Die Misere an den deutschen Hochschulen wird einmütig beklagt, schon in der Analyse der Ursachen dieser Krise aber scheiden sich die Geister. Woran krankt die deutsche Universität aus ökonomischer Sicht? Muß Hochschulbildung öffentlich bereitgestellt werden, oder ist ein marktorientiertes...

This thoroughly updated and revised edition of a popular and authoritative reference work introduces the reader to the major concepts and leading contributors in the field of law and economics. The Companion features accessible, informative and provocative entries on all the significant issues,...

The suggested changes to German orthography are among last year's most fervently debated topics. The article identifies the individual and collective costs and benefits of such a change and, from the point of view of standardization economics, inquires into the conditions under which such a...

Das Dopingproblem im Spitzensport ist lösbar. Es besteht in einer sozialen Dilemmasituation, in der es im Gleichgewicht für jeden einzelnen Sportler rational ist, Dopingmittel einzunehmen, obwohl jeder von ihnen besser stehen könnte, wenn niemand solche Substanzen konsumierte. Anders als die...

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), considered by some to be the greatest German writer, employed a number of sophisticated strategies in his dealings with publishers. None of them is as intriguing as the one appearing in Goethe's letter, dated January 16, 1797, to the publisher Vieweg...

Quite a few economists hold the opinion that exorbitant prices paid for original works of art reflect an irrational cult made of unique pieces created by renowned artists; (close to) perfect copies would yield comparable benefits at a substantially lower price. The article gives reasons for the...