Mary O'Mahony - Böcker

Communicable Disease Epidemiology and Control Edited by Norman Noah King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, UK, and Mary O'Mahony Public Health Laboratory Service, London, UK With the growing interest in communicable diseases and their control worldwide, largely due to new and re-emerging infections, there is a need for up-to-date information in this continually changing field. Timely and wide ranging, Communicable Disease: Epidemiology and Control addresses many of the contemporary issues and provides:* Detailed and concise examination of management issues, such as commissioning and contracting, setting up an incident room, and legal aspects* A practical approach* An examination of a wide spectrum of issues in communicable diseases, including cholera, tuberculosis, Helicobacter pylori, and sexually transmitted diseasesThis volume is an invaluable resource for microbiologists, epidemiologists and all professionals involved in public health.

Why has European growth slowed down since the 1990s while American productivity growth has speeded up? This book provides a thorough and detailed analysis of the sources of growth from a comparative industry perspective. It argues that Europe's slow growth is the combined result of a severe productivity slowdown in traditional manufacturing and other goods production, and a concomitant failure to invest in and reap the benefits from Information and Communications Technology (ICT), in particular in market services. The analysis is based on rich new databases including the EU KLEMS growth accounting database and provides detailed background of the data construction. As such, the book provides new methodological perspectives and serves as a primer on the use of data in economic growth analysis. More generally, it illustrates to the research and policy community the benefits of analysis based on detailed data on the sources of economic growth.

How much of the growth of output can be accounted for by the growth of inputs and how much is due to the growth of productivity? This book, first published in 1994, is a detailed attempt to answer this question for Britain. Estimates of outputs and inputs for over 130 industries were constructed, following the methodology pioneered by Professor Dale Jorgenson. These estimates can be employed to build up a picture of the performance of UK manufacturing as a whole. Contrary to the impression left by some previous authors, growth of productivity is found to play a relatively minor role - growth of inputs, when properly measured, accounts for most of the growth of output. The wealth of data which this book presents can also be used to shed light on a number of recent controversial views attached to the 'New Growth Theory'. According to this theory, externalities and increasing returns, often held to be associated with fixed investment, are the engine of economic growth. However, this book finds that the evidence does not support these claims.

Productivity and its determinants is a prominent feature in economic debate. Output per person or per capita is still the most influential measure of the prosperity of nations. Productivity depends on the quantity and quality of the factors of production available to a country and the social framework within which they operate. Education and the research base affect both the quality of factors and the ability of a nation to produce. This volume examines differences in productivity between nations, and provides comprehensive discussion as to why such differences exist; it addresses the importance of the growth and measurement of service productivity, and studies the role of human capital in adapting to new technologies. The creation of knowledge through research and development and its diffusion through trade, investment and the interaction of firms are also fully investigated.