We examine economic convergence among euro area countries on multiple dimensions. While there was nominal convergence of inflation and interest rates, real convergence of per capita income levels has not occurred among the original euro area members since the advent of the common currency. Income convergence stagnated in the early years of the common currency and has reversed in the wake of the global economic crisis. New euro area members, in contrast, have seen real income convergence. Business cycles became more synchronized, but the amplitude of those cycles diverged. Financial cycles showed a similar pattern: sychronizing more over time, but with divergent amplitudes. Income convergence requires reforms boosting productivity growth in lagging countries, while cyclical and financial convergence can be enhanced by measures to improve national and euro area fiscal policies, together with steps to deepen the single market.

The development of a nation can be influenced by a wide range of factors. In the modern era of globalization, under-developed countries must strive to catch up to developed nations and establish themselves in the global market. The Handbook of Research on Global Indicators of Economic and Political Convergence is a pivotal reference source for the latest scholarly research on social, political, and environmental variables that affect the ability of developing countries to reach an equal standing in the global economy. Highlighting theoretical foundations, critical analyses, and real-world perspectives, this book is ideally designed for researchers, analysts, professionals, and upper-level students interested in emerging convergence and divergence trends in modern countries.

This book provides an overview of the monetary and financial systems seen in Africa. The issues related to these systems are examined to help evaluate their effectiveness in fostering the development of African economies. Economic integration is extensively discussed to highlight variations between different parts of Africa and the specific challenges seen within certain regions. The impact of monetary unions, in particular the CFA franc zone, on economic activities is also explored. This book aims to outline how sustainable development can be achieved in Africa through well-developed financial and monetary institutions and policies. It will be relevant to students, academics and policy makers interested in African and development economics.

In the tumultuous landscape of contemporary American politics, the intricate dance between traditionalism, populism, and the influential alliance of Donald Trump and Steve Bannon poses a pressing challenge. As these ideologies shape the very fabric of society, scholars and academics grapple with the need for a comprehensive understanding of their historical roots, philosophical foundations, and consequential impact on issues such as immigration, globalization, and nationalism. The rise of the Trump-Bannon duo further intensifies the complexity, giving rise to controversies, challenges, and myriad unanswered questions about their lasting influence on American democracy. The Convergence of Traditionalism and Populism in American Politics: From Bannon to Trump address the gaps in understanding the relationship between traditionalism, populism, and the Trump-Bannon era. Offering a nuanced exploration, the author defines these ideologies and traces their roots, delves into their historical evolution, and examines their impact on American politics. The reader is guided through the ideological underpinnings of Trump and Bannon, gaining a profound insight into their political strategy and the challenges that defined their era.

This accessible, comprehensive and pertinent Handbook will be of interest to academics, researchers and students working in the fields of international politics, in particular political economy and foreign policy, and the economics of trade.¾ Practitio

In this volume we collected some of the papers that were presented at the RIEB (The Research Institute for Economics and Business Administration) International Conference at Kobe University on March 25 and 26, 2000. The contributions invited for presentation all dealt with specific aspects of the conference topic "Trade Policy: Political Economy and Dynamic Issues". In the meantime the papers collected in this volume have been revised, and some of them have been published in professional journals. This volume thus contains published as well as hitherto unpublished contributions. We are grateful to all the authors and the conference participants, espe cially to those who cheerfully served as discussants and chairpersons. Our thanks also go to our colleagues at the RIEB for their encouragement, and especially to the RIEB's Director, Professor Shoji Nishijima for his support of the project. We are also grateful to Professor Arye Hillman at Bar-Han University, who kindly read parts of the manuscript and supplied useful com ments and suggestions. In the editorial process we were fortunate to be able to rely on an excellent and able team: we are extremely grateful to Minako Okuno, Yuji Fujinaka, Tetsuya Saito for their outstanding work and to Shinya Horie who undertook the pains taking job and completed the camera-ready copy for publication. We are also grateful to Professor Charles Noussair of Emory University who kindly supplied suggestions.

Economics and Business Environment is targeted at students preparing for a career in a managerial position in business or public service. With its accessible style and convenient structure, this textbook offers an insight into: 1 current economic developments that are important to (European) businesses and governments; 2 the influence of the business environmenton company profit and turnover. Students are offered an insight into the economic risks faced by all companies. This fifth edition of Economics and Business Environment has been fully updated; including the measurements taken to reinforce supervision of the banking industry.

This volume brings together experts from different world regions. It presents various experiences with building indicator systems for monitoring the implementation of regional economic integration policies such as preferential trade areas, common markets or economic and monetary unions. The volume discusses both the technical and governance aspects of such systems, and best practices. The regional experiences that are covered include: the European Union, Eurasia, ASEAN, the East African Community (EAC), COMESA, CARICOM, the African-Caribbean-Pacific Group, and the Americas. In addition, various chapters discuss cross-cutting methodological challenges related to trade-related indicators.

Since its inception in the 1960s to the regional negotiations in the 1990s and onwards, Central American integration has been a process characterized by both dramatic advances and setbacks. This book provides a theoretical explanation of this ebb and flow, examining different stages including the military conflicts of the 1980s, the subsequent Esquipulas peace process, and the relaunch of integration during the 1990s under the System of Central American Integration (SICA). Sánchez Sánchez's analysis focuses on the policies and preferences of the larger states of the region, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Guatemala, and argues that integration relies on intergovernmental bargaining. Interviews, historical and comparative data are presented in a format invaluable for students and teachers concerned with comparative regional integration, as well as for those seeking a greater understanding of contemporary Central American regional and international politics and development.

Offering an examination of the diplomatic and economic regional power structures in Africa and their relationships with each other, Dawn Nagar discusses the potential and future of pan-Africanism. The three primary regional economic communities (RECs) that are recognised by the African Union as the key building blocks of a united Africa are examined - these are the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). These RECS include Africa's major economies – Egypt, South Africa, and Kenya but are also home to Africa's most conflict prone and volatile states – the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Burundi, South Sudan, Somalia and Lesotho. Providing a detailed overview of the current relationship between these power blocs, this book provides insight into the current state of diplomatic and economic relations within Africa and shows how far there is to go for a future of Pan-Africanism.