This book was born from curiosity. To begin with, it was the curiosity of an economist who studied in the 60's in an environment which has subsequently developed from national into global economics. Who has to recognize that politicians, scholars and large segments of society oblivious to supranational authorities and e- nomic globalization forces continue to labour under the notion that they are still fully autonomous and sovereign when shaping national economic policy. And pretend as though their own national state were still the "m- ter in its own house" that despite unbridled market economics could c- tinue to dictate to the economy and companies how to live and in which "rooms". All that has become fiction. The laws of globalization diminish the - noeuvring space for shaping national economic policy. Even if many folks today don't want to hear it: The issue is no longer achieving what is soc- politically desirable for the own society but rather the optimal adaptation of society and social benefits to the politically practicable.

Dr. Helmut Becker is a world-renowned expert on the automotive industry. He has served on the staff of the German Council of Economic Advisors. As Chief Economist at BMW, he headed the Corporate Economic Research and Policy department for several of his twenty plus years there. Currently, he is the founder and CEO of Business Relations Company AG, and in addition, runs his own institute for economic analysis. Dr. Becker holds degrees in Economics and Business Studies and a PhD in Political Science.