From the impact of rising gas prices to debates over free trade agreements, the workings of the economy remain a mystery to most, even as the demands on our economic resources increase. This volume presents a basic introduction to the national economy--how it works and how various political and business decisions affect it. Chapters one through four explain the concept of Gross Domestic Product, with an emphasis on supply and demand, long-term growth, and short-term fluctuations, resulting from such factors as interest rates and inflation. Chapters five through eight highlight the four...

Today's culture is increasingly influenced--even dominated--by business; "The Corporation" provides readers with a basic understanding of how a corporation works and how it contributes to the wealth of its shareholders, employees, communities, and nations in which it is active. Part I addresses how and why the corporation developed historically (in legal, political, economic, and social context) and how it become the most dominant business form in the U.S. Part II covers the laws and regulations that influence the corporation's daily operations and compares it with other business entities...

Why some people are rich and others poor can be explained in a number of ways. Income and Wealth focuses on who gets what and why. It explains the dynamics of income generation, how it is measured, and how such dramatic disparities in distribution come about. The book first defines various characteristics of income, with an emphasis on the gap between the rich and the poor, and reviews several theories to explain the disparities. Subsequent chapters discuss such timely topics as the vanishing middle class and the sky-high salaries of CEOs, Hollywood stars, and athletes. The final...

Are entrepreneurs born or made? How do they recognize opportunity? How do they address the risks associated with designing, launching, and sustaining a new venture? There are many steps between having an idea and going public--this book explores the entrepreneurial process through all of its stages, a process in which some half a billion people are engaged worldwide every year. Illustrated through numerous real-life examples, the book is a map of the entrepreneurial journey, exploring the wide variety of opportunities open to the entrepreneur and how to build upon them, including an...

The stock market--the virtual place where corporations raise capital--has come to symbolize business more profoundly than any other entity or institution. This book provides a glimpse into the history, development, regulation, and increasing importance that the stock market plays in business and economic growth, as well as the investment strategies of individuals--in the U.S. and around the world, including Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, and emerging markets in the developing world that are rapidly integrating into the global economy.

To explore the roles and workings of the stock...

Money makes the world go around. From the earliest bartering systems to today's sophisticated electronic transfers of billions of dollars in a split second, systems of exchange have conferred value upon goods and services and created the economic glue that binds individuals, businesses, communities, and nations together. In this volume, the authors present a colorful history of money in its economic, political, socio-cultural, and even pscyhological context. The first section focuses on banks and financial institutions. The second part covers the role of currency in national sovereignty;...

The contemporary era of globalization demonstrates that the local and global aspects of business and government are increasingly intertwined. This volume defines and makes sense of the workings of the global economy--and how it influences businesses and individuals. Each chapter identifies common questions and issues that have gained exposure in the popular media--such as outsourcing, the high cost of international travel, and the impact of a fast-growing China--to illustrate underlying drivers and mechanisms at work. Covering international trade, national wealth disparities (the haves vs....

Demographics, as Peter Drucker famously pointed out, is one of the seven sources of entrepreneurial opportunity. Why are demographics so important? Consider the quality and quantity of the U.S. labor force. Birth rates largely determine the size of the future workforce, and the numbers of younger and older people affect public spending on education. What's more, patterns in marriage and child-bearing affect the labor force, and migration and immigration alter the mix of job skills, languages, and cultures in the U.S. workforce.

While business and government must react to...

"Immigration" is a comprehensive and practical guide to the history, economics, and contributions of immigrants, written by a former key policymaker who is now a leading researcher in the field.