RAND Research Topic: Economic Policy

United States and Mexico: Ties That Bind, Issues That Divide

Apr 11, 2012

This binational reference for U.S. and Mexican policymakers presents the interrelated issues of Mexican immigration to the United States and Mexico's economic and social development. Differences in economic growth, wages, and the employment situation between two countries are critical determinants of immigration, and migration of labor out of Mexico, in addition to economic and social policies, affects Mexico's development.

How Did the Financial Crisis Affect the U.S. Civil Justice System?

Mar 5, 2012

A preliminary assessment of the impact of the financial crisis on the civil justice system finds that litigation demands on some parts of the system have increased, that funding for state courts may be trending downward, and that there have been disruptions in the legal services economy, in the provision of legal aid, and in the operation and staffing of courts.

Is Publicly Funded R&D Investment the Best Way Out of the European Financial Crisis?

Nov 29, 2011

Publicly funded R&D investment is a coherent policy to support long term economic growth. Our only note of caution is about how far and how fast that growth can be delivered because the evidence we have is out of date and skewed towards the experience of just one country, write Jonathan Grant and Jon Sussex.

Where Keynes Went Wrong

Oct 31, 2011

Failure to consider the potentially adverse effect of government spending on the preexisting level of aggregate demand was and remains a disabling flaw in Keynesian theory—then and now, writes Charles Wolf, Jr.

Pricing Strategies for NASA Wind-Tunnel Facilities

Oct 4, 2011

There has been an overall downward trend in the use of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) wind-tunnel test facilities, and fiscal pressures have increased incentives to cut costs and create additional sources of revenue. The authors explore six potential approaches to pricing the use of these facilities and evaluate each approach against three criteria — efficiency, fiscal impact, and fairness.

How Does Investment in Highway Infrastructure Affect the Economy?

May 17, 2011

To inform debate on a new transportation bill being considered, an analysis of literature on the effects of highway infrastructure spending on the economy offers principles for reforming federal policy and programs, as well as ideas for future research.

Identifying the Aggregate Productivity Effects of Entry and Size Restrictions: An Empirical Analysis of License Reform in India

May 1, 2011

This paper proposes a simple methodology that empirically identifies the separate effects of entry and size restrictions on aggregate productivity, and uses it to analyse the impact of a policy reform in India.

The Facts About American 'Decline'

Apr 13, 2011

It's fashionable among academics and pundits to proclaim that the U.S. is in decline and no longer No. 1 in the world. The declinists say they are realists. In fact, their alarm is unrealistic, writes Charles Wolf, Jr.

Spotlight on 2010: Unlocking Innovation and Learning

Feb 3, 2011

With European governments seeking smart, sustainable solutions to increasingly complex challenges, innovation and learning become essential tools for good policymaking. RAND Europe's annual review, Spotlight on 2010, features many research projects that illustrate the value of learning and knowledge sharing to improve policymaking. It also provides an overview of RAND Europe's activity in 2010.

Update to The Sigma Scan

Dec 31, 2010

This external publication is an online database of short Horizon Scanning Centre think-pieces. RAND Europe updated 25% of the papers on this database, to incorporate more recent policy issues, evidence, and developments.

G-20 Growing Pains

Sep 23, 2009

The increasing importance of the G-20 summits is testimony to the growing role emerging states now play in managing the international economy. But integrating these newcomers into the global community is unlikely to be straightforward or simple, writes Lowell H. Schwartz.

China's International Behavior: Activism, Opportunism, and Diversification

Aug 26, 2009

China is a global actor of significant and growing importance, now integrated into the international system and altering that system's dynamics. The complexity of China's ever-changing global activism raises questions about its intentions and the implications for global stability and prosperity.

World Economic Recession Unlikely to Have Lasting Geopolitical Consequences

Jul 29, 2009

Will the current global economic recession have long-term geopolitical implications? Assuming that economic recovery begins in the first half of 2010, lasting structural alterations in the international system — a substantial change in U.S.-China relations, for example — are unlikely. This is because economic performance is only one of many geopolitical elements that shape countries' strategic intent and core external policies.

Adjusting to Global Economic Change: The Dangerous Road Ahead

Feb 16, 2009

This study of historical experience from an economics perspective explores various crises - from the Great Depression to the stagflation and recovery of the 1970s and 1980s to our current economic woes - and suggests the tools policymakers need to address what may be the worst case scenario.

A Call to Revitalize the Engines of Government by Limiting Private Contractors

Dec 11, 2008

Since the 1970s, federal officials have faced increasing pressure to reduce the size of the federal government and to privatize services traditionally provided by government, a trend that increased under George W. Bush and has harmed government's ability to carry out the nations' business.

Francis Fukuyama Addresses Pardee Graduates: Foreign Policy Must Move Beyond Military

Jun 23, 2008

Noted author and political scientist Francis Fukuyama said this weekend at the Pardee RAND Graduate School commencement ceremony that the United States must adapt to a world in which military might is no longer enough, and needs to address its problems at home if it wants to continue to have global influence.

RAND Study Says China's Attempts at Economic Coercion of Taiwan Have Only Limited Success

Feb 15, 2007

February 15, 2007 News Release: RAND Study Says China's Attempts at Economic Coercion of Taiwan Have Only Limited Success.

Competition and Economic Performance: Lessons from Korean Experience

Dec 31, 2006

Russia’s Economy: Signs of Progress and Retreat on the Transitional Road

Sep 28, 2006

Sixteen years after the Soviet Union’s demise, the Russian economy can still be appropriately characterized as transitional. The authors shed light on ambiguities surrounding this status through an exploration of four questions related to issues of interest to government decisionmakers.

Economic Interdependence Suggests Need for Greater Cooperation

Mar 18, 2005

Pittsburgh and the other communities in Allegheny County depend strongly on each other economically and should work together to bring jobs into the county rather than compete with each other for those jobs.