The Conversation

Vie 28/10/2022

Elon Musk is poised to take Twitter private – here’s what that means for the company and its future success

(Erik Gordon, University of Michigan) Elon Musk’s proposed US$44 billion deal to acquire Twitter and take it private is reportedly coming together as a court’s Oct. 28, 2022, deadline nears.

 

Vie 28/10/2022

The whole world is facing a debt crisis – but richer countries can afford to stop it

(Patrick E. Shea, University of Glasgow) Countries across the world are drifting towards a debt crisis. Economic slowdowns and rising inflation have increased demands on spending, making it almost impossible for many governments to pay back the money they owe.

  • (Patrick E. Shea, University of Glasgow) Countries across the world are drifting towards a debt crisis. Economic slowdowns and rising inflation have increased demands on spending, making it almost impossible for many governments to pay back the money they owe.

Vie 28/10/2022

The UK is facing an economic crisis – here’s why it needs to find a global solution

(Muhammad Ali Nasir, University of Leeds) Recent changes in the UK’s top job have had a positive effect on pound sterling and long-term sovereign bond yields. But the financial market reaction has been muted compared with the financial turmoil blamed on former prime minister Liz Truss and ex-chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng in recent weeks.

  • (Muhammad Ali Nasir, University of Leeds) Recent changes in the UK’s top job have had a positive effect on pound sterling and long-term sovereign bond yields. But the financial market reaction has been muted compared with the financial turmoil blamed on former prime minister Liz Truss and ex-chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng in recent weeks.

Lun 17/10/2022

World Cup 2022: Qatar’s frantic countdown to a football tournament full of controversy

(Simon Chadwick, SKEMA Business School) When Denmark play at the men’s Fifa World Cup in Qatar this winter, their shirts will mask the name and logo of their sponsor, the sportswear brand Hummel. One of the strips is all black, which Hummel described as the “colour of mourning”.

 

  • (Simon Chadwick, SKEMA Business School) When Denmark play at the men’s Fifa World Cup in Qatar this winter, their shirts will mask the name and logo of their sponsor, the sportswear brand Hummel. One of the strips is all black, which Hummel described as the “colour of mourning”.

     

Lun 17/10/2022

How the costs of disasters like Hurricane Ian are calculated – and why it takes so long to add them up

(Adam Rose, University of Southern California) The U.S. experienced 15 disasters in the first nine months of 2022 that each caused at least US$1 billion in damage. Hurricane Ian is taking the largest toll of these disasters by far – but the extent of the damage could take years to calculate with any precision.
Lun 17/10/2022

Getting to ‘net-zero’ emissions: How energy leaders envision countering climate change in the future

(Seth Blumsack, Penn State and Lara B. Fowler, Penn State) With the federal government promising over US$360 billion in clean energy incentives under the Inflation Reduction Act, energy companies are already lining up investments. It’s a huge opportunity, and analysts project that it could help slash U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by about 40% within the decade.

Jue 06/10/2022

Europe has never had a global voice – but that may be changing with rise of digital media

(Liam Kennedy, University College Dublin) An oft-quoted question attributed (probably wrongly) to the former US secretary of state, Henry Kissinger: “Who do I call if I want to speak to Europe?”, still resonates as an indication of Europe’s lack of unity and leadership. It also signals a disconnect in transatlantic communications that is due, in part, to the lack of a pan-European media system that engages a broad continental audience.

  • (Liam Kennedy, University College Dublin) An oft-quoted question attributed (probably wrongly) to the former US secretary of state, Henry Kissinger: “Who do I call if I want to speak to Europe?”, still resonates as an indication of Europe’s lack of unity and leadership. It also signals a disconnect in transatlantic communications that is due, in part, to the lack of a pan-European media system that engages a broad continental audience.

Jue 06/10/2022

The big reason Florida insurance companies are failing isn’t just hurricane risk – it’s fraud and lawsuits

(Shahid S. Hamid, Florida International University) Hurricane Ian’s widespread damage is another disaster for Florida’s already shaky insurance industry. Even though home insurance rates in Florida are nearly triple the national average, insurers have been losing money. Six have failed since January 2022. Now, insured losses from Ian are estimated to exceed US$40 billion

 

Lun 26/09/2022

Patagonia’s founder has given his company away to fight climate change and advance conservation: 5 questions answered

(Ash Enrici, Indiana University) Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, his wife and their two adult children have irrevocably transferred their ownership of the outdoor apparel company to a set of trusts and nonprofit organizations.

 

  • (Ash Enrici, Indiana University) Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, his wife and their two adult children have irrevocably transferred their ownership of the outdoor apparel company to a set of trusts and nonprofit organizations.

     

Lun 12/09/2022

Quiet quitting is a new name for an old method of industrial action

(Jonathan Lord, University of Salford) The average UK worker now carries out approximately 22 days’ worth of overtime a year. Meanwhile, inflation is at a 40-year high of 10.1%, and real pay is dropping 2.8% – the fastest decline since records began in 2001.

Mié 07/09/2022

Gen Z smartphone addiction can boost compulsive buying – but businesses can help them kick the shopping habit

(Nisreen Ameen, Royal Holloway University of London) People born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s – so-called generation Z – face many financial challenges, from more expensive housing to lower wages. Many are already delaying life plans such as buying a home and saving for retirement as a result. But recent research on the connection between smartphone addiction and compulsive buying behaviour in this age group shows the potential for even more financial damage.

 

Jue 01/09/2022

Making EVs without China’s supply chain is hard, but not impossible – 3 supply chain experts outline a strategy

(Ho-Yin Mak, Georgetown University; Christopher S. Tang, University of California, Los Angeles, and Tinglong Dai, Johns Hopkins University) Two electrifying moves in recent weeks have the potential to ignite electric vehicle demand in the United States. First, Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act, expanding federal tax rebates for EV purchases. Then California approved rules to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035.