A History of Economic Thought or Strategy Concept and Process

A History of Economic Thought: The LSE Lectures

Author: Lionel Robbins

Lionel Robbins's now famous lectures on the history of economic thought comprise one of the greatest accounts since World War II of the evolution of economic ideas. This volume represents the first time those lectures have been published.

Lord Robbins (1898-1984) was a remarkably accomplished thinker, writer, and public figure. He made important contributions to economic theory, methodology, and policy analysis, directed the economic section of Winston Churchill's War Cabinet, and served as chairman of the Financial Times. As a historian of economic ideas, he ranks with Joseph Schumpeter and Jacob Viner as one of the foremost scholars of the century. These lectures, delivered at the London School of Economics between 1979 and 1981 and tape-recorded by Robbins's grandson, display his mastery of the intellectual history of economics, his infectious enthusiasm for the subject, and his eloquence and incisive wit. They cover a broad chronological range, beginning with Plato, Aristotle, and Aquinas, focusing extensively on Adam Smith, Thomas Malthus and the classicals, and finishing with a discussion of moderns and marginalists from Marx to Alfred Marshall. Robbins takes a varied and inclusive approach to intellectual history. As he says in his first lecture: "I shall go my own sweet way--sometimes talk about doctrine, sometimes talk about persons, sometimes talk about periods." The lectures are united by Robbins's conviction that it is impossible to understand adequately contemporary institutions and social sciences without understanding the ideas behind their development.

Authoritative yet accessible, combining the immediacy of the spoken word with Robbins's exceptionaltalent for clear, well-organized exposition, this volume will be welcomed by anyone interested in the intellectual origins of the modern world.

TLS - Arthur Seldon

These lectures reflect Robbins' two personae - the scholarly exponent of the centuries of economic thought and the passionate advocate of classical liberalism. A decisive part of his intellectual armoury was his often elegant, classical spoken English, which evoked a mixture of awe and wonder. In his LSE lectures, which he may have felt were his last epistles to posterity, the language is more informal, sometimes, colloquial, even unfamiliarly conversational.

Library Journal

Robbins taught at the London School of Economics (LSE) from 1929 to 1961, directed the economic section of the British War Cabinet during World War II, and served as chair of the Financial Times from 1961 until 1970. In 1980, he began a series of 33 lectures at LSE in which he discussed the history of economic thought, from Plato and Aristotle to Alfred Marshall and John Maynard Keynes, and the intellectual and practical errors associated with its development. With a profound sense of humor and highly engaging anecdotes, this master teacher provided an unusual opportunity to discover not only the ideas but also the very different frames of reference that inspired the contributions of these great minds to our present understanding of economics. Essential reading for instructors, students, and practitioners alike, this is highly recommended for both academic and public libraries.--Norman B. Hutcherson, Beale Memorial Lib., Bakersfield, CA

What People Are Saying

William J. Baumol
Anyone reading these lectures can,and surely will,admire their style,the range of material they cover,the dazzling intellectual brilliance,and the stimulation they provide.

Books about marketing: Exploring Business or Financial Accounting Fundamentals 2007

Strategy Concept and Process: A Pragmatic Approach

Author: Arnoldo C Hax

Hax and Mailuf offer a pragmatic approach to strategic management, offering practicing managers and business readers a disciplined process that facilitates the formulation and implementation of strategy. Most comprehensive, integrated, explicit approach to strategy formulation; Proctor & Gamble used as a running case throughout the text. Other real world examples include NKK and Merck; global perspective, companies are drawn from all over the world.

Booknews

Pragmatic approach to corporate strategic planning in a globalized economy co-authored by Dr. Arnoldo Hax (management, MIT) and Dr. Nicolas Majluf (industrial and system engineering, Catholic U. of Chile) who have both had extensive experience as process consultants in a wide variety of industries. Emphasis on state of the art strategic management, its development, and implementation. Case studies illustrate concepts, using real-life applications by corporations such as Proctor and Gamble, Merck, Citibank, and General Motors. Includes flow charts, mapping, glossary, and references. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Table of Contents:

	Preface
1	The Concept of Strategy and the Strategy Formation Process	1
2	A Formal Strategic Planning Process	24
3	Business Strategy: The Core Concepts	43
4	The Mission of the Business	50
5	Environmental Scan at the Business Level	66
6	Internal Scrutiny at the Business Level	118
7	The Formulation of the Business Strategy	141
8	Strategic and Economic Evaluation of the Merits of a Strategy	158
9	Corporate Strategy: The Core Concepts	184
10	Environmental Scan at the Corporate Level	194
11	The Mission of the Firm	203
12	Business Segmentation	216
13	Horizontal Strategy	225
14	Vertical Integration	242
15	Corporate Philosophy	254
16	Strategic Posture of the Firm	264
17	Resource Allocation and Portfolio Management	276
18	Functional Strategy: The Core Concepts	323
19	Human Resource Strategy	347
20	Technology Strategy	360
21	Manufacturing Strategy	376
	Glossary	397
	References	423
	Index	431