many other self-improvement promoters guilty of using the "prosperity principle" to enrich themselves. I don't think Eric Butterworth was really one of the shady ones. In fact, he notes that it isn't really the monetary giving that is important, but your overall though process and intent as you are giving. Nor does he require that the giving be in money, but of time, effort, etc. as an equally acceptable currency. If you are exploring the many so-called prosperity philosophies, systems and teachings, I think you should give this nearly 30 year old work a try. Eric is gone, so he's not personally benefitting from his efforts. Perhaps you will.

The existence of God
I agree that you have to take control over your life and create the mindset to accept life as it comes to you.However, I have gone from very spiritual to questioning who and what God really is. Personally, I think we all have it wrong.I no longer believe God answers prayers.I think we pray because it gives us comfort, it makes us believe we are not alone and it helps us get through life.In reality, God is not going to save anyone.God is not going to make anyone's life better.God watches over us, He knows the pain we suffer but He does nothing to stop that pain.The pain is ours to endure. Angels have appear to me during difficult times in my life, so I know the afterlife is real.I know God is real... I just don't think God is as we have been taught to believe He is.I have spent years praying, spreading the word of God and living my life as a Christian should live their life, to end up where I am today.Frustrated, disappointed and burnt out.I have no doubt Mother Teresa questioned her faith, how could she not?You can think prosperous thoughts and live your life as a cup half full person and it will make your life better, I agree.But richer financially?Probably not.To acquire wealth you have to physically work for it. I believe more in luck then I do the power of prayer or sending positive thoughts out in to the universe for rewards.

A Metaphysical Economics Classis
Eric Butterworth and his writtings have been an amazing tool for me and many others that I know over the years. It is not limited to Unity teachings as some reviewer might have you believe, it is turly Universal thought. Do yourself a favor, purchase the book, read it through once and then go back through it again more slowly. Notice where "Stuff" comes up for you and consider why that is. This is not an all or nothing teaching, nor is it a single read. This is a beautiful summary of Universal Economic Principles that can grow with you and express through you over your lifetime. They do not grow old - they only ripen with age and practice. Namaste ... Read more

Product Description
START-UP NATION addresses the trillion dollar question: How is it that Israel-- a country of 7.1 million, only 60 years old, surrounded by enemies, in a constant state of war since its founding, with no natural resources-- produces more start-up companies than large, peaceful, and stable nations like Japan, China, India, Korea, Canada and the UK?

With the savvy of foreign policy insiders, Senor and Singer examine the lessons of the country's adversity-driven culture, which flattens hierarchy and elevates informality-- all backed up by government policies focused on innovation.In a world where economies as diverse as Ireland, Singapore and Dubai have tried to re-create the "Israel effect", there are entrepreneurial lessons well worth noting. As America reboots its own economy and can-do spirit, there's never been a better time to look at this remarkable and resilient nation for some impressive, surprising clues. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (94)

Start up Nation
Most informative book detailing why Israel is excelling with so many start up companies, inventions and patents.The people and nation are focused on survival with no natural resources and encircled by people and religions that want to exterminate them.
RKS

Good, not great
It is upsetting when a book comes so close to being great, yet misses because of attempts to please rather than prove.Too many anecdotes, not enough substance, detract from what could have been (should have been) a seminal work on innovation.

Victory: Israel!
This book describes the phenomenon of 21st century Israel: small, diverse, war torn, and surrounded by enemies, Israel produces more startup companies than China, India, the UK, and Japan. And it has more companies on the NASDAQ than all of Europe, Korea, Japan, Singapore, China, and India combined. They remind us that Israel is one of the most heterogeneous countries in the world:7.1 million people, representing over seventy different nationalities.

The authors explore with stories, details and passionate interest how the combination of leadership and timing (Israel was set up as a "Start Up Nation"); Jewish culture, (dissatisfaction may be dangerous for politics but it is good for science) and temperament, (the trait of chutzpa, that celebrates ruthless questioning of every assumption, bold initiative even in the face of apparent failure); the institution of the military (an astonishingly non-hierarchal structureinto which all young adults are conscripted and given experiences of authority, leadership, interdependence, and resources for research and development).

The book is not just for the academic; the narrative is engaging, the stories are funny, the inventiveness of young Israelis is mind blowing. I can't wait to lend this book to any eager mind that I can find.

Reviewed by: Marcia Jo

This issuper book about the ideas and creative backdrop that propells the workings of a startup business.
Startup Nation is the super creative spotlight that shines the light on why such a small isolated nation, filled with handicaps and limited resources, has flourished.

Startup nation examines how and why the creative process is different than almost every other industrialized nation. The startup business process is a fight, a struggle within that produces energy,growth and change.

This should be a must read for anyone interested in the application of the creative process..ie...how to foster creative minds that can adjust and produce results within a group setting.

Korea, both South and North Korea, the Tiger and Mouse of Asia could well follow this example.Few countries around the world implement such a simple concept.War,peace,growth,and sound economic policy can create a strange bedfellow of success.

This book should be a first week read for any business school freshman and a first day read for any student of psychology.

