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Elsevier

Books in Social sciences and humanities

  • General Equilibrium Models of Monetary Economies

    Studies in the Static Foundations of Monetary Theory
    • 1st Edition
    • Ross M. Starr
    • English
    General Equilibrium Models of Monetary Economies: Studies in the Static Foundations of Monetary Theory is a collection of essays that addresses the integration of the theory of money and the theory of value by using a mathematical general equilibrium theory. The papers discuss monetary theory, microeconomic theory, bilateral trade, transactions costs, intertemporal allocation, and the value of money. The Arrow-Debreu model of Walrasian general equilibrium theory provides a framework to represent money as a device for facilitating trade among economic agents without the use of money as a medium of exchange and as a store of value. The essays analyze the rationale for using a medium of exchange, for using a store of value, and for holding of idle balances in equilibrium. The essays show that by explicit modeling of the structure and difficulties of trade, a powerful class of models which deny money and finance a role in the economy, has by itself shown to have provided the foundation for the structures of trade. The collection will prove helpful for economists, statistician, mathematicians, students or professors of economics and business.

  • Foundations of Decision Support Systems

    • 1st Edition
    • Robert H. Bonczek + 2 more
    • J. William Schmidt
    • English
    Foundations of Decision Support Systems focuses on the frameworks, strategies, and techniques involved in decision support systems (DSS). The publication first takes a look at information processing, decision making, and decision support; frameworks for organizational information processing and decision making; and representative decision support systems. Discussions focus on classification scheme for DSS, abilities required for decision making, division of information-processi... labor within an organization, and decision support. The text then elaborates on ideas in decision support, formalizations of purposive systems, and conceptual and operational constructs for building a data base knowledge system. The book takes a look at building a data base knowledge system, language systems for data base knowledge systems, and problem-processing systems for data base knowledge systems. Topics include problem processors for computationally oriented DSS, major varieties of logical data structures, and indirect associations among concepts. The manuscript also examines operationalizing modeling knowledge in terms of predicate calculus; combining the data base and formal logic approaches; and the language and knowledge systems of a DSS based on formal logic. The publication is a valuable reference for researchers interested in decision support systems.

  • Economics and Human Welfare

    Essays in Honor of Tibor Scitovsky
    • 1st Edition
    • Michael J. Boskin
    • English
    Economic Theory, Econometrics, and Mathematical Economics: Economics and Human Welfare: Essays in Honor of Tibor Scitovsky focuses on the principles, influence, and contributions of Tibor Scitovsky on economics. The selection first elaborates on welfare economics and microeconomic theory, property rights doctrine and demand revelation under incomplete information, and experiments in the pricing of theater tickets. Discussions focus on the effect on audience composition, volume, and revenues, failure of bargaining under privacy, growing disenchantment with economic growth, and bargaining as a game of incomplete information. The text then takes a look at economics and the transformation of the idea of progress and changes in the size distribution of income. The text ponders on welfare criteria, distribution, and cost- benefit analysis; position of ethics in the theory of production; and rationing and price as methods of restricting demand for specific products. Topics include excise taxation with revenue distributed like rations; private and social returns to morality; effect of changes in the cost of organization and communication; and logical and historical foundation of the theory of the welfare state. The selection is highly recommended for economists and researchers interested in pursuing studies on the relationship of economics and human welfare.

  • Noncooperative Approaches to the Theory of Perfect Competition

    • 1st Edition
    • Andreu Mas-Colell
    • English
    Economic Theory, Econometrics, and Mathematical Economics: A Series of Monographs and Textbooks: Noncooperative Approaches to the Theory of Perfect Competition focuses on the application of noncooperative approaches to the theory of perfect competition, including Cournot game, no-surplus condition, and Nash equilibria. The selection first elaborates on collusive behavior in noncooperative epsilon-equilibria of oligopolies with long but finite lives and noncooperative price taking in large dynamic markets. Discussions focus on noncooperative equilibria which support the monopoly allocation, alternative definition of perfect epsilon-equilibrium, one-period Cournot game, fixed-demand case, and replication case. The book takes a look at noncooperative price taking in large dynamic markets, no-surplus condition as a characterization of perfectly competitive equilibrium, perfect competition, profit criterion, and the organization of economic activity. Topics include profits to individually improving welfare, structure of firms, competitive allocations as no surplus allocations, profits as rents, Walrasian and perfectly competitive equilibrium, and no-surplus and core equivalence as alternative characterizations of perfectly competitive equilibrium. The manuscript ponders on Nash equilibria of market games and efficiency properties of strategic market games, as well as commodities, agents, assignments, strategic markets games, proper and full Cournot-Nash equilibria, and finiteness and inefficiency. The selection is a valuable source of data for researchers interested in noncooperative approaches to the theory of perfect competition.

  • Guitarrero Cave

    Early Man in the Andes
    • 1st Edition
    • Thomas F. Lynch
    • English
    Guitarrero Cave: Early Man in the Andes is a product of the environmental approach to archeology that had its beginnings in postwar Britain. Guitarrero Cave is a key site for reconstructing the way of life of the early inhabitants of South America and the survey results about the cave demonstrate the long history, continuity, and even conservatism that characterize Andean culture. This book is organized into four parts encompassing 12 chapters. Part I describes the stratigraphy, chronology, setting, and excavation activities of the cave. This part also presents the results of pollen and paleoenthnobotanical analysis, along with the vegetation and land use near Guitarrero Cave. The subsequent parts explore the plant and faunal remains, as well as the archaeological findings, specifically the bone, wood tools, cordage, basketry, and textiles of ancient Andes settlers. The last part examines Guitarrero cave in its Andean Context. This book will be of value to archaeologists, anthropologists, historians, and researchers.

