Can a universal basic income help society?
The Economist looks at the notion of a universal basic income (UBI). In Stockton, California, a city with above-average unemployment, the Mayor has introduced an experiment to give 100 people $500...
Oligopoly - Why is insulin so expensive?
A fascinating Business Insider clip looking at why insulin is so expensive in the US - and why it hasn't always been that way.
The positive returns from cutting food waste
A lovely article that highlights how tackling food waste in restaurants could generate significant returns for those companies that look to tackle the issue.
A Malaysian town smothered by rubbish
And this is where much of the plastic waste generated both in the West and in China, ends up. The town of Jenjarom in Malaysia has become the epicentre of the illegal plastic recycling industry,...
Biggest offshore wind farm to start UK supply
The Hornsea One offshore wind farm is about to start supplying the UK with electricity this week.
Tackling childcare in Sri Lanka
This International Finance Corporation clip looks at the importance of tackling the lack of childcare in Sri Lanka: it's an important cog in promoting female participation in the labour force, in a...
Could a cashless economy help central banks to use negative interest rates?
This IMF blog (published February 2019) argues that a dual currency system involving e-money and cash might give central banks for more freedom to cut interest rates below zero as a policy response...
Beyond Bangladesh - saving lives in the garment industry
This article from the OECD is relevant to students who have chosen Bangladesh as one of their chosen developing countries for more detailed A-level study.
Lessons from nine financial crises since the 1960s
The veteran economics journalist William Keegan reflects here on the key events of the eight financial crises involving the UK that he has covered, This is an engaging journey down memory lane for...
Kenyan farmers switch from coffee to avocado
So much growth and development economics here in this article on the decision of many Kenyan farmers to switch away from coffee towards growing avocado where prices are higher and the potential...
Scottish government launches prize to drive innovation in tidal power
An interesting insight here into many things - not least the best way for governments to fund innovation.
Solar power and economic opportunity in Ghana
Ghanaians are already relatively well-served in terms of electricity; however, for those people without access to the existing electricity network, solar mini-grid have provided an unusual way of...
Economics Weekly Quiz - 8 February 2019
Here's this week's Economics news quiz. Good luck!
Higher or Lower? Revenue streams of European football clubs
In late January, Deloitte published their 22nd annual Deloitte Football Money League report. The report profiles the highest revenue generating clubs in world football.
Business Growth: Spotify acquires Gimlet Media
An interesting merger story that highlights the fast-moving nature of the tech sector: Spotify has bought Gimlet Media, behind a string of popular podcasts including Reply All, and podcast...
Scarcity bias - Hotel booking sites told to change
Humans have a strong scarcity bias. We unconsciously assume things that are scarce are valuable and things that are relatively abundant are not. The scarcity bias impulse frequently kicks in when...
The Concept of the Corporation
Something here from John Kay's blog that looks at the nature of the corporation and challenges the view that "shareholders own the company".
Unilever snaps up snack brand Graze
A conglomerate merger, I suspect, as consumer goods giant Unilever looks to expand its portfolio of snack foods, purchasing the Graze brand, as it looks to move into healthier markets.
UK overseas aid failing to reduce poverty, report finds
Evidence if it were needed that overseas aid (ODA) isn't the developmental panacea that some claim it to be, with the One Campaign suggesting that the aid given by Britain - particularly by the...
Economics of Intellectual Property - Cadbury and the Colour Purple
An interesting example here of what constitutes intellectual property rights - in this case, Cadbury have lost a legal battle over the specific shade of purple that it uses on its wrappers -...