Introduction

Abstract

The concept of leverage plays an important role in different academic disciplines and different areas of life, but there has been little attention paid to the different kinds of leverage that exist. This book examines three main kinds of leverage, namely bargaining leverage, resource leverage, and investment leverage. Bargaining leverage is discussed by theorists of negotiation, lawyers, and political scientists. Resource leverage is discussed by economists, engineers, and management theorists. Investment leverage is discussed by economists, real estate managers, and bankers. Yet no one has brought together the three different kinds of leverage into a unified theory, one that would help us both to explain important aspects of human experience and to provide a basis to guide human conduct.