Paper: Multistate foodborne illness outbreaks impact restaurant stock price, public perception

As demand for food from restaurants soars in the U.S., so does the importance in understanding the impacts of foodborne illness outbreaks. A new paper co-written by a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign expert in food marketing and food policy finds that outbreaks spanning multiple states bring swift financial losses, increased media attention and a public-relations hit that makes smaller outbreaks more financially damaging.

The advantage of digital-native brands setting up physical brand stores—and the challenge of preventing sales losses in existing channels

Researchers from Erasmus School of Economics at Erasmus University Rotterdam, KU Leuven, Universität zu Lübeck, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, and FoodLabs published a new Journal of Marketing article that investigates the multichannel impact of brand stores by digital-native FMCG brands.

“The American automobile industry is under so much pressure, global competitive pressure, that we simply cannot afford an escalation of this strike,” says Virginia Tech economics expert

David Bieri is an associate professor of urban affairs in the School of Public and International Affairs and an associate professor of economics. He also holds an appointment in the Global Forum on Urban and Regional Resilience. His teaching interests are at…

Economic expert explains why Halloween has already invaded retail stores

Bewildering as the premature arrival of Halloween merchandise might seem, the impetus for retailers to get the jump on a holiday can be readily explained as simple economic behavior. Jadrian Wooten, a Virginia Tech professor of economics, explained what drives these early holiday displays.

Curbing waste improves global food security but has limited environmental benefits

Reducing waste is one way to help combat hunger around the world, but stricter control over food loss and waste does not lead to better environmental outcomes, according to researchers at the University of California, Irvine and the University of Colorado Boulder. In a paper published recently in Nature Food, the scientists stress that curbing food spoilage increases the amount of produce in markets, which leads to lower costs.

Pandemic-era Medicaid benefits expire, expert explains economic impact

Medicaid benefits were expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic to cover low-income patients without a need for them to prove their eligibility or to reapply. At the end of March, those benefit expansions expired, and states have begun reviewing the Medicaid rolls to remove those who do not qualify, a process that could create new hardships for millions of Americans.

Electrification push will have enormous impacts on critical metals supply chain

The demand for battery-grade lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese and platinum will climb steeply as vehicle electrification speeds up and nations work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through mid-century. This surge in demand will also create a variety of economic and supply-chain problems, according to new Cornell University research published in Nature Communications.

New book explores ways to combat economic injustice in America

How can the United States, one of the wealthiest nations on earth, have the highest rates of poverty among industrialized nations? In a new book based on decades of research, renowned poverty expert Mark Rank, a professor at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, develops a unique perspective for understanding this puzzle.

Netflix password sharing outrage can be explained by behavioral economics, says expert

By the end of March, Netflix plans to crack down on password sharing for U.S. subscribers. This announcement has been met by surprise, outrage, and confusion as consumers ponder how their Netflix accounts will be affected. Jadrian Wooten, a professor of economics at Virginia Tech, provides his perspective on the issue.

Economics expert explains how consumer price reports show ‘inflation is not done yet’

Expectations that inflation has eased fueled recent stock market gains, but results from two major price-tracking indexes came in higher than expected, dousing that optimism with cold water. The statistics from these reports have economists predicting that the Federal Reserve will continue to raise interest rates to get inflation under control.

Economics expert available to speak about outlier repercussions of Russian invasion of Ukraine

The one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion – or in the words of Kremlin leaders, “special military operation” – has left thousands dead or wounded, scores of buildings and infrastructure destroyed or damaged, and millions of people displaced. The economic damage from the war reaches far beyond the borders of Ukraine and Russia.

Q&A: UW historian explores how a Husky alum influenced postcolonial Sudan

Christopher Tounsel, associate professor of history at the University of Washington, found multiple connections between Sudan and Seattle while researching his upcoming book. The most prominent was the late Andrew Brimmer, a UW alum who in 1966 became the first Black member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.

Climate Change Consensus Endures in Florida

Seven sequenced surveys since October 2019 paint a comprehensive picture of Floridians’ climate resilience attitudes during a period of particularly dynamic political, economic and environmental events. Climate change has emerged as an abiding and cross-cutting issue in Florida.

Expert Available to Comment on Oil Production Cuts

Supply chain expert Shaya Sheikh, Ph.D., associate professor of management and marketing studies at New York Institute of Technology, is available to comment on the OPEC+ alliance decision to cut two million barrels of oil production. Sheikh, who researches the energy supply…

Female Managers Pay Fairer

There are two levels of reference for the elementary question of an appropriate remuneration of work: the markets with their structure of supply, demand, and productivity as well as the needs of the employees. Operationally decisive, however, is also what managers are guided by when assessing wages. A study recently published in PLOS ONE by researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) provides new insights into this issue.

@UUtah economist talks about who does and doesn’t have student loan debt and about how people spend their money during the loan payment moratorium.

In the discussion around President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan, one partisan point has come up repeatedly: that working class taxpayers shouldn’t pay off the debts of privileged college grads. But University of Utah economist Marshall Steinbaum says that’s not…

Your groceries are shrinking due to COVID-19, Ukraine war

Companies are shrinking the size of their products to increase profits in a process known as shrinkflation, and global crises like COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine are exacerbating the issue, according to an economics expert at Binghamton University, State…

May Jobs Report: “There’s never been a better time to look for a new job”

The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics released its jobs report Friday, finding US employers added 390,000 jobs in May and the unemployment rate stayed at 3.6 percent for the third month in a row. The numbers signal to experts that…