VARIETY OF METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH IN ECONOMICS

Abstract.  It has been argued by some that the distinction between orthodox economics and heterodox economics does not fit the growing variety in economic theory, unified by a common methodological approach. On the other hand, it remains a central characteristic of heterodox economics that it does not share this methodological approach, but rather represents a range of alternative methodological approaches. The paper explores the evidence, and arguments, for variety in economics at different levels, and a range of issues which arise. This requires in turn a discussion of the meaning of variety in economics at the different levels of reality, methodology, method and theory. It is concluded that there is scope for more, rather than less, variety in economic methodologies, as well as within methodologies. Further, if variety is not to take the form of 'anything goes', then critical discussion by economists of different approaches to economics, and of variety itself, is required.     

The Market and Efficient Resource Allocation

Graham Dawson, a very experienced teacher of economics at Bedford High School, gives the second in the series of Model Answers for 'A' Level economics.     

Careers for Economists /

What careers are available for students with qualifications in economics? In this issue Nigel Tree looks at openings for professional economists. In the next issue he looks at other careers open to those with a background in economics.     

Economics at University II

In part II of his review of economics at university for undergraduates, our anonymous commentator continues his light-hearted survey of the next step in economics after 'A' Level.     

高校经济管理类专业多媒体电化教学研究

本文介绍了高等学校经济管理类专业多媒体电化教学的优势,并结合湖北经济学院经济管理类专业的实际调查结果,以及其它高校的实践成果,并结合相关的理论研究,深入分析了高校经济管理类专业多媒体电化教学存在的问题,最后,探讨了高校经济管理类专业多媒体电化教学问题的对策。     

ECONOMICS WITHOUT FRONTIERS

In the 1960s and 1970s Chicago School and public choice economics crossed the traditional boundaries separating economics from other academic disciplines by applying economic analysis to areas usually deemed beyond the scope of economics. Today, a new generation of pioneering economists are taking this development further by crossing the boundaries not only between academic disciplines, but also between academia and mainstream popular culture, by presenting their economic analyses of non-standard topics in a format designed to be accessible to the general reader. Four recent books reviewed here are at the forefront of this new economics without frontiers.     

Careers for Economists II

What careers are possible for people with ‘A’ Level economics? In this issue Nigel Tree looks at some of the careers open to those with a background in economics.     

Money and its Economic and Social Functions: Simmel and European Monetary Integration

A bstract This essay tries to put Georg Simmels The Philosophy of Money into the context of current monetary discussions in economics. Part I looks at the contribution of Georg Simmel in context and offers remarks about the changing structure of economics as a discipline composed of many different subdisciplines. It is argued that Simmel is able to transcend subdisciplinary borders, to great benefit for today's scholar. Part III explains Heinsohn and Steiger's recent contribution to monetary economics in terms of transactions and property rights; although the contribution has been made more in the context of post-Keynesian economics, this is the only way to comprehend and integrate it into the mainstream of scholarly discourse. This examination shows that Simmels approach, transgressing interdisciplinary borders, has merits even today. Part IV looks at the perplexing phenomenon of European monetary integration with a similar interdisciplinary perspective in mind. In this case, it is not monetary economics but constitutional political economy which is the unifying concept to explain the peculiar features of European monetary integration.     

Forward to Basics in Economics

For nearly half a century since Keynes's supposed rebuttal of classical economics, economists and politicians have been pre-occupied with 'demand side' efforts to maintain full employment and output by spending more than they can raise in taxes. The evident failure of 'demand side' economics has at last reached the Keynesian economists. Some are beginning to reject 'demand side' economics as inadequate and to argue for the return of 'supply and demand'.     

'A' Level Economics Model Answers I

Graham Dawson, who has taught economics for 12 years at Bedford High School, gives the first of a new series of Model Answers for 'A' Level economics.     

black well economics

In the first of a series of articles by economics editors at leading publishers, Mark Allin outlines what economics books Blackwell plans to publish over the next year.     

Internationalizing the Undergraduate Economics Curriculum

The internationalization of the economics curriculum has been limited by the absence of a modern amroach in specific courses, especially at the introductory and intermediate levels. This paper argues that in order to fully internationalize the undergraduate economics curriculum, microeconomics courses should be approached from a perspective based on the economics of organization and management and game theory. A conceptual framework for internationalizing the curriculum based on this approach is presented. This framework is employed to introduce opportunities to internationalize each course and discuss the role of each course in internationalizing the whole curriculum.     

