Public Policy – Knowledge@Wharton: Recent Episodes
Knowledge@Wharton is the online business analysis journal of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
New research from the Penn Wharton Budget Model finds that increasing legal immigration in the U.S. leads to long-term fiscal benefits, while policies that legalize unauthorized immigrants increase government debt.
The lack of centralized data systems in the U.S. is hampering the country’s ability to beat back the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Wharton’s Adi Wyner.
Removing credit constraints and providing subsidies could lift adoption of energy efficient technologies in low-income households, according to a recent study co-authored by Wharton’s Susanna B. Berkouwer.
New research co-authored by Wharton’s Valentina Assenova refutes conventional wisdom among policymakers that economic growth is the inevitable casualty of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The first event in this year’s "Beyond Business" conversation series, hosted by Wharton Dean Erika James, focused on how firms and investors can lead the charge in addressing environmental issues.
Tax reforms proposed as part of the budget reconciliation process would have important consequences for U.S. multinationals’ profit-shifting incentives, and also their competitiveness, according to an analysis by the Penn Wharton Budget Model.
Patients are more likely to get vaccinated when they receive text reminders that a shot is ready and waiting for them, according to the results of a large field experiment.
A new analysis from the Penn Wharton Budget Model looks at how both targeted and universal preschool and childcare programs would impact the U.S. economy.
Wharton’s Arthur van Benthem shares key findings from a forthcoming study on vehicle air pollution and emissions standards, and the takeaways for policymakers and consumers.
Wharton’s John Paul MacDuffie says building consumer confidence in electric vehicles will help the Biden administration succeed in its plan to cut gas-powered cars and emissions.
Higher government debt will crowd out private capital and erode productivity, leaving GDP unchanged, a Penn Wharton Budget Model analysis shows.
Wharton’s Olivia S. Mitchell explains the reasons behind the federal government’s call to re-examine its pension investments in light of climate change.
The most recent jobs report shows the U.S. economy is improving, but not for all Americans, writes Wharton professor emeritus Bernard E. Anderson in this opinion piece.
A new study co-authored by Wharton’s David Asch finds Black patients are dying at higher rates from COVID-19 because of where they are hospitalized.
In this opinion piece, Robert Field argues that the market, not state laws, should determine whether businesses can require proof of vaccination by customers and staff.
In their new book ‘Big Med,’ David Dranove and Wharton’s Lawton R. Burns look at the rise of megaproviders -- expansive health care organizations -- and their role in runaway costs.
Wharton’s Katy Milkman talks to behavioral scientist Maya Shankar about her career, which has taken her from the White House to her current role as senior director of behavioral economics at Google, and about what it takes to change people's minds.
From free food to million-dollar lotteries, there’s no shortage of incentives to entice Americans to take the COVID-19 vaccine. But Wharton’s Iwan Barankay says these efforts won’t increase vaccine uptake when socioeconomic barriers remain in the way.
Wharton’s Howard Kunreuther and Robert Meyer look at what prevents homeowners from investing in measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and how that can be changed.
The American Families Plan would cost significantly more than the Biden administration's estimate of $1.8 trillion, according to a new analysis by the Penn Wharton Budget Model. But the plan’s proposals for free education would help to offset some of those costs in the long run.
Foreign workers help boost the American economy by balancing labor supply and demand, says Wharton management professor Britta Glennon.
U.S. homeowners and renters need stronger safety nets to prevent housing insecurity during economic downturns, according to a new paper co-authored by Wharton’s Benjamin Keys.
Spending on stronger infrastructure and higher taxes will crowd out private investment, ultimately reducing GDP, according to the Penn Wharton Budget Model.
Black and low-income students face the highest reduction in lifetime earnings from school closures, according to a report from the Penn Wharton Budget Model.
Doubling COVID-19 vaccine doses to 3 million a day could boost U.S. employment and GDP, according to a Penn Wharton Budget Model analysis.
Essential workers have a 55% greater chance of contracting COVID-19, compared with nonessential workers, according to a recent study by Independence Blue Cross and Penn.
