In December 2021, the Center for American Progress and the Sierra Club reported that “8 major US banks and 10 major US asset managers financed the equivalent of nearly 2 billion tons of carbon dioxide in 2020”. This is more…
All posts filed under “Economy”
The Rise of Divestment (Part I)
Paradoxically, despite claiming responsible business conduct, the world’s top 60 banks have invested 3.8 trillion in fossil fuel firms since the 2015 Paris climate agreement, thus exacerbating the climate crisis. To counteract its negative impact, an increasing number of banks…
The Sharing Economy: Beyond the Hype and Assumptions
43% of US consumers consider ownership to be a burden. 50% admit that owning things is a good way to show their social status. 81% agree that it is cheaper to share goods than to own them. 80% think that…
Key Takeaways from the Nobel-winning Research on Contract Theory
The Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences 2016 has been awarded to two professors of economics – Oliver Hart of Harvard University and Bengt Holmström of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – for their contribution to contract theory. Announcing its decision, the…
The Implications of Brexit for Brand UK and the British Economy
The Brexit vote has brought a lot of economic uncertainty. Global markets have already lost $3 trillion as a result of a sharp equity sell-off. On June 24, the next day after the ‘in / out’ referendum, the British pound…
Why a Universal Basic Income (UBI) Is a Risky Idea
On June 5, 2016, 77% of Swiss voters rejected a citizen initiative to introduce a universal basic income (UBI) in a national referendum. The proposed sums were 2,500 Swiss francs (about $2,600) per month for every adult citizen and 625…
If Not GDP, Then What?
In 1937, the US Congress commissioned economist Simon Kuznets to measure economic activity during the Great Depression. He developed Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which has become the main economic indicator despite its limitations. Kuznets noted that national income is not…
3 New Ways to Predict Financial Crises
Albert Edwards, an economist at Société Générale, a banking and financial services firm, forecasts a new financial crisis by the end of 2016. In his opinion, it will be as bad as the one in 2008–2009. “Sell everything except high-quality…
The Sharing Economy: ‘Uber for Bikes’ in Vilnius
In addition to ride-hailing services, Vilnius has 2 cycle hire schemes. As a city of short distances, Lithuania’s capital can use the schemes to further minimize traffic and develop sustainable sharing transportation infrastructure. There is also big marketing potential: Vilnius…
The Sharing Economy: Alternatives to Uber in Vilnius
The sharing economy has become another buzzword, partially because of a popular belief that it is an alternative to capitalism. Jim Pickell, President of HomeExchange.com, explains that the relation between the sharing economy and capitalism is contradictory: both are based…