On October 28th Fortescue reversed its long-standing public optimism and announced it would curtail expansion, a huge blow given the importance of scale in efficient mining of iron ore.

ECONOMIST: Fortunes in the mining business come and go faster than ever

Its officials argue that insurers in foreign markets should either be very strong or get out, because of the importance of economies of scale.

ECONOMIST: European insurance

To run simulations, Guillermo Owen of the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, uses intelligence data from the US Air Force to estimate on a 100-point scale the importance a wanted man attaches to his likes (fishing, say) and priorities (remaining hidden or, at greater risk of discovery, recruiting suicide-bombers).

ECONOMIST: Modelling behaviour

"Everyone involved in the Tube drivers' dispute needs to recognise the importance of London retailing and the damage disruption on this scale will cause, " he said.

BBC: Tube strike: Boxing Day walkout 'could harm retailers'

For large scale financing urban infrastructure which is assuming critical importance in the context of rapid urbanization, conventional fiscal transfers to the urban local bodies or municipals from governments are no longer considered sufficient.

FORBES: Infrastructure Investment in India Falls Off a Cliff

Modern economics also emphasises the importance of dynamic gains, arising especially from the economies of scale that freer trade makes possible.

ECONOMIST: Profits over people

The biggest highlight of the quarter was increasing importance of mobile, she says, and our unique ability to reach targeted audiences at scale.

FORBES: LIVE: Facebook's Q4 Earnings Beat Forecasts But Shares Fall

These projects do not have to be overwhelmingly huge in scale either- those with Vital Voices often express that whether the assignment is big or small, the importance is in inspiring others and paying it forward.

FORBES: What Is ANNpower?