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From Financial Crisis to Stagnation
by Thomas I. PalleyThe US economy today is confronted with the prospect of extended stagnation. This book explores why. Thomas I. Palley argues that the Great Recession and destruction of shared prosperity is due to flawed economic policy over the past thirty years. One flaw was the growth model adopted after 1980 that relied on debt and asset price inflation to fuel growth instead of wages. A second flaw was the model of globalization that created an economic gash. Financial deregulation and the house price bubble kept the economy going by making ever more credit available. As the economy cannibalized itself by undercutting income distribution and accumulating debt, it needed larger speculative bubbles to grow. That process ended when the housing bubble burst. The book explains why the economy is now confronted with stagnation rather than the quick recovery predicted by other accounts.
From Financialisation to Innovation in UK Big Pharma: AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline (Elements in Reinventing Capitalism)
by William Lazonick Antonio Andreoni Öner TulumThe tension between innovation and financialisation is central to the business corporation. Innovation entails a 'retain-and-reinvest' allocation regime that can form a foundation for stable and equitable economic growth. Driven by shareholder-value ideology, financialisation entails a shift to 'downsize-and-distribute'. This Element investigates this tension in global pharmaceuticals, focusing on the two leading UK companies AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline. In the 2000s both adopted US-style governance, including stock buybacks and stock-based executive pay. Over the past decade, however, first AstraZeneca and then GlaxoSmithKline transitioned to innovation. Critical was the cessation of buybacks to refocus capabilities on investing in an innovative drugs pipeline. Enabling this shift were UK corporate-governance institutions that mitigated US-style shareholder-value maximisation. Reinventing capitalism for the sake of stable and equitable economic growth means eliminating value destruction caused by financialisation and supporting value creation through collective and cumulative innovation. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
From Flood Safety to Spatial Management: Expert-Policy Interactions in Dutch and US Flood Governance (Water Governance - Concepts, Methods, and Practice)
by Emmy BergsmaThis book deals with the introduction of a new type of “spatial measures" in flood governance. In contrast to traditional “safety measures" that aim to provide protection against floods by building structural flood defenses such as levees and flood walls, the goal of spatial measures is to reduce the exposure to flood risks by changing the spatial layout of flood-prone areas. By limiting developments and flood-proofing buildings in areas at risk to flooding, investments in structural flood defenses can be circumvented and vulnerabilities reduce. World-wide, spatial measures are gaining attractiveness as a response strategy to increasing flood risks caused by climate change and urbanization. The introduction of spatial measures in flood governance involves more than the simple development of new policies and laws. Research has demonstrated that the implementation of spatial measures can have huge implications for how costs and responsibilities are divided between different levels of governance and between public and private actors, changing the whole organization behind flood governance. Both for the effectiveness and for the legitimacy of spatial flood governance strategies, it is important that these distributive implications are well understood. This book describes the introduction of spatial measures in the context of two very different delta countries: the Netherlands and the United States. In the United States, a spatial flood governance strategy was already developed in de mid-20th century whereas in the Netherlands, a safety paradigm institutionalized over the course of the 20th century and spatial measures have only recently been introduced. By analyzing the science-policy interactions underlying the implementation of spatial measures in both countries, this book shows how under the influence of different types of experts (engineers in the Netherlands and social geographers in the United States) different spatial flood management strategies emerged with different distributive implications, each with its own challenges for effectiveness and legitimacy.
From Followers to Leaders: Managing Technology and Innovation
by Naushad Forbes David WieldThe last years have seen a profusion of books and articles on managing technology, focused almost exclusively on leading edge firms in leading edge countries. This book argues that succeeding as a follower-firm requires learning from many experiences and avoiding simplistic 'how-to' approaches that prescribe one best practice. Individual chapters cover: * the role of innovation on the shop-floor* the importance of mixing process and product innovation* the challenges involved in building an innovation culture* the special role of R&D and design. These topics instruct a deeper understanding of strategy in follower-firms, simultaneously providing insight for public policy in building local technological capacity. Forbes and Wield argue that there are many 'leading edges' which appear in the most unlikely places. Their book contains major case studies from many different firms in twelve countries over five continents, in industry segments as diverse as pharmaceuticals, software, garments, beer and steel. This informative book for students, researchers and professionals in the fields of business, management and information technology shows that successful experiences can arise anywhere in the world.
