Economics
In Some Markets, Competition Can Do More Harm Than Good
A study of the Rwandan coffee industry shows how informal contracts can break down as new competitors enter, resulting in higher costs and lower quality products.
Economics
COVID Has Accelerated These 4 Labor Market Trends
From greater flexibility to higher wages, the workplace is never going to look the same.
Economics
Should Americans Be Worried about Inflation Right Now?
Three economists with opposing views weigh in.
Economics
To Better Measure Economic Uncertainty, Look Beyond the Stock Market
Incorporating news sources, surveys, and even Twitter conversations can help give policymakers more nuanced data.
Economics
The U.S. Economy Is Still Finding Its Footing. But States Are Doing Pretty Well.
Why California is thriving—and even Illinois is on the upswing.
Economics
Measuring COVID’s Devastating Impact on Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Global surveys of more than 30,000 people revealed widespread drops in income, rising food insecurity, and an increase in domestic violence.
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Economics
To Escape Jim Crow–Era Discrimination and Violence, Some Black Men Passed as White. But How Many?
Hundreds of thousands, according to a new study of Census data. Doing so provided some economic benefits but came at a great personal cost.
Policy
With More Stimulus Relief on the Way, Here’s a Look at America’s Covid Economy
A former Treasury official discusses where things stand now—and what the future might bring.
Economics
Why Do COVID-19 Death Rates Differ Wildly from Place to Place?
Researchers were surprised by the variable that best predicted fatalities.
Economics
How Auctions Help Solve Some of the World’s Most Complicated Problems
Whenever you turn your lights on, query Google, or stream a video on your phone, it’s likely an auction happened in the background. Our faculty discuss the decades of research that helped make auctions so ubiquitous.
Economics
Meet the (Surprisingly Rational) COVID Consumer
Research on initial consumer spending shows that those at higher risk were making safer choices.
Economics
What Is “Auction Theory,” and What Kinds of Questions Can It Answer?
The recent Nobel put the field in the spotlight. An economist explains how it works, using his own research as a guide.
Policy
Unpacking the Federal Reserve’s Aggressive Response to COVID-19
A Kellogg professor spent the past year at the Fed. He explains the bank’s “guns-blazing” response—and the limits to these interventions.
Economics
Does Requiring Food-Stamp Recipients to Work Actually Increase Economic Self-Sufficiency?
The answer is increasingly urgent as politicians debate whether to reinstate the requirement, which was paused during the COVID-19 recession.
Economics
White Americans Overestimate Racial Progress. But Certain Attempts to Remedy That Could Backfire.
Researchers hoped that having white participants read about racism would help them grasp the true extent of racial gaps in wealth and income. They were wrong.
Economics
We’re Several Months into the COVID Economy. What Have We Learned?
From household spending to the strength of the dollar, an economist sees some clear trends—and signs of what’s to come.
Economics
Why the Next Round of COVID-19 Aid Should Target Industries That Can’t Work from Home
A new study pinpoints which sectors—and which workers in those sectors—suffered the most. Congress should take note.
Economics
We’re Several Months into the COVID Economy. What Have We Learned?
From household spending to the strength of the dollar, an economist sees some clear trends—and signs of what’s to come.
Economics
Why the Next Round of COVID-19 Aid Should Target Industries That Can’t Work from Home
A new study pinpoints which sectors—and which workers in those sectors—suffered the most. Congress should take note.
Innovation
Want Your Employees to Innovate? Trust Them.
R&D teams take more risks—and do better work—when their CEOs have faith in them.
Policy
The Wrong Way to Ramp Up COVID-19 Testing
Robust testing is key to safely reopening the economy. But a new model shows that if testing is not paired with “smart containment,” it could backfire.
Economics
The Treasury’s Former Chief Economist Takes Stock of the Pandemic’s Economic Impact
Kellogg’s Janice Eberly zeroes in on a few data points that demonstrate the massive challenge policymakers face.
Economics
Here’s How Americans Are Spending Their Stimulus Checks
Real-time data pinpoints what we’re buying, and who’s spending the fastest.
Economics
Companies Need to Prepare Today to Survive the Next 18 Months
An economist explains how leaders can try to lower fixed costs, retain workers, and mind their brands.
Economics
A Closer Look at Consumer Stockpiling During the Coronavirus Crisis
Researchers examined how households responded to shelter-in-place orders. They uncovered some surprises.
Economics
The Unprecedented Stock-Market Reaction to COVID-19
A new analysis explains why this pandemic really is different.
Policy
Containing COVID-19 Will Devastate the Economy. Here’s the Economic Case for Why It’s Still Our Best Option.
The death toll from failing to contain the virus will be far more costly to society.
Economics
Take 5: What Previous Recessions Can Teach Us about the Coronavirus Crisis
From stimulus strategies to how businesses will fare, research on past downturns can help inform our outlook today.
Policy
When Do Open Borders Make Economic Sense?
A new study provides a window into the logic behind various immigration policies.
Finance & Accounting
Predicting Exchange Rates Is Hard. Could Dusting Off an Old Technique Help?
Investors take note: the “real exchange rate” may be a more accurate long-term forecaster than economists thought.
Economics
Two Ways the Economy Could Have Recovered Faster after the Great Recession
Doubling down on these monetary policies could help combat future financial crises.
Economics
What’s Causing Wage Stagnation in America?
Previous explanations pointed to globalization and automation. But research shows that employer concentration is also to blame.
Economics
How Dodd-Frank Made Commercial Mortgage Loans Safer
The financial reform bill increased the cost of certain loans, but lowered the risk of default.
Economics
India’s Economy Is Slowing Down. What Happens Next?
The country’s chief economic advisor discusses how labor, trade, and energy factor into the country’s economic outlook.
Economics
How Raising the Sales Tax Could Help Fight a Recession
New research points to a counterintuitive new tool to spur spending.
Economics
Companies Are Shifting Investment Away from Physical Capital, with Far-Reaching Consequences
Buildings and machinery are out. Software, IP, and research are in. Here’s why it matters.