Policy & the Economy
![people in various states on a U.S. map look at a graph measuring policy uncertainty.](/imager/clientcontent/304897/Full_0422_Uncertainty_Index_ed70ba7fff77c9fd60c2624db9acdf1d.jpg 600w, /imager/clientcontent/304897/Full_0422_Uncertainty_Index_9c164550f17b68a3a905c55008f1b636.jpg 300w, /imager/clientcontent/304897/Full_0422_Uncertainty_Index_2ea97daf9584eb0a9356116bfb5b61d0.jpg 25w)
April 8, 2022
How Does Economic Uncertainty Play Out at the Local Level?
Indexing policy uncertainty by state provides new insights—and offers local governments a cautionary tale.
Scott R. Baker, Steve Davis and Jeffrey Levy
![group of working class people at bar watch TV of fed interest rate hike](/imager/clientcontent/304535/Full_0422_interest_rate_hikes_ed70ba7fff77c9fd60c2624db9acdf1d.jpg 600w, /imager/clientcontent/304535/Full_0422_interest_rate_hikes_9c164550f17b68a3a905c55008f1b636.jpg 300w, /imager/clientcontent/304535/Full_0422_interest_rate_hikes_2ea97daf9584eb0a9356116bfb5b61d0.jpg 25w)
April 4, 2022
When Interest Rates Climb, Some Workers Are Left Behind
When the Fed moves to cool the economy, it can disproportionately hurt female, Black, and less-educated workers in slack labor markets.
Nittai K. Bergman, David A. Matsa and Michael Weber
![Tax structure impacts career choice](/imager/clientcontent/15893/taxes_final2_ed70ba7fff77c9fd60c2624db9acdf1d.jpg 600w, /imager/clientcontent/15893/taxes_final2_9c164550f17b68a3a905c55008f1b636.jpg 300w, /imager/clientcontent/15893/taxes_final2_2ea97daf9584eb0a9356116bfb5b61d0.jpg 25w)
March 14, 2022
5 Things You May Not Know about Tax Policy
How do income taxes impact people’s career choices? And do soda taxes actually work?
Charles Nathanson, Anna Tuchman, Filippo Mezzanotti, Therese McGuire and Sergio Rebelo
![](/imager/clientcontent/301282/0601204_immigrant_hero_2022-03-09-205202_psxr_ed70ba7fff77c9fd60c2624db9acdf1d.jpg 600w, /imager/clientcontent/301282/0601204_immigrant_hero_2022-03-09-205202_psxr_9c164550f17b68a3a905c55008f1b636.jpg 300w, /imager/clientcontent/301282/0601204_immigrant_hero_2022-03-09-205202_psxr_2ea97daf9584eb0a9356116bfb5b61d0.jpg 25w)
March 11, 2022
How Climate Disasters Ripple Through the Labor Market
Environmental crises are increasingly leading workers to migrate. What happens next?
Albert Christoph, Paula Bustos and Jacopo Ponticelli
![person walking toward vaccine clinic](/imager/clientcontent/295152/Full_0222_vaccine_clinic_ed70ba7fff77c9fd60c2624db9acdf1d.jpg 600w, /imager/clientcontent/295152/Full_0222_vaccine_clinic_9c164550f17b68a3a905c55008f1b636.jpg 300w, /imager/clientcontent/295152/Full_0222_vaccine_clinic_2ea97daf9584eb0a9356116bfb5b61d0.jpg 25w)
February 2, 2022
Psychological Factors—More Than Demographics—Drive Vaccine Behavior
The finding gives policymakers and medical professionals an important tool.
Angela Y. Lee, Jiaqian Wang, Ulf Bockenholt, Leonard Lee, Rafal Ohme and Catherine Yeung
![stopwatch as wrecking ball demolishing skyscraper](/imager/clientcontent/292019/Full_0122_Efficient_Bureaucracy_ed70ba7fff77c9fd60c2624db9acdf1d.jpg 600w, /imager/clientcontent/292019/Full_0122_Efficient_Bureaucracy_9c164550f17b68a3a905c55008f1b636.jpg 300w, /imager/clientcontent/292019/Full_0122_Efficient_Bureaucracy_2ea97daf9584eb0a9356116bfb5b61d0.jpg 25w)
February 1, 2022
Is an Efficient Government Always a Good Thing?