Supply-Side Economics and the Future

How will supply-side economics fare under the new administration? Paul Craig Roberts of the Center for Strategic and International Studies at Georgetown University in Washington, argues that supply-side economics was the major success of President Reagan but that the new administration may not follow its predecessor's example.     

城市经济带的理论问题

"城市经济带"是本文基于城市经济学、区域经济学、空间经济学与产业经济学理论的交叉融合,针对国内外城市经济发展中的现实问题提出来的概念.作为城市经济未来发展的一种趋势,"城市经济带"对于促进中国转轨经济中区域经济快速健康发展的实践具有重要的指导意义.鉴于当前学术界尚未对"城市经济带"给出明确的阐释,本文对"城市经济带"的相关理论问题进行了初步探讨,如理论溯源、内涵阐释等方面,以期达成对"城市经济带"相关实践领域的理论自觉.     

COPENHAGEN,CANCÚN AND THE LIMITS OF GLOBAL WELFARE ECONOMICS

The rise of a global welfare economics directed at the environmental challenges facing our planet represents a new policy phenomenon. This paper examines the most ambitious attempt so far to put such economics into practice via the Kyoto Protocol and more specifically the Clean Development Mechanism of the Protocol. The Copenhagen and Cancún climate change conferences have put an end to hopes of the Protocol serving as an effective tool in the mitigation of global warming. This failure of the new global welfare economics is the result of flawed principles, not just defective implementation.     

Experiments in Environmental Economics and Some Close Relatives

Abstract.  It is not only the great number of papers written on environment economics that make it worth dealing with this special branch of experimental research, but the environmental problem in all its facets seems to serve as a catalyst for identifying some methodological problems of the experimental method. For this reason, we will not only try to give an overview of recent experiments in environmental economics but also add some thoughts on the methodological implications of this work. We identify three direct connecting factors for the experimental method and environmental economics. First, social dilemmas are, in many cases, at the core of environmental problems. Experiments are able to test theoretical hypotheses for individual behavior in such social dilemma situations. The second connecting factor comes from the field of applied experimental work and can be characterized as the testbedding of institutional arrangements for the solution of environmental problems. The last direct application of experimental methods to environmental economics concerns the individual evaluation of environmental resources.     

关于现代产业经济学前沿问题研究

随着国民经济的发展,现代化经济产业布局基本完成,同时在经济发展过程中涌现出一些现代产业经济学相关问题,探究这些经济学前沿问题对助推现代化经济突破发展瓶颈、实现可持续健康发展有重要意义。基于这一背景,论文首先剖析现代产业经济学前沿问题研究的意义,之后列举当前国内主要存在的一些前沿问题,并提出对应解决策略,以期能够为助推国民经济稳步发展提供一定的理论和实践参考。     

Teaching Economics: the Failure of Macro economics

The teaching of economics has for decades been dominated by macro-economic analysis — the study of output, employment, investment and other economic indicators in aggregate — to the neglect of the micro-economic emphasis on price. G. R. Steele, Lecturer in Economics at the University of Lancaster, contends that the predominance of macro presents students of economics with an essentially false picture of the way in which an economy functions.     

A PRIMER ON MATHEMATICAL MODELLING IN ECONOMICS

Abstract The Commission on Graduate Education in Economics had raised several concerns regarding the role of mathematics in graduate training in economics ( Krueger, 1991 ; Colander, 1998, 2005 ). This paper undertakes a detailed scrutiny of the notion of a utility function to motivate and describe the common patterns across mathematical concepts and results that are used by economists. In the process one arrives at a classification of mathematical terms which is used to state mathematical results in economics. The usefulness of the classification scheme is illustrated with the help of a discussion of Arrow's impossibility theorem. Common knowledge of the patterns in mathematical concepts and results could be effective in enhancing communication between students, teachers and researchers specializing in different sub‐fields of economics.     

基于科学发展观与构建和谐社会的城市经济学变革——对饶会林先生《关于经济学变革的几个问题探讨》的探讨

科学发展、和谐发展与资本主义的"资本奴役劳动"、"强国奴役弱国"和所谓的"自由民主发展"观之争,决定了两种制度安排取向和对立的发展结果.因此,主要为资本利益服务的所谓"主流经济学"正面临一场深刻而重大的变革,发展中的社会主义经济学任重而道远.西方经济学"理性经济人"假说和市场中心论必须有新的扬弃与变革,而立足于科学与和谐发展框架的城市经济学变革需求紧迫、任务艰巨、意义重大,至少有十个方面发展中的难点、热点必须尽快取得突破与发展.