It is now widely acknowledged that institutions are a crucial factor in economic performance. Major developments have been made in our understanding of the nature and evolution of economic institutions in the last few years. This book brings together some key contributions in this area by...

This thorough and comprehensive book examines the role that institutions play in economic life. The discussion begins with common values, shared traditions and individual habits which have their roots in the past. It goes on to consider consumer preferences, needs and wants, altruism,...

Recent years have seen the development of new theories of market failure based on asymmetric information and network effects. According to the new paradigm, we can expect substantial failure in the markets for labor, credit, insurance, software, new technologies and even used cars, to give but a...

Building on Oliver Williamson's original analysis, the contributors introduce new ideas, different perspectives and provide tools for better understanding changes in the approach to regulation, the reform of public utilities, and the complex problems of governance. They draw largely upon a...

Hayek's theory of cultural evolution has always generated controversy. Interest in Hayek's theory, and others' analysis and criticism of it, has been rising of late. This volume urges a reconsideration of Hayeks' theory of evolution and aims to explore the relevance of Hayek's theory for its own...

Why is competition between institutions usually viewed in a negative light, when competition is considered positive in most other economic contexts? The contributors to this volume introduce new perspectives on this issue, analytically and empirically exploring reasons for this perception

This book argues that the capacity of a country to develop, and the levels of economic and social development achieved, depend more on the institutional parameters within which the development policies are implemented than on the policies themselves. It contends that forces of globalisation...