The Reason For Our Chocolate Problem

The chocolate deficit is a supply and demand story with weather and fungus problems on the supply side and demand up from developing nations.

Three Big Questions About the GDP

GDP problems include that it’s not calculated the same way in different countries, its data can be tough to gather, and its components omit important items.

What If One Quarter of Your Population is Old?

As a growing demographic, the aging population in China has been targeted by businesses selling consumer goods and residential and financial services.

A Rarely Mentioned Cause of China’s Air Pollution

Because we tend to abuse and overuse publicly shared resources, the result is a tragedy of the commons that includes China’s air pollution.

The Reason One Starbucks Can’t Ask Your Name

Even for a huge multinational like Starbucks, competing globally requires knowledgeable monopolistic competition and knowing local tastes and habits.

Weekly Roundup: From Airline Seats to Earthquakes

Our weekly roundup includes everyday economics that relate to opportunity cost, corporate taxation, GDP, monopolistic competition & negative externalities.

What Refrigerators Can Tell Us About Global Markets

In refrigerators in developing nations, we can see the impact of affluence on their diet and on supply and demand that will change worldwide food prices.

The Inflated Cost of Car Tires

Because the benefits of the tire tariff are concentrated while its cost is diffuse and invisible, government tend to create this type of regulation.

What Golf in China Shows About Economic Development

On a ladder of spending in developing economies, growing affluence first means wheat and meat. Then, climbing somewhat higher, people can afford consumer durables like a washing machine and a car. On a Chinese spending ladder, we could add golf. But it is a…

When Is Technology Transfer Okay?

During the 18th century, Sweden gave cash to its “spies” in England so they could buy copper and iron production secrets. Meanwhile, England issued a patent to a chemist who just returned from Russia with a new brewing method. Moving in the other…