Publications

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2012
Article

The Excess Burden of Government Indecision

By: Francisco J. Gomes, Laurence J. Kotlikoff and Luis M. Viceira

Governments are known for procrastinating when it comes to resolving painful policy problems. Whatever the political motives for waiting to decide, procrastination distorts economic decisions relative to what would arise with early policy resolution. In so doing, it... View Details

Keywords: Saving; Risk and Uncertainty; Investment Portfolio; Decision Choices and Conditions; Retirement; Policy; Government and Politics

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2012
Other Unpublished Work

Selection, Reallocation, and Knowledge Spillover: Identifying the Sources of Productivity Gains from Multinational Activity

By: Laura Alfaro and Maggie X. Chen

The impact of multinational activity on host-country productivity has been a major topic of economic research. A positive impact can be attributed to knowledge spillovers from foreign multinational to domestic firms or a less stressed, alternative explanation—firm... View Details

Keywords: Multinational Firms and Management; Performance Productivity; Supply and Industry; Knowledge; Manufacturing Industry

April 1996 (Revised May 2008)
Exercise

Adam Baxter Company/Local 190: 1978 Negotiation, Baxter Management Confidential Information

By: Kathleen L. McGinn and Victoria Medvec

Includes a series of three negotiation exercises portraying management/labor relations at ABC over a period of seven years. ABC, initially a family-owned business, had prided itself on its cooperative relationship with its union, Local 190. With the skyrocketing... View Details

Keywords: Inflation and Deflation; Compensation and Benefits; Wages; Working Conditions; Management; Negotiation Process; Labor and Management Relations

Research Summary

Financial Incentives

My research examines how the performance effects of internal governance and the design of compensation vary by managerial position. For example, I document links between innovation and stock options for corporate R&D heads;... View Details

April 1996 (Revised December 1998)
Case

Australia in the 1990s: Lucky or Broke?

By: George C. Lodge

In 1996, Australia had a new prime minister, John Howard, ending 13 years of Labor Party rule. This case allows an analysis of the challenges that the new government faces and invites thought about the choices that the government has in meeting those challenges. Large... View Details

Keywords: Trade; Government and Politics; Markets; Problems and Challenges; Australia

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May 2020 (Revised March 2022)
Case

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic and the Global Economy (A)

By: Alberto Cavallo and Christian Godwin

In April 2020, the world struggled to contain the exponential escalation of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Dozens of countries had imposed restrictions on travel, work, and social gatherings. A large share of the global population was under lockdowns and... View Details

April 2002 (Revised October 2002)
Case

The Blair Wealth Project: Antecedents and Prospects

By: Huw Pill and Ingrid Vogel

Discusses the macroeconomic and political situation in the United Kingdom from the end of World War II through 2001. Focuses on the interactions among macroeconomic performance, labor relations, the corporate governance system, and social services. In particular,... View Details

Keywords: Welfare; Corporate Governance; Labor and Management Relations; Government and Politics; Macroeconomics; United Kingdom

01 Jul 2014
Working Paper Summaries

Creating Reciprocal Value Through Operational Transparency

Keywords: by Ryan W. Buell, Tami Kim & Chia-Jung Tsay

01 Dec 2020
What Do You Think?

How Can We Get Companies to Invest More in Low-Wage Workers?

the lower ranks. One of the causes may well be inequities in the ability of executives and frontline labor to negotiate compensation for their skills. In particular, the declining power of unions and the stickiness of minimum wage laws... View Details

Keywords: by James Heskett

20 Oct 2010
Op-Ed

Export Competitiveness: Reversing the Logic

the current economic and financial crisis, countries around the globe are looking for ways to reignite economic growth. Traditionally, export-led growth has been perceived as one of the most promising... View Details

Keywords: by Christian Ketels

24 Apr 2007
First Look

First Look: April 24, 2007

Working PapersPoverty, Social Divisions, and Conflict in Nepal Authors:Quy-Toan Do and Lakshmi Iyer Abstract We conduct an econometric analysis of the economic and social factors which contributed to the spread of violent conflict in... View Details

Keywords: Sean Silverthorne

March 2011 (Revised March 2012)
Case

Fraunhofer: Innovation in Germany

By: Diego A. Comin, J. Gunnar Trumbull and Kerry Yang

Fraunhofer is one of the largest applied research organizations in the world. With 17,000 employees and a 1.6 billion euros budget, Fraunhofer has 60 institutes in Germany that cover most fields of science. The case examines the consequences that Fraunhofer has for the... View Details

Keywords: Economy; Entrepreneurship; Financial Markets; Government and Politics; Labor; Markets; Outcome or Result; Research and Development; Competitive Strategy; Germany

07 Jul 2010
First Look

First Look: July 7

This note briefly reviews the financial crisis in central Europe in late 2008 and summarizes how four central European countries—Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia—have coped with the economic downturn. Purchase this... View Details

Keywords: Martha Lagace

May 1998 (Revised January 1999)
Case

Japan: "Free, Fair, and Global?"

By: Richard H.K. Vietor and Stephen E. Lynagh

In April 1998, Prime Minister Hashimoto faced serious problems, both with his program of six systemic reforms and with his fiscal policy. Japan had been in effective recession for six years, unable to retain the miracle-growth achieved in earlier decades. Hashimoto has... View Details

Keywords: Sovereign Finance; Development Economics; Social Issues; Policy; Economy; Government Administration; Financial Crisis; Japan