Troytex in TexasSept.18, 2010

Don't miss this one - an eye-opening read
I've already passed my copy on to a few people, and have recommended this book to others. I work in an Israel hi-tech company myself, and just had to laugh when reading the various descriptions about the way things work - they really are accurate! It's a fascinating place and a fascinating industry, and I am proud to be a part of it. It's also very refreshing to read such an upbeat and positive book about Israel, for a change.

I'm sure that many entrepreneurs and managers in general could learn a lot from this book.

Don't miss it! ... Read more

Product Description
Praise for Profiting From the World's Economic Crisis

"Someone is going to make money in the next decade. Perhaps Bud will help you find your way."
—Jim Rogers, cofounder, Quantum Fund; author, A Gift to My Children

"Where everyone today has an opinion on everything, much of it gleaned from a blog, Bud Conrad's constant mantra is 'What does the data say?' And then he rolls up his sleeves and works almost around the clock for as many days as it takes to get to a defensible answer. In other words, there are those who talk, and those who do. Bud does. In Profiting from the World's Economic Crisis, Bud tells you what the data shows about the risks and opportunities just ahead. You'll want to pay attention."
—David Galland, Managing Editor, The Casey Report

"Bud Conrad's book is a brutally honest journey into the future. Honest because Bud builds on facts, not popular opinion; brutal as he¿illustrates the logical consequences as global dynamics play out. You can't afford not to read this book."
—Axel Merk, President and Chief Investment Officer, Merk Mutual Funds; author, Sustainable Wealth

"This book could not be better timed, as the government and Wall Street do their best to convince the public that the financial storm has passed. Bud Conrad begs to differ and using his unique ability to take complex data and distill it into straightforward charts, he not only explains how the hurricane developed, but why it's far from over. He then goes on to show investors not just how to survive the storm's resurgence, but how to prosper."
—Steve Henningsen, Chief Financial Strategist, The Wealth Conservancy

"Right now you may be asking yourself 'What's going to happen to the economy, why is it happening, and what can I do to profit from it?' As far as I'm concerned, Bud has the correct answers to these questions. Among other things, this book will become 'the' reference book for data and charts that economists and investors will go to for years to come. I urge you to read this book—now—and act on its advice."
—DOUG CASEY, Chairman, Casey Research, bestselling author, Crisis Investing ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

The Real World Economic Outlook
The world's economic crisis has been difficult for the world's financial systems. Bud Conrad, Chief economist for Casey Research, in 262 charts explains how we got to where we are and provides a basis for predicting where investments should be directed.

Right now, one may be asking oneself what is going to happen to the economy, why is it happening, and what can we do to profit from it. Among other things, this book will become the reference book that economists and investors along with general readers consult for years to come.

A prediction is made of a gloomy and rough road ahead for investors if they ignore the economic imbalances that have built up over the past decade. Analysis is made of the numerous obstacles Americans face, such as ever-increasing U.S. government and trade deficit, impending rise in healthcare costs, rising oil prices and the weakening of the dollar. The author also examines why some of the government acts, such as bailing out banks and curbing interest rates, made the situation touchier because too much government debt would keep the economy weak.


reviewed by Claude Ury

most believable assessment of today's economy
First of all, let me dispense with the negative:

What an awful title for the book!It makes it sound like a guide on how to exploit the human suffering of the economic crisis in order to stay afloat oneself.

-----

What the book actually IS, is a detailed analytical assessment of today's US economy and where it is likely to head in the coming years.Which, of course, is not only useful for us to try to better understand the world around us, but for those of us who are investors to make prudent decisions about where to put our savings.


I have read a number of recent books on the economy.There appears to be a lot of consensus among the intelligent writers on contemporary economics- for example, 1). We are in a deep crisis of overleverage brought on by an accumulation of excessive debt that has gone on for 2-3 decades. 2). The inevitable consequence of this is a massive deleveraging.

One area where experts do differ is whether deflation or inflation will dominate in the coming years.The crux of this disagreement lies in whether one believes that the Federal Reserve has the ability (and the willingness) to turn deflation to inflation through massive money-printing.Conrad clearly falls into the latter camp, and he does so, in my view, very persuasively.(Another area of dispute between the deflationists and inflationists is the extent to which the government will continue to engage in (inflationary) deficit spending.)

At any rate, Conrad's view is that all this is leading us to a currency crisis for the US dollar in coming years.This is a hypothesis that many other contemporary economic commentators have proposed.

While there is a lot of other good writing out there on this subject, I believe Conrad's book gives the most complete, fact-supported, and persuasive assessment of today's economy.


Five stars.


Just one piece of advice:If you believe the Voodoo nonsense of economists like Paul Krugman, this book is not for you.

Wonky
The writer calls chapter 5 wonky. Most of the book is but chapter 13, demise of the dollar, was backed up with smashing data. Skip the rest.

Great Book!
I just finished it and I loved this book. The economic concepts are explained in simple terms. And it uses plenty of charts to show the interplay between different economic indicators and financial markets. A big eye-opener!

