Demographic change: Headwinds for economic growth
With fertility rates falling and populations ageing worldwide, the impact of demographic change on economic prosperity has become a central policy concern. This column uses
The economic value nations create for others relative to domestic gains
True economic power lies not only in what a country gains from trade, but also in how much it contributes to the prosperity of others.
Labour market institutions for the AI era: The need for verified employment records
The rise of AI fundamentally alters the balance between formal credentials and verified experience in labour markets, but without verified employment records, experience remains invisible.
Public money, private innovation: How government funding built – and sustains – America’s technological leadership
The US has long been the world’s innovation powerhouse, based on a system that combines public funding with private initiative. Yet this model is under
Generative AI: Uneven adoption, labour market returns, and policy implications
Generative AI is being adopted more rapidly than previous digital technologies and has the potential to deliver meaningful productivity gains in professional tasks, raising concerns
The hidden costs of China’s industrial policy
China uses a wide array of industrial policies, such as subsidies and regulations, to promote strategic economic sectors. This column estimates that the equivalent fiscal
Lessons from Denmark’s eight-hour workday reform
In recent years, calls for shorter working weeks have re-emerged in Europe and elsewhere. This column examines how Denmark’s 1919 shift to the eight-hour workday
Spending smarter: A powerful growth strategy
With high public debt and weak medium-term growth, finance ministries seek to do more with less. This column argues that efficiency gaps in public spending
Data, power and emissions: How AI’s growth may slow down the green transition
AI and other data-intensive technologies may help optimise energy use, but the technologies themselves are power hungry. This column explores how the diffusion of AI
Insuring labour income shocks: The role of the dynasty
Beyond government and market-based insurance, the family remains a key institution for coping with economic risk. This column uses detailed Norwegian data to study how
