- 15 Dec 2020
- Research & Ideas
The Unspoken Messages of COVID-19 Restrictions
What does it take to cut through COVID-19 fatigue? Governments may need to refine how they convey exposure risks to a weary public, says research by Michael Luca and Edward Glaeser. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 15 Dec 2020
- Working Paper Summaries
Designing, Not Checking, for Policy Robustness: An Example with Optimal Taxation
The approach used by most economists to check academic research results is flawed for policymaking and evaluation. The authors propose an alternative method for designing economic policy analyses that might be applied to a wide range of economic policies.
- 13 Nov 2020
- Working Paper Summaries
The European Commission’s Sustainable Corporate Governance Report: A Critique
The European Commission commissioned a report on sustainable corporate governance that purports to find serious problems of corporate short-termism. The report is wholly flawed: it conflates time horizon problems with externality problems, mismeasures investment and its financing, and proposes ineffective, possibly harmful reforms.
- 03 Nov 2020
- Working Paper Summaries
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.
- 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.
- 13 Oct 2020
- Cold Call Podcast
Can Entrepreneurs Make Mobile Voting Easy and Secure?
Making voting more accessible through technology could have tremendous payoffs for democracy—but also pose critical downsides if the product fails. Mitch Weiss, who teaches a course on public entrepreneurship, discusses his case study on Voatz and their plan to turn mobile phones into voting booths. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 21 Sep 2020
- Working Paper Summaries
The Targeting and Impact of Paycheck Protection Program Loans to Small Businesses
Survey data on business owners collected by the Alignable network shows that lending to bank customers in better financial positions may have been prioritized, possibly crowding out less connected firms that would have benefitted more from the loans.
- 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.
- 15 Sep 2020
- Working Paper Summaries
State and Local Government Employment in the COVID-19 Crisis
The COVID-19 crisis has had large impacts on local economies and government budgets. Balanced budget requirements, not mis-management, have generated a fiscal crisis and forced state and local governments to reduce service provision precisely when it is in greatest demand.
- 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.
- 31 Aug 2020
- Research & Ideas
State and Local Governments Peer Into the Pandemic Abyss
State and local governments that rely heavily on sales tax revenue face an increasing financial burden absent federal aid, says Daniel Green. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
- 08 Jul 2020
- Working Paper Summaries
Inventing the Endless Frontier: The Effects of the World War II Research Effort on Post-War Innovation
Investments made in World War II by the United States Office of Scientific Research and Development powered decades of subsequent innovation and the take-off of regional technology hubs around the country.
- 02 Jul 2020
- Working Paper Summaries
Inflation with COVID Consumption Baskets
Examining the impact that changes in expenditure patterns are having on the measurement of consumer price indices (CPI) inflation in 17 countries, this study finds that the cost of living for the average consumer is higher than estimated by the official CPI. This implies that real consumption is falling more quickly over time.
- 23 Jun 2020
- Book
Beginning America Over Again with a New Electoral System
In a new book, Katherine Gehl and Michael Porter argue for a new way of electing political leaders, the Final-Five Voting System, to revitalize America’s fossilized governing process. 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.
- 15 Jun 2020
- Working Paper Summaries
The Seeds of Ideology: Historical Immigration and Political Preferences in the United States
Researchers test the relationship between historical immigration to the United States and political ideology today.
- 19 May 2020
- Working Paper Summaries
Stereotypes and Politics
Stereotypes exaggerate true differences across groups. This study identifies factors that shape and distort individuals’ beliefs about others’ political and social attitudes.
- 12 May 2020
- Working Paper Summaries
Elusive Safety: The New Geography of Capital Flows and Risk
Examining motives and incentives behind the growing international flows of US-denominated securities, this study finds that dollar-denominated capital flows are increasingly intermediated by tax haven financial centers and nonbank financial institutions.
- 11 May 2020
- Op-Ed
Immigration Policies Threaten American Competitiveness
At this time of crisis, America risks signaling to global innovators and entrepreneurs that they have no future here, says William R. Kerr. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.
The Political Effects of Immigration: Culture or Economics?
This paper reviews and explains the growing literature focused on the political effects of immigration, and highlights fruitful avenues for future research. When compared to potential labor market competition and other economic forces, broadly defined cultural factors have a stronger political and social impact.