The Conversation

Mié 10/08/2022

The climate bill could short-circuit EV tax credits, making qualifying for them nearly impossible

(James Morton Turner, Wellesley College) The U.S. Senate passed a far-reaching climate, energy and health care bill on Aug. 7, 2022, that invests an unprecedented US$370 billion in energy and climate programs over the next 10 years – including incentives to expand renewable energy and electric vehicles.

 

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Jue 04/08/2022

What are automotive ‘over-the-air’ updates? A marketing professor explains

(Vivek Astvansh, Indiana University) Whenever automakers discover that a vehicle has a defect or does not comply with U.S. laws, they must notify the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and mail a notice to each customer who owns or leases the affected vehicles. Automakers must also recall those cars, trucks or SUVs – which means they have to fix the defect across the entire fleet.

 

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  • (Vivek Astvansh, Indiana University) Whenever automakers discover that a vehicle has a defect or does not comply with U.S. laws, they must notify the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and mail a notice to each customer who owns or leases the affected vehicles. Automakers must also recall those cars, trucks or SUVs – which means they have to fix the defect across the entire fleet.

     

Jue 28/07/2022

Tech firms face more regulation after moves to stop ‘killer’ acquisitions – but innovation could also be under threat

(Renaud Foucart, Lancaster University) One way to eliminate the competition in business is simply to buy them out and shut them down. And that means less choice for consumers and sometimes the loss of innovative and, in the case of the pharmaceutical industry, even life-saving products. But such so-called killer acquisitions are likely to face greater scrutiny in the US and EU following a recent expansion of competition regulators’ powers.

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  • (Renaud Foucart, Lancaster University) One way to eliminate the competition in business is simply to buy them out and shut them down. And that means less choice for consumers and sometimes the loss of innovative and, in the case of the pharmaceutical industry, even life-saving products. But such so-called killer acquisitions are likely to face greater scrutiny in the US and EU following a recent expansion of competition regulators’ powers.

Mar 05/07/2022

Women are still less likely to aspire to leadership in business, despite decades of gender initiatives – we need to find out why

(Ekaterina Netchaeva, Bocconi University) The gender gap in pay, positions and even pensions for working women is well-established, but research shows that a gender aspiration gap has also emerged in recent years. This is when women do not aspire to rise through the ranks in the same way as men do, and it could affect efforts to encourage more women to apply for leadership roles at work.

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  • (Ekaterina Netchaeva, Bocconi University) The gender gap in pay, positions and even pensions for working women is well-established, but research shows that a gender aspiration gap has also emerged in recent years. This is when women do not aspire to rise through the ranks in the same way as men do, and it could affect efforts to encourage more women to apply for leadership roles at work.

Mié 29/06/2022

‘Influencer’ is now a popular career choice for young people – here’s what you should know about the creator economy’s dark side

(Nina Willment, University of York) A 2019 poll found that children would rather be YouTubers than astronauts. It made headlines and led to plenty of grumbling about “kids these days”. But it’s not surprising that young people – up to 1.3 million in the UK – want to make their income by creating social media content.

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  • (Nina Willment, University of York) A 2019 poll found that children would rather be YouTubers than astronauts. It made headlines and led to plenty of grumbling about “kids these days”. But it’s not surprising that young people – up to 1.3 million in the UK – want to make their income by creating social media content.

Vie 24/06/2022

Federal gas tax holiday: Biden says it will provide ‘a little bit of relief’ – but experts say even that may be a stretch

(Jay L. Zagorsky, Boston University; Erich Muehlegger, University of California, Davis; Sanya Carley, Indiana University, and Theodore J. Kury, University of FloridaPresident Joe Biden called on Congress to suspend the federal gas tax to “bring families just a little bit of relief” as average gasoline prices exceed US$5 a gallon. The tax is 18.4 cents on regular gasoline and 24.4 cents on diesel. Biden’s proposal would rescind both taxes for 90 days.

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Mar 14/06/2022

Grassroots mojo and 4 other reasons Starbucks workers have been so successful unionizing

(John Logan, San Francisco State University) Starbucks Workers United won its 100th election on May 27, 2022 – fittingly, in Seattle, the company’s hometown. And the union has notched another 46 victories in the just over two weeks since then. It comes six months after organizers won their first two union victories, in Buffalo, New. York.

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Mar 07/06/2022

The US is importing baby formula to help end supply shortage – what parents need to know

(Steven A. Abrams, University of Texas at AustinIndustry and federal efforts to alleviate a baby formula shortage in the U.S. are ramping up, with the import of foreign brands supplementing increased domestic production.

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Lun 06/06/2022

What makes smoky, charred barbecue taste so good? The chemistry of cooking over an open flame

(Kristine Nolin, University of Richmond) The mere thought of barbecue’s smokey scents and intoxicating flavors is enough to get most mouths watering. Summer is here, and that means it is barbecue season for many people in the U.S.

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  • (Kristine Nolin, University of Richmond) The mere thought of barbecue’s smokey scents and intoxicating flavors is enough to get most mouths watering. Summer is here, and that means it is barbecue season for many people in the U.S.

Vie 03/06/2022

Stablecoin volatility shows an urgent need for regulation to protect consumers

(Matthew Shillito, University of Liverpool) Some cryptocurrencies have always been fairly volatile, with values soaring or plunging within a short space of time. So for the more cautious investor, “stablecoins” were considered the sensible place to go. As the name implies, they are designed to be a steadier and safer bet.

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  • (Matthew Shillito, University of Liverpool) Some cryptocurrencies have always been fairly volatile, with values soaring or plunging within a short space of time. So for the more cautious investor, “stablecoins” were considered the sensible place to go. As the name implies, they are designed to be a steadier and safer bet.

Mié 01/06/2022

50 years of UN environmental diplomacy: What’s worked and the trends ahead

(Mihaela Papa, Tufts University) In 1972, acid rain was destroying trees. Birds were dying from DDT poisoning, and countries were contending with oil spills, contamination from nuclear weapons testing and the environmental harm of the Vietnam War. Air pollution was crossing borders and harming neighboring countries.

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