The behavior of the labor market is widely seen as the cause of the UK's poor macroeconomic performance over the past thirty years. The functioning of the labor market is addressed in this book by an international group of economists. They assemble micro- and macroeconomic evidence on the UK, the US, France and Germany, and discuss whether the UK labor market is different, and also if it has changed over time.

This collection offers an important new assessment of German foreign direct investment (FDI) in driving globalization, growth and European integration since 1945. Although FDI often raises fears for employment and growth, it is an effective way of tranferring processes and products into new markets as examples from Germany, Sweden, Ireland and the UK demonstrate. Presented in an accessible style this original research by leading experts will be vital reading for policy professionals as well as researchers and students in disciplines including European integration, international economics,...

Productivity and its determinants are central to economic debate. This volume examines differences in productivity among nations, and provides comprehensive discussion as to why they exist; it addresses the importance of the growth and measurement of service productivity, and studies the role of human capital in adapting to new technologies. The creation of knowledge through research and development and its diffusion through trade, investment and the interaction of firms are also fully investigated.