From Food Scarcity to Surplus: Innovations in Indian, Chinese and Israeli Agriculture
by Alon Tal Ashok Gulati Yuan Zhou Jikun Huang Ritika JunejaThis book brings together unique experiences of India, China and Israel in overcoming economic, social, and natural resource challenges. Through its eleven chapters, the book captures the role of groundbreaking innovations in achieving unprecedented agricultural growth and stabilizing these nations. It provides a future outlook of the new challenges that will confront these countries in 2030 and beyond, related to tackling food and nutrition security, sustainable agricultural growth and adhering to improved food safety standards. This book provides useful insights for exploring technological innovations and policies that can address these future challenges and develop profitable and sustainable agriculture. This volume also highlights valuable lessons that India, China and Israel provide for the rest of the developing world where population is growing fast; natural resources are limited; and it is a challenge to produce enough food, feed and fibre for their populations. Tracing the historical past, this book is an impressive resource for academicians, policymakers, practitioners, agribusiness players, entrepreneurs in understanding the role of innovations in addressing future challenges.
From Foreclosure to Fair Lending: Advocacy, Organizing, Occupy, and the Pursuit of Equitable Credit
by Edited by Chester Hartman and Gregory D. SquiresThis book informs a renewed movement for fair lending and fair housing. Leading advocates and specialists examine strategic initiatives to realize objectives of the federal Fair Housing Act as well as state and local lawsWell-known fair housing and fair lending activists and organizers examine the implications of the new wave of fair housing activism generated by Occupy Wall Street protests and the many successes achieved in fair housing and fair lending over the years. The book reveals the limitations of advocacy efforts and the challenges that remain. Best directions for future action are brought to light by staff of fair housing organizations, fair housing attorneys, community and labor organizers, and scholars who have researched social justice organizing and advocacy movements. The book is written for general interest and academic audiences.Contributors address the foreclosure crisis, access to credit in a changing marketplace, and the immoral hazards of big banks. They examine opportunities in collective bargaining available to homeowners and how low-income and minority households were denied access to historically low home prices and interest rates. Authors question the effectiveness of litigation to uphold the Fair Housing Act's promise of nondiscriminatory home loans and ask how the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is assuring fair lending. They also look at where immigrants stand, housing as a human right, and methods for building a movement.
From Fossil Fuels to Low Carbon Energy Transition: New Regulatory Trends in Latin America (Energy, Climate and the Environment)
by Geoffrey Wood Juan Felipe Neira-CastroFocusing on five key themes - hydrocarbons, electricity, mining, social license to operate, and arbitration/dispute resolution- via in-depth country and regional case studies, this book seeks to capture the contrasting and sometimes conflicting trends in energy governance in Latin America as it wrestles with a dependence on fossil fuels whilst shifting toward a low carbon future. Energy transition continues to sit at the centre of the Latin American policy debate as the world continues to push for carbon neutrality by 2050. Latin America is undergoing a renewable energy transition, with substantial reserves (solar, wind, hydro, geothermal) and many countries in the region setting ambitious renewable energy policies, laws, and regulations to address climate change. However, recent initiatives to promote renewables must be placed in context. Historically, Latin America has developed and improved its economic and social standards due primarily to an economy based on the extractive industries and fossil fuels. This places renewables at the crossroads of multiple drivers, as the region seek to ensure security of supply, attract investment, and facilitate a low carbon energy transition.
From Founder to Future: A Business Roadmap to Impact, Longevity, and Employee Ownership
by John AbramsLearn how to transition leadership, implement shared ownership, and preserve your organization's core values-setting the stage for your business to thrive for generations to come.This visionary but practical handbook offers mission-driven business owners a roadmap for ensuring their company's lasting impact, building leadership internally, and fostering participatory management.Through inspiring real-world stories of B-Corps, worker co-ops, ESOPs, and employee ownership trusts, this book demonstrates how to create resilient organizations that benefit workers and communities.Drawing on his 50-year journey with South Mountain Company and extensive research, Abrams outlines five critical transitions for mission-driven businesses to become what he calls a CommonWealth company:• From founder to next-generation leadership• From sole ownership to widely shared• From hierarchical control to democratic management• From unprotected mission to preserved purpose• From business-as-usual to B Corp force for goodFrom Founder to Future is an essential guide for mission-driven leaders seeking to reshape their businesses for inclusivity, longevity, and positive impact. Whether you're a retiring owner planning your exit, a young entrepreneur building for the future, or an employee working in a purpose-driven business, this book offers a blueprint for creating enduring, values-driven enterprises in the emerging regenerative economy. As 3,000,000 U.S. small business founders over 55 prepare to retire, $10 trillion in assets will change hands over the next two decades. This timely guide shows how to preserve your company's mission and legacy while empowering the next generation.