History sheds light on how processes designed to serve citizens can also be put to nefarious ends.
Leander Heldring
![a man attending a job fair navigates laser sensors](/imager/clientcontent/292723/FULL_0122_noncompetes_ed70ba7fff77c9fd60c2624db9acdf1d.jpg 600w, /imager/clientcontent/292723/FULL_0122_noncompetes_9c164550f17b68a3a905c55008f1b636.jpg 300w, /imager/clientcontent/292723/FULL_0122_noncompetes_2ea97daf9584eb0a9356116bfb5b61d0.jpg 25w)
January 21, 2022
It May Be Time to Reconsider That Noncompete Agreement
Federal regulators are cracking down on hiring practices that restrict employees’ wages and ability to work for competitors. Here’s what companies should know.
Mark McCareins
![customers stand outside busy restaurant reading rating in window](/imager/clientcontent/282715/Full_1021_Restaurant_Ratings_ed70ba7fff77c9fd60c2624db9acdf1d.jpg 600w, /imager/clientcontent/282715/Full_1021_Restaurant_Ratings_9c164550f17b68a3a905c55008f1b636.jpg 300w, /imager/clientcontent/282715/Full_1021_Restaurant_Ratings_2ea97daf9584eb0a9356116bfb5b61d0.jpg 25w)
November 2, 2021
The Health Department Gave Your Favorite Restaurant an 85. What on Earth Does That Mean?
Regulators should consider tweaking their scoring systems to make food-safety ratings more informative.
Tami Kim and Daniel Martin
![](/imager/clientcontent/286823/1121_Full_climate_ed70ba7fff77c9fd60c2624db9acdf1d.jpg 600w, /imager/clientcontent/286823/1121_Full_climate_9c164550f17b68a3a905c55008f1b636.jpg 300w, /imager/clientcontent/286823/1121_Full_climate_2ea97daf9584eb0a9356116bfb5b61d0.jpg 25w)
November 1, 2021
What Businesses Must Do to Curtail Climate Change
We need to dramatically reduce carbon emissions. This will require a new system of incentives.
Meghan Busse
![computer surrounded by chains and padlocks](/imager/clientcontent/280851/Full_1021_cybersecurity_ed70ba7fff77c9fd60c2624db9acdf1d.jpg 600w, /imager/clientcontent/280851/Full_1021_cybersecurity_9c164550f17b68a3a905c55008f1b636.jpg 300w, /imager/clientcontent/280851/Full_1021_cybersecurity_2ea97daf9584eb0a9356116bfb5b61d0.jpg 25w)
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
![people surround a town square distant from each otherz](/imager/clientcontent/276211/Full_0821_Social_Distancing_ed70ba7fff77c9fd60c2624db9acdf1d.jpg 600w, /imager/clientcontent/276211/Full_0821_Social_Distancing_9c164550f17b68a3a905c55008f1b636.jpg 300w, /imager/clientcontent/276211/Full_0821_Social_Distancing_2ea97daf9584eb0a9356116bfb5b61d0.jpg 25w)
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
![stacks of cash on U.S. map](/imager/clientcontent/273238/Full_0721_state_funding_ed70ba7fff77c9fd60c2624db9acdf1d.jpg 600w, /imager/clientcontent/273238/Full_0721_state_funding_9c164550f17b68a3a905c55008f1b636.jpg 300w, /imager/clientcontent/273238/Full_0721_state_funding_2ea97daf9584eb0a9356116bfb5b61d0.jpg 25w)
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
![nurse uses stethoscope on hospital building](/imager/clientcontent/266195/Full_0621_Nurses_Healthcare_ed70ba7fff77c9fd60c2624db9acdf1d.jpg 600w, /imager/clientcontent/266195/Full_0621_Nurses_Healthcare_9c164550f17b68a3a905c55008f1b636.jpg 300w, /imager/clientcontent/266195/Full_0621_Nurses_Healthcare_2ea97daf9584eb0a9356116bfb5b61d0.jpg 25w)
