Opening the black box: What we now know about credit and poverty
For decades, one question has dominated debates about finance and poverty reduction: does access to credit reduce poverty? The idea that loans can help households
Better work, not always better workers
Professional judgement comes from learning by doing, but AI has the potential to disrupt this learning process. This column explores how randomised access to an
Why we spend so much time in meetings
Few features of modern work are as widely criticised as meetings. Using data from over 9,000 workers in Norway, this column examines how meetings are
The inflation rate fell but many workers’ pay cheques did not keep up
Inflation in the US has receded from its 2022 peak. This column uses payroll records from 2016 to 2025 to show that many workers have
Introducing IDEA – the International Development Economics Association
Labor economists have the Society of Labor Economists. Health economists have the International Health Economics Association. Economic historians have the Economic History Association. What about
Dubai’s property sector rounds off 2025 with record sales
December maintained the year’s exceptional momentum, with monthly sales climbing 46.4% in value YoY. Dubai’s property sector capped a historic year in 2025 with a
Multinational firms and global innovation
Multinational companies are at the heart of two key globalisation trends: the fragmentation of production and the internationalisation of innovation. This column studies the global
Refugee entrepreneurs as business multipliers: Evidence from Ukrainians in Poland
When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, over a million Ukrainian refugees fled to Poland. This column shows that far from displacing local businesses, these refugees
The role of wages in retaining effective teachers in the classroom
Concerns about declining student achievements have become central in education debates, with teacher quality drawing attention as a key driver. This column examines how wages
The economic value of worker rights in union contracts
Collective bargaining agreements allocate rights and obligations beyond wages and benefits. This column analyses 30,000 Canadian agreements from 1986 to 2015 for non-wage worker rights.
