Jean-Baptiste Lesourd – författare

Part of a series, this volume comprises a selection of methodology-oriented papers presented at the 25th International Conference of the Applied Econometrics Association on International Commodity Market Modelling which took place at the World Bank, Washington, 1988. Economic and statistical analyses are obviously of great importance in studying commodity markets. A deep knowledge of market-clearing processes, the institutional structures of the industries related to each commodity market whether on the supply or demand side and the statistical methods of data handling for inference purposes are all needed in order to make good sense of the wealth of information on commodity market data. In addition, a technological understanding of the economic processes underlying each market is necessary. The agronomy of crop production, the techniques of crop distribution from harvest to end-use, the contributions of meteorology, the engineering of metallurgy, the engineering of processing factories, the combating of oil spills, the control of pollution and many other technological aspects of the different markets are essential for a good understanding of the forces at work in each case.Also legal and political factors play roles in the markets and require some specialized knowledge of their effects. Almost every market is different and so a specialized technological background is required, but that adds much substance to the research. By fitting together appropriate cross-disciplinary bodies of information in commodity market studies, a high degree of interest and analytical challenge can be attained.

Energy policy is a key area in each of the world's economies. The oil shocks of the 1970's emphasised how important energy had become. In recent years a growing awareness of environmental issues has had a major impact on perceptions of energy use as growing numbers of people express concern at the relationship between energy and the greenhouse effect, acid rain and the depletion of the ozone layer. All of this has created a demand for more, and better, models of energy use.

In addition to discussing financial and commodity futures and options, this book links them to the physical economy at large, a linkage which is particularly important when one is thinking of physical commodity markets. The book looks at not only the futures of derivative markets, but it also explores the physical markets and the underlying economy.l Written by leading authors in the field of commodity marketsl Contains numerous up-to-date examples, case studies, and scenarios to assist in gaining an overall understandingl Covers all aspects of commodity trading, including the inter-relationship between the different functions

This book asks an important question of how management of the environment may benefit firms. The authors take an objective, neutral perspective on the extent to which environmental issues should, or should not, be addressed within the management of business corporations.The Environment in Corporate Management includes an up-to-date treatment of business practices, norms and standards, using the tools of microeconomic and industrial organisation analysis to provide an ordered and consistent picture. The analysis is couched within stakeholder theory, which determines how costs and benefits are defined for the firm. Utilising the most recent information the book also focuses on the underlying long-term trends. Actual examples and case studies illustrate the discussions. The authors conclude by highlighting the inevitable need to link environment and finance, for better stakeholder relationships and business performance.This unique book is written clearly and accessibly, but with a firm grounding in academia to challenge scholars and researchers in areas including environmental studies, business, economics and finance. Practitioners will also find the book of great interest.