Prospect Theory
How happy would you be if I said you won £1,000? Presumably rather elated; but would you be twice as happy if I’d instead told you that you’d won £2,000? To most people the answer is almost immediate: “Well I’d be happier but probably not twice as much!” Likewise, most people would choose a guaranteed £1,000 prize rather than a 50% chance of a £2,001 … Continue reading Prospect Theory
Financing Think Tanks
Think tanks are defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as “a research institute or other organization providing advice and ideas on national or commercial problems.” In modern democracies, think tanks play a crucial role in economic decision-making. They help the public to understand both sides of important policy decisions whilst holding governments to account. They also help policymakers: governmental entities, such as the Low Pay … Continue reading Financing Think Tanks
Are There Any Limits on Government Debt?
Covid-19 ensued chaos upon the UK, which has one of the highest death rates per capita in the world, and the most contracted of all G7 economies. UK GDP fell by 10.3% during the pandemic as a result of lack of consumer demand and withheld business investment. This means that there has been enormous pressure for the government to support the economy to avoid mass … Continue reading Are There Any Limits on Government Debt?
News Briefing – 27/9/21
We’ve summarised the top stories of the last week into an easily digestible briefing, so that you can stay up to date on what’s happening around the world. You can subscribe to receive the briefing in your inbox each week. Business & Economics China’s central bank has banned all cryptocurrency transactions. This move was taken on the grounds that virtual transactions often fund illegal activities … Continue reading News Briefing – 27/9/21
News Briefing – 20/9/21
We’ve summarised the top stories of the last week into an easily digestible briefing, so that you can stay up to date on what’s happening around the world. You can subscribe to receive the briefing in your inbox each week. Business & Economics UK inflation rose sharply in August by 3.2%, over 1% higher than the Bank of England’s 2% target. This is the highest … Continue reading News Briefing – 20/9/21
Dr Jianhai Lin: “The Changing Global Economic Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities”
The Keynes Society was honoured to host Dr Jianhai Lin virtually. Dr Lin joined the IMF in 1989 and, from March 2012 to August 2020, was the Secretary of the International Monetary Fund, its Board of Governors and the International Monetary and Financial Committee. He had previously served in senior positions in the IMF’s Finance, Policy Development and Review, and Asian and Pacific Departments, working … Continue reading Dr Jianhai Lin: “The Changing Global Economic Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities”
What are the implications of becoming a cashless society?
In a world where virtual transactions are becoming increasingly commonplace, there is ever increasing speculation that we are becoming a cashless society. The term cashless society has come to refer to an economy in which physical money is no longer used for transactions; instead, all payments and financial dealings are conducted electronically through, for example, bank cards and online accounts. Many economies across the world … Continue reading What are the implications of becoming a cashless society?
The Data Revolution: The Rise of a New Economy
The rapid increase in global data production that is currently taking the world by storm is by no means a recent phenomenon. Indeed, ever since the very earliest stages of mankind’s existence, data in some form has been the metric used to evaluate almost everything, from decisions regarding the implementation of new technologies to deciding on the most suitable design for a product. It is … Continue reading The Data Revolution: The Rise of a New Economy
Does Government Spending Benefit the Economy?
‘Spend as much as you can’, urged the IMF at the start of 2021 in order to accelerate the global economy’s revival. Others argue that the economy should be left to its own devices – government intervention only creates havoc. Governments spend in a plethora of ways, but we must examine the effects of government spending, originally intended to directly benefit the economy. On the … Continue reading Does Government Spending Benefit the Economy?
Dan Ariely – Modern Behavioural Economics
Behavioural economics has taken the world by storm, aided by catchy and digestible books and superstar researchers. One of the most prominent contemporary figures in the field is Daniel Ariely, the current James B. Duke Professor of psychology and behavioural economics at Duke University. He has authored multiple best-selling books on his research, most famously his ‘irrational trilogy’ of Predictably Irrational, The Upside of Irrationality, and The Honest … Continue reading Dan Ariely – Modern Behavioural Economics