  • Learning Strategies

    • 1st Edition
    • Harold F. O'Neil
    • English
    Learning Strategies describes a program of research in learning strategies initiated by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in 1976. The goal of the program is to improve learning, decrease training time, and reduce training costs by developing and evaluating instructional materials designed to teach basic intellectual and affective skills. This book records the program's progress and suggests further avenues for research. Comprised of eight chapters, this book begins with an overview of the theoretical underpinnings of the teaching and learning approaches to the improvement of education, followed by a discussion on DARPA's preliminary work on an empirically based learning-strategy training program as well as its efforts to expand and modify the program. In order to provide an intellectual foundation for this program, several fields are surveyed for potential learning strategies, namely, cognitive psychology, artificial intelligence, behavioral modification, and motor learning. An instructional systems development approach for learning strategies is also proposed. The final chapter deals with models of evaluation extant in education and training and discusses the specific application of transactional evaluation to the DARPA Learning Strategies Research Program. This monograph should be of interest to students, teachers, and educational psychologists.

  • Economics and Operational Research

    • 1st Edition
    • M. H. Beilby
    • English
    Economics and Operational Research explores the possible connections of the organization of human and material resources by concentrating on the interpretations of management decisions at various levels in the economy. This book discusses economics and mathematics as an analytical tool. Organized into 10 chapters, this book begins with an overview of how consumers manage their own budgets and how manufacturers select their production processes. This text then described generally how consumers and producers react to each other. Other chapters consider the problem of the transportation of goods through busy road networks and the efficiency attained through central planning. This book discusses as well the control of congestion that arises through decentralization and the construction of an overall planning model. The final chapter discusses the important aspects of national planning, wherein the collection of all consumers and producers makes up one large economic system. This book is a valuable resource for management and engineering personnel.

  • Introductory Microeconomics

    • 1st Edition
    • Michael Veseth
    • English
    Introductory Microeconomics explains the basic principles of microeconomics, producer and consumer choices, resource markets, and government policies. The book describes the economics of exchange, such as the role of economic growth, factors that determine the amount and types of exchange, the supply and demand model of market operations, price setting, price changes, and the impact of one market on other markets. The text also explains market failures in terms of free market choice, externalities of failures, monopolies, as well as scarcity and choices leading to poverty. When economic policies are considered by the state, there are trade-offs that are necessary in the exchange. Before the government should make decisions, it always has to consider two opportunity costs, namely, 1) budget constraints, and 2) the opportunity cost of the funds spent in the private sector. For example (no. 1), if more money is spent on transfer payments, less will be left for education, national defense, infrastructure. Another example (no. 2) is when the government collects taxes, a direct loss in real income and utility among consumers will result. The book also presents real world economics in terms of the social security tax in the United States. The book can prove valuable for students of economics or business, sociologists, general readers interested in real-world economics, and policy makers involved in national economic development.

  • Introductory Macroeconomics

    • 2nd Edition
    • Michael Veseth
    • English
    Introductory Macroeconomics, Second Edition deals with national economic issues, such as unemployment, inflation, the aggregate demand-aggregate supply model of macroeconomics, government economic policy, exchange, rates, international trade, and finance. The book examines national economic problems, economic goals, the role markets play in the economy, price control, unemployment, and inflation. By using the Phillips curve trade-off, the text notes that inflation increases the demand for labor. In the long term, according to the long-run Phillips curve, increased inflation does not actually lessen unemployment levels (known as the natural unemployment rate hypothesis). The text also examines whether minimum wage laws are necessary (to fight poverty, prevent exploitation) or cause poverty (in which the imposition of minimum wage results in lower demand for unskilled labor). The book notes that politics and unions favor minimum wage laws. The poor, uneducated, and unskilled laborers are left out. The text also tackles goals and trade-offs: for example, that economic growth suffers from both inflation and unemployment, or the trade-off that preventing unemployment only results in worse inflation problems. Economists, sociologists, professors in economics, or policy makers involved in economic and social development will find the text valuable.

  • Fundamentals of Learning and Memory

    • 2nd Edition
    • John P. Houston
    • English
    Fundamentals of Learning and Memory, Second Edition provides information pertinent to the basic conditioning processes. This book presents an integration of the fields of animal and human learning. Organized into six parts encompassing 17 chapters, this edition begins with an overview of the definition of learning that encompasses many of the elements of alternative definitions. This text then considers the processes of acquisition, including a detailed discussion of contiguity, practice, and reinforcement. Other chapters include an extensive discussion of issues, problems, and alternative theories within the field of retention. This book discusses as well the problem of transfer, with emphasis on stimulus generation and transfer of training. The final chapter deals with behavior modification as a general method for understanding, altering, and controlling behavior, which differs dramatically from more traditional clinical or therapeutic approaches. This book is a valuable resource for psychologists, behavior therapists, behavior modification theorists, and psychology students.

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