From Fragmentation to Financial Integration in Europe
by Thierry Tressel Charles Enoch Jianping Zhou Luc EveraertA report from the International Monetary Fund.
From GOP to NFT: Anthony Scaramucci and the Launch of Flatter NFT
by Lauren H. Cohen Richard Ryffel Grace HeadingerAnthony Scaramucci, Managing Director of SkyBridge Capital, considered whether he should officially greenlight the launch of SkyBridge's own NFT platform - Flatter NFT. He had led the investment firm to push first into Bitcoin and then Ethereum to make SkyBridge a central node in the crypto industry. He further believed SkyBridge could differentiate itself from OpenSea and other platforms by tying non-fungible tokens with fungible experiences. The technology behind the platform was solidly proven. However, in his head he weighed the tradeoff between launching a full platform versus other ways of investing in the space. With a potential announcement of the platform pending for the September 2021 SALT NYC conference, Scaramucci believed now was the time to make a decision. The NFT space swelled in users and value by the day. Should SkyBridge jump in or move on to another venture?
From Galileo to Modern Economics: The Italian Origins of Econophysics
by Gianfranco TussetEmpirical laws are rare in economics. This book describes efforts to anchor economic knowledge to invariant empirical laws. It links 17th and 18th century Galilean monetary economists to econophysics, a field that emerged in the mid-1990s. This virtual journey from past to present is charted by episodes on aggregates and empirical primacy. It includes the virtually unknown story of 19th century scholars who, by searching for a stricter mathematical approach, paved the way to an ‘engineering’ view of economics. Then there are celebrities like Pareto and his first empirical law governing the distribution of wealth. Pareto and Amoroso sparked a debate on the skewed distribution that spanned decades, ranging from finance to market transformations, to econophysics, with its concepts and tools inherited from statistical physics. The last stage of the journey goes through econophysics and the recent gradual advances it has made, which show how its position vis-à-vis economics has been changing.
From Global to Local: The World Of Things And The End Of Globalization
by Finbarr LiveseyThis brilliantly original book dismantles the underlying assumptions that drive the decisions made by companies and governments throughout the world, to show that our shared narrative of the global economy is deeply flawed. If left unexamined, they will lead corporations and countries astray, with dire consequences for us all. For the past fifty years or so, the global economy has been run on three big assumptions: that globalization will continue to spread, that trade is the engine of growth and development, and that economic power is moving from the West to the East. More recently, it has also been taken as a given that our interconnectedness—both physical and digital—will increase without limit. But what if all these ideas are wrong? What if everything is about to change? What if it has already begun to change but we just haven't noticed?Increased automation, the advent of additive manufacturing (3D printing, for example), and changes in shipping and environmental pressures, among other factors, are coming together to create a fast-changing global economic landscape in which the rules are being rewritten—at once a challenge and an opportunity for companies and countries alike.
From Gold Teeth to Gold Jacket: My Life in Football and Business
by John Harris Edgerrin JamesHow a young man with a solid work ethic carried himself out of poverty to the pinnacle of professional sports and business. Before he turned sixteen, Edgerrin James had already developed the critical thinking and mental discipline required for him to become one of the most astute business minds in professional sports. Acclaimed as one of the greatest running backs of his generation who was inducted into the 2020 Pro Football Hall of Fame, James is a self-made financial whiz and philanthropist. Selected by the Indianapolis Colts with the fourth overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft and signing the largest contract for a rookie running back in league history, James amassed over 12,000 rushing yards, was a four-time NFL All-Pro, and led the league in rushing in each of his first two seasons. In his new memoir, From Gold Teeth to Gold Jacket, with award-winning sports journalist John Harris and a foreword from fellow teammate and Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, James shares his unique, no-holds-barred perspective in becoming an all-time NFL great while also building a financial empire while raising six children. The product of a single-parent household in one of the most downtrodden rural areas in the state of Florida, James balanced life as a young father as he became one of the best players in college football at the University of Miami. Later, facing what seemed like an insurmountable obstacle after reaching the pros, he overcame a devastating knee injury to leave an indelible mark on the sport. When his football career ended prematurely following the tragic death of the mother of his children, James made a seamless transition to become a successful businessman. This tell-all book, featuring colorful anecdotes from his football career and personal life delivered in conversational prose, draws parallels between sports and business and guides readers on how to develop their own personal game plan to reach their maximum potential.
