Income Distribution
Baby Dilemma (9/1/2005)
Low fertility among educated women threatens to lower the supply of high-skilled workers.
Low fertility among educated women threatens to lower the supply of high-skilled workers.
The Seduction of Cheap Labor (8/31/2005)
Cheap immigrant labor has kept labor-intensive lettuce farming in America that should perhaps have been offshored or mechanized.
Cheap immigrant labor has kept labor-intensive lettuce farming in America that should perhaps have been offshored or mechanized.
The Diet Poor (9/7/2005)
Lack of affordable transportation due to poverty forces the poor to shop in neighborhood stores that charge more for the mostly unhealthy but high-turnover food that they carry.
Lack of affordable transportation due to poverty forces the poor to shop in neighborhood stores that charge more for the mostly unhealthy but high-turnover food that they carry.
Fast Labor (9/2/2005)
Extreme division of labor into simple repetitive tasks allows the fast-food industry to increase throughput while lowering labor cost by tapping unskilled teenage and marginal workers.
Extreme division of labor into simple repetitive tasks allows the fast-food industry to increase throughput while lowering labor cost by tapping unskilled teenage and marginal workers.
The Truncated Job Ladder (9/5/2005)
The job ladder that has been truncated from the bottom and from the top means longer formal education to get to the bottom of the ladder and more limited promotion prospects once on the ladder.
The job ladder that has been truncated from the bottom and from the top means longer formal education to get to the bottom of the ladder and more limited promotion prospects once on the ladder.
Happiness - Absolute or Relative? (6/4/2004)
If happiness depends on one's relative wealth, one will never be absolutely happy as long as there are others who are even richer.
If happiness depends on one's relative wealth, one will never be absolutely happy as long as there are others who are even richer.
Global Labor Market (9/5/2005)
Labor is increasingly globally sourced due to aging populations and lagging labor productivity in developed countries.
Labor is increasingly globally sourced due to aging populations and lagging labor productivity in developed countries.
Choose Your Parents Carefully (8/31/2005)
Marital sorting can increase wage inequality and lead to lower economic growth over generations by concentrating the life-chance advantage of better educated people.
Marital sorting can increase wage inequality and lead to lower economic growth over generations by concentrating the life-chance advantage of better educated people.
Broken Promises? (1/14/2006)
New York transit workers staged a 5-day disruptive pre-Christmas labor strike to hang onto unsustainable benefits.
New York transit workers staged a 5-day disruptive pre-Christmas labor strike to hang onto unsustainable benefits.
Legacy Curse (1/14/2006)
The legacy of high union wages and benefits progressive measures has become part of a vicious circle of market-share erosion for old-time U.S. car makers.
The legacy of high union wages and benefits progressive measures has become part of a vicious circle of market-share erosion for old-time U.S. car makers.
Reality Benefits (1/16/2006)
Low-cost competition and escalating health care cost have eroded U.S. car-makers’ ability to honor generous union contracts.
Low-cost competition and escalating health care cost have eroded U.S. car-makers’ ability to honor generous union contracts.
White-collar unions (1/16/2006)
White-collared workers are increasingly affiliated with beleaguered blue-collared labor unions to bulk up their collective bargaining position over non-wage issues.
White-collared workers are increasingly affiliated with beleaguered blue-collared labor unions to bulk up their collective bargaining position over non-wage issues.
Management Tournament? (1/16/2006)
Outsized CEO compensation reflects talent scarcity and competitive emulation among interlocking compensation committees.
Outsized CEO compensation reflects talent scarcity and competitive emulation among interlocking compensation committees.
Efficient but not Fair? (1/16/2006)
Efficiency may conflict with fairness because it is often difficult to re-distribute the gain from greater efficiency.
Efficiency may conflict with fairness because it is often difficult to re-distribute the gain from greater efficiency.
The Economics of Superstars (9/26/2000)
Joint consumption technology combined with imperfect substitution of consumer preferences can lead to outsized rewards to a few superstars in mass entertainment businesses.
Joint consumption technology combined with imperfect substitution of consumer preferences can lead to outsized rewards to a few superstars in mass entertainment businesses.
Income Lotteries (6/22/2006)
Income distribution may be more unequal while average income is increasing.
Income distribution may be more unequal while average income is increasing.
Glamour vs Hardship (6/22/2006)
Most glamorous jobs have high average income but low median income while most bread-and-butter jobs have median income that is very close to the average income.
Most glamorous jobs have high average income but low median income while most bread-and-butter jobs have median income that is very close to the average income.
The Insecurity of Job Security (6/22/2006)
Life-time job security with generous fringe benefits have increased youth unemployment by discouraging French employers to hire new workers and encouraging them to substitute capital for labor.
Life-time job security with generous fringe benefits have increased youth unemployment by discouraging French employers to hire new workers and encouraging them to substitute capital for labor.
Income Distribution (7/7/2006)
In the U. S., the top income group has been gaining relative to the rest of the population due to globalization, but the belief in upward mobility is still strong.
In the U. S., the top income group has been gaining relative to the rest of the population due to globalization, but the belief in upward mobility is still strong.
Choke Power (1/10/2007)
Their strategic location at the chokepoints of global trade allows American longshoremen to share a bigger piece of the globalization pie.
Their strategic location at the chokepoints of global trade allows American longshoremen to share a bigger piece of the globalization pie.
