Policy & the Economy
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
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.
R. Mark McCareins
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
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
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
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
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
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.”
R. Mark McCareins
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
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
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
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
December 1, 2020
Should Local Governments Be Offering Tax Credits to Angel Investors?
New research casts doubt on whether these incentives actually spur innovation and economic growth.
Matthew Dennes, Sabrina Howell, Filippo Mezzanotti, XinXin Wang and Ting Xu
December 1, 2020
How Racism Discouraged Volunteer Enlistment Immediately after Pearl Harbor
New research examines what happened when Black and Japanese men, who were battling discrimination at home, were asked to fight injustice abroad.
Nancy Qian and Marco Tabellini
November 4, 2020
One Key Trait That Predicts How Much People Will Socially Distance
This new research could help policymakers deliver more effective COVID-safety messaging.
John Barrios, Efraim Benmelech, Yael V Hochberg, Paola Sapienza and Luigi Zingales
October 19, 2020
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.
Nicolas Crouzet
October 1, 2020
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.
Elena Prager, Adam Leive, Mary Zaki, Colin Gray and Kelsey Pukelis
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