Dr John Embery

The reform of the Structural Funding measures for the 1994-1999 period has led to a significant output of research on the impact of the funding in large mainland economies, but little about small islands in the European Union that receive structural funding. This paper applies a model of a small island economy and evaluates the validity of the design of the Objective 1 policy and its implementation in the Western Isles. Using data from interviews, planning strategies and evaluation reports the paper argues that the success achieved in the Western Isles economic development in the 1994-1999 period owes more to the management of the implementation by the local agencies than to the inception and design of the Objective 1 policy.

The reform of the Structural Funding measures for the 1994-1999 period has led to a significant output of research on the impact of the funding in large mainland economies, but little about small islands in the European Union that receive structural funding. This research note introduces ongoing research into the impact of Structural Funds in the Western Isles, part of the Objective 1 region of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. The note outlines the development of the Structural Funds and the funding measures introduced for the Highlands and Islands. The note proceeds to describe the difficulties faced by small islands in the development of their economies before stating the formal hypothesis to be tested and the methodological approach.

The reform of the Structural Funding measures for the 1994-1999 period has led to a significant output of research on the impact of the funding in large mainland economies, but little about small islands in the European Union that receive structural funding. This paper applies a model of a small island economy and evaluates the validity of the design of the Objective 1 policy and its implementation in the Western Isles. Using Potter’s model of Urban-Rural interaction in small island economies the paper argues that the design of the Objective 1 policy is inappropriate for the needs of small island economies such as the Western Isles.

This book provides a new and unique perspective on ideas of demand within sports economics. It reviews the methodologies that underpin the current analysis of the demand for sporting events, highlights their limitations, and proposes ways in which they can be improved. By proposing a new framework that takes approaches from behavioural economics, socio-economics and open-systems methodology, a new perspective is proposed that deepens our understanding of the demand for sporting events and is presented as a research strategy that embraces qualitative and mixed methods. This book offers insight into a key economic idea through the lens of sports economics and the attendance of sporting events. It will be relevant to students and researchers interested in sports economics and the political economy of sport.

This case study describes the design and delivery of a sustainable development module for undergraduate students at Leeds Metropolitan University. By explaining the methods used, it highlights the constantly evolving nature of education for sustainable development. At the same time it demonstrates that multiple objectives (for example those of students, higher education institutions (HEIs), government) may be met through the use of different delivery methods, available technology, student input and up-to-date research, while accommodating diverse learning styles.

This thesis makes two initial claims. First, that Sports Economics adopts its main theory and methods from the mainstream at large, and this includes (explicitly or implicitly) a standard economic agent, subject to some modifications, and that this agent lacks appropriate ‘sociality’, i.e. is ‘atomistic’. Second, there is scope to develop an alternative ‘social-economic’ agent. Subsequent to these claims, this thesis develops a concept of a social-economic agent and associated research strategy. The thesis draws on critical realism, Daniel Kahneman’s work, and a wide variety of literature from sociology, marketing, and elsewhere. The main focus of this thesis is methodological. Its originality lies in the overview it provides of the field, the insight it offers regarding a fundamental issue and the alternatives it offers. The thesis is arranged into six chapters. In Chapter One I provide an overview of the chapters, a rationale of the thesis, its claim to originality and the gaps it addresses, and set out a series of key concepts that recur throughout the thesis. In Chapter Two I undertake a detailed survey of published sports economics articles and an additional survey of textbooks. This survey establishes that the agent is appropriated from the field at large, and that a more social-economic agent, combined with more creative mixed methods research provides a way forward. In Chapter Three I develop an argument focused on terms of debate. The absence of adequate representation of the sociality of the agent in mainstream microeconomics, means there are limits to what can be achieved in sports economics attendance demand research. I distinguish between different ways of framing the value attendees attach to attendance and I set out the terms of a theoretical-methodological divide between social science and social science. In Chapter Four I offer a model of social economic agency, drawn from Daniel Kahneman’s later work. This provides the groundwork for a different approach to a behavioural social-economic agent, a concept of the agent which I place on the other side of the divide (i.e. social science). Chapter Five adopts an explicitly social-economic agent model, and I suggest a number of routes sports economists might take. I adopt a multi and mixed methods approach, which includes use of social network analysis as a research tool. Chapter Six concludes with an overview of the thesis and discussion of future directions of research. The thesis addresses two main gaps. First, subsequent to a comprehensive survey of literature, which identifies common usage of the mainstream economic agent in work on attendance demand, and a critique of the limitations of that agent, this thesis offers an alternative theorisation of a social-economic agent. Second, given that this social-economic agent cannot be adequately investigated solely in terms of standard quantitative techniques typically used in mainstream economics, this thesis provides an alternative methodology. Keywords: attendance demand, methodology, economic agent, critical realism, sports economics, decision-making, shared agency, Kahneman, retroduction.

What is this module about? To develop knowledge and understanding of the concepts and theories in economics that underpins consumer choice and market interactions. The lectures and seminars will explore the theories and empirical evidence regarding the choices made by consumers in the contemporary marketplace, and how these choices are shaped and influenced. Objectives On completion of the module, students will be able to: 1. Examine the key theories of behaviour and economic decision making of consumers around the globe; 2. Analyse the nature of behavioural and economic interactions using alternative perspectives; 3. Explain the inter-relationships between behaviour, choice and markets; 4. Demonstrate effective communication skills. Module Programme A series of 20 lecture/class sessions, comprising lectures and seminars, will consider the complexities of consumer choice and market interactions. The lectures will outline the key concepts and models. The seminar sessions will involve further elaboration and discussion of the lecture material and student-led discussion.

The Handbook of Heterodox Economics contains a significant variety of contributions invited and ordered according to a number of themes. One useful way to bring final order to the whole, and by way of conclusion, is to return to the issue of what heterodox economics is, and to emphasize the characteristics that make the varieties of heterodoxy common and valuable. Heterodox economics is important irrespective of innovation within the mainstream. Its collective potential is as a critical community subject to constructive pluralism, and its further characteristics establish it as a living body of knowledge that plays an important role as social science, able to address the most important questions.