Must Read
Bud,
Your book "Profiting from the World's economic Crisis" was absolutely outstanding!
So much so that I am paying my 18 year old son $1000 to read the book, give a 10 minute review of each chapter and write 5 - 10 page reports on selected questions.
He presented the first chapter to me last night, understood the concept and equally as important he enjoyed what he was learning.
This is better spent money and a better education then sending him to University next year!

From my part, having followed Doug and all the members of Casey Research for a long time, you have put together all the bits and pieces in a well presented order, enriched and clarified a lot of the material.It will be my reference text for years to come.
This is a must read for anyone wanting to understand the big picture of theeconomic world around us.

Thank you!
Reg
... Read more

Product Description
KEY BENEFIT: This text will excite readers by providing a more linear progression, while proving the consistency and relevance of microeconomic theory.
KEY TOPICS: Goals of a firm, supply and demand, elasticity, demand estimation and forecasting, theory and estimation of production and cost, pricing and output decisions of monopolies and oligopolies, special pricing practices, game theory and asymmetric information, capital budgeting, risk, and uncertainty, multinational corporations and globalization, government and industry challenges, managerial economics in the semiconductor industry.
For business professionals looking to expand their knowledge of managerial and applied economics.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Book was not "like new" as reported
I was expecting a book in "like new" condition, but the binding is separating from the book and it's highlighted throughout.

It was okay, but nothing worth buying.
This book is okay and does a solid job at explaining the concepts. However, when it comes to the formulas and doing the math as examples to learn from it falls very short. The algebra has steps missing from it and I am willing to bet most of your economics professors will use a derivation form what it is the book. I would only buy as text book not as a reference.

international version
This was an international version which freeked me out when I received it but it is o.k.I wish the pic was the international version not the real U.S. version, but otherwise it is what I wanted. ... Read more

Product Description
Advanced Placement Economics teaches a college-level economics course that prepares high school students for the AP Economics Exam. The Teacher Resource Manual introduces the key concepts, and the Student Activities booklets -- Microeconomics and Macroeconomics -- reinforce the principles with activity-based lessons.

Also Available:

Advanced Placement Economics - Macroeconomics : Student Activities - ISBN 1561835676
Advanced Placement Economics: Teacher Resource Manual - ISBN 1561835668

The Council for Economic Education envisions a world in which people are empowered through economic and financial literacy to make informed and responsible choices throughout their lives as consumers, savers, investors, workers, citizens, and participants in our global economy.

Some of the areas in K-12 education we publish in include:

- Establishing and building credit

- Managing personal finances

- Understanding economics on a local, national, and global level

- Using economics in other subject areas: Social Studies, Geography, History, etc. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

apmacro
this book have been very helpful to my son. It was a required purchase and he likes it. thanks

AP Ecnomomics student book
I was a little bit concerned whether this was the right book I wanted because the picture is sort of dark but ,yes, it was the right one. Student version.
But to make a judgment about it, I think that the exercises are easy and many times I find them too unnatural, too theoretical but that my opinion about Keynesian economics anyway...
Also I find the material inside not dense, there is plenty of free space, so that I could fit a bible in between the exercises. Than the book is very thick and heavy and more expensive I guess.
To me, it was a rather disappointing purchase, but if you need for a class (as I did) it's OK.

Good quality
I received the book after 4 days I ordered. Fast delivery and good quality of the product.

Great for AP Instructor
This is a necessary resource used in teaching AP Economics.This workbook really helps prepare students using examples of past exam questions. ... Read more

Product Description
Here Partha Dasgupta, an internationally recognized authority in economics, presents readers with a solid introduction to its basic concepts, including efficiency, equity, sustainability, dynamic equilibrium, property rights, markets, and public goods. Throughout, he highlights the relevance of economics to everyday life, providing a very human exploration of a technical subject. Dasgupta covers enduring issues such as population growth, the environment, and poverty. For example, he explores how the world's looming population problems affect us at the local, national, and international level.
Economics has the capacity to offer us deep insights into some of the most formidable problems of life. Here, Dasgupta goes beyond the basics to show it's innate effects on our history, culture, and lifestyles. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Interesting but not always clear
This is probably not the best intro to economics book (i.e. it is a little too concise in places), but I liked it nevertheless.Overall, the author did do a great job explaining ideas given that it was intended to be so short.I feel like I have a much better understanding now of why the quality of life is so different between "rich" and "poor" nations.The main draw back is that there's little to no iteration i.e. I usually learn by being exposed to a concept or term several times but in this short book there's no room for that - you're told about a concept once (if at all).Regardless, this book is interesting and does makes you want to learn more about the subject, so I think you ought to give it a try.

broad and informative
Awesome book.

If you want a textbook, get something else...

The strengths of this book are: it avoids the trap of doing a developed-world only description, it really allows you to appreciate how economists think, it ties economic concepts to concepts from other disciplines. It can get technical sometimes for the least mathematical readership, but still a must read.

Chapter 5 alone justifies buying the book (Science and technology as institutions).

Good informative introduction
This book can get technical at times, but for someone who has a sincere interest in getting a feel for the general workings of economics, I highly recommend this book. It's a lovely series in general, these "Very Brief Introductions", love 'em.

