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The Philosophy of Ralph Waldo Emerson (Routledge Studies in American Philosophy)
by Joseph UrbasThis study offers the first comprehensive account of Emerson's philosophy since his philosophical rehabilitation began in the late 1970s. It builds on the historical reconstruction proposed in the author's previous book, Emerson's Metaphysics, and like that study draws on the entire Emerson corpus—the poetry and sermons included. The aim here is expository. The overall though not exclusive emphasis is on identity, as the first term of Emerson's metaphysics of identity and flowing or metamorphosis. This metaphysics, or general conception of the nature of reality, is what grounds his epistemology and ethics, as well as his esthetic, religious, and political thought. Acknowledging its primacy enables a general account like this to avoid the anti-realist overemphasis on epistemology and language that has often characterized rehabilitation readings of his philosophy. After an initial chapter on Emerson's metaphysics, the subsequent chapters devoted to the other branches of his thought also begin with their "necessary foundation" in identity, which is the law of things and the law of mind alike. Perception of identity in metamorphosis is what characterizes the philosopher, the poet, the scientist, the reformer, and the man of faith and virtue. Identity of mind and world is felt in what Emerson calls the moral sentiment. Identity is Emerson's answer to the Sphinx-riddle of life experienced as a puzzling succession of facts and events.
Growth and Competitive Strategy in 3 Circles
by Joel E. Urbany James H. DavisGrowth and competitive advantage are about effective positioning. Building effective positioning is challenging today for firms facing new and stronger competition, volatile and uncertain markets, and shifting customer desires and demands. The 3-Circle model facilitates speed of understanding and action by focusing attention on the most critical strategy concepts in this uncertain environment. Growth strategy emerges in the model from systematically addressing four key strategy directives in a deep and disciplined way: 1. define, build, and defend the unique value you create for customers; 2. correct, eliminate, or reveal value that is failing customers, which they're not aware of; 3. potentially neutralize the unique value created for customers by competitors; 4. explore and exploit new growth opportunities through deep understanding of customers' unmet needs.
Beyond the Steppe Frontier: A History of the Sino-Russian Border (Studies of the Weatherhead East Asian Institute)
by Sören UrbanskyThe Sino-Russian border, once the world’s longest land border, has received scant attention in histories about the margins of empires. Beyond the Steppe Frontier rectifies this by exploring the demarcation’s remarkable transformation—from a vaguely marked frontier in the seventeenth century to its twentieth-century incarnation as a tightly patrolled barrier girded by watchtowers, barbed wire, and border guards. Through the perspectives of locals, including railroad employees, herdsmen, and smugglers from both sides, Sören Urbansky explores the daily life of communities and their entanglements with transnational and global flows of people, commodities, and ideas. Urbansky challenges top-down interpretations by stressing the significance of the local population in supporting, and undermining, border making.Because Russian, Chinese, and native worlds are intricately interwoven, national separations largely remained invisible at the border between the two largest Eurasian empires. This overlapping and mingling came to an end only when the border gained geopolitical significance during the twentieth century. Relying on a wealth of sources culled from little-known archives from across Eurasia, Urbansky demonstrates how states succeeded in suppressing traditional borderland cultures by cutting kin, cultural, economic, and religious connections across the state perimeter, through laws, physical force, deportation, reeducation, forced assimilation, and propaganda.Beyond the Steppe Frontier sheds critical new light on a pivotal geographical periphery and expands our understanding of how borders are determined.
After World: A Novel
by Debbie UrbanskiOne of Booklist's Top 10 SF/Fantasy and Horror Debuts: 2024 One of Los Angeles Times&’s Best Tech Books of 2023 One of San Francisco Chronicle&’s Favorite Books of 2023 A Climate Reality Project Book Club Pick An &“intelligent, defiant&” (San Francisco Chronicle) debut that follows an Artificial Intelligence tasked with writing a novel—only for it to fall in love with the novel&’s subject, Sen, the last human on Earth.Faced with the uncontrolled and accelerating environmental collapse, humanity asks an artificial intelligence to find a solution. Its answer is simple: remove humans from the ecosystem. Sen Anon is assigned to be a witness for the Department of Transition, recording the changes in the environment as the world begins to rewild. Abandoned by her mother in a cabin somewhere in upstate New York, Sen will observe the monumental ecological shift known as the Great Transition, the final step in Project Afterworld. Around her drones buzz, cameras watch, microphones listen, digitizing her every move. Privately she keeps a journal of her observations, which are then uploaded and saved, joining the rest of humanity on Maia, a new virtual home. Sen was seventeen years old when the Digital Human Archive Project (DHAP) was initiated. 12,000,203,891 humans have been archived so far. Only Sen remains. [storyworker] ad39-393a-7fbc&’s assignment is to capture Sen&’s life, and they set about doing this using the novels of the 21st century as a roadmap. As Sen struggles to persist in the face of impending death, [storyworker] ad39-393a-7fbc works to unfurl the tale of Sen&’s whole life, offering up an increasingly intimate narrative until they are confronted with a very human problem of their own. After World is a &“riveting, creepy…dazzling,&” (Kimberly King Parsons, award-winning author of Black Light) novel about what it means to be human in a world upended by AI and the bonds we forge with technology.
