Includes bibliographical references and index.

The role of competition and diversity in economic performance : an overview -- Concepts of economic competition and performance in context -- Diversity of consumers, product innovation and economic performance -- Schumpeter and the dynamics of capitalism : the driving force of business innovation -- Reasons for business diversity and their economic importance -- Diversity and the evolution of competitive economic systems -- Competition, diversity, evolution and sustainability : are there lessons from ecology? -- Market niches, competition and economic performance : more clues from ecology? -- Market impediments, restrained reactions and market dynamics -- Variations in the fitness of firms, dynamic economic performance, and vulnerability -- More on differences in the fitness of firms, market selection and product variety -- Using market mechanisms (for example, contracting out) for the efficient public provision of commodities -- Using markets and market-like mechanisms for allocating public funds for research : are they efficient? -- Using markets and market-like mechanisms to manage a multidivisional business efficiently -- Business partnerships, cooperation and the enhancement of economic performance.

This thought-provoking book explores the influences of market competition and diverse behaviours of economic agents on economic performance, particularly dynamic economic performance.