Contents Preface Acknowledgements 1 Changes in the UK economic structure PART I: THEORY OF THE FIRM 2 Company accounts as a source of financial information 3 Firm objectives and firm behaviour 4 The small firm 5 Mergers and acquisitions in the growth of the firm 6 Oligopoly 7 The multinational corporation 8 Privatization and deregulation 9 Pricing in practice PART II: ENVIRONMENTAL, REGIONAL AND SOCIAL ECONOMICS 10 The economics of the environment 11 Regional and urban policy 12 Transport 13 Social policy 14 Distribution of income and wealth 15 Trade unions, wages and collective bargaining PART III: MACROECONOMICS 16 Consumption and saving 17 Investment 18 Public expenditure 19 Taxation 20 Money and EMU 21 Financial institutions and markets 22 Inflation 23 Unemployment 24 Managing the economy PART IV: INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS 25 Globalization 26 Exchange rates 27 United Kingdom trade performance 28 Free trade, regional trading blocs and protectionism 29 The European Union 30 Transition economies A guide to sources Statistical sources Information sources Other applied materials Electronic Media Internet sources Notes on contributors Index