Portalmania: Stories
by Debbie UrbanskiIf you could go anywhere, where would you go? And what happens to the people you leave behind?From the author of After World comes a genre-busting collection of stories that reveal our lives in a startling new light, perfect for fans of Kelly Link and Carmen Maria Machado In Portalmania, Debbie Urbanski wields sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and realism to build a dark mirror that she holds up to the ordinary world. Within the sharply imagined landscape of this collection, portals appear in linen closets, planetary gateways materialize in boarding schools, monsters wait in bathroom vents, and transformations of women&’s bodies are an everyday occurrence. Political division causes physical rifts that break apart the Earth&’s crust. A son on another planet sends dispatches home to the mother who failed him, and a wife turns to the supernatural to escape her abusive marriage. Portals are not only doorways found in children&’s classics, but separations, escapes, dead ends, desertions, and choices that will change these characters&’ lives forever. Against a fantastical backdrop, these stories dive bravely into the shadowy depths of betrayal, parenthood, revenge, murder, coercive sex, open marriages, asexuality, neurodiversity, and second chances. What if we&’re not the ideal parents for our children? What if we&’re not the ideal person to live our own life? Portalmania questions why we love as we do and asks if we have enough courage to reimagine desire.
Too Many Dragons
by Debbie UrbanskiThere are too many dragons in Skoki's world for her liking. Luckily, she meets a new friend who introduces her to a different creature.
Too Many Stinkbugs
by Debbie UrbanskiWhen the exterminator gets called, Charlie races off to a magical world looking for help from his friend to save the stinkbugs in his house. Together they must convince the boy’s parents that the stinkbugs aren’t pests; in fact, they are pretty nice to have around. Convincing his parents will not be easy. Will the friends be able to save the stinkbugs in time?
The Very, Very, Very Long Hike
by Debbie UrbanskiA story about two moms and their two children, Edun and Will, going on a hiking and camping trip in the mountains. At first, grump Edun doesn't want to hike, but she comes to love the imagination and wonder of the outdoors. She discovers animal tracks, rocks, and trees, and then takes a drink of water from a glacier.
Using the Workshop Approach in the High School English Classroom: Modeling Effective Writing, Reading, and Thinking Strategies for Student Success
by Cynthia D. UrbanskiTake a peek into an effective workshop-based classroom and discover how you can enhance adolescents' technical and creative abilities in reading, writing, and thinking.
Using the Workshop Approach in the High School English Classroom: Modeling Effective Writing, Reading, and Thinking Strategies for Student Success
by Cynthia D. UrbanskiDo you find that preparing for standardized tests interferes with teaching advanced thinking, reading, and writing skills in a meaningful way? Do you want to balance test preparation with more creative activities? Success in school and beyond depends on one’s ability to read fluently, write coherently, and think critically. This handbook uses the workshop model for exponentially increasing adolescents’ abilities in these three key areas. This practical guide addresses the daily running and practice of a workshop-based classroom, using research and the author’s own experiences to illustrate how to establish a workshop that: Fosters lasting learning while reinforcing the skills needed for standardized tests Teaches audience and purpose as a vehicle to style and structure Provides a supportive and lively environment in which students are comfortable enough to take risks and share original ideas Try Urbanski’s approach to teaching literacy analysis and mentoring student writers, and discover just how rewarding the workshop experience can be!
