In an era of global markets, free trade agreements, and worldwide commerce, economic development is an international rather than a national or local activity. The opportunities provided by global economic development require accurate and complete information about business enterprise, government institutions, and financial systems around the world. This book provides a detailed and comprehensive survey of economic development and business finance in thirteen key nations in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. The focus is on how business is financed and the role of government in economic development and capital markets. For each country, authors summarize the social, economic, and political context of enterprise development; identify legal and institutional stimuli and constraints on economic development; describe how enterprise finance is raised and allocated; and review the state's role in enterprise finance. The chapters are packed with the latest data and illustrated with informative case studies. Written by internationally recognized experts, this is an essential reference for professionals, students, and others interested in economic development, business finance, and public policy in the global marketplace. Richard D. Bingham and Edward W. Hill; Matthew Marlin and Charles Wurster; Vijay M. Jog; Susan A. Macmanus; Cal Clark; Robert G. Fletcher and Brenda J. Moscove; Leslie Elliott Armijo; Yair Aharoni; Chris Thompson and Michael Teitz; Charles Harvey; Edward W. Hill and Terry F. Buss; Terry F. Buss and Roger J. Vaughan; Wim Wiewel and Mark de Jong, with Jeroen Broeders; Leslie Elliott Armijo.