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
![Corporate directors with certain backgrounds and experiences exert greater influence over a company's strategic direction.](/imager/clientcontent/133953/zajacboards_ed70ba7fff77c9fd60c2624db9acdf1d.jpg 600w, /imager/clientcontent/133953/zajacboards_9c164550f17b68a3a905c55008f1b636.jpg 300w, /imager/clientcontent/133953/zajacboards_2ea97daf9584eb0a9356116bfb5b61d0.jpg 25w)
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
![](/imager/clientcontent/262233/Full_0521_infrastructure_ed70ba7fff77c9fd60c2624db9acdf1d.jpg 600w, /imager/clientcontent/262233/Full_0521_infrastructure_9c164550f17b68a3a905c55008f1b636.jpg 300w, /imager/clientcontent/262233/Full_0521_infrastructure_2ea97daf9584eb0a9356116bfb5b61d0.jpg 25w)
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
![Shoppers use debit card terminal](/imager/clientcontent/258985/Full_0421_Debit_Cards_ed70ba7fff77c9fd60c2624db9acdf1d.jpg 600w, /imager/clientcontent/258985/Full_0421_Debit_Cards_9c164550f17b68a3a905c55008f1b636.jpg 300w, /imager/clientcontent/258985/Full_0421_Debit_Cards_2ea97daf9584eb0a9356116bfb5b61d0.jpg 25w)
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
![aspects of the economy in mural form](/imager/clientcontent/257504/Full_0321_COVID_Economy_ed70ba7fff77c9fd60c2624db9acdf1d.jpg 600w, /imager/clientcontent/257504/Full_0321_COVID_Economy_9c164550f17b68a3a905c55008f1b636.jpg 300w, /imager/clientcontent/257504/Full_0321_COVID_Economy_2ea97daf9584eb0a9356116bfb5b61d0.jpg 25w)
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
![Student distance learning on computer at school](/imager/clientcontent/254383/Full_0221_distance_learning_ed70ba7fff77c9fd60c2624db9acdf1d.jpg 600w, /imager/clientcontent/254383/Full_0221_distance_learning_9c164550f17b68a3a905c55008f1b636.jpg 300w, /imager/clientcontent/254383/Full_0221_distance_learning_2ea97daf9584eb0a9356116bfb5b61d0.jpg 25w)
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
![woman phone contact tracing](/imager/clientcontent/256528/Full_0321_Contact_Tracing_ed70ba7fff77c9fd60c2624db9acdf1d.jpg 600w, /imager/clientcontent/256528/Full_0321_Contact_Tracing_9c164550f17b68a3a905c55008f1b636.jpg 300w, /imager/clientcontent/256528/Full_0321_Contact_Tracing_2ea97daf9584eb0a9356116bfb5b61d0.jpg 25w)
March 1, 2021
Contact Tracing Is Failing in the U.S. Here’s How to Fix It.
For starters, turn responsibility over to local organizations and communities, where trust is higher.
Sarit Markovich
![Epidemiologist and Politician give news conference](/imager/clientcontent/253382/Full_0121_Science_Policy_ed70ba7fff77c9fd60c2624db9acdf1d.jpg 600w, /imager/clientcontent/253382/Full_0121_Science_Policy_9c164550f17b68a3a905c55008f1b636.jpg 300w, /imager/clientcontent/253382/Full_0121_Science_Policy_2ea97daf9584eb0a9356116bfb5b61d0.jpg 25w)
January 7, 2021
How Well Does COVID Public Policy Align with Science?
In an era of misinformation, policy based on “dubious science” could mean a greater loss of life and economic hardship.
Yian Yin, Jian Gao, Benjamin F. Jones and Dashun Wang
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