Medieval Monstrosity: Imagining the Monstrous in Medieval Europe
by Charity UrbanskiThis volume examines various manifestations and understandings of the concept of monstrosity in medieval Europe around 500-1500 ce through a collection of contextual chapters and primary sources. The main chapters focus on a specific theme, a type of monster or representation of monstrosity, and consist of a contextual essay synthesizing recent scholarship on that theme, excerpts from primary sources and a bibliography of additional primary and secondary sources on the topics addressed in the chapter. In addition to building upon the wealth of scholarship on monsters and monstrosity produced in recent decades, the book engages with the current fascination with monsters in popular culture, especially in movies, television, and video games. The book presents a survey of medieval monstrosity for a non-specialist audience and provides a theoretical framework for interpreting the monstrous. This book is ideal for undergraduate students working on the theme of monstrosity, as well as being useful for undergraduate courses that cover the supernatural and manifestations of the monstrous covered in the book. With materials drawn from a wide range of medieval sources, it will also appeal to courses in English, French, Art History, and Medieval Studies.
Writing History for the King: Henry II and the Politics of Vernacular Historiography
by Charity UrbanskiWriting History for the King is at once a reassessment of the reign of Henry II of England (1133–1189) and an original contribution to our understanding of the rise of vernacular historiography in the high Middle Ages. Charity Urbanski focuses on two dynastic histories commissioned by Henry: Wace's Roman de Rou (c. 1160–1174) and Benoît de Sainte-Maure’s Chronique des ducs de Normandie (c. 1174–1189). In both cases, Henry adopted the new genre of vernacular historical writing in Old French verse in an effort to disseminate a royalist version of the past that would help secure a grip on power for himself and his children. Wace was the first to be commissioned, but in 1174 the king abruptly fired him, turning the task over to Benoît de Sainte-Maure.Urbanski examines these histories as part of a single enterprise intended to cement the king’s authority by enhancing the prestige of Henry II’s dynasty. In a close reading of Wace’s Rou, she shows that it presented a less than flattering picture of Henry’s predecessors, in effect challenging his policies and casting a shadow over the legitimacy of his rule. Benoît de Sainte-Maure’s Chronique, in contrast, mounted a staunchly royalist defense of Anglo-Norman kingship. Urbanski reads both works in the context of Henry’s reign, arguing that as part of his drive to curb baronial power he sought a history that would memorialize his dynasty and solidify its claim to England and Normandy.
The Heart of Simple Living: 7 Paths to a Better Life
by Wanda UrbanskaThe Heart of Simple Living is your road map to a more balanced life - a life centered on self-discovery. Fewer possessions. More time. More friends. More meaning. This book will help you identify objectives for your life and create awareness of your actions and finances, while planning for your future.This inspirational book delivers seven tangible and actionable paths, woven together with real-life stories and humor along the way. You can follow these paths sequentially or cherry-pick them one at a time. Pursuing a life of simplicity is a journey, and as you blaze the trail to your simple life, celebrate the magic and joy of family, ritual and community - the perfect prescription for essential good health and well-being.
Kotlin Standard Library Cookbook: Master the powerful Kotlin standard library through practical code examples
by Samuel UrbanowiczBuild optimized applications in Kotlin by learning how to smartly implement standard libraries.Key FeaturesGet the most out of the Kotlin library to develop high-quality portable applicationsExplore the powerful support for data processing and I/O operationsDiscover ways to enhance your Android application developmentBook DescriptionGiven the verbosity of Java, developers have turned to Kotlin for effective software development. The Kotlin standard library provides vital tools that make day-to-day Kotlin programming easier. This library features the core attributes of the language, such as algorithmic problems, design patterns, data processing, and working with files and data streams.The recipes in this book offer coding solutions that can be readily executed. The book covers various topics related to data processing, I/O operations, and collections transformation. We'll walk through effective design patterns in Kotlin and you'll understand how coroutines add new features to JavaScript.As you make your way through the chapters, you'll learn how to implement clean, reusable functions and scalable interfaces containing default implementations. In the concluding chapters, we'll provide recipes on functional programming concepts, such as lambdas, monads, functors, and Kotlin scoping functions.By the end of the book, you'll be able to address a range of problems that Kotlin developers face by implementing easy-to-follow solutions.What you will learnWork with ranges, progressions, and sequences in use casesAdd new functionalities to current classes with Kotlin extensionsUnderstand elements such as lambdas, closures, and monadsBuild a REST API consumer with Retrofit and a coroutine adapterDiscover useful tips and solutions for making your Android projectsExplore the benefits of standard library featuresWho this book is forThis book is for software developers who are familiar with Kotlin’s basics and want to discover more advanced features and concepts, especially those provided by the Kotlin standard library. It’s also ideal for experienced software developers who are familiar with the functional programming paradigm and other programming languages who want to switch to Kotlin. It will also help Java developers switch to Kotlin and integrate it into existing Java Virtual Machine (JVM) projects.