From Good to Bad Bankers: Lessons Learned from a 50-Year Career in Banking
by Aristóbulo de JuanBankers are administrators of other people’s money, and they are responsible both to their depositors and to other stakeholders. Human nature being what it is, however, they sometimes fall prey to overweening ambition, coming to see themselves as the rightful beneficiaries of the moneys entrusted to them. This can lead them to make poor lending decisions and engage in risky practices, eventually moving on to cosmetic accounting and the concealment of problems, speculation and even outright fraud.Supervisors are there to prevent such behaviour, of course. They are responsible to government and the general public alike for the stability of the financial system, the proper allocation of financial resources by the banks and the protection of depositors and creditors. Their responsibility is, then, subsidiary to that of the bankers themselves.Where supervision is lax and ineffective, however, it encourages bad management by bankers, creating a vicious circle that eventually leads to financial crises, which has most often to be cured using tax-payers’ money. Of course, it also hurts the broader economy. That is why the inseparable trio of regulation, supervision and resolution must exist.In this collection of his writings over a period of some 50 years, Aristóbulo de Juan describes the causes, characteristics and consequences of financial crises based on his own experience as a central banker, world bank expert and consultant spanning a career of more than 55 years.In a nutshell, the papers brought together in this book recount circumstances that have always plagued banking, and that are only too likely to recur in the future.
From Goods to a Good Life: Intellectual Property and Global Justice
by Madhavi SunderMost scholarship on intellectual property considers this law from the standpoint of law and economics. Under this conventional wisdom, intellectual property is simply a tool for promoting innovative products, from iPods to R2D2. In this highly original book Madhavi Sunder calls for a richer understanding of intellectual property law's effects on social and cultural life. Intellectual property does more than incentivize the production of more goods. This law fundamentally affects the ability of citizens to live a good life. Intellectual property law governs the abilities of human beings to make and share culture, and to profit from this enterprise in a global Knowledge economy. This book turns to social and cultural theory to more fully explore the deep connections between cultural production and human freedom.
From Goodwill to Grunge: A History of Secondhand Styles and Alternative Economies (Studies in United States Culture)
by Jennifer Le ZotteIn this surprising new look at how clothing, style, and commerce came together to change American culture, Jennifer Le Zotte examines how secondhand goods sold at thrift stores, flea markets, and garage sales came to be both profitable and culturally influential. Initially, selling used goods in the United States was seen as a questionable enterprise focused largely on the poor. But as the twentieth century progressed, multimillion-dollar businesses like Goodwill Industries developed, catering not only to the needy but increasingly to well-off customers looking to make a statement. Le Zotte traces the origins and meanings of "secondhand style" and explores how buying pre-owned goods went from a signifier of poverty to a declaration of rebellion.Considering buyers and sellers from across the political and economic spectrum, Le Zotte shows how conservative and progressive social activists--from religious and business leaders to anti-Vietnam protesters and drag queens--shrewdly used the exchange of secondhand goods for economic and political ends. At the same time, artists and performers, from Marcel Duchamp and Fanny Brice to Janis Joplin and Kurt Cobain, all helped make secondhand style a visual marker for youth in revolt.
From Grand Challenges to Great Solutions: 20th Workshop on e-Business, WeB 2021, Virtual Event, December 11, 2021, Revised Selected Papers (Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing #443)
by Kexin Zhao Shaokun Fan Noyan Ilk Zhe ShanThis book constitutes revised selected papers from the 20th Workshop on e-Business, WeB 2021, which took place virtually on December 11, 2021.The purpose of WeB is to provide a forum for researchers and practitioners to discuss findings, novel ideas, and lessons learned to address major challenges and map out the future directions for e-Business. The WeB 2021 theme was “From Grand Challenges to Great Solutions: Digital Transformation in the Age of COVID-19.” The 8 papers included in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from a total of 24 submissions. The contributions are organized in topical sections as follows: digital innovation and transformation, and e-commerce and social media.
