Ebook: European Socio-Economic Integration: Challenges, Opportunities and Lessons Learned

Economic integration is one of the most noteworthy issues in international economic policy at the end of the twentieth century. The recent examples of the European Union (EU) and the North American Free Trade Association (NAFTA) have raised important questions about the economic integration process and the possible establishment of economic unions in other parts of the world. Against the backdrop of the financial crisis in Europe and prospects of increasing integration in Asia, this volume showcases research from an international array of researchers to provide a basic understanding of the current issues, problems, challenges, and opportunities for achieving integration, addressing both empirical and theoretical aspects of such topics as monetary union, social policy reform and social union, public finance and technology policy. The chapters in Part 1 are focused primarily on economic issues, while Part 2 covers on social policy, the welfare state, and political reforms, with a particular emphasis on the European Union. Among the questions addressed:

• What are the main determinants and implications for socio-economic integration?
• How can economic policy influence the growth and integration process?
• Why is innovation important for regional economic development?
• What has been the policy response so far and what lessons have we learned from it?
• And finally, what are our action lines for the future?
  

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Economic integration is one of the most noteworthy issues in international economic policy at the end of the twentieth century. The recent examples of the European Union (EU) and the North American Free Trade Association (NAFTA) have raised important questions about the economic integration process and the possible establishment of economic unions in other parts of the world. Against the backdrop of the financial crisis in Europe and prospects of increasing integration in Asia, this volume showcases research from an international array of researchers to provide a basic understanding of the current issues, problems, challenges, and opportunities for achieving integration, addressing both empirical and theoretical aspects of such topics as monetary union, social policy reform and social union, public finance and technology policy. The chapters in Part 1 are focused primarily on economic issues, while Part 2 covers on social policy, the welfare state, and political reforms, with a particular emphasis on the European Union. Among the questions addressed:

• What are the main determinants and implications for socio-economic integration?
• How can economic policy influence the growth and integration process?
• Why is innovation important for regional economic development?
• What has been the policy response so far and what lessons have we learned from it?
• And finally, what are our action lines for the future?
  

---

Economic integration is one of the most noteworthy issues in international economic policy at the end of the twentieth century. The recent examples of the European Union (EU) and the North American Free Trade Association (NAFTA) have raised important questions about the economic integration process and the possible establishment of economic unions in other parts of the world. Against the backdrop of the financial crisis in Europe and prospects of increasing integration in Asia, this volume showcases research from an international array of researchers to provide a basic understanding of the current issues, problems, challenges, and opportunities for achieving integration, addressing both empirical and theoretical aspects of such topics as monetary union, social policy reform and social union, public finance and technology policy. The chapters in Part 1 are focused primarily on economic issues, while Part 2 covers on social policy, the welfare state, and political reforms, with a particular emphasis on the European Union. Among the questions addressed:

• What are the main determinants and implications for socio-economic integration?
• How can economic policy influence the growth and integration process?
• Why is innovation important for regional economic development?
• What has been the policy response so far and what lessons have we learned from it?
• And finally, what are our action lines for the future?
  

Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xvi
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Inflation Convergence in Europe....Pages 3-25
Economic and Monetary Integration in Europe: Evidence on Fiscal and Current Account Effects....Pages 27-41
The Mathematical Capital and Its Economic Value....Pages 43-50
Political Decision in a Game Theory Approach....Pages 51-61
Small States and the Nontraditional Effects of Economic Integration....Pages 63-83
The Greek Crisis & CO.D.TRA (Code of Digital Transactions): Mobile Payments and the Global Info-Cash (GIC)....Pages 85-95
Front Matter....Pages 97-97
Building Bridges in South Asia: Regional Cooperation, Information Technologies and Opportunities for Integration....Pages 99-112
Education Policy and Regional Convergence in the European Union....Pages 113-128
Innovation Process in the European Union: The Case of the Galileo Project....Pages 129-146
A Benchmarking Study for Human Capital in Europe....Pages 147-161
Social Policy and Socio-economic Integration in Europe....Pages 163-172
Conversations with Civil Servants: East European Public Administration Reform in Search of Socioeconomic Development....Pages 173-191
A New Methodological Approach of Job Requirement Assessment....Pages 193-201
Critical Evaluation of the Greek Tourism Policy....Pages 203-221
Back Matter....Pages 223-227