ABBREVIATED CONTENTS // Contents vi Preface xiii Key issues xvii Acknowledgements xx How to use this book xxi Plan of the book xxii // Part 1 Introduction // 1 The scope of business economics 3 // 2 The organisation and its environment 10 // 3 Business objectives, ethics and corporate governance 29 // 4 Alternative models of the organisation 55 // Part 2 Demand, revenue and costs // 5 Consumer behaviour 79 // 6 Demand and elasticity 106 // 7 Estimating and forecasting demand 140 // 8 Determinants and behaviour of costs 174 // Part 3 Marketing and investment decisions // 9 Pricing decisions 201 // 10 Pricing practices 227 // 11 Non-price competition and the marketing mix 257 // 12 Investment decisions and the cost of capital 280 // 13 Techniques for decision making under conditions of uncertainty and risk 306 // Part 4 Economics and corporate strategy // 14 Elements of business strategy 333 // 15 Analysing the structure of competition 362 // 16 Competitive weapons: scale, scope and core competences 385 // 17 Transaction cost economics 403 // 18 Deterrence and reputation as strategic tools 420 // 19 Quality and the economics of the organisation 441 // Part 5 Business issues // 20 Business issues and the environment 459 // 21 The globalisation of business activities 485 // 22 Government intervention: competition and regulation 518 // 23 The changing boundaries of the organisation 542 // 24 The labour market 565 // Index 595 // v