Published as a tribute to the life and work of Peter Sheehan, 'Engaging The New World' reflects his outstanding contribution to public discourse in Australia as researcher, writer, leader, consultant and adviser to governments.
The book is divided into four sections: the global knowledge economy; health care and pharmaceuticals; employment, retirement and welfare; and public finance and regional economies. Each of the twenty-three essays make a valuable contribution to debates over the development of economic policy in each of these fields. They articulate the challenges and explore the opportunities present in the construction of national and global economic policies.
Topics covered in the different sections include; the role of the knowledge economy in Australian agriculture, the benefits to society of new drugs and pharmaceuticals, innovation and industry structure in the biomedical industry, budget management reform in China, and the microfinance movement in China.