Publications of the Institute of Business and Economic Research

This study explores the critical role of assets in economic analysis, emphasizing the asset pricing process and its connections to broader economic phenomena. Traditional economic approaches have often prioritized flow dynamics over stock considerations, but the rising interest in economic growth and capital theory has highlighted the need for a balanced perspective. The book argues that asset markets, far from being peripheral, play a central role in determining general equilibrium conditions. By integrating stock and flow dynamics, the analysis seeks to provide a comprehensive framework for understanding asset price determination and its implications for monetary and fiscal policies, although it remains primarily theoretical and abstract in its approach.

The work, rooted in the author’s doctoral dissertation, reflects rigorous academic inquiry supported by notable economists and institutions. The study benefits from the guidance of Professor Earl R. Rolph and other distinguished scholars, whose critiques and insights helped refine its ideas. While the book delves into monetary and fiscal topics such as central banking, debt management, and taxation, these discussions primarily serve to illustrate theoretical constructs rather than offer direct policy prescriptions. The overarching goal is to present a unified and coherent framework capable of addressing a wide range of economic and policy challenges, underscoring the interplay between asset markets and broader economic systems.

This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1963.

Authors Collins and Preston, who have collaborated on earlier studies of industrial organization and marketing, are here concerned with the relationship between business concentration and profitability in American manufacturing industries. Economic theory states that prices are higher and price-cost margins wider under conditions of monopoly than under those of competition. the problem in applying this theoretical conclusion to empirical analysis and economic policy is that a gap exists between the theoretical concept of monopoly on the one hand and the measurement of concentration on the other. A number of earlier studies have analyzed samples of available data to relate measured concentration to profitability. the present study reviews these previous efforts and provides a common basis for comparison of them. It then analyzes statistical data for the year 1958 in order to obtain an extensive new collection of empirical results. This analysis focuses specifically on the inter-industry variability of price-cost margins, and seeks to explain this variability in terms of differences in concentration and other variables. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1968.

This title was originally published in 1965.


This title was originally published in 1965.

Competition, Regulation, and the Public Interest in Nonlife Insurance provides a focused examination of the market structure, conduct, and economic performance of the nonlife insurance sector within the U.S. economy—a sector uniquely positioned between public utility and free market status. This study aims to critically analyze how current industry practices impact economic outcomes and to propose policy changes that could enhance the sector's social and economic contributions. Leveraging economic theories on workable competition, particularly Joe S. Bain's influential framework, the study sheds light on key issues such as market regulation, competitive behavior, and performance metrics in nonlife insurance, while also addressing broader implications for other financial sectors facing similar challenges. With a strategic emphasis on industry performance and practical policy outcomes, this investigation offers evidence-based insights into alternative regulatory models that may increase the industry's public value. By examining potential reforms in a historically resistant field, the study encourages an open-minded exploration of economic strategies that balance industry sustainability with the public interest. Supported by discussions with policy advisors, industry experts, and regulators, Competition, Regulation, and the Public Interest in Nonlife Insurance is an essential resource for scholars, policymakers, and professionals seeking a nuanced understanding of market regulation and competitive practices in insurance and adjacent financial industries.

This title was originally published in 1962.
Competition, Regulation, and the Public Interest in Nonlife Insurance provides a focused examination of the market structure, conduct, and economic performance of the nonlife insurance sector within the U.S. economy—a sector uniquely positioned between pu