Category
In the News
Economics Weekly Quiz 24 January 2020
Here's this week's economics news quiz. Good luck!
Finland aims for carbon neutrality by 2035
Finland has pledged to be carbon-neutral by 2035 - this is a target twice as fast as the UK government target.
The theft of national wealth from Angola
This opinion piece for the Guardian highlights the damage that corruption, and poor governance can do to a country's development prospects, and the standard of living enjoyed by its citizens.
Fender fined £4.5m for preventing online discounts
The Fender Stratocaster - iconic - and until recently not available at a discount online. That's because, as the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) discovered, Fender had set a minimum price...
Sustainability: People still want plastic bottles, says Coca-Cola
To what extent do consumers drive climate change? This BBC piece citing Coca-Cola's head of sustainability makes it fairly clear that this is the case.
Does FlyBe have a future as a viable business?
Just a really interesting article - full of applied microeconomics- which considers whether Flybe is a viable business or is swimming against the tide?
Microsoft makes pledge to go "carbon negative"
Microsoft have announced that they wish to go 'carbon negative' by 2050.
Economics Weekly Quiz w/e 17 January 2020
Here's this week's economics news quiz. Good luck!
Does a higher minimum wage necessarily cost jobs?
This is a topical debate in the UK following ion from the 6 per cent hike in the legal pay floor due to take effect this spring.
Responsible capitalism: Greggs has been doing it for decades
This FT article glows about the commitment to social impact by a leading poster child for entrepreneurship in the North East - Greggs
Economics Weekly Quiz w/e 10 January 2020
Happy New Year! Here's the decade's first economics news quiz. Good luck!
Unintended consequences: Does a plastic ban harm the environment?
One for the file marked Law of Unintended Consequences: this BBC article highlights that banning all forms of plastic packaging could see firms opting for higher carbon alternatives.
Calling all employers! What was in your Christmas stocking? Did you find the latest gadget designed to enhance productivity?
The changing nature of the UK's electricity generating capacity is highlighted in this Guardian article, with the rise of renewables quantified.
Who has really benefited from Liberia's miracle oil?
This is a fantastic Guardian exploration of the impact of palm oil on the Liberian economy, and those that produce it. It highlights the 'promise' of higher incomes for Liberian farmers and the...
US imposes ban on flavoured e-cigarettes
A good example here of how a ban can impact on demand for a product but also lead to some possible unintended consequences.
Rail fares by 2.7% - fair for rail users?
The annual raise in rail fares, as people return to work, is always a prompt for plenty of navel gazing regarding the state of the railways and whether or not the rise is 'fair'.
Price mechanism in action - tobacco farmers chasing a sweeter crop
This BBC article looks how Greek tobacco farmers have switched to the production of stevia, a zero calorie, sugar substitute (natural sweetener).
News here that Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries is going head-to-head with Amazon in the online retail sector, with the soft launch of JioMart.
Development Economics Success Stories from 2019
Students spend plenty of time dissecting and discussing development traps. Here is a glass-half full selection of positive development stories from 2019.