RAND work in law, business, and regulation includes analyses of alternative dispute resolution, asbestos litigation, workers' compensation, insurance, and other civil justice matters. This research often has implications for the private sector, such as entrepreneurs facing legal and regulatory hurdles, or multinational corporations dealing with corporate ethics and governance issues.
States with low nonfatal injury rates and high fatality rates tend to be in the South, have lower workers' compensation benefits, be less unionized, and pay lower wages—while states with high nonfatal injury rates and lower fatality rates tend to be in the West, pay higher benefits and wages, be more strongly unionized, and carry out more workplace inspections.
The quest for greater transparency in the American civil justice system is the topic of a new book of essays illustrating how a balanced approach to increasing transparency can improve the civil justice system, raise public confidence and protect litigants' privacy.
Companies could lower the high cost of large-scale electronic discovery in lawsuits by using a computer application known as predictive coding to reduce the number of documents requiring human review.
The RAND Corporation, Risk Management Solutions, Inc. (RMS) and private investors have launched a company named Praedicat, Inc., that will provide consulting services and software to the property and casualty insurance industries.
The Development Portfolio Management Group, a group providing independent review and counsel to international aid projects in developing countries, has joined the RAND Corporation. Joining nonprofit RAND will allow the group to assist a wider array of projects, including those funded by governments of developing countries, bi-lateral donors, regional development banks, and foundations.
Eliminating a key part of health care reform that requires all Americans to have health insurance would sharply lower the number of people gaining coverage, but would not dramatically increase the cost of buying policies through new insurance exchanges.
Rules that allow some small employers to avoid regulation under the federal Affordable Care Act are unlikely to have a major impact on the future cost of health insurance unless those rules are relaxed to allow more businesses to opt out.
The first evaluation of the California Injury and Illness Prevention Program found evidence that it reduces workplace injuries, but only at businesses that had been cited for not addressing the regulation's more-specific safety mandates. Higher penalties could enhance compliance but having inspectors conduct more in-depth assessments and linking the violations and injuries to the program would have more impact.
When it comes to designing a new submarine, Australia has considerable expertise, but some gaps still exist.
An evaluation by RAND Europe of the Greek research and development (R&D) system has identified opportunities to improve economic growth and social outcomes.
Asbestos bankruptcy trusts—created to compensate people injured by the mineral—may be influencing tort cases. The current way that the trusts and the tort cases are linked together may result in payments that are not consistent with the basic principles of the tort liability system.
A New York City program designed to improve student performance through school-based financial incentives for teachers did not improve student achievement, most likely because it did not change teacher behavior and the conditions needed to motivate staff were not achieved.
Fewer Mexican immigrants returned home from the United States during 2008 and 2009 than in the two years prior to the start of the recession, a finding that contradicts the notion that the economic downturn has hastened return migration to Mexico.
Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld made significant changes to the selection process for senior U.S. military officers with the goal of fostering a more long-term, holistic and strategic approach.
Up to 18 percent of Hawaii's economy can be linked to spending by the U.S. Department of Defense — an average of $6.5 billion per year during fiscal years 2007-2009. Of that, $4.1 billion was for personnel and $2.4 billion for the purchase of goods and services in Hawaii.
European institutions should focus on policies that support the most vulnerable groups in society in order to grow employment and reduce income inequality.
The largest-ever assessment of high-deductible health plans finds that while such plans significantly cut health spending, they also prompt patients to cut back on preventive health care.
RAND has signed an agreement to help the Guangzhou Economic and Technological Development District in Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China, to develop a strategic plan for a system of policies, incentives, and other practices to support technological innovation in Knowledge City, a planned new development for 300,000 residents.
Couples who score well on a simple test of numeracy ability accumulate more wealth by middle age than couples who score poorly on such a test.
A proposal for the federal government to support state-run catastrophe-insurance programs would increase the number of people buying earthquake coverage in California and modestly lower both uninsured losses and government assistance following a major quake.
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