Download or read book The Undercover Economist Strikes Back The Economy A User s Manual written by Tim Harford and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2013-08-08 with total page 23 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Tim Harford's new book The Undercover Economist Strikes Back, he sets out to explain how the whole world economy works. In this, the first chapter from the book, Harford provides a user's manual to show the nuts and bolts of what makes an economy tick. Readers should note that this ebook is just one chapter from the new book. The full book will be released on August 29. A million readers bought The Undercover Economist to get the lowdown on how economics works on a small scale, in our everyday lives. Since then, economics has become big news. Crises, austerity, riots, bonuses - all are in the headlines all the time. But how does this large-scale economic world really work? Find out in The Undercover Economist Strikes Back.
Download or read book The Undercover Economist Strikes Back written by Tim Harford and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2015-01-06 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A provocative and lively exploration of the increasingly important world of macroeconomics, by the author of the bestselling The Undercover Economist. Thanks to the worldwide financial upheaval, economics is no longer a topic we can ignore. From politicians to hedge fund managers to middle-class IRA holders, everyone must pay attention to how and why the global economy works the way it does. Enter Financial Times columnist and bestselling author Tim Harford. In this new book that demystifies macroeconomics, Harford strips away the spin, the hype, and the jargon to reveal the truth about how the world’s economy actually works. With the wit of a raconteur and the clear grasp of an expert, Harford explains what’s really happening beyond today’s headlines, why all of us should care, and what we can do about it to understand it better.
Download or read book The Undercover Economist Strikes Back written by Tim Harford and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2015-01-06 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A provocative and lively exploration of the increasingly important world of macroeconomics, by the author of the bestselling The Undercover Economist. Thanks to the worldwide financial upheaval, economics is no longer a topic we can ignore. From politicians to hedge fund managers to middle-class IRA holders, everyone must pay attention to how and why the global economy works the way it does. Enter Financial Times columnist and bestselling author Tim Harford. In this new book that demystifies macroeconomics, Harford strips away the spin, the hype, and the jargon to reveal the truth about how the world’s economy actually works. With the wit of a raconteur and the clear grasp of an expert, Harford explains what’s really happening beyond today’s headlines, why all of us should care, and what we can do about it to understand it better.
Download or read book The Undercover Economist written by Tim Harford and published by Random House Trade Paperbacks. This book was released on 2007-01-30 with total page 279 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “The economy [isn’t] a bunch of rather dull statistics with names like GDP (gross domestic product),” notes Tim Harford, columnist and regular guest on NPR’s Marketplace, “economics is about who gets what and why.” In this acclaimed and riveting book–part exposé, part user’s manual–the astute and entertaining columnist from the Financial Times demystifies the ways in which money works in the world. From why the coffee in your cup costs so much to why efficiency is not necessarily the answer to ensuring a fair society, from improving health care to curing crosstown traffic–all the dirty little secrets of dollars and cents are delightfully revealed by The Undercover Economist. “A rare specimen: a book on economics that will enthrall its readers . . . It brings the power of economics to life.” –Steven D. Levitt, coauthor of Freakonomics “A playful guide to the economics of everyday life, and as such is something of an elder sibling to Steven Levitt’s wild child, the hugely successful Freakonomics.” –The Economist “A tour de force . . . If you need to be convinced of the everrelevant and fascinating nature of economics, read this insightful and witty book.” –Jagdish Bhagwati, author of In Defense of Globalization “This is a book to savor.” –The New York Times “Harford writes like a dream. From his book I found out why there’s a Starbucks on every corner [and] how not to get duped in an auction. Reading The Undercover Economist is like spending an ordinary day wearing X-ray goggles.” –David Bodanis, author of Electric Universe “Much wit and wisdom.” –The Houston Chronicle From Publishers Weekly Nattily packaged-the cover sports a Roy Lichtensteinesque image of an economist in Dick Tracy garb-and cleverly written, this book applies basic economic theory to such modern phenomena as Starbucks' pricing system and Microsoft's stock values. While the concepts explored are those encountered in Microeconomics 101, Harford gracefully explains abstruse ideas like pricing along the demand curve and game theory using real world examples without relying on graphs or jargon. The book addresses free market economic theory, but Harford is not a complete apologist for capitalism; he shows how companies from Amazon.com to Whole Foods to Starbucks have gouged consumers through guerrilla pricing techniques and explains the high rents in London (it has more to do with agriculture than one might think). Harford comes down soft on Chinese sweatshops, acknowledging "conditions in factories are terrible," but "sweatshops are better than the horrors that came before them, and a step on the road to something better." Perhaps, but Harford doesn't question whether communism or a capitalist-style industrial revolution are the only two choices available in modern economies. That aside, the book is unequaled in its accessibility and ability to show how free market economic forces affect readers' day-to-day. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Bookmarks Magazine Harford exposes the dark underbelly of capitalism in Undercover Economist. Compared with Steven Levitt’s and Stephen J. Dubner’s popular Freakonomics (*** July/Aug 2005), the book uses simple, playful examples (written in plain English) to elucidate complex economic theories. Critics agree that the book will grip readers interested in understanding free-market forces but disagree about Harford’s approach. Some thought the author mastered the small ideas while keeping in sight the larger context of globalization; others faulted Harford for failing to criticize certain economic theories and to ground his arguments in political, organizational structures. Either way, his case studies—some entertaining, others indicative of times to come—will make you think twice about that cup of coffee. Copyright © 2004 Phillips & Nelson Media, Inc.
