Böcker av Malcolm Abbott

This book focuses on the development of cricket in Australia, with a focus on the commercial and professional aspects of the game. It takes a historical approach and analyses the reasons behind the ebbs and flows of commercialisation in the game. It also applies economic analysis to help provide it with some original insights into the way in which the game is structured and has developed in Australia. The book would be of interest to a range of people both in Australia and abroad, who are interested in the manner in which sport in the modern world has become a commercialised pursuit.

This book traces the historical development of the network utilities sector in Australia (communications, rail, gas, electricity, water supply, and sewerage services). It looks across industries, time periods and the state and federal jurisdictions, to identify what motivated the various governments to establish these enterprises and what issues arose. The book is therefore informed by the relationship between politics and society on the one hand and economic history on the other; as well as the efforts of governments in Australia to promote economic growth and the wealth of Australians. The main focus of the book is to identify and analyse the following two main questions: (i) What were the main drivers and motivations for governments establishing government-owned business in the network utilities sector? (ii) To what degree were these government-owned businesses successful at achieving the aims of these governments? In doing so the inherent characteristics of these industries areidentified, in terms of their need for rights of way, network effects, the monopoly characteristics, and the potential for stimulating growth.