The Bully Blockers Club
by Jackie Urbanovic Teresa BatemanLotty Raccoon is excited. This year she has a new teacher, new backpack, and new shoes. But her enthusiasm quickly wanes when Grant Grizzly begins bullying her. <P><P>At the advice of her brother and sister, Lotty tries ignoring Grant and making a joke of it all, but neither approach works. When her parents hear about Grant, Lotty's dad talks to the teacher. <P>Although the teacher speaks to Grant and Lotty, now Grant just bullies her when no adult is around. After talking to her family again, Lotty comes up with an idea. She notices other kids are being bullied by Grant, too. <P> She gathers everyone together and they form a club--The Bully Blockers Club. <P>Now when Grant tries to bully someone, the other kids speak up. That gets an adult's attention, and Grant stops his bullying!
Ducks in a Row (I Can Read Level 1)
by Jackie UrbanovicMax wants to feel needed, but no one wants his help with anything. Then his aunts show up for a visit—and they need his help with everything. Between making their snacks, running their baths, fixing their appliances, and preparing their beds, Max is exhausted. Will they ever leave so Max can get back to relaxing?
Prince of a Frog
by Jackie UrbanovicThe New York Times bestselling author/illustrator Jackie Urbanovic brings us a cute and clever twist on the classic fairy tale THE FROG PRINCE.Hopper is a frog...a wild frog...a hopelessly hoppy, rambunctious frog that doesn't fit in at the pond. But he can't figure out why. Until one day when a wise turtle suggests that maybe he's not really a frog at all. Maybe he's a prince. So starts Hopper's adventure to find his princess and unlock his true royal self. Will our hero find a princess? And if he does, will his transformation be everything he had hoped for?A hilarious story about finding your true friends and your true self, PRINCE OF A FROG is a triumphant and special read-aloud that brings a new meaning to the term: Happy (Hoppy) Endings!
Amor improbable
by Arturo UrbanosA veces la mejor manera de encontrar el amor es buscándote a ti mismo. Aaron Fields solo hace un año que trabaja como psicólogo. Por eso, cuando se encuentra en su bandeja de entrada con un correo que lleva la firma de la noble familia Spencer reclamando sus servicios, piensa que sus amigos le están gastando una broma de mal gusto. Después de todo, acabó su máster hace poco. Pero no es ninguna trampa: el joven conde de Spencer, John, quiere contratarlo. Nada comienza con buen pie entre ellos. Dos personas tan distintas, de clases sociales tan diferenciadas, de mundos tan separados, no pueden llevarse bien... Y sin embargo, poco a poco irán descolocando la vida del otro. Demostrándose a sí mismos que sus prejuicios no siempre son acertados, y que la amistad puede formarse incluso en situaciones extrañas. Y donde hay amistad, puede empezar a jugar la atracción... y algo más. ¿Estarán preparados para afrontar todo lo que ello conlleva? Porque la vida está llena de roles que interpretar, muros que destruir y personas de las que enamorarse.
Introductory Electrical Engineering With Math Explained in Accessible Language: Math Foundation Explained
by Magno UrbanoOffers an understanding of the theoretical principles in electronic engineering, in clear and understandable terms Introductory Electrical Engineering With Math Explained in Accessible Language offers a text that explores the basic concepts and principles of electrical engineering. The author—a noted expert on the topic—explains the underlying mathematics involved in electrical engineering through the use of examples that help with an understanding of the theory. The text contains clear explanations of the mathematical theory that is needed to understand every topic presented, which will aid students in engineering courses who may lack the necessary basic math knowledge. Designed to breakdown complex math concepts into understandable terms, the book incorporates several math tricks and knowledge such as matrices determinant and multiplication. The author also explains how certain mathematical formulas are derived. In addition, the text includes tables of integrals and other tables to help, for example, find resistors’ and capacitors’ values. The author provides the accessible language, examples, and images that make the topic accessible and understandable. This important book: • Contains discussion of concepts that go from the basic to the complex, always using simplified language • Provides examples, diagrams, and illustrations that work to enhance explanations • Explains the mathematical knowledge that is crucial to understanding electrical concepts • Contains both solved exercises in-line with the explanations Written for students, electronic hobbyists and technicians, Introductory Electrical Engineering With Math Explained in Accessible Language is a much-needed text that is filled with the basics concepts of electrical engineering with the approachable math that aids in an understanding of the topic.