Download or read book Doing Economics written by Peter Smith and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-04-28 with total page 169 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Doing Economics offers a clear and accessible guide to the nature of Economics. Unlike many other mainstream disciplines, economics is a subject that many students meet for the first time when they arrive at University to study the subject at degree level. The way economics is studied at university level can vary greatly from economics as represented in the media, but this handy beginner’s guide bridges that gap. This book answers such questions as: What is economics as a subject? What sorts of questions does it address? What skills are needed to become a good economist? Where will it take me? Students will be introduced to the key characters who contributed to the development of economics, as well as to the central ideas and concepts. This definitive guide outlines the attributes that make a good economist and presents a wide variety of employment opportunities that can follow the study of economics. Familiarising students with the important terms and issues, it is an essential volume for all students approaching this fascinating subject.
Download or read book Summary of Tim Harford s The Undercover Economist Strikes Back written by Everest Media, and published by Everest Media LLC. This book was released on 2022-05-19T22:59:00Z with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 Many world leaders have studied economics, but most seem to be happy without a degree. #2 While economics can help you, actually running an economy requires much more than just that. John Maynard Keynes once argued that the master economist must possess a rare combination of gifts. #3 Until recently, governments have been trying to collect economic data for their own greedy purposes. But with the Great Depression, governments became serious about measuring the economy for the sake of fixing problems rather than grabbing a piece of the economic pie. #4 The GDP is the total value of all the stuff that is produced in the economy. It is measured in dollars and is about $70 trillion. All the smart phones and tablet computers, barrels of oil and kilowatt-hours of wind energy, haircuts and Brazilian waxes, and everything else produced in the entire world are collectively worth about $70 trillion a year.
Download or read book AQA A level Economics Fifth Edition written by James Powell and published by Hodder Education. This book was released on 2023-06-02 with total page 1019 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: - Provides strong support in preparing for the topics on the AQA A-level Economics specification - Features up-to-date case studies that engage with the latest economic developments, including the effects of Brexit, the pandemic and more - Includes features to help with quantitative skills support and developing chains of reasoning, plus making links between topics, with updated exam-style questions - Gives some of the relevant background and real-world examples to help understanding of key economic issues, with clear and simple explanations of core concepts - A new edition of a trusted resource, which maintains and develops its accessibility to make economics compelling for a wider audience - Key topics for AQA A-level Economics, revised and up to date with new material including refreshed case studies, exam-style questions and study tips
Download or read book The Undercover Economist Strikes Back Boss o nomics written by Tim Harford and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2013-08-08 with total page 16 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Tim Harford's new book The Undercover Economist Strikes Back, he sets out to explain how the whole world economy works. In this, the ninth chapter from the book, Harford looks at the importance of management in how economies function. Readers should note that this ebook is just one chapter from the new book. The full book will be released on August 29. A million readers bought The Undercover Economist to get the lowdown on how economics works on a small scale, in our everyday lives. Since then, economics has become big news. Crises, austerity, riots, bonuses - all are in the headlines all the time. But how does this large-scale economic world really work? Find out in The Undercover Economist Strikes Back.