In this opinion piece, Robert Field, Anthony W. Orlando, and Arnold J. Rosoff argue that the Biden administration should make genetic data privacy a top priority.
Eroded stock valuations reflect investor concerns that talent shortages hurt productivity and innovation, says Wharton’s Britta Glennon, who has co-authored a new research paper on the topic.
Wharton's Robert Hughes explains the moral and social benefits of universal health care and how such a system might look in the U.S.
For many small businesses such as restaurants, the denial of insurance claims for COVID-19 losses spells bankruptcy and closure. Public-private partnerships could help provide a solution, says Wharton’s Howard Kunreuther.
President-elect Joe Biden’s proposals promise wide-ranging economic gains, but the pandemic will continue to be a huge variable in the near term, according to an analysis by the Penn Wharton Budget Model.
Rejoining the Paris Climate Accord will be a positive step, but options for the new administration will be limited to regulatory tweaks without control of Congress, says Wharton’s Brain Berkey.
While overtly fake news generated by bogus websites can be dangerous, there’s greater harm in subtle misinformation that spreads through mainstream media, according to new research.
Rooting out racial bias in law enforcement starts with better data, according to Wharton’s Dean Knox and Princeton’s Jonathan Mummolo. Their research is bringing hard science to the emotional debate on police reform.
A Penn Wharton Budget Model analysis provides policymakers with a framework to weigh the cost of COVID-19 infections in a community against students’ loss of future income due to lower quality education.
Current federal policies are inadequate for the most vulnerable communities when disasters strike. Wharton’s Carolyn Kousky explains why prioritizing low-income families is key to disaster recovery.
A high number of working mothers are leaving their jobs during the pandemic, which is exacerbating gender inequality. Solving the problem starts with better policies to support them, Wharton’s Janice Bellace says.
The pandemic has disproportionately hurt weaker segments of society. Wharton’s Guy David discusses why that needs to be addressed.
Predictive analytics are invaluable in business, but they have proven faulty in politics. Wharton’s Abraham (Adi) Wyner shares three reasons why election poll results don’t always match the outcome, especially in presidential races.
A Penn Wharton Budget Model analysis of U.S. presidential candidate Joe Biden’s policy platform finds that his proposals would increase spending over the next decade by $5.37 trillion, but in the long run would reduce the federal debt and boost GDP.
Big economic, technological and demographic changes are coming, and the pandemic is accelerating many of them, Wharton’s Mauro Guillen says in his new book.
“A policy’s success largely rests on how well inclusion is embedded in its blueprints,” write Santosh K. Misra and Wharton’s Raghuram Iyengar in this opinion piece.
During a recent video conference hosted by the Jay H. Baker Retailing Center, Penn’s Zeke Emanuel said consumers and businesses in the U.S. will likely need to wait until November 2021 to resume pre-pandemic levels of activity.
Research by Wharton’s Gerard Cachon explores how the principles of operations management can help explain voter behavior and strengthen democracy.
Nearly a third of all households in India will be in distress without additional assistance, according to a new report coauthored by Wharton’s Heather Schofield.
Strong state capacity and low economic inequality are more important than being a democracy when it comes to dealing with health emergencies like pandemics, Wharton research shows.
The pandemic will reverse the trends of globalization and urbanization, leading to profound longer-term costs, writes Wharton Dean Geoffrey Garrett in this opinion piece.
Measures to protect the population while easing the county’s economic burden could include everything from electronic surveillance to radically altered work environments. Wharton experts weigh the options.
Fifty years ago, the first Earth Day was inspired by a scientist. The pandemic teaches us to seek refuge in science again, writes Wharton's Eric W. Orts.
The China-U.S. “Phase One” trade deal now feels like ancient history. How will the relationship between the two countries change in the wake of the pandemic? Wharton dean Geoffrey Garrett offers predictions for 2020, 2021, 2022 and beyond.
Much like flattening the curve on COVID-19, the world must act now to lessen the cumulative effects of climate change, says Wharton’s Howard Kunreuther.