Troubleshooting Xcode
by Magno UrbanoTroubleshooting Xcode is a handbook for software developers of all levels creating applications for iOS and OS X using both Objective-C and Swift. If you''ve struggled in the past to make Xcode work as expected, to solve problems that defy logic, and to understand Xcode''s misleading or cryptic error messages and unexpected crashes, Troubleshooting Xcode is for you. Troubleshooting Xcode is great for the developer wanting to extend his or her knowledge about obscure problems and limitations involving the use of Xcode, Objective-C, and Swift as well as how to use automation to increase productivity and make some repetitive tasks easier. What you''ll learn Learn about some classical bugs and limitations of iOS, OS X, and Xcode and how to solve or avoid them. Know when you should never use Storyboards for your OS X application. Discover several workarounds you can use to bypass some of the hardest problems you may face. Know how to use scripts to automate repetitive tasks like the creation of in- app purchase packages or icons for your application. Understand how you can create images that are better compressed and smaller. Learn how to avoid falling into common pitfalls. Learn how to use C to workaround some Objective-C limitations. Who this book is for iOS and OS X developers who need to troubleshoot problems and limitations with Xcode. Developers with all levels of experience will find helpful information in Troubleshooting Xcode. Table of Contents Xcode crashing when opening a project file The identity used to sign the executable is invalid Xcode fails to compile and blames "SBPartialInfo" No matching provisioning profiles found Compressing images better than Photoshop Creating packages for in-app purchases Reduce up to 75% of the compiling time Declaring impossible "constants" in Objective-C Concurrency with Core Data Creating icons for your apps from Terminal UINavigationBar tint not working Debugging an insanely hard Quartz error Adding objects to a mutable array concurrently The app is damaged and can''t be opened Application failing to obtain a receipt Classes with the same name on different targets A case against Base Internationalization Checking for missing Localizable. strings You are declaring your NSString wrong CocoaPods: /Manifest. lock: No such file or directory Asset Catalogs bug App crashing without giving you clues NSUserDefaults not working for a sandboxed app Interface elements not updating Find and replace using regex Extracting a dictionary from an array Magical way of counting elements on an array OS X app not launching with the correct size Detecting the application target Disabling a method Deprecating a method Xcode "beachballs" when opening a project UIButton not grayed out Catching memory corruption SpriteKit crashing on didBeginContact: SpriteKit object not respecting boundaries A case against using Storyboards for Cocoa apps UIView Classes with independent rounded corners Making NSViews compatible with UIViews Detect with the UIPickerView stops spinning "Insane" NSDates Localizing the application name Centering views horizontally with Auto Layout Elements grayed out on Storyboard after copying Debugging Core Data "The package does not contain an Info. plist" Check the version of an app on the App Store Power tips: Beyond Xcode
Elements of Sustainable Architecture
by Rosa Urbano Gutiérrez Laura de la Plaza HidalgoFor sustainable architecture to become a reality, the way we design buildings needs to change. Many architects are concerned that sustainable technologies may interfere with a building’s aesthetic appearance, and so these are often ‘added on’ once the design process is complete. Elements of Sustainable Architecture solves this dilemma by helping students to develop the design skills they need to create sustainable buildings – ensuring that ecological considerations are applied throughout the design process. Restoring the primacy of aesthetics and creativity to sustainable design, the book focuses on strategies that have the greatest impact on building design. It also shows the influence of sustainability considerations on choices about aspects such as composition, form, space, tectonics, materials, colour, textures, proportion and position. Specifically designed to offer a new way of understanding architecture, the book: introduces students to the basic principles and methods of sustainable design; features current examples and inspiring case studies to support learning step by step; presents information in a visually appealing, intuitive, easy-to-understand way; includes over 500 high-quality colour diagrams, drawings, sketches and photographs. A clear, visual introduction to creating aesthetically beautiful and sustainable buildings, this is essential reading for students in sustainable architecture courses.
