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To explore and document the emerging international market for stolen tractors and plant in the United Kingdom. Whilst this may appear to be a criminological problem relating specifically to rural crime, it is a sophisticated international criminal business organised by traditional organised crime groups (OCGs) such as the Italian, Polish and Turkish Mafia’s in conjunction with a network of criminal entrepreneurs.

Using annual statistical data provided by National Farmers Union (NFU) Mutual and Plant and Agricultural National Intelligence Unit (PANIU) and other material sourced using documentary research techniques supplemented by qualitative interviews with industry specialists we present 10 micro-case studies of rural OCGs engaged in this lucrative enterprise crime. The data is verified and authenticated using narrative inquiry techniques.

There is an entrepreneurial dimension to the crime because traditional criminal families with knowledge of rural areas and rural social capital form alliances with OCGs. The practical utility of the NFU model of entrepreneurial alliances with interested parties including the police is highlighted.

Implications for research design, ethics and the conduct of such research which are identified and discussed. These include the need to develop an investigative framework to protect academic researchers similar to guidelines in place to protect investigative journalists.

An investigative framework and the adaption of the business model canvass (Osterwalder & Pigneur, 2010) to cover illegal business models are proposed.

Suggestions are provided for the need to legislate against international criminal conspiracies.

Uses a mixture of entrepreneurship and criminological theories to help develop an understanding of the problem from an investigative perspective.

Relying on a new dataset, this paper examines the genesis of current account fluctuations and the investment cycle in Italy. We perform a Granger causality test that shows that the persistent current account deficits in the years from unification to World War I were generated by variations in capital inflows, as hypothesized by Fenoaltea, and not by the dynamics of GDP, as in the Bonelli–Cafagna model. Finally, we show that these capital inflows prompted an industrial investment cycle in equipment and machinery but not – as claimed by Fenoaltea (1988) – a general investment cycle which included also construction and more volatile components of investment. These patterns held under both fixed and floating exchange rate regimes.

The construction industry can be characterised as a sector of the economy that uses planning, design, construction, maintenance and repair, and operation to transform various resources into physical facilities in both developed and developing countries. Residential and non-residential structures, as well as heavy construction, are among the types of public and private facilities built, and these physical facilities play an important and visible part in the development process. Major participants in the construction industry include the design team (architects, engineers and quantity surveyors), management consultants, general contractors, heavy construction contractors, special trade contractors or subcontractors, and construction workers, as well as the owners, managers and users of the built facility. Building financing and insurance businesses, land developers, real estate agents and material and machinery suppliers and distributors, to name a few, are all involved in construction, yet they are categorised as independent but connected industries. Cost is a major factor that affects and determine the choice and engagement of these processes and stakeholders, and the same has been a measure of project success from the time immemorial.

The case pertains to entrepreneurship and the struggles of microentrepreneurs in raising adequate funds. It highlights the insufficiencies in implementation of government’s financing schemes for microenterprises. The case also throws light on the difficulties faced by microentrepreneurs in raising capital through banks and more so if the entrepreneur happens to be a woman. This case revolves around a young woman microentrepreneur, from a humble background, who is determined to expand her orthopaedic-support manufacturing unit. It brings out the enormous difficulties faced by her in obtaining an adequate financing through banks despite many laid out government policies to provide relief and stability to microenterprises. The ardent pursuit and the innovatively designed marketing strategy helped the entrepreneur achieve a reasonable success, in spite of the lack of capital. Her revenue for the financial year 2014–2015 rose to Rs. 9 lakhs/per annum. Her projected revenue for 2015–2016 was Rs. 24 lakhs. The ambitious target seemed difficult if additional funds were not forthcoming. With no help from the banks, the entrepreneur was in a dilemma where to raise the funds from. Her long-term plans for growth would be badly affected.

This study examines the internationalization process within the textiles and apparel industry in two countries: Lithuania and Moldova. In particular, this study shows how the evolution by an industry toward greater internationalization is intricately linked to its ability to move up its specific value chain. This analysis compares and contrasts the ability of this industry in a Western European (Lithuania) and a nonaccession Eastern European country (Moldova) to move up the textiles and apparel value chain and so achieve higher levels of internationalization. In examining and relating the relevant factors, this analysis provides insights into – and suggests important modifications to – important concepts and themes such as the stage theory of internationalization, the role of “inward-outward” linkages in the value creation process, the mechanism of the internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises, and the part played by the European Union in the internationalization (and thus globalization) process.

Major concern over monopolies and trusts was one of the distinguishing marks of the American Economic Association from its foundation and lasted well into the early 1900s (Coats, 1960). The failed merger attempt of the Northern Securities Company and the subsequent panic of 1902–1903, the 1907 financial crisis and its aftermath, as well as the ostensibly illegal financial practices of many conglomerates, all contributed to keep the trusts issue alive on academic circles. But it was only after the 1911 Court decisions that the debate on the trust problem and the necessary measures to amend the existing antitrust legislation acquired new vigor and incisiveness.³

Crowdfunding though existent, is still at the nascent stage in India being limited to charity and reward-based funding of creative and social projects by the crowd. The Indian regulatory authorities are in the process of formulating policies to encourage and monitor crowdfunding platforms that are based on financial return. The Indian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector in particular is facing financing problems, and crowdfunding could be a viable alternative to traditional sources of finance. In this context, the study attempts to suggest an operational framework for crowdfunding in India with special reference to the MSME sector in terms of eligibility norms, rules for investor protection, sustaining market integrity, providing a supportive infrastructure and defining the role of online crowdfunding platforms.

This is a qualitative study conducted through personal interviews based on unstructured questions. The Directors or Chief Finance Officers of MSME firms and Senior Officials (with minimum work experience of 15 years) in the SME divisions of banks (private and public) located in the National Capital Region, were interviewed to identify the perspectives on the research issues of the chapter. The sampling criterion allowed us to incorporate both investors’ and investees’ concerns regarding the research issues.

These are the inherent nature of qualitative analysis, interviewees’ individual understanding of the subject and sample size.

The study will contribute to the vital discussion prior to the government’s decision on role of equity and debt-based crowdfunding in India in the future.

The study will shed light on the fact that Indian society needs to be well informed about novel investment options such as crowdfunding. The Indian MSME sector can also discuss the opportunities offered by crowdfunding with the government to reduce their problem of access to finance.

The scope of crowdfunding in the Indian MSME sector has not been thoroughly researched, as the phenomenon is new in India. The study highlights how the use of crowdfunding by micro, small and medium firms has the potential to boost manufacturing- and service-related business activities to further increase the national income.

Many jurisdictions fine illegal cartels using penalty guidelines that presume an arbitrary 10% overcharge. This article surveys more than 700 published economic studies and judicial decisions that contain 2,041 quantitative estimates of overcharges of hard-core cartels. The primary findings are: (1) the median average long-run overcharge for all types of cartels over all time periods is 23.0%; (2) the mean average is at least 49%; (3) overcharges reached their zenith in 1891–1945 and have trended downward ever since; (4) 6% of the cartel episodes are zero; (5) median overcharges of international-membership cartels are 38% higher than those of domestic cartels; (6) convicted cartels are on average 19% more effective at raising prices as unpunished cartels; (7) bid-rigging conduct displays 25% lower markups than price-fixing cartels; (8) contemporary cartels targeted by class actions have higher overcharges; and (9) when cartels operate at peak effectiveness, price changes are 60–80% higher than the whole episode. Historical penalty guidelines aimed at optimally deterring cartels are likely to be too low.