Britain's Productivity Problem Begins in the Bedroom
Productivity growth in the UK has seen its weakest decade since the 1820s. Chancellor Hammond increased the size of a national productivity fund to £31bn. While building people's skills and investing in infrastructure can boost productivity, the problem could also be solved if people got more sleep.
Feb 15, 2018 Financial Times
For the UK's Post-Brexit Economy, No Deal Is the Worst Deal
Brexit negotiations around trade are likely to be complicated for the UK and EU, particularly as a common position between all the parties could be difficult to achieve. Trying to avoid the worst-case economic option of 'no deal' is likely to be at the top of the agendas for both the UK and EU as trade talks begin.
Jan 9, 2018 EurActiv
The Burdens of Brexit
The economic consequences of Brexit are likely to be negative across a wide range of scenarios, including the most likely outcomes that the UK now faces. If the UK leaves the EU with no trade deal it could lose 4.9 percent of GDP, or $140 billion, after 10 years.
Dec 12, 2017 Newsweek
Does the Annual Growth Survey Actually Make a Difference to EU Member States?
Much of the European Union (EU) budget follows Annual Growth Survey (AGS) priorities, but member states' budgets do not necessarily follow the country-specific recommendations. Doing so and addressing wider concerns about the AGS could help the EU and member states identify the benefits of the AGS.
Nov 21, 2017 E!Sharp
Why the EU Single Market Has Still Not Reached Its Full Potential
The EU Single Market aimed to promote intra-European trade, increase competition, create more jobs and make Europe more attractive to foreign direct investment. The economic benefits of the Single Market are clear, but closer integration requires political buy-in from individual member states and the EU.
Nov 8, 2017 Open Access Government
How Young Kids Causing Sleepless Nights Drove Me to Sleep Research
RAND's Marco Hafner discusses how sleep troubles related to raising two young children spurred him to study how insufficient sleep impacts productivity at work, mortality, academic performance, and even national economies.
Oct 3, 2017 Thrive Global
Why Sleep Matters to the World's Bottom Line
Sleep and sleep loss matters to all aspects of society, from an individual's health to the success of the global economy. Insufficient sleep costs five of the largest economies more than half a trillion dollars per year, but improving sleeping habits and duration can have major impacts.
Sep 27, 2017 Media Planet
The Early Bird Catches the Worm? Probably Not, Says Science on School Start Times
School start times are becoming a hotly debated topic across the United States. Starting middle and high schools at 8:30 a.m. would improve teen health, and the economic benefits of this shift would likely outweigh the costs.
Sep 12, 2017 Thrive Global
If Teenagers Get More Sleep, California Could Gain Billions
Two key effects of better-rested teens are improved academic performance and reduced motor vehicle crashes. Delaying school start times to 8:30 a.m. could result in economic benefits that would be realized within a matter of years — $10 billion in California alone.
Sep 7, 2017 Los Angeles Times
We Still Know Little About Financial Well-Being
There is a clear link between UK employees being concerned about their finances and negative health and well-being. The challenge for researchers is that financial well-being is hard to measure.
Feb 20, 2017 HRZone
How Businesses Can Take the Lead in Getting People to Sleep More
Insufficient sleep is linked to lower productivity, which results in working days being lost each year. With a few simple measures, employers could help improve the health and well-being of staff, improve their bottom lines, and contribute to a growing economy.
Dec 20, 2016 Thrive Global
Americans Don't Sleep Enough, and It's Costing Us $411 Billion
Sleep and sleep loss are often considered to be among the most intimate of personal behaviors, but sleep matters to all aspects of society, from an individual's health to the success of the global economy.
Nov 30, 2016 Washington Post PostEverything
Finding the 'Sweet Spot' in the UK Minimum Wage Debate
Increases in the UK national minimum wages have not had adverse effects on employment overall. But it's important that the new national living wage and minimum wage aren’t increased to a point that is unsustainable for businesses.
Nov 28, 2016 The RAND Blog
Why Re-Establishing Border Controls in Europe Could Come at a High Cost
Reversing the Schengen agreement would come at a high economic cost, while undoing many of the positive social and political developments of the past decade.
Oct 13, 2016 E!Sharp
A Sweet Fix to Tackling Obesity in the UK?
It is hard to tell whether or not the new sugar tax proposed in the UK budget will actually make a difference. There is no conclusive proof that a tax on sugar-based beverages leads to reductions in obesity levels.
Jul 11, 2016 The RAND Blog
The True Economic Cost of Corruption in Europe: Up to €990 Billion Annually
Corruption costs Europe up to €990 billion in GDP annually, according to a new study. That's more than eight times previous estimates.
Mar 22, 2016 E!Sharp
Why the EU Single Market Is Still an Incomplete Jigsaw
The Single Market has contributed to economic growth and consumer welfare within the European Union. However, its true potential remains unfulfilled, with gaps in several key areas.
Feb 16, 2016 The RAND Blog
Attacking Poverty Through Employability Interventions
The UN's goal to end poverty is a worthy undertaking but less clear to policymakers is what the most efficient options are to reduce poverty through employment or training. An analysis of efforts in South Asia finds that investments in interventions that combine business training with financing could yield positive results.
Oct 16, 2015 The RAND Blog
The Cost of Resistance and the Attack of the Microbes
If left unaddressed, the threat posed by antimicrobial resistance and the rise of 'superbugs' could devastate the world economy and pose a deadly threat to humanity.
Aug 7, 2015 LifeZette
G7 Leaders to Discuss Threat of Antimicrobial Resistance
The threat of drug resistance can be tackled with the right set of actions, including the development of new antimicrobial drugs and alternative therapies to disrupt the rise in resistance. German Chancellor Merkel has emphasized the importance of a joint global action plan for addressing this growing problem.
Jun 8, 2015 The RAND Blog
Ringing the Alarm Bell for Antimicrobial Resistance
The increase in the number of bacterial and viral infections that are resistant to antimicrobial drugs poses a growing global health threat.
Feb 20, 2015 The RAND Blog
The Not-So-Full-Monti: Will More 'Europe' Lead to More Trade in the Internal Market?
Even though the internal market for goods is at a relatively advanced stage, there remains an untapped potential in the longer term. More than 20 years after the establishment of the internal market, barriers and regulatory obstacles continue to hinder the free movement of goods in the EU.
Oct 28, 2014 E!Sharp