From Great to Gone: Why FMCG Companies are Losing the Race for Customers
by Peter Lorange Jimmi RembiszewskiThe modern consumer is no longer attracted by single-minded, predictable and one-benefit-focused brand promises. The old-fashioned FMCG communication strategies based on television, radio and print with constant repetition have become outdated. From Great to Gone shows that what’s needed are ’Lego’ strategies, whereby the marketing and communication strategies are built up by many key facets (like building blocks) and delivered to the consumer through a mix of various touch points. Most importantly, you need to leave consumers to put all of that together themselves. There are major internal and external hurdles to transforming FMCGs successfully into FICGs - Fast Innovating Consumer Goods. It requires new brand strategies and flatter, more top-down than bottom-up, decision-making organisations and a 21st-century model for advertising agencies. Externally these companies need a new route to market through transformation of their old retail dependencies. Changes are also required in all communication delivery, reflecting modern consumers’ connectivity and unlimited access to information. In the book the authors showcase what the winners of the 21st century have in common that has enabled them to become FICGs. New, unimagined models continue emerge, to which, with the authors’ guidance producers and retailers may develop their own sustainable responses.
From Greed to Wellbeing: A Buddhist Approach to Resolving Our Economic and Financial Crises
by Joel MagnusonDespite our fitful attempts over decades at reform, the global financial system seems caught in cycles of boom and bust, instability, and scandal. In this timely new book, Joel Magnuson builds on the classic works of E. F. Schumacher and other kindred spirits to provide a Buddhist economics perspective on this recurring pattern, and offers new possibilities for real change. The book centers on the belief that greed, aggression, and delusion (Buddhism’s “three poisons”) are embedded within our financial institutions and that they perpetuate the continued widespread attachment to endless economic growth and financial accumulation that are responsible for social and ecological malaise. Arguing that mainstream economics fails to adequately address this cycle, Magnuson presents a new framework of Buddhist economics, helping readers gain a deeper understanding of current economic problems and offering a course toward genuine wellbeing.
From Group Conflict to Social Harmony: Leading Across Diverse and Conflicting Social Identities
by Michael A. HoggLeaders almost always must provide leadership for a constituency that encompasses not merely diverse individuals but also diverse groups that in many cases simply do not get along. More often than not, the great challenge of leadership is in being an effective intergroup leader. Another, often underappreciated feature of effective leadership is the ability to provide a constituency with a shared identity that embodies a single vision and common set of values, attitudes, goals, and practices. This chapter explores the dynamics of intergroup leadership from the perspective of social identity theory, a social psychology theory that explores the psychological relationships between self-conception and the behavior of people within and between groups. Specifically, the author looks at how leaders who are considered by a group's members to best embody the group's defining attributes can be most effective. This chapter was previously published as chapter 2 of "Crossing the Divide: Intergroup Leadership in a World of Difference."
From Hang Time to Prime Time: Business, Entertainment, and the Birth of the Modern-Day NBA
by Pete CroattoPerfect for fans of Moneyball and The Book of Basketball, this vivid, thoroughly entertaining, and well-researched book explores the NBA&’s surge in popularity in the 1970s and 1980s and its transformation into a global cultural institution. Far beyond simply being a sports league, the NBA has become an entertainment and pop culture juggernaut. From all kinds of team logo merchandise to officially branded video games and players crossing over into reality television, film, fashion lines, and more, there is an inseparable line between sports and entertainment. But only four decades ago, this would have been unthinkable. Featuring writing that leaps off the page with energy and wit, journalist and basketball fan Pete Croatto takes us behind the scenes to the meetings that lead to the monumental American Basketball Association–National Basketball Association merger in 1976, revolutionizing the NBA&’s image. He pays homage to legendary talents including Julius &“Dr. J&” Erving, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan and reveals how two polar-opposite rookies, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, led game attendance to skyrocket and racial lines to dissolve. Croatto also dives into CBS&’s personality-driven coverage of key players, as well as other cable television efforts, which launched NBA players into unprecedented celebrity status. Essential reading whether you&’re a casual or longtime fan, From Hang Time to Prime Time is an enthralling and entertaining celebration of basketball history.
