This Handbook explores and explains new developments in the "second generation" theory of public finance, in which benevolent rulers and governments have been replaced by personally motivated politicians and the associated institutions. In other words, the normative approach has largely given...

This insightful study examines the decentralization experiences from 15 countries in different regions of the world. All of these countries have actively attempted to decentralize, or continue to do so, and have faced obstacles serious enough to either derail or significantly delay their...

Decentralisation and Reform in Latin America analyses the process of intergovernmental reform in Latin America in the last two decades and presents a number of emerging issues. These include the impacts of decentralization and the response of countries in the region to challenge such as social...

Though we live in an era of rapid innovation, the United States has introduced comparatively few commercial innovations within the past decade. Innovation shortfall contributes to weaker trade performance, decreased productivity growth, lower wages and many other economic woes. This study...

Within the complex global economy, patents function as indispensable tools for fostering and protecting innovation. This fascinating volume offers a comprehensive perspective on the US patent system, detailing its many uses and outlining several critical legislative, administrative and judicial...

"This book presents the long-term guidelines for potential socioeconomic reforms, the conceptual approaches to the related target-setting and the overall search for efficient instruments for such reforms' implementation under the conditions of resources' internationalization, universalization of...

The volume begins with an Introduction, followed by a set of three papers in Part Two examining European urban competitiveness from the standpoints of measurement and policy. This section also provides a case study of the cities of one country - Italy - from which the reader can gain an...

Globalization and the future of the Taiwan miracle / Suzanne Berger and Richard K. Lester -- Industry co-evolution : a comparison of Taiwan and North American electronics contract manufacturers / Timothy J. Sturgeon and Ji-Ren Lee -- Leading, following, or cooked goose? : explaining innovation...