4/16
Kristen de Groot
News Officer
krisde@upenn.edu
Economics
U.S.-China tariffs: Is there an end in sight?
U.S.-China tariffs: Is there an end in sight?
Wharton’s Marshall W. Meyer and Penn Law’s Jacques deLisle discuss the escalating trade war between the U.S. and China.
How modern monarchies are evolving
How modern monarchies are evolving
With the birth of the latest royal baby, Wharton's Mauro Guillen discusses his research on monarchies, and how the economies of countries with modern monarchies compare to those without.
How superstitions spread
How superstitions spread
Superstitious beliefs may seem irrational, but they catch on in a society. Using an evolutionary approach to studying the emergence of coordinated behaviors, Erol Akçay and Bryce Morsky showed how a jumble of individual beliefs, including superstitions, coalesce into an accepted social norm.
Lump-sum pension payments: Who are the winners and losers?
Lump-sum pension payments: Who are the winners and losers?
Wharton’s Olivia S. Mitchell discusses the Treasury department’s move to allow private companies to pay lump-sum pension payments to retirees and beneficiaries, instead of monthly payments.
How gender and racial biases are hurting economics
How gender and racial biases are hurting economics
Following a survey released this month by the American Economic Association that reveals a disturbingly high level of gender bias in the field, Wharton’s Olivia S. Mitchell discusses the effects of gender and racial biases in the field of economics.
Nostalgia is not enough: Why consumers abandon legacy brands
Nostalgia is not enough: Why consumers abandon legacy brands
Legacy brands like Sears, Payless ShoeSource, and Toys “R” Us are shuttering their doors as customers abandon longstanding consumer mainstays. Despite customers having emotional connections to certain stores, “It is more like these brands are breaking up with the customers,” says Santiago Gallino of the Wharton School.
U.S. debt: Is it the calm before the storm?
U.S. debt: Is it the calm before the storm?
The U.S. national debt has crossed $22 trillion. Wharton’s Kent Smetters and Joao Gomes discuss the nation’s long-term debt burden and what might be done about it.
How do consumers respond to surprise medical bills?
How do consumers respond to surprise medical bills?
New research examines how consumers proceed with choosing medical care after receiving a “surprise bill” from an out-of-network expense.
Retail’s big mistake: Why slashing payroll cuts into profits
Retail’s big mistake: Why slashing payroll cuts into profits
Retailers need to recognize that employees are their most valuable asset in an era of online competition, according to Wharton professors Marshall Fisher, Serguei Netessine, and Santiago Gallino.
Why a 70 percent top tax rate will miss its mark
Why a 70 percent top tax rate will miss its mark
Penn Wharton Budget Model’s Richard Prisinzano discusses the idea of raising the top marginal tax rate to as high as 70 percent on income over $10 million.
Media Contact
In the News
The New York Times
We don’t see what climate change is doing to us
In an Op-Ed, R. Jisung Park of the School of Social Policy & Practice says that public discourse around climate change overlooks the buildup of slow, subtle costs and their impact on human systems.
FULL STORY →
CNN
Here’s what would happen to the US economy if there are no rate cuts this year
Itay Goldstein of the Wharton School says stock market prices still reflect the expectation that the Federal Reserve will cut rates later this year, even with the recent selloff.
FULL STORY →
The New York Times
Biden’s student loan repayment plan is being challenged. Here’s what to know
Kent Smetters of the Wharton School attributes $235 billion of the cost of the SAVE loan repayment plan to its increased generosity relative to existing plans.
FULL STORY →
Inside Higher Ed
Report: Biden’s new debt relief plan estimated to cost $84 billion
According to economists at the Penn Wharton Budget Model, President Biden’s new plan to forgive some or all student loans for 26 million Americans would cost about $84 billion over 10 years.
FULL STORY →
Kiplinger
Can money buy you happiness? Yes, it can. However…
Research by Matthew Killingsworth of the Wharton School reveals there is no monetary threshold at which money's capacity to improve well-being diminishes.
FULL STORY →
MarketWatch
More high schools are requiring financial-literacy classes. The pandemic may have played a key role
In a co-authored journal article, Olivia Mitchell of the Wharton School explains when financial education is at its most effective.
FULL STORY →