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Comment, analysis, and debate by CEP researchers on today's economic and social policy issues.

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More education signals ability to employers, but does it really improve skills?

Better educated workers may earn higher wages for two possible reasons: because they acquire more skills or because more education signals their intellect and enthusiasm. Georg Graetz writes that signalling may lead students to invest less effort into acquiring skills than they would if employers had perfect information about their abilities. Read more...
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How the scars of past wars continue to shape UK society

Edward Pinchbeck, Felipe Carozzi and Luca Repetto discuss new research exploring how memory of losses from war affects communities and shapes social values. Their findings suggest the impact can reverberate through generations.Read more...

Latest Blogs and podcasts

Blog
Vox EU:
Forward-looking labour supply responses to changes in pension wealth

As populations age, the strain on government budgets will keep pension reform at the forefront of political campaigns and policy debates worldwide. Elisabeth Artmann, Nicola Fuchs-Schundeln and Giulia Giupponi analyse ho...Read more...

Elisabeth Artmann, Nicola Fuchs-Schundeln and Giulia Giupponi

22 September 2023

Blog
LSE British Politics and Policy:
The UK should lead on a green industrial strategy not roll back

The UK government appears to be watering down its commitments to net zero, breaking the cross-party consensus on the need for Britain to lead in the global battle against climate change. Yet now is the time to double dow...Read more...

Esin Serin, Anna Valero and John Van Reenen

20 September 2023

Blog
The News Agents:
Is this Sunak's 'moment of shame'? (podcast)

Rishi Sunak was propelled into explaining his new position in a hastily arranged press conference after details of plans to adjust (water down) his commitment to green policies were leaked to the BBC. Anna Valero and Lor...Read more...

Anna Valero

20 September 2023

Blog
What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth:
Understanding efficiency and equity

Henry Overman explains why we need to consider efficiency and equity when thinking about local economic growth policies....Read more...

Henry G. Overman

20 September 2023

Blog
LSE Review of Books:
Book Review: Wellbeing: Science and Policy by Richard Layard and Jan-Emmanuel De Neve

In Wellbeing: Science and Policy, Richard Layard and Jan-Emmanuel De Neve present an enquiry into human wellbeing: what factors create it, how can it be effectively measured and how can it be improved? The authors' rich ...Read more...

Jan-Emmanuel De Neve and Richard Layard

19 September 2023

Blog
LSE Business Review:
Christopher Pissarides: 'The more I study AI, the more optimistic I get about the labour market'

The rapid developments in artificial intelligence have been causing fears that many jobs will disappear. But Christopher Pissarides sees reason for optimism. In this Q&A with Maayan Arad, he says that the need to deal wi...Read more...

Maayan Arad and Christopher A. Pissarides

18 September 2023

Blog
What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth:
Understanding agglomeration

Anamaria Tibocha-Nino explains why considering agglomeration is important for local economic growth policies and what to consider when thinking about agglomeration....Read more...

Anamaria Tibocha-Nino

14 September 2023

Blog
LSE Business Review:
Don't let present bias keep you from getting ready for AI

Despite the quick pace of changes AI is producing in the workplace, many leaders are still not considering how things might soon be done very differently. 'Present bias' keeps them from leveraging new technologies to mak...Read more...

Yolanda Blavo, Grace Lordan and Jasmine Virhia

13 September 2023

Blog
LSE Business Review:
Brazil's comparative advantage in soybean production triggered deforestation

Tropical ecosystems house an immense biomass, which makes it imperative to understand how they are affected by technology and trade. Igor Carreira, Francisco Costa and Joao Paulo Pessoa examine the Brazilian rainforest's...Read more...

Igor Carreira, Francisco Costa and Joao Paulo Pessoa

12 September 2023

Blog
What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth:
Public sector relocation: how to think about local impacts

Will Brett-Harding investigates the effects of public sector relocation on local areas that are destinations for the relocated or new public sector activity....Read more...

Will Brett-Harding

11 September 2023

Blog
Economics Observatory:
What explains the gender division of labour and how can it be redressed?

Adam Smith's division of labour was about the efficiency gains from task specialisation in factories. But the gender division - gaps between men and women in pay, prestige, career progression and much more - can also be ...Read more...

Barbara Petrongolo

11 September 2023

Blog
LSE iQ:
Is AI coming for our jobs? (podcast)

Maayan Arad speaks to experts about Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the courtroom, and what might happen if robots take over the roles of judges. And explore how journalism and other professional fields could be affected...Read more...

Maayan Arad, Charlie Beckett, Giulia Gentile and Christopher A. Pissarides

7 September 2023

Blog
LSE British Politics and Policy:
A true housing crisis needs more than post-truth politicians

The UK's housing crisis is particularly acute by international standards. Instead of identifying real solutions, argues Paul Cheshire, policy-makers have offered only rhetorical devices, ineffective local mechanisms, and...Read more...

Paul Cheshire

5 September 2023

Blog
LSE Business Review:
Should we call time on presenteeism?

Many companies have adopted a "remote first" approach for their workforce, but a growing number of firms are now demanding that employees work from the office most of the time. Jasmine Virhia and Grace Lordan warn firms ...Read more...

Grace Lordan and Jasmine Virhia

5 September 2023

Blog
INSEAD Knowledge:
Covid-19 furloughs helped firms not just survive, but thrive

Morten Bennedsen, Birthe Larsen, Ian Schmutte and Daniela Scur discuss how the furlough schemes implemented during the pandemic yielded benefits even after Covid-19 restrictions ended and helped firms thrive....Read more...

Morten Bennedsen, Berthe Larsen, Ian M. Schmutte and Daniela Scur

5 September 2023

Blog
LSE Business Review:
How much is your time worth?

Christian Krekel and George MacKerron analyse more than two million data points from a smartphone app that randomly asks people how they feel at any particular moment and what they are currently doing, to provide estimat...Read more...

Christian Krekel and George MacKerron

30 August 2023

Blog
LSE British Politics and Policy:
Uncovering the association between school qualifications and youth custody

Youth custody has severe long-term consequences for detained young people. Stephen Machin, Sandra McNally and Jenifer Ruiz-Valenzuela investigate the relationship between GCSE qualifications and youth custody, and find t...Read more...

Stephen Machin, Sandra McNally and Jenifer Ruiz-Valenzuela

30 August 2023

Blog
IFS Zooms In:
Are differences between companies driving inequality and holding back growth? (podcast)

What do we mean when we talk about inequality between firms? Are inequalities between firms limiting UK business dynamism? And do governments need to step in and enforce competition rules? In this podcast episode, John V...Read more...

John Van Reenen

30 August 2023

Blog
What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth:
Understanding supply and demand

Helene Donnat explains what supply and demand is and why policymakers need to consider it to design effective policies....Read more...

Helene Donnat

29 August 2023

Blog
Africa at LSE:
Public disclosure policies don't improve tax collection in Uganda

Public disclosure policies are designed to raise tax compliance where alternative enforcement capacity is limited. But they can also have negative consequences by showcasing the true extent of tax compliance, write Priya...Read more...

Priya Manwaring and Tanner Regan

29 August 2023

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