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The Virtues and Pitfalls of Economic Models

Interrogations concerning the role that economic theory should play in policy decisions are nothing new. Milton Friedman famously drew a distinction between “positive” and “normative” economics, notably arguing that theoretical models were valuable, despite their unrealistic assumptions. Kenneth Arrow and Gerard Debreu’s highly theoretical work on General Equilibrium Theory is widely acknowledged as one of ... The Virtues and Pitfalls of Economic Models

"Yale on $0 a Day" Sparks a Wonder Moment

We’re so immersed in the benefits of a market economy that I fear we sometimes fail to notice what a marvel capitalism is. Today’s Wall Street Journal points to yet another of capitalism’s benefits. A growing number of very, very fancy colleges with very, very talented professors and very, very expensive tuition are offering their ... "Yale on $0 a Day" Sparks a Wonder Moment

Great. I'm dead, and they're talking about wheat.

Apologies for my relative absence of late: my day job, and all. I know my 3 loyal readers out there (hi Mom!) were wondering about me. Soon, I’ll post more of substance. Meantime, here’s a little chestnut for your bedtime reading pleasure, culled from an article in the Economist. I don’t regularly read the Economist. ... Great. I'm dead, and they're talking about wheat.

Paul Rubin’s new book: The Capitalism Paradox: How Cooperation Enables Free Market Competition

Longtime TOTM blogger, Paul Rubin, has a new book now available for preorder on Amazon. The book’s description reads: In spite of its numerous obvious failures, many presidential candidates and voters are in favor of a socialist system for the United States. Socialism is consistent with our primitive evolved preferences, but not with a modern ... Paul Rubin’s new book: The Capitalism Paradox: How Cooperation Enables Free Market Competition

My New Empirical Study on Defining and Measuring Search Bias

Tomorrow is the deadline for Eric Schmidt to send his replies to the Senate Judiciary Committee’s follow up questions from his appearance at a hearing on Google antitrust issues last month.  At the hearing, not surprisingly, search neutrality was a hot topic, with representatives from the likes of Yelp and Nextag, as well as Expedia’s ... My New Empirical Study on Defining and Measuring Search Bias

Direct public offerings, free writing prospectuses, Vonage, and SOX

Back in 2001 I published an article entitled Going Public Through an Internet Direct Public Offering: A Sensible Alternative for Small Companies? DPOs had been (and continue to be) touted as a financing alternative for a small company that needs capital but can’t attract angel or VC financing or an underwriter to take it public. ... Direct public offerings, free writing prospectuses, Vonage, and SOX

(grocery) STORE WARS

I’ve posted a couple of times about Wal-Mart’s foray into the organic food sector (see here and here). I’m wondering on which side this puts Wal-Mart in Store Wars. Is the chain now on the side of Cuke Skywalker, Tofu D2, and the exiled Princess Lettuce? Or is it still aligned with the evil Darth ... (grocery) STORE WARS

The View from Australia: A TOTM Q&A with Allan Fels

Allan, you have a remarkably high public profile in Australia and are known to most of the Australian population as ex-ACCC chair. Could you please give us a bit on your background and how you got into competition law?  I did degrees in law and economics at the University of Western Australia and a PhD ... The View from Australia: A TOTM Q&A with Allan Fels

The Broken Promises of Europe’s Digital Regulation

If you live in Europe, you may have noticed issues with some familiar online services. From consent forms to reduced functionality and new fees, there is a sense that platforms like Amazon, Google, Meta, and Apple are changing the way they do business.  Many of these changes are the result of a new European regulation ... The Broken Promises of Europe’s Digital Regulation

First Annual FTC Microeconomics Conference: November 6-7

I think conferences like this are an effective way to attract talented economists to work on interesting antitrust problems.  I can envision a similar event from the Bureau of Competition or policy shops featuring academic research from law and economics scholars.  Here’s the conference announcement: The Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Economics will host a ... First Annual FTC Microeconomics Conference: November 6-7

Shining the Light of Economics on the Google Case

The U.S. Justice Department has presented its evidence in the antitrust case alleging that Google unlawfully maintained a monopoly over “general search services” by “lock[ing] up distribution channels” through “exclusionary agreements” with makers and marketers of devices. Google’s agreements with Apple, for example, have made its search engine the default in Apple’s Safari browser. The ... Shining the Light of Economics on the Google Case

How ETNO’s ‘Fair Share’ Proposal Threatens Europe’s Digital Future:

The digital transformation of Europe—and, indeed, the world—has been a defining theme of the 21st century. As with all significant shifts, it has also come with its share of challenges, opportunities, and controversies.  One such controversy that has recently reemerged is the so-called “fair share” proposal for network traffic—championed most recently in a statement from ... How ETNO’s ‘Fair Share’ Proposal Threatens Europe’s Digital Future: