Author Description

This book - a renewed, third edition of the successful 1981 and 1988 works, published under the same title - contains twelve essays on the economic organization of important industries in the EC. Expert economists from universities and research institutes in France, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, discuss basic industrial, manufacturing and services sectors from a structural and operational point of view. Their expert contributions unravel the strengths and weaknesses of these sectors now that '1992' has arrived. The focus of the book, European instead of 'national', the unique feature qualifying the previous editions, has been retained. In addition to the sectoral studies, the editor has written an introductory essay which deals with the concept of market structure, allowing the reader to understand both the theoretical background and the terms used in the following chapters. The book concludes with a survey of European competition policy, which has gained in scope and importance, particularly with the advent of merger control.