Paul Ormerod

Failure is the most fundamental feature of biological, social and economic systems. Just as species fail—and become extinct—so do companies, brands and public policies. And while failure may be hard to handle, understanding the pervasive nature of failure in the world of human societies and economies is essential for those looking to succeed.Linking economic models with models of biological evolution, Why Most Things Fail identifies the subtle patterns that comprise the apparent disorder of failure and analyzes why failure arises. Throughout the book, author Paul Ormerod exposes the flaws in some of today's most basic economic assumptions, and examines how professionals in both business and government can help their organizations survive and thrive in a world that has become too complex. Along the way, Ormerod discusses how the Iron Law of Failure applies to business and government, and reveals how you can achieve optimal social and economic outcomes by properly adapting to a world characterized by constant change, evolution and disequilibrium. Filled with in-depth insight, expert advice and illustrative examples, Why Most Things Fail will show you why failure is so common and what you can do to become one of the few who succeed.

In this cogently and elegantly argued analysis of why human beings persist in engaging in behavior that defies time-honored economic theory, Ormerod also explains why governments and industries throughout the world must completely reconfigure their traditional methods of economic forecasting if they are to succeed and prosper in an increasingly complicated global marketplace.

"Important and ingenious . . . ought to be read by every educated person." ―The Spectator. Renowned British economist Paul Ormerod explodes current economic theory to offer a radical new framework for understanding how human societies and economies really operate. His bold and impassioned arguments about how and why economics should be recast to reflect the current ills of Western society ―including unemployment, crime, and poverty ―are both persuasive and controversial. Integrating ideas from biology, physics, artificial intelligence, and the behavioral sciences, Ormerod's groundbreaking approach is sure to have far-reaching repercussions. "A clear, concise, and yet sophisticated history of economic thought that should be required reading for Economics 101 courses. The fundamental challenge is to view the economy more as an organism than a machine and place it in its larger political, social, and moral context." ―The Washington Post "A vigorous, informed, and thoughtful critique of the dismal science." ―Kirkus Reviews. "Crucial reading for the concerned citizen, which ought to mean all of us. . . . This book is very timely indeed." ―The Observer "Economics has some battles to fight. . . . Unless economists improve their ability to analyze and prescribe in an intelligent way, and to provide a modicum of accuracy in their forecasts, the twentieth-century pseudoscience of economics will become a twenty-first-century museum piece." ―Sunday Times (London).

According to Paul Ormerod, author of the bestselling "Butterfly Economics and Why Most Things Fail", the mechanistic viewpoint of conventional economics is drastically limited - because it cannot comprehend the vital nature of networks. As our societies become ever more dynamic and intertwined, network effects on every level are increasingly profound. 'Nudge theory' is popular, but only part of the answer. To grapple successfully with the current financial crisis, businesses and politicians need to grasp the perils and possibilities of Positive Linking. Our social and economic worlds have been revolutionised by a massive increase in our awareness of the choices, decisions, behaviours and opinions of other people. For the first time in human history, more than half of us live in cities, and this combined with the Internet has transformed communications. Network effects - the fact that a person can and often does decide to change his or her behaviour simply on the basis of copying what others do - pervade the modern world. As Ormerod shows, network effects make conventional approaches to policy, whether in the public or corporate sectors, much more likely to fail. But they open up the possibility of truly 'Positive Linking' - of more subtle, effective and successful policies, ones which harness our knowledge of network effects and how they work in practice.

Economists and economics have been harshly criticised recently. This book accepts many of the criticisms of conventional theory but argues that the fundamental insights of economics are capable of reinterpretation and reinvention to deal with a host of contemporary concerns – social networks, globalisation, pay inequality, climate change, automation and the growth of ‘nudge’ policy amongst many others. The author uses his weekly column in the London business newspaper City A.M. to explain new developments in economic thinking and empirical research to a general audience. This book reproduces many of his most provocative columns with accompanying commentary and full references. The author’s witty and informed analysis of events provides an ideal introduction to important ideas for anybody interested in how the modern economy works.

In recent years, the economic analysis of crime has helped increase our understanding of different influences on crime levels. Although economic factors may not cause crime, different economic circumstances can increase or decrease the likelihood that an individual who may feel inclined towards criminal behavior will commit a crime in practice. And incentives, including punishments, do affect crime rates. In a lucid style, accessible to the non-economist and economist alike, the author shows how new developments in economics can be applied to the analysis of criminal behavior and used to draw policy conclusions. These new models take into account and illustrate how individuals interact with each other in social networks. As a result, they lead the author to more realistic conclusions and more informed policy recommendations.

Está meridianamente claro que algo no funciona. Que las cuentas no cuadran. Que alguien se está equivocando. Porque aumenta la inflación, el desempleo no se reduce y la economía europea parece condenada a ir dando tumbos sin que se vislumbre una salida de la crisis. Está meridianamente claro que los endiosados gurús que ela

Italian Language edition of Paul Ormerod, The Death of Economics, (Faber & Faber, 1994).

Libro usado en buenas condiciones, por su antiguedad podria contener señales normales de uso

Libro usado en buenas condiciones, por su antiguedad podria contener señales normales de uso

Economists and economics have been harshly criticised recently. This book accepts many of the criticisms of conventional theory but argues that the fundamental insights of economics are capable of reinterpretation and reinvention to deal with a host of contemporary concerns – social networks, globalisation, pay inequality, climate change, automation and the growth of ‘nudge’ policy amongst many others.The author uses his weekly column in the London business newspaper City A.M. to explain new developments in economic thinking and empirical research to a general audience. This book reproduces many of his most provocative columns with accompanying commentary and full references.The author’s witty and informed analysis of events provides an ideal introduction to important ideas for anybody interested in how the modern economy works.

This is the most comprehensive account to date of all Papua New Guineas wild orchids and will no doubt prove to be the essential reference to PNG's orchids for all botanists, ecologists and orchid enthusiasts for decades to come. All types and relevant data including where published are listed and the herbariums where they are kept. All synonymous names, where published and their types and the herbarium/s where kept and other relevant data are also listed. 35 new species and subspecies are also described for the first time accompanied by technical illustrations. A further 25 new scientific combinations are also proposed along with the establishment of new infrageneric classifications in the genera Chiloschista, Corybas, Crepidum, Grammatophyllum, Oberonia, Styloglossum & Taeniophyllum . English text; 494 pages; soft cover. A4 size.