Download or read book The Logic of Life written by Tim Harford and published by Anchor Canada. This book was released on 2009-02-24 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In The Logic of Life, bestselling author Tim Harford quite simply makes sense of this world. Life often seems to defy logic. The receptionist is clearly smarter than the boss who earns fifty times her salary. Arbitrary lines starkly divide the desirable districts of the city from the dangerous ones. Voters flock to the polling booths to elect candidates who’ll rip them off to favour special interests. None of it makes logical sense — or does it? Economist and acclaimed author Tim Harford thinks it does. By weaving stories from locations as diverse as a Vegas casino to a barroom speed date, Harford aims to persuade you that people are, in fact, surprisingly logical. When a street prostitute agrees to unprotected sex, or a teenage criminal embarks on a burglary — perhaps especially when a racist employer disregards a black job applicant — we would seem to be a million miles from rational behaviour. Harford shows that, discomfitingly, we are not. It turns out that the unlikeliest of people are complying with the logic of economics and responding to future costs and benefits, often without realizing it; and socially tragic outcomes can have their roots in individually rational decisions. Brilliantly reasoned, always entertaining and often provocative, The Logic of Life is a book to help you understand yourself and the world around you.
Download or read book Basic Economics written by Thomas Sowell and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2014-12-02 with total page 704 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The bestselling citizen's guide to economics Basic Economics is a citizen's guide to economics, written for those who want to understand how the economy works but have no interest in jargon or equations. Bestselling economist Thomas Sowell explains the general principles underlying different economic systems: capitalist, socialist, feudal, and so on. In readable language, he shows how to critique economic policies in terms of the incentives they create, rather than the goals they proclaim. With clear explanations of the entire field, from rent control and the rise and fall of businesses to the international balance of payments, this is the first book for anyone who wishes to understand how the economy functions. This fifth edition includes a new chapter explaining the reasons for large differences of wealth and income between nations. Drawing on lively examples from around the world and from centuries of history, Sowell explains basic economic principles for the general public in plain English.
Download or read book Fifty Inventions That Shaped the Modern Economy written by Tim Harford and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2018-08-28 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NAMED A BEST BOOK OF 2017 by BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK, THE FINANCIAL TIMES, AND AMAZON Look out for Tim's next book, The Data Detective. A lively history seen through the fifty inventions that shaped it most profoundly, by the bestselling author of The Undercover Economist and Messy. Who thought up paper money? What was the secret element that made the Gutenberg printing press possible? And what is the connection between The Da Vinci Code and the collapse of Lehman Brothers? Fifty Inventions That Shaped the Modern Economy paints an epic picture of change in an intimate way by telling the stories of the tools, people, and ideas that had far-reaching consequences for all of us. From the plough to artificial intelligence, from Gillette’s disposable razor to IKEA’s Billy bookcase, bestselling author and Financial Times columnist Tim Harford recounts each invention’s own curious, surprising, and memorable story. Invention by invention, Harford reflects on how we got here and where we might go next. He lays bare often unexpected connections: how the bar code undermined family corner stores, and why the gramophone widened inequality. In the process, he introduces characters who developed some of these inventions, profited from them, and were ruined by them, as he traces the principles that helped explain their transformative effects. The result is a wise and witty book of history, economics, and biography.
Download or read book 50 Inventions that Shaped the Modern Economy written by Tim Harford and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2017 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fifty Inventions That Shaped the Modern Economy paints an epic picture of change in an intimate way by telling the stories of the tools, people, and ideas that had far-reaching consequences for all of us. From the plough to artificial intelligence, from Gillette s disposable razor to IKEA s Billy bookcase, bestselling author and Financial Times columnist Tim Harford recounts each invention s own curious, surprising, and memorable story.
Download or read book Man vs Markets written by Paddy Hirsch and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2012-08-28 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Man Vs. Markets by Paddy Hirsch of NPR’s “Marketplace” is economics explained, pure and simple, for the layperson who wouldn’t know a “bond” from an “option,” and who believes that a “future” is when we’ll all have flying cars. Here is an illuminating, insightful, and wonderfully witty journey of discovery through the often confusing financial markets, offering clear, relatable explanations and definitions of the system’s various instruments, yet less simplistically than the popular ...for Dummies series. Man Vs. Markets is a must-read handbook for everyday investors, serious students of finance and economics, and everyone who wants to understand what they’re reading when they open their newspapers to the business section.
