Ever since libraries began installing microcomputers, we've heard the admonitions to plug the power supply cord of the micro into a surge‐protected outlet or a power strip that…
Abstract
Ever since libraries began installing microcomputers, we've heard the admonitions to plug the power supply cord of the micro into a surge‐protected outlet or a power strip that has a built‐in surge suppressor. The point is to protect the hardware from damage to sensitive circuitry and to reduce the potential for loss of data. Such surge suppressors aren't expensive and are readily available. These devices are designed to accommodate any standard three‐prong grounded power supply plug, so that not only micros, but other peripherals such as external modems, printers, and monitors [and other expensive electronic equipment such as CD audio players and VCRs] can also be protected.
Rosaria Rita Canale and Rajmund Mirdala
In this chapter, the historical and theoretical evolution of the policy framework in Europe is presented. It begins from the early steps guided by the general principles of the…
Abstract
In this chapter, the historical and theoretical evolution of the policy framework in Europe is presented. It begins from the early steps guided by the general principles of the Keynesian theory in open economies, goes through its revision after the 1970s and the fall of the Bretton Woods agreements, the creation of the European monetary system, and ends with a presentation of the theoretical underpinning that brought to the model on which the European monetary union was built on. The evolution of the economic theory is pieced together, in the light of the main historical and political facts that occurred. A first insight about the flaws of the Eurozone policy framework is provided.
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Puts the decline of the euro’s value following its introduction down to rapid US economic growth and the expansionary policies of the European Central Bank. Contrasts popular UK…
Abstract
Puts the decline of the euro’s value following its introduction down to rapid US economic growth and the expansionary policies of the European Central Bank. Contrasts popular UK opposition to joining the euro with business pressure to do so, and suggests that the five stated conditions for entry have almost been met. Looks at economic conditions in other European countries and compares growth rates, unemployment, inflation and capital movements in the UK, USA and the eurozone. Outlines some views on the likely future of the euro and its effects on other currencies; and concludes that the macroeconomy of the eurozone “will bear continued watching”.
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Éric Brunat and Jacques Fontanel
The pandemic shock of COVID-19 had the indirect but powerful consequence of highlighting the limits of economic globalisation. National security not only is a military matter but…
Abstract
The pandemic shock of COVID-19 had the indirect but powerful consequence of highlighting the limits of economic globalisation. National security not only is a military matter but also includes, more than ever, the sectors of health, education, industrial risks or the protection and availability of natural resources. States can no longer forget that products and services essential to human survival (food, medicines, and civil protection) must always be available within the country, either in stock or in immediate production capacity. The same applies to the control of vital technologies (especially digital). The power relations openly expressed in the military order being extended to the economic sector, as evidenced by the resurgence of economic sanctions. In the context of nuclear dissuasion, for the superpowers, it is no longer a question of obtaining mutual benefits through international exchanges; the will to weaken the power of the other becomes prevalent. At a time when the acceleration of major or more minor innovations is transforming the relevant spaces of socioeconomic regulation, particularly the nation-state, when the masses and financial flows are becoming uncontrollable, when the effects of climate change and the finiteness of natural resources should force us to reflect on the real sustainability of the dominant system of accumulation, logically implying determined cooperation, institutional innovations and more widely shared collective political visions, States that lack theoretical and practical tools are tempted to turn in on themselves. This paradox provides a breeding ground for new populisms and other forms of nationalism and radicalism.
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Examines the past and future of total quality management through observations contributed by senior leaders of the USA quality movement on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of…
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Examines the past and future of total quality management through observations contributed by senior leaders of the USA quality movement on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the American Society for Quality Control, the 40th anniversary of the European Organization for Quality and the 30th anniversary of the International Academy for Quality.
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Twenty years before Sherlock Holmes donned his deerstalker and informed Watson that “the game's a‐foot!” an American woman, Seely Regester, pub‐lished a mystery entitled The Dead…
On January 1, 1999, the euro became the common currency of the 11 Member States of the European Union (EU) – Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg…
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On January 1, 1999, the euro became the common currency of the 11 Member States of the European Union (EU) – Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, The Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain, to be joined by Greece in 2000. The 12 were joined by Slovenia on January 1, 2007, Malta and Cyprus on January 1, 2008, and Slovakia on January 1, 2009. Estonia was scheduled to be the 17th member of the Eurozone on January 1, 2011, and was admitted to the Eurozone membership in September 2010. Following Slovenia and Slovakia, Estonia is the third former Communist state to join the Euro regime. It is, however, the first former Soviet republic to earn this honor. The remaining East European countries, who were admitted to EU membership by the Treaty of Rome in 2004, will become members of the Eurozone after a process of scrutiny. Each must satisfy the terms of the Maastricht Treaty of 1992. Denmark, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, three of the original EU-15 countries, continue to be outside the Eurozone. However, Sweden and Denmark have limited exchange rate fluctuations with the euro. The United Kingdom has a different story. Its economic structure and its relatively small share of world GDP have become an issue. The declining share of the United Kingdom's pound sterling as an international reserve currency warrants much critical evaluation.