The extent of the market depends on trust
Not so long ago, economics had a major image problem. University enrolments were down, and the public impression of an economist was of a heartless,graph-wielding, bean-counter. I am not sure if enrolments are higher today, or if economists are better liked. Yet in the publishing world, it is an undeniable fact that popular economics has become much more, well, popular.

The professional reaction to this commercial popularity has not been one of uniform gratitude. One must assume a certain amount of jealousy towards the fame and fortune of the lucky first movers. Yet there is also a feeling that some of the best-sellers have trivialised economics, titillating the reader with sex and drugs while neglecting the more important insights of the discipline.

Nobody could accuse Partha Dasgupta of deepening this rut. In this Very Short Introduction, he has taken as his theme the original mystery of economics: the nature and causes of the wealth of nations. And he motivates the study not with unadorned GDP statistics but by comparing the lives of two young girls: Becky, who lives in an affluent American suburb, and Desta, the daughter of Ethiopian farmers. Why do two children, born so much alike, live such different lives?

The question is compelling, and presents an opportunity to explore many branches of economics, in a concrete and relevant way. Unfortunately, Dasgupta does not use it consistently. While there are many references to `Desta's world' and `Becky's world', these are too often brief appendages to abstract discussions of agents A, B and C and factors X, Y and Z. At times one could be reading a textbook, except there are no problem sets, fewer graphs, and the pictures are in black and white.

This is a great pity, because there is a deep, coherent and insightful argument at the core of the book.One might begin with the proposition: wealth depends on the division of labour, and the division of labour is limited by the extent of the market. But the extent of the market is not limited only by transport and taxes. It is limited also by trust: by the rules and expectations that allow cooperation for mutual gain between people who do not know each other. And these rules and expectations, particularly the expectations, are hard to build but easy to destroy. If prospects for the future become less bright, even for trivial or fallacious reasons, the balance may tip from cooperation to conflict very quickly.

This has become a cliché in Yugoslavia, Rwanda and Iraq: political uncertainty resurrects dormant divisions and peaceful neighbours become killers. Less dramatically, such calculations restrict the number of people any individual can trust and trade with. The `community' is a natural boundary: a group which people are born into, with no easy exit, makes the penalties for cheating higher and more certain.

Yet on their own, such communities have their limits. They are small, so they limit the division of labour.Their members face the same risks, so insurance is difficult. And saving and investment opportunities are more limited.

Markets can overcome these problems by allowing much larger numbers of people to cooperate. But these large numbers cannot rely on personal ties, so establishing the necessary trust is much more difficult. This may not be a problem with some goods -- Desta's father sells grain on the local market without any problems -- but insurance, credit and employment are a different matter. Man may have a natural propensity to truck, barter and exchange, but not for banking or wage labour.

While trust, and its implications for communities, markets, households and firms, is the key content of the book, other subjects are considered: the history of economic growth, science and technology, sustainability and democratic decision-making. There is little to argue with in these chapters, but they are abstract and ad hoc, and not linked to the rest of the book.

The Very Short Introduction series is advertised as being for `anyone wanting a stimulating and accessible way into a new subject'. Stimulating, yes. Accessible? I am not so sure. Popular economics is supposedly aimed at the whole literate population, or at least the university-educated, newspaper-reading part of it. Dasgupta seems to equate this with his fellow Cambridge professors and their brightest students. And it is a shame, because the intellectual content of the book, combined with the Becky/Desta device, had the potential for a truly great and accessible introduction to economics.

-Originally published in Agenda 14(3), 2007.

Is a very short exposition on the problems of population andeconomic growth in UDC's
This book is mistitled.It is primarily anoverview of the problems facing countries like China,India,Indonesia,Pakistan,and Bangladash which havea combined population of 3.2 billion out of the world's 6.5 billion people.The real problem in these countries is that the governments are completely corrupt.The institutions
necessary for sustainable economic growth are simply not present.The environmental and pollution problems are immense and growing daily in all four of these countries.Very little is said about these fundamental problems.The author gives his own personal recollections in a number of areas in which economics plays some kind of a role,such as in creating incentives.Unfortunately,until the fundamental problem of massive government and ruling class corruption is faced and dealt with,very little real progress that is
sustainable will be forthcoming .
... Read more

Product Description
With its clear and engaging writing style, ESSENTIALS OF ECONOMICS, 5E, continues to be one of the most popular books on economics available today. Mankiw emphasizes material that you?re likely to find interesting about the economy (particularly if you?re studying economics for the first time), including real-life scenarios, useful facts, and the many ways economic concepts play a role in the decisions you make every day. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Good price for excellent quality book
The book arrived just in time for my class! It's in great condition, like new.

College Student
Needed this book for class, and book was in better shape than I expected.Thanks!!

Terrible Condition
The book arrived very fast but it had holes punched through to page 75.Really BAD condition.

Great book, but terrible E-book
I was giddy with joy when I found out that this book could be ordered in Kindle format and I can take it around with me on my iPad. I had some technical problems at first, but those were easily resolved after some digging around.