Download or read book Doughnut Economics written by Kate Raworth and published by Chelsea Green Publishing. This book was released on 2017-02-23 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *The Sunday Times Bestseller *A Financial Times Book of the Year *A Forbes Book of the Year *Winner of the Transmission Prize 2018 *Longlisted for the FT/McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award 2017 *Porchlight “Best Business Book of 2017: Current Events & Public Affairs” The book that redefines economics for a world in crisis. Economics is the mother tongue of public policy. It dominates our decision-making for the future, guides multi-billion-dollar investments, and shapes our responses to climate change, inequality, and other environmental and social challenges that define our times. Pity then, or more like disaster, that its fundamental ideas are centuries out of date yet are still taught in college courses worldwide and still used to address critical issues in government and business alike. That’s why it is time, says renegade economist Kate Raworth, to revise our economic thinking for the 21st century. In Doughnut Economics, she sets out seven key ways to fundamentally reframe our understanding of what economics is and does. Along the way, she points out how we can break our addiction to growth; redesign money, finance, and business to be in service to people; and create economies that are regenerative and distributive by design. Named after the now-iconic “doughnut” image that Raworth first drew to depict a sweet spot of human prosperity (an image that appealed to the Occupy Movement, the United Nations, eco-activists, and business leaders alike), Doughnut Economics offers a radically new compass for guiding global development, government policy, and corporate strategy, and sets new standards for what economic success looks like. Raworth handpicks the best emergent ideas—from ecological, behavioral, feminist, and institutional economics to complexity thinking and Earth-systems science—to address this question: How can we turn economies that need to grow, whether or not they make us thrive, into economies that make us thrive, whether or not they grow? Simple, playful, and eloquent, Doughnut Economics offers game-changing analysis and inspiration for a new generation of economic thinkers. "This is sharp, significant scholarship . . . Thrilling."—Times Higher Education "Raworth's magnum opus . . . Fascinating."—Forbes "Doughnut Economics shows how to ensure dignity and prosperity for all people."—Huffington Post
Download or read book Economics written by Wong Wai Leong and published by Scola Books. This book was released on 2023-09-13 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Economics is an examination-focused coursebook designed to support students in their understanding of the Cambridge International AS & A Level Economics (9708) topics. The book provides in-depth coverage of the latest 2023–2025 syllabus and features insights and topics that can help students advance through their studies and examination with confidence.
Download or read book The Armchair Economist written by Steven E. Landsburg and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2012-05-10 with total page 364 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Air bags cause accidents, because well-protected drivers take more risks. This well-documented truth comes as a surprise to most people, but not to economists, who have learned to take seriously the proposition that people respond to incentives. In The Armchair Economist, Steven E. Landsburg shows how the laws of economics reveal themselves in everyday experience and illuminate the entire range of human behavior. Why does popcorn cost so much at the cinema? The 'obvious' answer is that the owner has a monopoly, but if that were the whole story, there would also be a monopoly price to use the toilet. When a sudden frost destroys much of the Florida orange crop and prices skyrocket, journalists point to the 'obvious' exercise of monopoly power. Economists see just the opposite: If growers had monopoly power, they'd have raised prices before the frost. Why don't concert promoters raise ticket prices even when they are sure they will sell out months in advance? Why are some goods sold at auction and others at pre-announced prices? Why do boxes at the football sell out before the standard seats do? Why are bank buildings fancier than supermarkets? Why do corporations confer huge pensions on failed executives? Why don't firms require workers to buy their jobs? Landsburg explains why the obvious answers are wrong, reveals better answers, and illuminates the fundamental laws of human behavior along the way. This is a book of surprises: a guided tour of the familiar, filtered through a decidedly unfamiliar lens. This is economics for the sheer intellectual joy of it.
Download or read book Filthy Lucre written by Joseph Heath and published by HarperCollins Canada. This book was released on 2010-06-01 with total page 390 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Economists have a bad reputation. Not only do they assume that everyone is self-interested and amoral, they are almost always cheerleaders for the free market. As a result, most people who do not already share their beliefs ignore everything that economists have to say. This is a problem. Even among the highly educated, economics is a minefield of fallacies and errors. Among those who know little about the subject—a group that includes the average taxpayer and consumer, as well as most journalists, political activists and politicians—almost every widely held belief is false. The level of economic illiteracy is stunning. Filthy Lucre aims to level the playing field and, in this time of enormous market volatility and unprecedented instability, raise our level of economic literacy. Drawing on everyday examples to skewer the six favourite economic fallacies of the right and then the left, we learn why the right wing so wrongly believes that capitalism is the natural order of things, that any tax cut is a good tax cut, and that personal responsibility can solve any problem. And, contrary to how the left feels, why we must resist the urge to fiddle with prices, why the pursuit of profit is not such a bad thing, and why, despite efforts to improve or even fix wages, some jobs will always suck.
