Government and Politics →
- 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; 0 Comments.
- 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; 0 Comments.
- 21 Apr 2020
- Working Paper Summaries
Changing In-group Boundaries: The Role of New Immigrant Waves in the US
How do new immigrants affect natives’ views of other minority groups? This work studies the evolution of group boundaries in the United States and indicates that whites living in states receiving more Mexican immigrants recategorize blacks as in-group members, because of the inflow of a new, “affectively” more distant group.
- 13 Apr 2020
- Research & Ideas
Small Businesses Are Worse Off Than We Thought
A survey of small-business owners shows that lack of liquidity and skepticism of government programs are compounding COVID crisis recovery efforts. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 06 Apr 2020
- Research & Ideas
Where Do Workers Go When the Robots Arrive?
Marco Tabellini and colleagues investigate where workers go after losing their jobs to automation and Chinese imports. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 24 Feb 2020
- Research & Ideas
The Hidden Vulnerabilities of Open Source Software
The increasing use of open source software in most commercial apps has revolutionized software development—but also created hidden vulnerabilities, say Frank Nagle and Jenny Hoffman. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 17 Feb 2020
- Working Paper Summaries
The Impact of Technology and Trade on Migration: Evidence from the US
Labor mobility can re-equilibrate local labor markets after an economic shock. Both robot adoption and Chinese import competition between 1990 and 2015 caused large declines in manufacturing employment across US local labor markets (commuting zones, CZs). However, only robots were associated with a decline in CZ population, which resulted from reduced in-migration rather than by increased out-migration.
- 02 Jan 2020
- Op-Ed
Medicare for All or Public Option: Can Either Heal Health Care?
A public insurance option could use its scale to hold prices down, but only if the approach avoids the financing gimmicks that are undermining Medicare, say Regina E. Herzlinger and James Wallace. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 01 Jan 2020
- What Do You Think?
Why Not Open America's Doors to All the World’s Talent?
SUMMING UP: The H-1B visa program is exploited by some employers to replace high-paid talent, but that doesn't mean foreign workers should be shut out of working in the United States, according to many of James Heskett's readers. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 12 Dec 2019
- Research & Ideas
How to Turn Down the Boil on Group Conflict
Intergroup conflict can grind office productivity to a halt. Jeffrey Lees discusses how understanding psychological stereotypes can help divided parties compromise. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 21 Nov 2019
- Research & Ideas
Do TV Debates Sway Voters?
As Democratic presidential candidates face off at the podium, Vincent Pons reports that TV debates don’t influence voters. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 12 Nov 2019
- Research & Ideas
Corporate Innovation Increasingly Benefits from Government Research
Nearly a third of US patents rely directly on government-funded research, says Dennis Yao. Is government too involved in supporting private sector innovation—or not enough? Open for comment; 0 Comments.
- 17 Oct 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
Persuasion by Populist Propaganda: Evidence from the 2015 Argentine Ballotage
This paper studies data generated prior to the 2015 Argentine presidential ballotage, when a government propaganda campaign was used to attack the opposition candidate and influence voter preferences. Results show the propaganda was persuasive.
- 15 Oct 2019
- Working Paper Summaries
Vote Choice Formation and the Minimal Effects of TV Debates: Evidence from 61 Elections in 9 OECD Countries
This study of 61 elections around the world finds that vote choices aggregate a lot of information obtained during the electoral season, but the contribution of TV debates to this process is negligible.
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.