News by Subject Business & Economics

One in six countries is expected to have substantially high out-of-pocket spending as a proportion of total health expenditures by 2050, according to a new scientific study. As low-income countries increase their GDP, they often face the 'missing middle' problem: As they receive less development assistance, they are not able to fill the resulting gap due to slower growth in government health spending. As a result, many low- and middle-income countries rely more heavily on out-of-pocket spending.

Bureaucratic quality in developing countries is endangered by the structural adjustment programs imposed by the international financial institutions, a paper by Bocconi's Alexander Kentikelenis and colleagues, in the American Journal of Sociology, states. In particular, the IMF's structural reforms mandating privatization, price deregulation, and reductions in public sector employment jeopardize state capacity by compromising the healthy relationship between state and business, as in uncertain times bureaucrats are more likely to fall prey to private interests.

Economic stagnation and a resurgence of racist nationalism are shaping conversations about what it means to be Italian in the 21st century.

A new study in the Journal of Public Health finds that women in Norway from immigrant backgrounds are more likely to be overweight during pregnancy.

Offshoring services providers (OSPs) operating in unstable countries can secure overseas projects and deliver on their promises if they understand the issues overseas clients may have when doing business with OSPs and work to address these a priority within the business relationship.

A new paper published in the Review of Economic Studies finds that US counties with more historical immigration have higher incomes, less poverty, and lower unemployment today.

A new study co-authored by an MIT economist shows that when it comes to growth, democracy significantly increases development. Indeed, countries switching to democratic rule experience a 20 percent increase in GDP over a 25-year period, compared to what would have happened had they remained authoritarian states, the researchers report.

Achieving the Paris Agreement global warming target could protect millions of tonnes in annual worldwide fisheries catch, as well as billions of dollars of annual revenues for fishers, workers' income and household seafood expenditures, according to new research from the University of British Columbia.