Interview with Nobel Laureate Angus Deaton
A seasonal hat tip to Rhys Williams from the Learning Economics Online blog for spotting this wonderful interview with Professor Angus Deaton, recently retired from Princeton University. At the end...
Bonding Buffet - A Festive Nudge!
Here is a neat social bonding nudge from KLM! Airport Schiphol is a crowded place at Christmas, loads of people spend their transfer time alone – reading a book, or checking their phones. But watch...
2016 in Review
I suspect quite a few of us will be happy to put 2016 to bed. I'm not a fan of lengthy annual assessments of the world economy and geo-Politics. But this short FT video is a timely reminder of some...
Natural Capital - The Battle for Biodiversity
Annually, the world spends nearly $40 billion on pesticides but only $50 billion a year on protecting bio-diversity. To sustain We are destroying the natural resources, wildlife and habitats that...
Martin Wolf on Global Economy in 2017
In this ten minute interview, Martin Wolf and Lionel Barber from the FT discuss prospects for the world economy.
Gig Economy - Poor Working Conditions and Wages
How is the labour market being affected by the rise to prominence of the Gig Economy?
Trump's Tariff Threat - Bad News for US Sneaker Lovers
We will wait to see if the reality comes anywhere close to matching the rhetoric but the footwear industry is an example of a sector where less than 2% of shoes worn in the United States are made...
India overtakes the UK and becomes 5th largest economy
Accelerated by the post-Brexit depreciation of sterling against the US dollar but part of a much bigger shift in the centre of gravity in the world economy, the value of Indian GDP has overtaken...
Trends in UK economics education in schools and universities
The latest detailed data of student numbers in economics at both A-level and undergraduate level has just been published by the Economics Network.
Special Economic Zones and Growth in Bangladesh
Few countries in recent times have given more attention to setting up special economic zones than Bangladesh.
Sully and the Gaze Heuristic
Sully directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Tom Hanks is a gripping and multi-layered recounting of the remarkable landing of a American Airlines plane on the icy Hudson River.
China in Transition: Call for end to the iron rice bowl
The Chinese economy has been talking about reform, and reform of the working practices of China's state-owned enterprises SOEs is an important part of this.
Are trade unions needed more than ever?
According to the Guardian, the answer is a resounding yes. They believe there is a continued need for trade unions in the modern economy, a counterweight to lots of the anti-union sentiment in...
Externalities - Gold mining in Ghana hurts farm productivity
The expansion of large-scale gold mining in Ghana has led to a big reduction in agricultural productivity and output – and a significant increase in rural poverty. Environmental pollution from the...
Is fraud the business model of the prescription drug industry?
Yes according to Democrat Bernie Sanders who is using the inter-regum between the Presidential election and the inauguration of Donald Trump to push his campaign alleging price gouging by the...
Ten Economists I Follow on Twitter
There are lots of Economists who are active in the twitter sphere. Here is my selection of ten who inform, enrich, amuse and engage in equal measure!
An age of hyper-uncertainty
Here is a pithy and thought-provoking piece from Professor Barry Eichengreen. 40 years on from JK Galbraith's Age of Uncertainty, Eichengreen argues that 2017 is riven with many more significant...
Secondary ticket markets - blessing or curse for consumers?
The secondary ticket market is one that arose strong emotions. For some it is a chance to snap up tickets for a must-see event or off-load tickets when personal circumstances change. For thousands...
Evaluating air pollution as a public hazard
Always nice to hear "The Prodigy" on the BBC and that's the backing track throughout this clip - however, the economics in this video clip are fascinating.
An unusual take on Debt Forgiveness
Back in the Cold War era, both Cuba and what was Czechoslovakia were part of the Soviet communist bloc. With no access to what were termed the 'western currencies' - dollars, sterling and so on -...