Thomas R. Leinbach – författare

The last two decades have seen unprecedented changes in the economic, political, and social fabric of most of Southeast Asia. While urban centers have been the subject of much attention, the rural areas in Asia are equally critical. These rural situations continue to be transformed as a result of processes of urbanization, industrialization, trade, and technological change. As the forces of globalization continue to expand, new opportunities and forms of employment have become more and more accessible to rural populations. Despite a growing literature on the non-farm economy and its associated employment, there is much we do not know about its characteristics and potential. In Indonesia, with a human capital resource of nearly 140 million people residing in rural areas and nearly 3 million persons entering the labor force annually, there is both a tremendous potential for developmental change and an urgency to better understand the non-farm aspects of rural areas. The Indonesian Rural Economy is the most up-to-date and authoritative work on Indonesias non-farm development characteristics and potential. These original essays by experts and well-known specialists in the field emphasize the changing importance of off-farm income and the employment contributions of small enterprises. Case studies provide unique insights. The book is both a summary of current knowledge and a call for new inquiries on this critical theme.

Worlds of E-CommerceEconomic, Geographical and Social DimensionsTHOMAS R. LEINBACH and STANLEY D. BRUNN, both of the University of Kentucky, USAWorlds of Electronic Commerce attempts to capture the enormous international impact of the recent explosion in information and communication technologies. It stands alone as the first book to tackle the major economic, social, and political issues that electronic commerce raises from interdisciplinary and international perspectives.Including contributions from leading international scholars from geography, economics, and public policy, it addresses theoretical and conceptual issues and presents case studies on how retailing, job searches, banking and finance, telecommunications, and government regulation are changing with the introduction and diffusion of the Internet and various electronic services. References to rapid developments in these fields are drawn from the United States, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Japan, Singapore, Australia, Russia, and the developing world. The implications of these developments on consumer behaviour, existing and new firms, regulatory agencies, and interstate economic development are also discussed.In summary, the book presents an excellent background for those wanting scholarly treatments of (a) the background of e-commerce, (b) the growing importance of Information and Communication Technologies, and (c) case studies related to specific services making use of e-commerce.READERSHIP: Academics and Students in Information Economies, Information and Communications Technologies, Economics, Marketing, Retailing, Advertising, Communications, Technology Diffusion, Geography Dealing with Electronic Commerce

The worldwide movement of freight has emerged as one of the most critical and dynamic aspects of the transport sector. The contributors to this study examine the current state of global freight transport, with an emphasis on Europe and North America and their extra-regional linkages. These original contributions synthesize existing knowledge, highlight new developments, problems and possible solutions, and underscore the need for further research. The book's starting point is the fact that freight transport is the main element supporting global supply and commodity chains, from the transformation of raw materials to market distribution and after-market services. However, as the authors point out, the rising costs associated with security and various other constraints, as well as the complexity of getting goods delivered, is adding to profit pressures faced by manufacturers around the globe. Despite the application of technology and increasingly efficient solutions to the movement of freight, constraint points and conditions obstructing smooth operations and sustainability have developed. These difficulties affect both the environment and economic growth. Examining the issues from four critical perspectives - intermodality, e-commerce and technology, logistics, and sustainability - Globalized Freight Transport captures the concern for the viability of freight systems and the ways they are impacting the global economy. This cutting-edge study will be of great interest to students and scholars of transportation, as well as to public sector policymakers and private sector managers.