I glanced through the paper version before I bought this, and it looked like a great good. But the E-book version sucked big time. It contained all of the non-essentials (like a picture of LeBron James), but failed to include ANY of the important graphics, such as the numerous charts explaining important economic principles.

How can the author (or the kid who operated the OCR to digitize this book) expect us to understand what's going on WITHOUT any of the vital graphs and charts?!This is terrible!!Epic fail to the 9th level!!

Excellent introduction to economics, but pricing restricts it to college courses only
If you are reading this review, it is quite likely you were assigned this book for a college course, and you are just wondering about the quality of the book you will be getting.I used this course for a graduate class in Economics, and was impressed by the writing style and clear explanations offered by Mankiw.He uses very clear graphics and examples to discuss the various effects of changes in the market on supply/demand curves.Elasticity, deadweight loss, taxation, and other changes in the market are clearly explained.Mankiw fills each chapter with practical examples of the mathematics from the modern world, and even has a chapter on monetary policy and the Federal Reserve.It is easy to find the information you need, and important terms are clearly defined.The book is very accessible to the new student.

While it is an excellent book once you have been assigned to read it, it is also one of the most costly textbooks I have purchased.Now that I have learned economics from Mankiw, I can explain that the price is so high because the demand for this book is inelastic.If you've paid $3000 for a graduate level class, you will buy whatever book is assigned, whether that book costs $30, $100, or even $200.Raising the price does not reduce demand significantly (though at some price professors will stop assigning it to their classes).

If you are generally interested in economics, seek a less expensive book.If this was assigned for your class, it is a good choice. ... Read more

Product Description
For the 2-semester principles of economics course.Reviewers tell us that Case/Fair is one of the all-time bestselling POE texts because they trust it to be clear, thorough and complete.This well-respected author team is joined for the 9th edition by a new co-author, Sharon Oster.Sharon's research and teaching experience brings new coverage of modern topics and an applied approach to economic theory, as demonstrated in the new Economics in Practice feature. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

My First Econ Book
So admittedly this is the first Econ class I've taken so I can't compare this book to others available on the market. However, I have to say I really like the structure of this book (bold vocab words, divided into manageable sections, and has helpful diagrams). I also liked the writing in this book. Personally I thought it was pretty easy to get through without getting too bored with a kind of dry subject.

TLDR: Recommended!

What i needed
Needed this book for a course i am taking, came in the mail in great condition.

Economic Foundation in Single Book
So far, the text provides a thorough, organized, and simple enough read. Considering I am taking a combined Micro/Macro class this semester, the organization of the book is proving to be a godsend with all the information I am having to digest at a quick pace. The book can be a bit repetative in some of its examples, though, but I guess it's a method to reach anyone in the audience. My only true gripe is that I do not think that it is worth it's $145 price tag, especially since the International version is selling for a third of the price. The information is exactly the same, but the problems and case studies are different. Still, if this book was meant to cover two base classes, I guess the price could be worse. Amazon, of course, was the best (and most reliable) seller of this item. I needed the normal version, and a lot of sellers on eBay were trying to push the International Version as the regular text.

Microeconomic Principle
The textbook is in good shape and has all the right information.Some of the chapters are switched around in this version so make sure and check the chapter titles if the class is using multiple editions.

Great book - even better than the class I needed it for.
Decent book on the principles of economics!Easy reading, good story segments, worthwhile readings. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (17)

A Must Read for All Non-Economists
This is an amazing book. Everyone that I have given this to book to read has ended up buying a copy for themselves. From 15-59 year olds (and beyond), this book written for you with everyday relevant examples to help you understand the impact and influence of economics. I ended up being fortunate enough to study under Dr.Gwartney himself and this is as close as it gets to studying under him.

very good read on economics
Very interesting, simple and serious book that explains the fundamentals of modern economic system. Highly recommended for anyone interesting in reading.

Common Sense Assignment!
Ordered this book for my son. It is a reading assignment in one of his classes. We check to see if Books a Million had it, they did not but said they could get it in a week. I told him we would get it from Amazon and have it in 2 days for a lot better price. We love Amazon!

Conservative Common Sense, but not Full Common Sense
This book is a careful, sober, and measured conservative economic manifesto, something in the spirit of Henry Hazlett's famous Economics in One Lesson (Three Rivers Press, 1979), but longer and more detailed, with an addition on personal finance. The authors are rather sober and pedantic, so the reading is not great fun, but it is clear and logical.

The section on personal finance is the best part of the book, and covers virtually all important points about wise personal finance. Only the first two of the authors' twelve points require some emendation. Their first point is "discover your comparative advantage." (p. 123) This is of course true---you should do with your life what you are good at doing, not what others want you to do or what you think is morally the best thing to do. We humans have very heterogeneous capacities and we are most contented when we get to exercise those capacities that represent our relative strengths. However, among those activities in which you have a comparative advantage, to that which will give you the most personal satisfaction---this they do not mention. In particular, if you think that you should simply pick a profession that will maximize your income, you are making a bad mistake. Wealth is nice, but not if it is purchased by activities that you do not value and daily routines that you tolerate only because of what they offer in terms of material reward.

