Government Legislation
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- 02 Nov 2020
- What Do You Think?
Is Antitrust Just a Quaint Notion in the Digital Age?
SUMMING UP: Given the US Department of Justice's new antitrust complaint against Google, is it time to revisit what defines a market monopoly in the internet era? James Heskett's readers consider the potential ramifications. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 17 Sep 2020
- Research & Ideas
Many Small-Business Employees May Be Close to Losing Health Insurance
Small-business owners have delayed rent payments and other bills to protect health benefits for employees. Now, financial pressure is mounting, according to research by Leemore Dafny, Yin Wei Soon, Zoë Cullen, and Christopher Stanton. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 07 Sep 2020
- Research & Ideas
How to Help Small Businesses Survive COVID's Next Phase
For small businesses that have survived the coronavirus so far, what's next? Karen Mills outlines steps that business owners and government should take immediately. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 16 Jun 2020
- Working Paper Summaries
Government Incentives for Entrepreneurship
Even though many public policy efforts on entrepreneurship are well intentioned, the success rate has been disappointing. This essay explores these policies, focusing on financial incentives to entrepreneurs and the intermediaries who fund them.
- 02 Jan 2019
- What Do You Think?
SUMMING UP: Do We Need an Artificial Intelligence Czar?
Having government oversee artificial intelligence development is either a sure way to kill a promising technology or the only way to keep our robot overlords at bay. James Heskett's readers debate. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 18 Jun 2018
- Research & Ideas
Warning: Scary Warning Labels Work!
If you want to convince consumers to stay away from unhealthy diet choices, don't be subtle about possible consequences, says Leslie John. These graphically graphic warning labels seem to do the trick. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 02 Mar 2018
- Op-Ed
Op-Ed: Trump’s Tariffs Could Harm Allies as Much as Opponents
President Trump's duties on steel and aluminum could produce immediate political gain but long-term economic pain for some American industries and global allies, says Dante Roscini. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 24 Oct 2017
- Research & Ideas
Tax Reform is on the Front Burner Again. Here’s Why You Should Care
As debate begins around the Republican tax reform proposal, Mihir Desai and Matt Weinzierl discuss the first significant tax legislation in 30 years. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 08 Mar 2017
- Op-Ed
Op-Ed: Can the Proposed American Health Care Act Improve on 'Obamacare'?
Politics aside, the primary question to be asked about the newly proposed American Health Care Act is this: Will it improve choice, cost, and outcomes for health care consumers? Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 14 Dec 2016
- Working Paper Summaries
The State of Small Business Lending: Innovation and Technology and the Implications for Regulation
New online fintech competitors have entered the small business lending space, filling a gap in small-dollar loans. More than 70 percent of small businesses seek loans in amounts under $250,000 and more than 60 percent want loans under $100,000. Gaps in regulation of the alternative small business lending market create issues of oversight and concerns about predatory lending. The paper first describes the current market for small business lending, including the new disruptors, and presents strategic alternatives for existing banks to partner with fintech entrants and compete in the new environment. The authors then describe the current regulatory environment with its large number of agencies, each with overlapping authority and mandates, and provide a set of recommendations for regulatory activity that will protect borrowers and investors in this space. These recommendations address concerns about systemic risk while trying to avoid dampening innovation that is filling the gap in small business access to credit.
- 24 Aug 2016
- Research & Ideas
Can Obamacare Be Saved?
Is Obamacare in trouble? With premiums rising and some health providers pulling back, The Affordable Care Act might seem wobbly. John A. Quelch and Emily Boudreau argue for remedies that include more education for consumers, innovation from insurers, and flexibility on behalf of regulators. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 29 Jul 2016
- Working Paper Summaries
Can Paying Firms Quicker Affect Aggregate Employment?
In 2011, the United States federal government accelerated payments by 15 days to a subset of small-business government contractors. This study shows that, on average, each accelerated dollar of sales led to an almost 10 cent increase in payroll, with two-thirds of the increase coming from new hires and the remainder from increased earnings per worker. These findings highlight a new channel through which financial frictions affect firm-level employment.
- 16 May 2016
- HBS Case
Food Safety Economics: The Cost of a Sick Customer
When restaurants source from local growers, it can be more difficult to assess product safety—just another wrinkle in high-stakes efforts to keep our food from harming us. Just ask Chipotle. John A. Quelch discusses a recent case study on food testing. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 12 May 2016
- Research & Ideas
When Mass Shootings Lead to Looser Gun Restrictions
Do mass shootings lead to more gun-related legislation? The answer is yes, with an important twist, according to new research by Michael Luca, Deepak Malhotra, and Christopher Poliquin. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 05 Oct 2015
- Research & Ideas
What Companies Should Not Do in the Next Banking Crisis
Following the banking meltdown of 2008, many struggling companies in Spain did what they shouldn’t have: sacrificed their future for short-term gain. Professor Claudia Steinwender calls it the Groucho Marx Criterion. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
An Executive Order Worth $100 Billion: The Impact of an Immigration Ban’s Announcement on Fortune 500 Firms’ Valuation
President Trump’s executive order restricting entry of temporary foreign workers to the United States negatively affected the valuation of 471 publicly traded Fortune 500 firms by an estimated $100 billion. Closed for comment; Comment(s) posted.