Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.

1. Eastern European Economic Reforms: The Road to Freedom? 2. The Stock Market: A Quick Way to Riches? 3. Traffic Jams: Could Britain Import a Solution from Singapore? 4. The National Health Service: Is Radical Treatment Needed? 5. The Regional Problem: Why Is It So Depressing? 6. Small Firms: On Being Small and Beautiful. 7. British Coal: Why the Future is So Black. 8. Europe's Airline Prices: The Sky's the Limit? 9. Business Behaviour: Are Profits Everything? 10. Government Spending: Do We Get Value For Money? 11. Trade Unions: Labour Market Manipulations? 12. Damaging the Earth: How Much Does It Really Matter? 13. Unemployment: What Can the Government Do? Does Britain Invest Enough? 14. Beating Inflation: Is It Really Worth It? 15. The Rich Get Richer and The Poor Get Poorer...: The Supply-Side Revolution. 16. Privatisation: A Supply Side Improvement? Does the UK Want an Independent Central Bank? 17. Manufacturing Trade: Not Made in Britain. 18. Giving Up Sterling: Too High A Price to Pay?Appendices:(i) A Guide to Sources of Information. (ii) Sources of Information on Share Prices. (iii) Measuring the Distribution of Income: The Gini Coefficient. (iv) The Derivation of the Demand Curve for Labour. (v) The Determination of the Multiplier. Index.

This successful text offers a concise and accessible introduction to economics, making it ideal for those coming to the subject for the first time.It adopts a unique case-study approach, addressing current and often controversial issues, to both stimulate and challenge the student. Each of the twenty cases has been carefully chosen to build up an understanding of economic analysis, showing how economic theory relates to the real world. The third edition has been substantially revised to reflect recent policy changes and includes more coverage of the single currency, The European Central Bank and economics of monetary integration.Features of the text: ? Balanced coverage of microeconomic and macroeconomic issues? Case-study approach allows students to apply economic analysis to real problems ? End-of-chapter discussion questions and key results summary boxes reinforce learning ? Comprehensive glossary Understanding Economics is particularly relevant for non-specialist students taking an introductory course in economics, whether as part of a business studies degree or any other course of study requiring a grounding in economics