The Dot-Com Debacle and the Return to Reason

by Louis E.V. Nevaer

Overview

The bubble burst. Within months, dot-com once-millionaires were scratching around for jobs. Nevaer proves that the laws of classical economics were never repealed, and that the New Economy was more Old Economy than many people believed. His briskly provocative new book shows how the returban of common sense is opening fresh opportunities for wealth creation in badly battered industries—the entertainment industry especially—and offers five keys to understanding the online economy overall. The crash, says Nevaer, was inevitable. Characteristics of the New Economy created market imperfections that led to total failures. The negative effects were not isolated. They hurt the whole economy. The online community also fostered undesired social outcomes—pathological consumer behavior—but the potential for more beneficial gains is still indisputable.

Nevaer applies the fundamental theories and ideas of classical economics to the world online, providing a concise understanding of what properly belongs to the Old Economy, and what belongs to the New. He examines the real—that is, sustainable—components of the New Economy centered on five industries: publishing, music, video games, and, to some dismay, gambling and adult entertainment. Meticulously researched and documented, Nevaer's book is an authoritative, probing account for analysts, researchers, students, and scholars. As a study of American culture and society, it is an entertaining read for knowledgeable people everywhere.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781567204155
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	02/28/2002
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.75(d)

About the Author

LOUIS E. V. NEVAER is an economist, entrepreneur, consultant, editor, and formerly a publisher of newsletters for top management in international finance. Among his previous books published by Quorum are Into—and Out of—the Gap (2001), New Business Opportunities in Latin America (1996), Strategies for Business in Mexico (1995), The Protectionist Threat to Corporate America (1989) and others.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Everything Old is New Again
Reports of the Birth of the "New Economy" Are Greatly Exaggerated
Why the Laws of Economics Apply in Cyberspace
The Tyrannies and Dilemmas of E-Commerce
Private Wants, Public Needs, and the Seismic Shift in the Economic Landscape
Doing Old Things in a New Way
The Entertainment Economy Online
The Unprinted Word
Like Music to My Hard Drive
"Surrender or Die You Foolish Mortals!"
The Wheel of Misfortune
Pornography for Everyone
The End of Privacy and Fetish Desire Online
Conclusion

Editorial Reviews

Bubbles burst. Nevaer (an economist and consultant) re-asserts the laws of classical economics, and questions just how new the "new economy" really is. He considers the social and economic costs of on- line opportunism, offers a guide to understanding the electronic economy, and identifies new opportunities in neglected industries, especially the entertainment industry. Economic sustainability is emphasized. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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