Their second point is "Be entrepreneurial. In a market economy, people get ahead by helping others and discovering better ways of doing things." I think this point is probably just wrong. The entrepreneurial spirit is one of several personality types, and is not necessarily associated with "helping others" or "discovering better ways of doing things." The latter two activities are not correlated either. It might be better said that one should try to change the world for the better, either by entrepreneurship, helping others, or being creative.

The authors also offer "ten key elements of economics," "seven major sources of economic progress," and "ten elements of clear thinking about economic progress and the role of government." In every case, the authors offer good advice, but sometimes this advice is, to my mind, biased in an unwarranted way towards a conservative world view. Let me give some examples.

The first of the authors' "ten key elements of economics" is "Incentives matter." This, of course, is a central message of economic theory. If you want people to behave in certain ways, you must supply incentives that lead them to choose to behave as you wish. However, it is simply empirically incorrect that people are only motivated by personal gain and material reward. In a health economy, people have altruistic tendencies that lead them to help others, they have pride in doing their appointed jobs well, for their own sake, and they recognize such character virtues as honesty, trustworthiness, as sense of fairness, and a commitment to reciprocity. It is simply a mistake to think that these moral preferences are simply forms of enlightened self-interest, and that people behave prosocially only because they fear punishment for breaking moral rules. This issue is important because the view that people are selfish money maximizers leads to bad economic policy advice in such areas a criminal law and creating a culture of virtue rather than of corruption in a firm or in society at large.

Their second economic principle is that "there is no free lunch." What they mean by this is that virtually every proposal for intervention in the market economy will benefit some and hurt others. We should always be mindful of who gains, who loses, and how much. For instance, we may impose a quota on imports that saves the jobs of 1,000 workers, but the cost will be to consumers and taxpayers, and can easily amount to two or three times the yearly wages of the workers involved. However, there certainly may be government interventions that create a net surplus of gain for the winners over the cost to the "losers"---I put losers in quotes because in many cases those that pay for an intervention gain from it and do not consider themselves losers at all. For instance, an anti-poverty program that gives young people skills and values that make them into productive and fulfilled citizens may be valued positively by the taxpayers who foot the bill for the program.

The authors' seventh principle is "people earn income by helping others." What they mean is that the salaries of high-paid professionals and the profits of entrepreneurs are not forms of exploitation of the less well off, but rather reflect their contribution to society. This is a very important point---many people deserve every cent that they earn and the idea that their earnings are illegitimate is just wrong-headed. But, what about people who earn by lying and cheating, as we have seen frequently in industry and finance in recent years? They earn money by hurting. Moreover, what about those who have the privilege of inheriting wealth that they have not worked for? It may be that their wealth is justly acquired, but they are not necessarily helping anybody.

The authors' ninth point is that "the `invisible hand' of market prices directs buyers and sellers toward activities that promote the general welfare." This principle is largely correct, but we know that there are several sorts of "market failures" that lead market prices to diverge from social welfare. Conservatives do not like to talk about "externalities," "public goods," and "increasing returns industries," but they are a central part of standard economic theory. When there are market failures, it is worth investigating whether there are state interventions that might correct them. Of course, there are also "state failures," that might make the cure worse than the disease. Still, it is always worth looking for ways of improving market economies through wise state regulation.

I know that many modern social democrats will disagree with the authors' "seven major sources of economic progress," because they involve promoting competitive markets and limiting the extent of government regulation and maintaining low tax rates. However, I think these principles are quite reasonable. There are social problems that require regulation and taxation, including fighting poverty, investing in education and health care, and contributing to environmental integrity. But in many countries regulation and taxation are captured by special interest groups who use the state for personal wealth aggrandizement (so-called "rent-seeking"), and these should be opposed single-mindedly by taxpayers and voters.

As for the "ten elements of clear thinking about economic progress and the role of government," some of their principles are highly contentious.Their second is "government is not a corrective device." This is completely incorrect. There is no advanced modern economy without a strong and large government sector, and the reason for this is that government regulation is a strong and healthy corrective to unbridled market competition. Of course, government can also be captured by special interests, as we have seen above. But social security, public health insurance, food and drug regulation, environmental controls, and a dozen other areas are well served by government regulation. Their sixth principle is that "government slows economic progress when it becomes heavily involved in trying to help some people at the expense of others." (p. 78) This point is generally true, but unemployment insurance, aid to those who are temporarily impoverished, or who are or chronically impoverished through no fault of their own, is not very costly and is immensely socially beneficial. Of course, most of the time when the government helps some, the "some" are well-off middle-class or rich voters with political clout, as the authors stress.

Towards the end of the book, the authors propose draconian constitutional changes that take the power away from the legislative branch of government in the name of fiscal conservatism (p. 117). This includes a constitutional requirement of three-fourths majority in both Houses of Congress for federal expenditures, federal borrowing, and state mandates. This is just right-wing craziness. The idea that our economic ills are due to a bloated government and excessive taxation is seriously overblown, and we have the right to elect legislators that work on majority rule, not something close to unanimity.

