Research

Global Financial Liberalization Has Failed To Live Up to Its Promise

In new research, Bruno Pellegrino and Damien Capelle find that while global capital markets have grown dramatically over the past five decades and reached new jurisdictions, the uneven pace of financial liberalization has failed to reallocate capital to lower-income countries, reduced world GDP by 5.9%, and increased inequality between rich and poor countries.

Is Competition Law Making Us Sick?

In new research, Benjamin Wood, Sven Gallasch, Nicholas Shaxson, Katherine Sievert, and Gary Sacks write that competition underenforcement and a narrow regulatory focus on prices and output has allowed industries that produce harmful consumer products, such as tobacco or ultra-processed foods, to increase demand and, consequentially, harm to society. They argue that competition law must evolve to consider health impacts.

What MBA Students Reveal About Inequality in America

In new research, Marcel Preuss, Germán Reyes, Jason Somerville, and Joy Wu find that MBA students’ attitudes toward inequality and fairness vary from those of the average American. As these students will one day form the business and political elite of the United States, the findings have implications for the future of inequality in the U.S.

How Much Harm Can Wage-Fixing Cartels Do?

In new research, Axel Gottfries and Gregor Jarosch develop a model to understand how wage-fixing cartels operate and show how to gauge the harm they cause to workers.

How Toxic Content Drives User Engagement on Social Media

Most users on social media have encountered toxic content: rude, disrespectful, or hostile posts or comments. A study using a browser extension estimates the effect of toxic content on user engagement and welfare.

The DMA Whistleblower Tool Needs a Revamp

In new research, Sarah Hinck and Jasper van den Boom argue that the European Union’s Digital Markets Act’s (DMA) whistleblower tool does not yet bring enough to the table to effectively incentivize potential informants to report on Big Tech violations.

The Politics of Fragmentation and Capture in AI Regulation

In new research, Filippo Lancieri, Laura Edelson, and Stefan Bechtold explore how the political economy of artificial intelligence regulation is shaped by the strategic behavior of governments, technology companies, and other agents.

Assessing the Technical Feasibility of a Google Chrome Divestiture

In a new report, Eric Rescorla and Alissa Cooper analyze how Google’s browser, Chrome, could operate successfully as an independent entity if the court presiding over Google Search orders its divestiture.

How Conflicts of Interest Shape Trust in Academic Work

In a new NBER working paper, John M. Barrios, Filippo Lancieri, Joshua Levy, Shashank Singh, Tommaso Valletti, and Luigi Zingales explore the impact of...

Is Nonprofit Ownership Really About Purpose?

Why is nonprofit ownership gaining traction in the U.S., with companies like OpenAI and Patagonia mirroring long-standing models in Europe, such as Novo Nordisk and IKEA? In new research, Ofer Eldar and Mark Ørberg unpack the economic rationales behind nonprofit business ownership, challenge the idea that it’s all about purpose, and highlight the overlooked risks of nonprofit control.

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