General

Does Pay Transparency Actually Help Workers?

Revealing salaries can help to reduce pay gaps, but is there a downside? Takeaway: This paper synthesizes international economic research to evaluate how different types of pay transparency laws—peer-to-peer disclosures, managerial pay visibility, and salary ranges in job postings—reshape worker motivation, salary negotiations, and employer hiring strategies. Key Points Peer transparency shrinks wage gaps, but can lower overall pay: Making salaries visible among direct cowork

Editorial Staff

3 days ago3 min read

The Long Term Effects of Reducing Research Funding

Takeaway: A sharp pullback in U.S. military funding for university research in the 1970s led to persistent declines in academic faculty size, doctoral student training, and scientific publications, ultimately dampening long-run technological innovation. The study explores the systemic consequences of a major contraction in public research funding to assess whether scientific capacity is significantly easier to dismantle than to rebuild. Key Points Academic Shrinkage: Academic

Editorial Staff

Jul 253 min read

Did Billions in Federal Pandemic Aid Actually Improve Student Test Scores?

A sharp increase in federal pandemic relief funds for relatively affluent school districts did not improve student test scores, primarily because districts used the windfall to lower local property taxes rather than increase overall school spending.

Editorial Staff

Jul 183 min read