Most of the points I have tried to make in my criticism of the authors' economic principles are pretty obvious, and they could be incorporated profitably into their argument. Of course, theirs would not then be a conservative manifesto. It would just be common sense.

A Great Introduction to Economics
This book is a concise and easy to read explanation of a very broad spectrum of economics topics, ,including public choice theory.It also includes a section on very basic personal finance.

For my friends who are trying to understand basic economics on their own, I recommend reading this book this after Russell Robert's books, and "The Best Book on the Market" andbefore Sowell's "Basic Economcs" in that order.
... Read more

Product Description
Economics Made Easy Economics: A Self-Teaching Guide is back in a new and revised edition to help you teach yourself introductory economics quickly and painlessly. Using the most up-to-date information, this new edition gives you a clear picture of the way our economy works. Essential math and analysis skills are presented right at the beginning, so you can understand principles and equations from the start—without a lot of struggle. Whether you use it as an introduction, a review, or a supplement to other materials, Economics: A Self-Teaching Guide, Second Edition is the perfect resource for anyone exploring basic economics. In clear, easy-to-follow language, Steve Slavin covers every aspect of the U.S. economy, including a historical review, resources, macro- and micro-economics, gross domestic product, the economic sectors, inflation and unemployment, fiscal policy, banking and monetary policy, economic theory, supply and demand, and much more. To help you to gauge your understanding of the material, exercises are provided throughout the book and a self-test at the end of each short section sums up all you have learned. With the help of Steve Slavin, economics is no longer a mystery—it’s a fascinating realm of exploration and discussion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Very easy to read
I am using this book for a foundational economics class in grad school, and I'm amazed at how easy it is to read. The author is almost too casual - it catches me by surprise time and time again! But the shift to such a casual approach is a breath of fresh air compared to other required school textbooks.

Excellent Primer: Pleasant Read without a Text Book feel
I have not read an economics book in years but I found this book an excellent primer/refresher. The book breaks down numbers to a rather elementary level, almost too elementary, in order to teach at all levels but the more knowledgable can skip over that and move on through the book. Excellent graphs and examples, no laboriously written detail, straight forward and a very entertaining writing style. Nicest thing about this book, you can blaze through the material while getting a solid grasp. Not for the experienced but a great introduction for young students or for the old hand trying to get a solid refresher. The book also is a very pleasant read without a text book feel.

Love These Guides
This is a great series. More than a book, it's a mini-course in economics. If you have never studied economics, but suddenly need to know the basics (like me) then this is an excellent place to start.

Make no mistake, you have to do the work- you can't just sit back and read. The self-tests throughout each chapter are what make sure you have been paying attention and have grasped the material. You need a bit of discipline to get through. When you do finish, you'll know as much as anyone who has just finished an introductory economics course (as long as you stay on schedule and manage to finish in 1~2 months).

I would recommend this book (or any title in this series) to anyone who needs a basic grasp without formal study, or to someone who is considering going back to school but is not sure if they should take the plunge. Better to start off by paying the price of a book than to commit to a formal (and expensive) course.

good for all beginners
Very simple and easy to understand. This book is great for the MacroEconomics clep test. It gives an overview of MicroEconomics (about 25% of the book), but probably wouldn't be enough for a MicroEconomics clep. Definitely worth buying if you want a good basic overview of Economics.

Craving Straight Facts
I am a Mechanical Engineer with a BSME and minor in Naval Science.My BSME studies required I take eight credits in Economics, in which I did well.But this book surpassed those studies in many ways by dealing straight-away with the basic concepts of world economy, practical theory, history, and practical application, in short... macro-economics;without bogging me down with excessive microeconomics.But ended well with an excellent rehash on microeconomics.The book reads fast for a study book, and the author is a refreshing writer, honest in opinion, but not over opinionated, of good humor.I answered all the questions in the back of each chapter.Felt like I took a no-sweat 3 credit cours.Now I'm ready to study economics in its many specialty subjects.Anyone who is considering economics study on a collegient level, should study this book first;then they'll know.I highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Product Description

For 5000 years shipping has served the world economy and today it provides a sophisticated transport service to every part of the globe. Yet despite its economic complexity, shipping retains much of the competitive cut and thrust of the “perfect” market of classical economics. This blend of sophisticated logistics and larger than life entrepreneurs makes it a unique case study of classical economics in a modern setting.

The enlarged and substantially rewritten Maritime Economics uses historical and theoretical analysis as the framework for a practical explanation of how shipping works today. Whilst retaining the structure of the second edition, its scope is widened to include:

• lessons from 5000 years of commercial shipping history
• shipping cycles back to 1741, with a year by year commentary
• updated chapters on markets; shipping costs; accounts; ship finance and a new chapter on the return on capital
• new chapters on the geography of sea trade; trade theory and specialised cargoes
• updated chapters on the merchant fleet shipbuilding, recycling and the regulatory regime
• a much revised chapter on the challenges and pitfalls of forecasting.

With over 800 pages, 200 illustrations, maps, technical drawings and tables Maritime Economics is the shipping industry’s most comprehensive text and reference source, whilst remaining as one reviewer put it “a very readable book”.

