Reviews (1)

Unique and useful study of an important global businesstrend
This new study is packed with information on the subject of power generating utilities. It is both a survey of the U. S. industry with respect to the strong merger trend, and is an international, principallyEuropean, survey of the merger trend. That trend involves not only U. S.utilities acquiring foreign firms, but the reverse as well. In fact, one ofthe more useful sections of the book is the theoretical explanation inChapter 8 of merger motivations, heavily devoted to oligopolistic reaction,both with respect to U. S. firms' involvement in Europe as well as thereverse investment. Also valuable is the mention of the very realmotivation of managerial hubris, critical but often overlooked.Structurally, the organization of the book is sound. The chapterprogression is fluid and logical. A cavil I have is that the author doesnot begin with a clear statement of purpose. Although the brief firstchapter effectively serves as the introduction to the topic, an earlierpage or two explaining his motives for undertaking the work, along withacknowledgements, is usual and customary. I have the same cavil with regardto the ending. The final chapter contains a discussion of the trendscovered, but a further page or two could state overall conclusions tosupplement the discussion of the trends, and sum up what the book hasaccomplished. One oversight is that the Federal Energy RegulatoryCommission (FERC), so critical to the subject, is never sufficientlyidentified or its functions explained. The FERC is first mentioned on page3, but the index does not cite any reference before page 39. The booklikewise could have benefited from sharper copyediting. There are numerousminor typos, usually in the form of a missing letter, and several misplacedcommas. Alan Greenspan, Chairman of the Board of Governors of the FederalReserve System, is referred to on page 50 as William Greenspan, Chairman ofthe Federal Reserve Bank. Also, a reference to the Federal Reserve Bank onpage 79 surely must mean the Board of Governors. The criticisms areminor, however, compared to the important contributions made. The workbrings rigorous research to what is unquestionably an underresearched andunderreported phenomenon in the global industrial environment. Thus themajor value is that the work exists. Further, the research is very soundand well-organized. Particularly strong are the discussion ofthe U. S.antitrust environment in Chapter 4 and the discussion of the issues ofnuclear power in Chapter 6. A final accomplishment of the book is that itcan serve as a database on the merger-acquisition trend in globalutilities. All major mergers are detailed to a degree not accomplishedbefore. Although of greatest value to professionals and practitioners inthe utility field, the book can be understood by others, and possessesstrong potential as a reference source for academic researchers andstudents of global business. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Business/Economics    3. Corporate Mergers And Acquisitions    4. Electric utilities    5. Energy    6. Finance    7. Gas industry    8. Industries - General    9. International - General    10. Law    11. Mergers    12. Public Utilities    13. United States    14. Electrical power industries    15. Gas industries    16. Science / Energy    17. Takeovers, mergers & buy-outs   

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Business/Economics    3. Competition    4. Costs    5. Economics - General    6. Electric utilities    7. Law    8. Power Resources    9. Public Utilities    10. Rates    11. United States    12. Business & Economics / Economics / General    13. Electrical power industries    14. Organizational theory & behaviour    15. Technology-Power Resources   

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Business/Economics    3. Congresses    4. Electric Power Generation    5. Electric utilities    6. Industries - General    7. Law    8. Public Utilities    9. Rates    10. Telecommunication    11. Business & Economics / Economics / General    12. Business & Economics / Industries    13. Competition   

Subjects:  1. Acoustics & Sound    2. Electric Power Systems    3. Electricity    4. Engineering - Electrical & Electronic    5. Law    6. Power Resources    7. Public Utilities    8. Science/Mathematics    9. Technology & Industrial Arts   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Industries - General    3. Industries And Trades (Economic Aspects)    4. Nuclear Energy    5. Nuclear Power Stations    6. Public Utilities    7. Science/Mathematics   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Industries - General    3. Nuclear Energy    4. Public Utilities    5. Science/Mathematics   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business/Economics    3. Industries - General    4. Nuclear Energy    5. Public Utilities    6. Science/Mathematics   

Subjects:  1. Law    2. Law and legislation    3. Legal Reference / Law Profession    4. Public Utilities    5. Rates    6. Taxation    7. United States   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Industries - General    3. Industries And Trades (Economic Aspects)    4. Nuclear Energy    5. Nuclear Power Stations    6. Public Utilities    7. Science/Mathematics   

Subjects:  1. Government - General    2. Law    3. Public Utilities   

Subjects:  1. Government - General    2. Law    3. Public Utilities   

Subjects:  1. Aeronautics, Commercial    2. Air & Space    3. Air Transportation    4. Airlines    5. Data processing    6. Europe    7. Law and legislation    8. Legal Reference / Law Profession    9. Public Utilities    10. Reference    11. Reservation systems    12. United States    13. Law / Air & Space   

Subjects:  1. Government - General    2. Law    3. Public Utilities   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business/Economics    3. Industries - General    4. Nuclear Energy    5. Public Utilities   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business/Economics    3. Industries - General    4. Nuclear Energy    5. Public Utilities   

Subjects:  1. Legal Reference / Law Profession    2. Public Utilities   

Subjects:  1. Legal Reference / Law Profession    2. Public Utilities   

Subjects:  1. Legal Reference / Law Profession    2. Public Utilities    3. Business & Management   

Subjects:  1. Legal Reference / Law Profession    2. Public Utilities   

Subjects:  1. Legal Reference / Law Profession    2. Public Utilities