European Monetary Unification or Small Business Management

European Monetary Unification: Theory, Practice, and Analysis

Author: Barry J Eichengreen

The process of European monetary unification (EMU) is approaching a critical juncture. At the beginning of 1998 the member states of the European Union will decide whether or not to go ahead with their monetary union and determine which countries qualify as members. There is a high likelihood that Stage III of the Maastricht process--monetary union itself--will commence on January 1, 1999, and that a single currency, to be known as the Euro, will replace the national currencies of the founding member states at the beginning of 2002. Even if it is delayed, Stage III is likely to go forward soon thereafter.

Whether EMU is feasible and desirable is contested among economists and politicians alike. This book sheds light on the controversy by considering seven major aspects: (1) what the theory of optimum currency areas reveals about the EMU project, (2) how Europe compares with existing monetary unions such as the United States, (3) the crisis in the European monetary system and the feasibility of stabilizing exchange rates in the absence of monetary unification, (4) fiscal policy and EMU, (5) labor markets and EMU, (6) the connections between monetary and political union, and (7) EMU and the rest of the world.

The author views EMU as neither a grand achievement nor a terrible blunder, but as a process. He argues that the effects of monetary unification will depend on how it is structured and governed, and how quickly Europe's markets adapt to a single currency. The process of monetary unification will not end in 1999 or 2002; rather, the structure and operation of Europe's monetary union will continue to evolve for years to come.

New interesting textbook: Essentials of Long Term Care Administration or Fundamentals of Health Care Financial Management

Small Business Management

Author: Hal B Pickl

This Fifth Edition retains the practice-oriented approach and informal writing style that made the previous editions so popular. Presents the techniques and methods used in the day-to-day running of a small business enterprise, with updated and extended coverage of the business plan and the growing use of microcomputers. Other topics include franchising, operations, marketing and the role of the government.

Table of Contents:

ENTREPRENEURSHIP, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERSHIP, AND FRANCHISING.
Entrepreneurship.
Ownership.
Franchising.
ESTABLISHING THE FIRM.
The Business Plan.
Sources of Funds.
Location Analysis.
Physical Facilities.
MANAGING THE SMALL BUSINESS.
Management Strategy and Employee Relations.
Personnel Management.
Microcomputers in Small Business.
Risk Management.
MANAGEMENT INFORMATION AND MERCHANDISE CONTROL.
Financial Recordkeeping and Cash Control.
Accounting Statements and Analysis.
Purchasing.
Inventory Control.
MARKETING THE PRODUCT OR SERVICE.
Marketing Strategy and Marketing Research.
Pricing.
Consumer Behavior and Personal Selling.
Promotional Strategy.
THE GOVERNMENT AND SMALL BUSINESS.
Consumer Credit.
Legal Considerations.
Government Control, Assistance, and International Marketing Opportunities.
Appendix.
The Business Plan.
Small Business-Related Trade Associations.
Private Sector Resources.
Small Business Administration Field Offices.
Small Business Administration Publications.
Index.