Policy & the Economy
October 4, 2021
How Companies Can Do Data Privacy Better
Not all efforts are costly, and being known for strong protections could give firms a competitive advantage.
Itay P. Fainmesser, Andrea Galeotti, Ruslan Momot, Yanzhe (Murray) Lee and Sentao Miao
September 1, 2021
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.
Rocco Macchiavello and Ameet Morjaria
August 12, 2021
Trust Usually Helps Communities Thrive. During a Pandemic, Not So Much.
Places with high levels of trust are worse at social distancing.
Georgy Egorov, Ruben Enikolopov and Maria Petrova
August 11, 2021
COVID Has Accelerated These 4 Labor Market Trends
From greater flexibility to higher wages, the workplace is never going to look the same.
Benjamin Friedrich
August 6, 2021
Should Americans Be Worried about Inflation Right Now?
Three economists with opposing views weigh in.
Zhengyang Jiang, Nicolas Crouzet and Efraim Benmelech
August 2, 2021
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.
David Altig, Scott R. Baker, Jose Maria Barrero, Nick Bloom, Phil Bunn, Scarlet Chen and et al.
July 13, 2021
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.
Therese McGuire
July 1, 2021
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.
Dean Karlan, Christopher Udry and and coauthors
June 21, 2021
How Did “Big Med” Get So Big—and So Expensive?
Two economists explain how the American healthcare system evolved into the behemoth it is today—and what can be done to lower costs and improve patient care.
David Dranove and Lawton R. Burns
June 2, 2021
Nursing Shortages Cause Real Harm to Patients. Policymakers Should Pay Attention.
During COVID, governments eased hiring restrictions. A Kellogg economist explains why the labor market should stay flexible.
Thomas N. Hubbard
June 1, 2021
Laws Requiring Board Diversity Are Becoming More Common. Here’s What to Know.
“Companies want to be ahead of the curve on this.”
Mark McCareins
June 1, 2021
Civil Servants Often Work for Administrations They Disagree with Politically. How Does This Affect Their Job Performance?
While the benefits of insulating career bureaucrats are clear, new research explores whether there are downsides, too.
Jörg L. Spenkuch, Edoardo Teso and Guo Xu
June 1, 2021
U.S. Firms Are Investing Heavily in Innovation, Yet Economic Productivity Has Slowed. Why?
The answer may lie in how pharmaceutical companies are targeting their R&D spending.
Efraim Benmelech, Janice C. Eberly, Joshua Krieger and Dimitris Papanikolaou
May 17, 2021
Taking the Pulse of the Changing U.S. Healthcare Ecosystem
As healthcare gets more complex—and more expensive—business models are adapting to address misaligned interests and incentives.
Craig Garthwaite
May 10, 2021
How Regulating Hospital Prices Can Impact Patient Care
There are tangible benefits for quality of care when hospitals compete for higher-paying patients.
Craig Garthwaite, Christopher Ody and Amanda Starc
May 4, 2021
Why Spending Big on U.S. Infrastructure Makes Sense
A Kellogg professor explains the new appetite for large public investment—and how the American Jobs Act would deliver.
David A. Besanko
April 1, 2021
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.
Ricardo Dahis, Emily Nix and Nancy Qian
April 1, 2021
How Debit Cards Are Helping Low-Income Households Save—and Benefiting Their Neighbors Too
A federal initiative in Mexico had huge spillover effects.
Pierre Bachas, Paul Gertler, Sean Higgins and Enrique Seira
March 13, 2021
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.
Janice C. Eberly
March 1, 2021
There’s an Education Gap Between Rural and Urban Communities. Can Technology Bridge It?
Researchers identified a program that helps rural students learn—and improves their incomes later in life.
Nicola Bianchi, Yi Lu and Hong Song
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