Martin Stopford has enjoyed a distinguished career in the shipping industry as Director of Business Development with British Shipbuilders, Global Shipping Economist with the Chase Manhattan Bank N.A., Chief Executive of Lloyds Maritime Information Services; Managing Director of Clarkson Research Services and an executive Director of Clarksons PLC. He lectures regularly at Cambridge Academy of Transport and is a Visiting Professor at Cass Business School, Dalian Maritime University and Copenhagen Business School.

Customer Reviews (2)

The Definitive, One-Volume Study of Maritime Economics
Quite simply, I cannot speak highly enough of this wonderful tome!It far surpasses any other current study in the field of Maritime Economics (i.e. the shipping industry).Specific chapters cover virtually every conceivable aspect of the field, from history and technology to finance and business cycles.Well written, magnificently thorough, and very engaging, Stopford's classic study (now in its third edition) is a standard-unto-itself -- a decidedly rare achievement for a book in ANY field.Expensive, yes, but absolutely worth the price!A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

One of THE best if not THE best book on Maritime Economics from a Macro perspective
This book provides an excellent macro economic view of the shipping tranportation business. The reason is the author's authoritative knowledge of the field. He has has over 30 years of experience in the field in both the private sector (as an Economist specializing in the field with Chase Manhattan Bank, Chief Executive of Lloyd's Maritme Information Services, Directof of Business Development with British Shipbuilders and an Executive Director of Clarkson's PLC) and academia (as a Professor at Cass Business School, the Cambridge Academy of Transport, Dalian Maritime University and Copenhage Business School).

The book starts out with a historical overview of the shipping industry (lengthier than the 2nd edition of this book) then presents chapters on the organization of the shipping market, shipping market cycles, shipping markets by different categories of vessel (and the cargoes they handle), financial flows, industry financing and insurance, risk, geographic markets, the markets for ships (both new and second hand) as well as for vessels for scrapping, and legal and regulatory structures. All of these are covered very well and provide an excellent overview through 2007 (i.e., just before the shipping bust of 2008). It should be stressed that the book is intended to provide a macro view of the industry as opposed to a micro view (i.e., discussing how vessels are run on a day to day basis). For a good overview of how ships are run on a day to day basis Kendall's "The Business of Shipping" is highly recommended. That book gives an excellent overview of bunkering, how cargoes are handled, manifests, etc. Hence it is an excellent supplement to Stopford's Maritime Economics. Last but not least, Maritime Economics presents many facts that are very difficult to research and find data on as data sources in the shipping industry, unlike most industries, is not that readily available. This is due to the fact that the industry is characterized by privately held companies. Examples of such research includes tables showing breakdowns of vessel costs by labor, fuel, capital costs, etc., depreciation tables, etc. Much of this data is for particular classes of vessel (i.e., panamax cargo vessels, cape tankers, etc.). This information is very difficult to find elsewhere without an large expenditure of money for purchase.

The 2nd Ed. of Maritime Economics (as of October 2009) is still in print and is being sold at about $20 less than this edition. Despite the price differential the 3rd edition is still worth the money. This is so for a number of reasons. One (and the most important) is the fact that it contains data through 2007 (as opposed to the last that only goes through the mid-1990s). In addition, the chapters are expanded over the previous editions and many of the factual tables referred to above (i.e., on cost breakdowns and depreciation schedules) are not available in the previous edition. The extra $20 is well worth any of these. The only weakness of the book is that it is particularly weak with respect to the labour market in this industry.

All and all this book is an excellent introduction to the industry as well as a veritable treasure chest of information, even for those with considerable knowledge in the industry. As a result it is highly recommended for both the student and those with some knowledge of the industry (though, obviously, the former would find it much more beneficial).


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Product Description
The ideal text for undergraduate engineering economy courses--now with new cases.

Since it was first published in 1976, this text has been the market-leading book for the Engineering Economic Analysis course. It has always been characterized by:
A focus on practical applications
* One way to encourage students to read the book, and to remember and apply what they have learned in this course, is to make it interesting. And there is no better way to do that than to infuse the book with real-world examples, problems, and vignettes.
Accessibility
* Most students don't have expertise in accounting or finance. This book takes the time to explain concepts carefully while helping students apply them to engineering situations.
Superior support packages for students and instructors
* To make this course easier to understand, learn, and teach, Oxford University Press offers the best support package available in this market.
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Customer Reviews (10)

Fantastic
Better late than never. I heard of this book late for my exams. Had I gotten it before now I would have written my result even before the exam. The book is fantastic.

Textbook Review
The book is very helpful. The examples are well explaned. I liked the layout of the book.

stats 101
mean median std dev its in there. i don't much care for stats but you can learn how to play cards better :)

great CD!
The CD is great! It is full of songs that are amusing and the lyrics teach me a lot.

Hearsay
I'm taking this class right now.My prof said that this text is even better than the one he (my prof) wrote.He also said there's an interesting backstory to this text: apparently Newnan wrote the book and no one would publish it, so he published it himself.

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