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An analysis is presented on economist Bruno S. Frey's model of human behavior, homo oeconomicus, and its usefulness in both economic and psychological research. The author supports the use of Frey's model as one of many different approaches for interdisciplinary study.

Recent divergencies in economic development have led to a growing literature comparing the US economy with (OECD-)Europe. The present article argues for a sceptical awareness of some limitations of these comparisons. By alternative groupings of countries the heterogeneous nature of European countries is underlined (limited to growth, inflation, and unemployment). This leads to the conclusion that to some extent comparisons between European nations or between the US and individual European nations could be valuable supplements to the generalizing US-Europe comparisons.

In his collection of Life Philosophies of Eminent Economists Michael Szenberg (1993) quotes a passage from Karl Popper which opens with the following sentence: "We all have our philosophies, whether […]

The concept of different European and American economics is absurd as the idea of a European Physics, or an American one for that matter. As a science, economics is objective and universal and its principles apply to all, regardless of nationality, race religion or any other classification. Although economics has to contend with complex, multifaceted objects, there is no reason to attach geographical labels to the discipline.

East German economic, social and political problems are a result of the rapid reunification programme launched in Aug 1990. Many politicians admit that reunification should have been gradual but they also claim that rapidity was necessary to prevent mass migration to West Germany and further Russian influence. The first reform on currency, resulted in overvaluation of the eastern currency and failed to achieve its goals, such as the maintenance of existing debt structures and protection of the purchasing power of private investments. The mistakes made are slowly being recognised and are being gradually remedied.