From Head Shops to Whole Foods: The Rise and Fall of Activist Entrepreneurs
by Joshua C. DavisIn the 1960s and '70s, a diverse range of storefronts--including head shops, African American bookstores, feminist businesses, and organic grocers--brought the work of the New Left, Black Power, feminism, environmentalism, and other movements into the marketplace. Through shared ownership, limited growth, and democratic workplaces, these activist entrepreneurs offered alternatives to conventional profit-driven corporate business models. By the middle of the 1970s, thousands of these enterprises operated across the United States--but only a handful survive today. Some, such as Whole Foods Market, have abandoned their quest for collective political change in favor of maximizing profits. Vividly portraying the struggles, successes, and sacrifices of these unlikely entrepreneurs,From Head Shops to Whole Foodswrites a new history of social movements and capitalism by showing how activists embraced small businesses in a way few historians have considered. The book challenges the widespread but mistaken idea that activism and political dissent are inherently antithetical to participation in the marketplace. Joshua Clark Davis uncovers the historical roots of contemporary interest in ethical consumption, social enterprise, buying local, and mission-driven business, while also showing how today's companies have adopted the language--but not often the mission--of liberation and social change.
From Head Shops to Whole Foods: The Rise and Fall of Activist Entrepreneurs (Columbia Studies in the History of U.S. Capitalism)
by Joshua DavisIn the 1960s and ’70s, a diverse range of storefronts—including head shops, African American bookstores, feminist businesses, and organic grocers—brought the work of the New Left, Black Power, feminism, environmentalism, and other movements into the marketplace. Through shared ownership, limited growth, and democratic workplaces, these activist entrepreneurs offered alternatives to conventional profit-driven corporate business models. By the middle of the 1970s, thousands of these enterprises operated across the United States—but only a handful survive today. Some, such as Whole Foods Market, have abandoned their quest for collective political change in favor of maximizing profits.Vividly portraying the struggles, successes, and sacrifices of these unlikely entrepreneurs, From Head Shops to Whole Foods writes a new history of social movements and capitalism by showing how activists embraced small businesses in a way few historians have considered. The book challenges the widespread but mistaken idea that activism and political dissent are inherently antithetical to participation in the marketplace. Joshua Clark Davis uncovers the historical roots of contemporary interest in ethical consumption, social enterprise, buying local, and mission-driven business, while also showing how today’s companies have adopted the language—but not often the mission—of liberation and social change.
From Hello to Goodbye: Proactive Tips for Maintaining Positive Employee Relations
by Christine V. WaltersUnderstanding the full scope of the employee experience - from entry to exit - strengthens HR's impact and mitigates risk. Evaluating the complete employment relationship in reverse - from departure through hire - From Hello to Goodbye is the HR professional's complete guide to understanding the various ways business relationships end, managing disability and leave issues, properly classifying workers, maintaining an inclusive workplace, increasing retention and avoiding litigation.This updated second edition incorporates new legal developments, best practices and compliance requirements while offering practical advice on managing emotional reactions, making the case for inclusion and addressing workplace safety.A trusted resource for HR professionals, the book blends legal insight with hands-on tips to support both people and organizational health.
From Here to Economy
by Buchholz Todd G.What is the GDP, and what does it mean? Why does the stock market go down when interest rates go up? What causes a dreaded recession? Economics impacts everyone's life, but most people take on faith what they read in the newspaper. Now, for anyone who doesn't know much about economics, noted economist Todd Buchholz explains it all simply and clearly. With refreshing wit and irreverence, Buchholz takes readers by the hand and reveals the basic rules behind everything from food prices to trade deficits. Instead of complicated graphs and charts he uses examples from contemporary life and popular culture to demonstrate the principles at work. By cutting through the arcane musings of academicians, the jargon of analysts and advisors, and the rhetoric of politicians, he gives us a precise and accessible understanding of economic ideas, actions, and consequences as they actually exist in the here and now. Here are some of the heretofore unintelligible ideas he helps us to understand: what causes or combats inflation, and why it is so feared; what moves stocks and bonds up and down - and how to invest wisely and safely; whether it is good or bad to "protect" America from foreign goods - and what happens when we do and when we don't; what exactly Social Security is, and whether government spending is good or bad - and how dangerous the national debt is or isn't. In today's confusing economic climate, it has never been more important for everyone from homemakers to small-business owners to individual investors and middle managers to understand the forces at work. .