Search results

Poses the question: “What has gone wrong?” in a country which was envied for its full employment and high standard of living and which now has rising unemployment and recently has suffered a major currency crisis. Pinpoints the beginning of problems back in 1985 when Sweden began to deregulate its financial markets, which ultimately plunged the economy into recession. Details further financial blunders which compounded the problem. By 1991 a tight budgetary policy had reduced inflation but at the cost of destroying one‐fifth of all industrial jobs and a four‐fold rise in unemployment. Assesses the content of three rescue packages put together by the coalition Government and the Social Democratic Party (SAP). All the proposals cut into citizens′ welfare benefits and undermine their living standards. Views these proposals as courting disaster and makes suggestions for alternative approaches to the problem, based on Keynesian theory.

‘The economist, seeking to answer the most fundamental problems of union development, can get little help from the historical literature, and is largely left to his own devices. To him the most important question is … the determination of the extent to which, at different periods, the trade unions have been able to affect wages. In order to be able to answer this question at all, some theoretical apparatus … is absolutely necessary’.

This article attempts to unravel the ways in which New Labour's economic and social policies differ from those of previous Conservative and Labour administrations.

The article analyses Treasury documents, which outline the philosophy underpinning the Government's measures.

Gordon Brown has adopted a third‐way strategy between Monetarism and Keynesianism, which seeks to maintain stability whilst adapting to shocks. It is based neither upon fixed rules nor complete flexibility, but upon constrained discretion, i.e. the belief that long‐term stability requires a comprehensive framework, which constrains policy to achieve sustainable goals, but provides discretion to respond to shocks. If policy‐makers possess a sufficiently credible commitment to overall stability, they can exercise discretion in response to shocks without damaging long‐run expectations.

Founded upon the concept of ‘constrained discretion, the paper argues that New Labour is neither abolishing nor extending the welfare state, but rather is changing its character. Further empirical research in particular sectors is indicated.

In the last four years, since Volume I of this Bibliography first appeared, there has been an explosion of literature in all the main functional areas of business. This wealth of material poses problems for the researcher in management studies — and, of course, for the librarian: uncovering what has been written in any one area is not an easy task. This volume aims to help the librarian and the researcher overcome some of the immediate problems of identification of material. It is an annotated bibliography of management, drawing on the wide variety of literature produced by MCB University Press. Over the last four years, MCB University Press has produced an extensive range of books and serial publications covering most of the established and many of the developing areas of management. This volume, in conjunction with Volume I, provides a guide to all the material published so far.

If a limited number of EU countries decide to proceed with the stipulated timetable for EMU in 1999, Britain will soon face the crucial decision of whether or not to participate. States the reasons for believing that participation will damage both Britain’s economy and its capacity for self‐government. States that many accept such arguments but claim that exclusion would prove most costly. Proceeds to demonstrate that these fears are based on myths rather than objective facts. Claims Britain’s economic performance will be enhanced, rather than damaged, by opting out of EMU.

Analyses the economic influences that led to the development of the proposal to introduce employee investment funds into Sweden in 1976. Discusses the proposed objectives of the funds and describes the controversy, both political and economic, which surrounded them. Outlines the modified form in which employee investment funds were eventually implemented in 1983 and considers the influence they exerted on the Swedish economy and the extent to which they achieved their aims. Assesses their possible evolution in the future.

Restates the essential economic proposals of Major Douglas, whose social (BEI) movement was a substantial political force in the inter‐war years. Refutes some common misinterpretations of his work and provides a new interpretation of his collaboration with A.R. Orage, a prominent guild socialist, between 1918 and 1922. Re‐assesses Douglas’ contributions to economic thought in the light of more recent events and of the development of the newly recognized discipline of social economics. Aims to show that Douglas’ warnings fall within the boundaries of this discipline, both in questionning the purpose of the economic system and in assessing its impact on the community in which it operates.