"What's The Economy For, Anyway? is a thought-provoking, funny, readable, anti-ideological book based on the cult hit film of the same name. Here, scholars John de Graaf (author of Affluenza) and David Batker tackle thirteen touchstone economic issues and challenge readers to consider just what the point of our economy is. Emphasizing powerful American ideals such as working together, pragmatism, and equality for all, de Graaf and Batker set forth a simple, powerful goal for any economic system: the greatest good for the greatest number, over the longest run. Their vision will appeal to a wide array of readers across traditional silos. Drawing from this nation's rich economic history, the book shows that the good life in America is achieved when people and markets work together with an active government to create a better economy, one that works for everyone, not just the privileged few. Beginning by taking our fetish for GDP and shattering it, the chapters touch on quality of life, health, security, time management, worklife, leisure, social justice, and perhaps most important, sustainability. This sparkling, message-driven book is exactly what we need: a guide to what really matters, and how we can use the resources of our economy to make the world a better place"--

Businesspersons and investors have been conditioned to anticipate that after a period of turbulence following the "Great Recession," conditions will return to "normal." For the preceding generation (from 1982 to 2007), "normal" was the economic "Great Moderation": a period of low inflation and low unemployment that brought on high growth in asset values. Those days are gone. This book reviews the major, and largely inescapable, trends that will make the next generation a more challenging investment environment in all developed economies: an aging population and an overextended government. California today captures the challenges that will be faced by the American economy over the next decades. After summarizing these trends, the book outlines investing strategies for individuals and companies can use this new environment. It provides an extended case study in how greater economic literacy can offer readers an advantage for understanding the opportunities, and threats, presented by long- term trends.

"The father of Open Innovation is back, this time with his most expansive, most significant book yet. Open Innovation described a new paradigm for the management of industrial innovation in the 21st century: How useful industrial knowledge today is widely distributed around the world and firms must open up to work with external partners to commercialize internal innovations, and allow unused internal ideas to be taken to market by others externally. Chesbrough's forthcoming Open Services Innovation demonstrates how the open innovation approach applies to companies both in the service businesses and those that want to be there. The book explains how companies must make two crucial shifts: one from products to services; and the other from closed to open innovation. Readers will discover: A competitive strategy and approach to business for today's services-based economy; A framework with guiding principles that will enable any business unit, company or industry to experience renewed growth and profits. Four new concepts are introduced and described in detail: Think of Your Business as a Services Business Co-Create with Customers and Partners Extend Services Innovation Outside Your Organization Transform Your Business Model with Services and Open Innovation Also learn about Services Innovation in Large and Smaller Companies, Open Services Innovation for Services Businesses, and Services Innovation in Emerging Economies Chesbrough enlightens his readers by explaining the need to develop a new perspective about business, one that rethinks the business models in a services-based economy. Chesbrough establishes that the future prosperity of companies comes from progressive shift to a largely services-based economy, driven by continued innovation. Chesbrough provides more than anecdotal material on how we must view industries, he leads us to examine how we do business. It is one thing to think of the automobile as a means for transportation, it's another to thing to provide transportation services over a life time"--Provided by publisher.

Private enterprises are essential to a nation's economy and society - yet without finance, or risk capital, they may never get off the ground. Lack of risk capital on suitable terms thus frustrates entrepreneurial ambition, and checks economic growth. And, just as damaging, the search for finance can lead companies and businesses into unsuitable funding arrangements - such as bank loans or equity deals with external investors - that burden them with excessive debt or limit the ability of managers to run the business

"The Web is a powerful 'money button' that can connect you with vast networks of customers, solidify your business image, and create continual growth. The key is in knowing how to install that button effectively. In an era of blogging, social networking, message boards, and web sites for every subject under the sun, it's difficult to figure out which Internet tools are the ones that will make your virtual register to 'KaChing!' It's also important to create an overall strategy with these tools that will maximize your time and web usage"--Cover, p. 2.

"Using a rigorous and concise framework, this book teaches the foundations ofmodernmacroeconomic theory and its methods. It is ideally suited for students taking a first graduate course inmacroeconomics as part of anMBA, finance, or economics degree. The book explains recent advances of modern macroeconomic theorywith respect to growth, business cycles, and asset pricing by focusing on aspects of firmand household behavior that are embedded in modern macroeconomic studies. Throughout the book data issues are discussed in detail:where to find the data, howto download it, and the correspondence of datawithmodelpredictions.Themathematical level assumes that students have taken a course in calculus.With its emphasis on dynamic intertemporalmacroeconomics and the use of data, the book provides studentswith a core toolkit thatwill equip them both for more advanced study and for professional careers as economists. Additional resources (including PowerPoint slides for each chapter, detailed answers to all the questions in the book, and links to useful sites) are available online atwww.cambridge.org/macro4mba"--Provided by publisher.