Spatial Database for GPS Wildlife Tracking Data
by Ferdinando Urbano Francesca CagnacciThis book guides animal ecologists, biologists and wildlife and data managers through a step-by-step procedure to build their own advanced software platforms to manage and process wildlife tracking data. This unique, problem-solving-oriented guide focuses on how to extract the most from GPS animal tracking data, while preventing error propagation and optimizing analysis performance. Based on the open source PostgreSQL/PostGIS spatial database, the software platform will allow researchers and managers to integrate and harmonize GPS tracking data together with animal characteristics, environmental data sets, including remote sensing image time series, and other bio-logged data, such as acceleration data. Moreover, the book shows how the powerful R statistical environment can be integrated into the software platform, either connecting the database with R, or embedding the same tools in the database through the PostgreSQL extension Pl/R. The client/server architecture allows users to remotely connect a number of software applications that can be used as a database front end, including GIS software and WebGIS. Each chapter offers a real-world data management and processing problem that is discussed in its biological context; solutions are proposed and exemplified through ad hoc SQL code, progressively exploring the potential of spatial database functions applied to the respective wildlife tracking case. Finally, wildlife tracking management issues are discussed in the increasingly widespread framework of collaborative science and data sharing. GPS animal telemetry data from a real study, freely available online, are used to demonstrate the proposed examples. This book is also suitable for undergraduate and graduate students, if accompanied by the basics of databases
Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurial Innovations: Policies Across Continents (International Studies in Entrepreneurship #51)
by David Urbano Maribel GuerreroEvidence suggests that economies with technology transfer initiatives provide a better supply of high-quality jobs and tend to be characterized by entrepreneurs with higher innovation contributions. This book explores the effectiveness of technology transfer policies and legislation on entrepreneurial innovation in a non-US context. It analyses the theoretical, empirical and managerial implications behind the success of technology transfer polices and legislations in stimulating entrepreneurial innovation; analyses which other contextual condition (e.g., culture) are necessary for successful implementation; and explores the extent and level of replication of US policies (e.g., Bayh-Dole Act, Small Business Innovation Research [SBIR] program) in other national and regional systems. In addition, this book looks at the effect technology transfer policies have on the adoption of open innovation and open science.
Driving Complexity in Economic Development: The Role of Institutions, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation
by David Urbano Sebastian Aparicio Diego GomezThis book analyzes the role of institutions in conditioning entrepreneurship and innovation to achieve economic development.Set against the backdrop of populism, this book is based on the premise that formal and informal institutional factors and entrepreneurship are closely linked and that studying the economic development of both developed and emerging economies can help us disentangle the role of entrepreneurship and innovation in developing countries.Using institutional economics as a main theoretical framework and the sociotechnical subsystems as a complementary approach, the authors present a detailed literature review to demonstrate that it is possible to identify the true role of entrepreneurship and innovation in the economic development process. The book embraces complexity to better measure and comprehend economic development, bringing a more compelling perspective on the importance of entrepreneurship and innovation for different dimensions of development.A valuable resource for students, scholars, and policymakers, the authors offer clear recommendations for developing countries.
Institutions, Entrepreneurship, and Economic Performance (International Studies in Entrepreneurship #41)
by David Urbano Sebastian Aparicio David B. AudretschUsing institutional economics as a theoretical framework, this book analyzes institutional environment conducive to entrepreneurial activity in order to enhance economic performance across countries. In particular, the main contributions of this book to the entrepreneurship literature are the following: <P><P> • Identify past and current research about the institutional context shaping entrepreneurial activity and its effect on economic growth <P><P> • Examine social progress orientation as those institutional factors that are shaping innovative entrepreneurial activity <P><P> • Explore the effect of different types of entrepreneurial activities on economic growth <P><P> • Examine how social progress orientation through opportunity-driven entrepreneurship affects economic development <P><P> • Analyze the interrelationships between institutions, entrepreneurial activity and economic development across countries <P><P> • Study how the country's institutional context influences the way in which entrepreneurial activity affects social progress <P><P> Two sides of the same coin might be observed when analyzing policy aspects of those institutions affecting entrepreneurial activity. On the one hand, effective public policy to promote entrepreneurship is predicated on understanding the underlying forces as well as the consequences and impacts of entrepreneurship. On the other hand, different endeavors to promote entrepreneurial activity might have deleterious economic effects since they could actually reduce employment in the long-term. Thus, it is crucial to understand the institutional environment in which entrepreneurs are interacting and making decisions. The comprehension of these phenomena serves to move forward the theoretical, practical and policy debate on entrepreneurship as a mechanism to achieve higher economic performance.