To further circumscribe OB, this in

To further circumscribe OB, this introduction elaborates a “market” metaphor. To varying
degrees, three purposes stand out most prominently.
Quite directly, the market metaphor-even if only gently-provides a template for helping
choose the topics that get attention below.
In addition, the metaphor as well as the details of its elaboration imply a profile for this
handbook that relates both to how the volume distances itself from other efforts of its kind as
well as to how the book is like other such efforts in some particulars.