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Economics is a discipline concerned with the consumption, production, and transfer of wealth by and among individuals (microeconomics) and communities or nations (macroeconomics); subspecialties range from economic development and planning to health economics and international economic relations. RAND's many economists contribute to multidisciplinary research projects by exploring the intersections where economics informs social, military, and governmental policy decisions.

Report
The Abraham Accords Could Have Wide-Reaching Economic Benefits
The Abraham Accords between Israel and Muslim nations represent a possible new chapter in the region's development—away from conflict and toward a shared vision of economic prosperity. Israel's partners could gain 150,000 new jobs. And that could grow to 4 million new jobs over a decade if other nations join.
Mar 18, 2021
Research Brief
A New Approach to Measuring Income Inequality
A new method for measuring income inequality reveals that, from 1975 to 2018, the only group for which actual income gains exceeded U.S. GDP growth was the group near the 99th percentile of income distribution.
Apr 30, 2021

Explore Economics

Journal Article
The Cost of Stress to UK Employers and Employees
This paper uses data from the Britain's Healthiest Workplaces survey to highlight the costs associated with stress and impaired wellbeing in the workplace and their implication for productivity and, by extension, the economic health of society.
Nov 9, 2021
Report
Mapping Business Networks in the Asia-Pacific
As the economies of East and Southeast Asia have exploded in size, the activities of Asian firms have become more and more interdependent. The number of cases in which firms from different countries shared the same director increased almost tenfold from 2006 to 2020.
Nov 9, 2021
News Release
Hackathon Pairs HBCU Undergrads with Pardee RAND Graduate Students to Identify Ideas for More Equitable COVID-19 Recovery
Undergraduate students from Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College will work alongside Pardee RAND Graduate School students to seek ways to help vulnerable communities recover from the COVID-19 pandemic during a virtual policy hackathon offered by the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation and Pardee RAND Graduate School.
Oct 27, 2021
Report
Most U.S. Drug Shortages Appear to Be Domestic in Scope
Major U.S. drug shortages are rarely associated with volume and price changes in other countries. A global perspective is important when addressing shortages, but policymakers and the health care system should explore ways to leverage the supply of drugs in other countries in response to U.S. shortages.
Oct 27, 2021
Report
The Chinese-Russian Relationship and Its Risks to U.S. Interests
Over the past 70 years, China and Russia have experienced the full range of interstate relations, from conflict to alliance. Beijing and Moscow have become much closer since 2014, increasing political, military, and economic cooperation. What does this mean for the United States?
Oct 12, 2021
Brochure
Select RAND Research on China: 1999-2019
This volume is an important resource for anyone who is interested in gaining an informed understanding of China, a major strategic competitor of the United States in the economic, technological, diplomatic, and security realms.
Oct 7, 2021
Report
How Does North Korea Evade Sanctions?
The United Nations has imposed increasingly restrictive sanctions on North Korea after each of the six nuclear weapons tests that it conducted between 2009 and 2016. Enforcement has been mixed, and North Korea has become adept at several techniques to evade sanctions.
Sep 23, 2021
Commentary
China and Pakistan See Eye to Eye on the Taliban—Almost
Beijing and Islamabad share a long history of cooperation and have much in common on Afghanistan. Both are poised to benefit strategically from the Taliban's success. But the Taliban's resurrection almost certainly will add some stress to an otherwise positive and productive bilateral partnership.
Sep 21, 2021
Commentary
Will Unemployment Insurance Be Reformed? Ask Businesses, Not Workers
The expiration of pandemic benefits points to the flaw at the heart of unemployment insurance: The constituency that pays for benefits isn't the constituency who receives them. Lasting reform to the unemployment insurance system will mean finding a way to benefit employers directly.
Sep 15, 2021
Journal Article
What If Progress Meant Well-Being for All? U.S. Innovators Use Global Insights to Shift the Narrative and Surface Opportunities Ahead
In many countries, progress is sharply defined only as economic growth. What if that narrative shifted and progress were defined as well-being for all people?
Sep 1, 2021
Project
Connecting the Dots on Income Inequality
Based on RAND data, a physical installation created by information designer Giorgia Lupi shows income inequality in the United States over the last four decades. The sculpture also evokes the deeper societal ideas and meanings behind these numbers.
Aug 31, 2021
Commentary
Chinese Recognition of the Taliban Is All but Inevitable
China is likely to recognize and legitimize the new leadership in Afghanistan within the coming weeks or months. Even if China has real concerns about the Taliban's willingness to keep its promises, the potential benefits are simply too great for Beijing to ignore.
Aug 27, 2021
Commentary
Which Kremlin Can Investors Expect?
A Kremlin that backs sound macroeconomic policy and a strong private sector could hearten investors. A Kremlin that pursues statist economics and security at all costs could discourage them. Which Kremlin should investors expect?
Aug 12, 2021
Journal Article
Addressing America's Crisis of Despair and Economic Recovery: A Call for a Coordinated Effort
This policy paper proposes a new federal interagency task force to address our nation's crisis of despair as a critical first step to sustainable economic recovery.
Aug 4, 2021
Commentary
How Insurance Marketplace Regulators Can Help Consumers Enroll in Better Coverage
The Affordable Care Act simplified shopping for health care by creating the individual health insurance marketplaces where plans are categorized into labeled tiers. Consumers rely on these labels when comparing plans. But the labels don't tell consumers everything they need to know.
Aug 2, 2021
Commentary
Cryptocurrency Should Be Added to the U.S.-Japan Trade Deal
As the Biden administration begins to define its approach to international trade, and the Suga administration looks to further tighten cooperation with the United States, it may be worth reconsidering the exclusion of cryptocurrency from the U.S.-Japan trade deal. Substantial economic equities are at stake for both sides.
Jul 28, 2021
Report
Afghanistan in the Era of Fentanyl
Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are displacing heroin in some major drug markets. What might happen to Afghanistan—the world's largest producer of illegal opium poppy—if demand for its opiates dropped off sharply and permanently?
Jul 26, 2021
Commentary
China and the Taliban Begin Their Romance
China is set to benefit significantly from a Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. It's worth following this dynamic closely in the coming weeks and months.
Jul 22, 2021
Commentary
Split-Screen Pandemic Recovery Isn't Sustainable
In a world connected by commerce and the air we breathe, it's hard to see how any COVID-19 recovery that's confined to specific segments of the population is sustainable. Failing to address gaps in the pandemic response would run the risk that a future mutation of this virus could send us scurrying for cover. Again.
Jul 20, 2021
Commentary
America's Strategy in Oceania: Time for a Better Approach
China has moved in earnest to engage with Oceania, while the United States is vying to get a toehold in the region. To develop an effective strategy for engaging there, Washington could seek guidance from key allies to better understand their experience, lessons, and efforts already underway.
Jul 19, 2021

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RAND Topic:
Economics

Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Oluwatimilehin Sotubo

Doctoral Fellow, Pardee RAND Graduate School, and Assistant Policy Researcher, RAND

Oluwatimilehin (Tim) Sotubo is a Ph.D. student in the Research, Analysis, and Design stream at Pardee RAND Graduate School and an assistant policy analyst at RAND. He has an M.Sc in economics and finance from University of Bath and a B.Sc. in economics from Crawford University. His research…
Troy D. Smith

Associate Economist

Troy Smith is an economist at the RAND Corporation and professor of policy analysis at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. His research is in applied microeconomics focusing on education, entrepreneurship, development, and labor.

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