Customer Reviews

Cost Benefit Analysis: Concepts and Practice (3rd Edition)

5 star:		(1)
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3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I had to buy this book for a class I took on Cost-benefit analysis (which is probably why you're thinking of buying it, too). The contents of my review won't have much influence on your choice to purchase it, as that decision has already been made by your prof. But I think I owe you a few warnings.

Some of the chapters are well-written (the chapters on discounting and compounding and time value), but most of them are confusing (the chapters on option value and the section about the optimal growth discount model). Even our professor, who has a BA in econ from Yale and a PhD in econ from Berkeley, had trouble getting through these sections. Some of the homework problems at the ends of the chapters ask about material that the text never fully explains. In a few instances, the book reminds you why you hate integral calculus.

So although I can't stop you from buying this, I can at least warn you that your trip through its pages will be nothing like a trip through the beautiful mountains on the cover. Unless you were planning on climbing the mountains. In January. Without GPS or crampons.

I've read 5 chapter so far, and this is by far one of the worst textbooks i ever read. Some of the examples are pretty bad, explanations of some concepts are also short and confusing, and (as another reviewer said) some of the problems given in the end of the chapters use techniques and concepts that were not explained in the book! Even the prof is confused!

Ignore if you can.

The book came pretty fast. It wasn't in mint condition but it looked new enough. I'm also enjoying this class and the book is easy to read and understand.

This book by Anthony Boardman et al. is a heavy read. It is not a book you would want to read from A to Z in order to understand Cost-Benefit Analysis or CBA, but it is one of the better reference books I have found. The only downside I found was a very theoretical approach and lack of really useful examples. Nevertheless, not one element of CBA seems to be left untouched. This book is a valuable reference to anyone relying on CBA as a decision-making tool, because it will assist you in understanding what it is that you are analyzing when applying CBA.

Beware because i ve received a book made of copies of the real book. I m am really disappointed.