Introduction to the Global Economy

Introduction to the Global Economy is first and foremost an economics textbook. It assumes that the reader has had little or no formal exposure to the economics discipline. It is designed as a core curriculum text. The purpose of Introduction to the Global Economy is to:

1. Provide students with a basic understanding of key economic terms and concepts,
2. expose students to globalization and the forces that contribute to it,
3. examine the growing importance of international trade and finance in the world economy, and
4. explore economic challenges of globalization.

Ultimately, readers will gain a fuller appreciation of the world around them and the role that economics plays in their daily lives. This book serves as a gateway to further explorations in the economics discipline.

Introduction to the Global Economy is divided into four parts. Part 1: Tools of the Trade introduces the reader to basic terms, fundamental principles, and models of economics, including supply and demand, gross domestic product, inflation, and the production possibilities frontier. Part 2: Globalization provides a basic description of globalization, its measures, as well as its pros and cons. In addition, major agents or drivers of globalization will be discussed. These include prominent international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organization. In addition, Part 2 will briefly examine the role of multinational corporations in the global economy. Part 3 includes chapters on global trade in goods and services, trade regulations, and preferential trade agreements. Part 4 introduces global finance. The chapters in Part 4 focus on the balance of payments and the foreign exchange market.