Policy & the Economy
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A municipality grows within a piggy bank.
June 26, 2019

Do High Local Taxes Really Hurt Economic Growth?

Corporate incentives and low tax rates are supposed to make a city more business-friendly. An economist explains why that’s often not the case.

A worker helps another worker learn at a computer.
June 3, 2019

A Nation’s Wealth May Depend on How Much Its Workers Can Learn on the Job

New research suggests that formal schooling is not the panacea to global inequality that many have long believed it to be.

Toy soldiers and artillery prepare to charge forward on a strategy game board.
June 3, 2019

One Nation Invades Another. What Will Happen Next?

Game theory reveals why some conflicts escalate and others don’t.

A trader looks at a volatile stock market chart made up of newspaper headlines.
June 3, 2019

What Causes Stock Market Swings?

Tariffs? Job reports? Oil prices? A new volatility index pinpoints which factors make investors feel uncertain.

A male scientist's lab is better funded than a female scientist's lab.
May 2, 2019

How Big Is the Gender Gap in Science Research Funding?

Two new studies look at who wins the prestigious grants and prizes that can make or break a scientist’s career.

An investor uses two connecting ladders to climb a tall dollar sign.
May 2, 2019

A Comprehensive Model for Building Winning Stock Portfolios

Linking fundamental analysis and portfolio optimization may be the key to solving the “investor’s problem.”

Man reading financial literacy book in living room.
May 1, 2019

Worried You’re Not Saving Enough for Retirement? Here’s What You Can Do.

An economist offers suggestions for individuals and policymakers to help make retirement more secure.

April 4, 2019

When an Industry Consolidates, What Happens to Wages?

A surprisingly consistent answer has emerged in one sector: healthcare.

An interaction is seen through a police dashboard camera and a police body camera.
April 4, 2019

Do Police Body Cameras Provide an Impartial Version of Events?

New research reveals that people assign blame differently after viewing body cam versus dash cam footage.

Two women at a retirement party, looking at an almost empty piggy bank.
April 1, 2019

Three Quarters of Americans Aren’t Putting Enough into Their 401(k)s

With employers shifting away from pensions, there’s an urgent need for improved financial literacy.

Sitting outside of the patent office, three inventors hold similar-looking inventions, while one inventor holds a distinct-looking invention.
March 4, 2019

How Much Does Innovation Drive Economic Growth?

A study of millions of patents lifts the veil on how new ideas influence productivity.

a gymnast flips in a twitter bird spotlight
January 17, 2019

Which Gold Medalists Do We Tweet About? Liberals and Conservatives Differ

New research explores how political ideology can affect whose accomplishments we celebrate.

A person votes on Medicaid expansion.
January 7, 2019

Which Voters Want to Expand Medicaid? Maybe Not the Ones You Think

4-year degree-holders tend to be big supporters—even though they are personally unlikely to benefit.

hands push a building-sized jenga.
January 7, 2019

How to Navigate a Vertical Merger after the AT&T and Time Warner Ruling

Here’s what companies can do to minimize antitrust concerns in an uncertain regulatory environment.

A home made of dollar bills blows away
January 7, 2019

Not Everyone Benefited from Lower Interest Rates During the Great Recession

The Fed wanted to help struggling homeowners. But new lending rules undermined its efforts.

Lawmakers discuss legislation in the Capitol building as lightning and dark clouds gather outside.
January 3, 2019

Politicians Vote Differently When Journalists Aren’t Watching

During natural disasters, the media spotlight shifts—and special interests benefit.

January 3, 2019

There’s a Better Way to Manage Your Inventory

Using data from a drug-store chain, a new model finds opportunities to prevent shortages and boost profits.

A job hunter googles job information.
December 5, 2018

What Google Is Teaching Economists About Unemployment Insurance

Search data can tell policymakers whether extending unemployment benefits delays job-seeking.

A master baker and her unhappy apprentice.
December 4, 2018

Why Do Trainees Get Stuck with So Much Grunt Work?

There must be faster ways to get them up to speed. Yet grueling apprenticeships persist in medicine, law, and the trades.

a math teacher uses blocks to teach.
December 3, 2018

Organizational Change Is Often a Tough Sell, but Encouraging Peer Interactions Can Help

A study of teachers offers lessons on how to get employees on board with reforms.

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