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Representatives of five prominent library integrated system vendors—M.E.L. Jacob (OCLC), Joe Matthews (Inlex), Mike Monahan (Geac), Gene Robinson (CLSI), and Steve Salmon (Carlyle)—express their views on ethics and the marketplace. The need for ethical behavior by all sectors of the marketplace—librarians, consultants, and vendors—is emphasized and illustrated. Four sidebars are included: one addresses the need for customer data rights standards; others contain the code of ethics/practice issued by three professional organizations for consultants.

Empirical analysis does not yet converge on a unique set of factors which determine CEO compensation within the electric utility industry. There is some evidence, for example, that compensation and firm size are positively related, and that compensation and accounting profitability are either unrelated or negatively related (Carroll & Ciscel, 1982; Hirschey & Pappas, 1981). On the surface, these findings argue against the need for incentive programs within the utility industry since regulation itself assures adequate firm profitability.

Addresses the general issue of the effective management of public relief programmes. Proposes that in the search for an appropriate guiding framework, public administrators could overcome some of the perennial problems stemming from lack of management continuity between ad hoc programmes by adopting the so‐called “privatization paradigm”. Develops a comparative analysis based on the Bureau of Indian Affairs′ (USA) recent effort to assist American Indians start and maintain viable business ventures. Argues that the substantial non‐securing management costs of business relief programmes could be reduced if administrators applied management models provided by privatization theory to the direction of their programmes.

The first paper by Hernando de Soto is titled, “Trust, Institutions and Entrepreneurship.” Hernando de Soto certainly needs no introduction. As the author of two best-selling books, The Other Path and The Mystery of Capital, and the founder of the Institute for Liberty and Democracy in Peru, Hernando de Soto has made his mark on examining critical issues related to economic development among poor people. In 1999, Time magazine chose Hernando de Soto as one of the five leading Latin American innovators of the century. Forbes magazine highlighted him as one of 15 innovators “who will re-invent your future.” The Economist magazine identified his Institute for Liberty and Democracy as one of the top two think tanks in the world. The essay in this volume, based upon a speech given at the University of North Carolina on October 26, 2004, examines the important relationships between institutions, trust, property rights, and the ability of entrepreneurs to participate in economic growth and development. This stimulating essay sets a foundation for much of what is discussed in this volume.

The Bureau of Economics in the Federal Trade Commission has a three-part role in the Agency and the strength of its functions changed over time depending on the preferences and ideology of the FTC’s leaders, developments in the field of economics, and the tenor of the times. The over-riding current role is to provide well considered, unbiased economic advice regarding antitrust and consumer protection law enforcement cases to the legal staff and the Commission. The second role, which long ago was primary, is to provide reports on investigations of various industries to the public and public officials. This role was more recently called research or “policy R&D”. A third role is to advocate for competition and markets both domestically and internationally. As a practical matter, the provision of economic advice to the FTC and to the legal staff has required that the economists wear “two hats,” helping the legal staff investigate cases and provide evidence to support law enforcement cases while also providing advice to the legal bureaus and to the Commission on which cases to pursue (thus providing “a second set of eyes” to evaluate cases). There is sometimes a tension in those functions because building a case is not the same as evaluating a case. Economists and the Bureau of Economics have provided such services to the FTC for over 100 years proving that a sub-organization can survive while playing roles that sometimes conflict. Such a life is not, however, always easy or fun.

Ecosystems’ digitally enabled networks that enhance corporate value propositions by linking corporate units, suppliers, distributors, partners, customers and other stakeholders -- have become the engine that drives performance and strategic impact across economies. Article examines which ecosystem strategies are appropriate for firms in various situations.

A new IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) survey of 700 executives involved in decision-making about their organizations’ ecosystem growth and partnering reveals that the companies most focused on ecosystem engagement consistently generate higher growth and more business value.

Analysis of the executive responses identified four distinct strategic approaches for ecosystem activity – Accelerate, Expand, Ignite and Reposition.

Success is likely only if firms pursue the right ecosystem strategy for their situation, with the right business partners, executed the right way.

Ecosystems can enhance the value of products or services through both competition and cooperation with partners and rivals. For enterprises battling dislocation and disruption, ecosystems promote agility and resilience and can identify new revenue opportunities. As such, ecosystems have been the essential vehicle for growth and expansion for many corporations.