Archive for the ‘Regulation’ Category
Link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2014/04/18/304540007/episode-533-why-cars-from-europe-and-the-us-just-can-t-get-along
Summary: An exploration of how different safety standards across countries impact the automobile industry. Discusses differences in regulations from turn signals to windshield wipers, and how that impacts production choices and costs in the industry.
Original air date: April 18, 2014
Length: 17 min
Discussion Prompt: Reflecting on what you’ve learned about international trade, production costs & the content of this podcast, discuss what impacts the differential regulations on cars in the U.S. and Europe have on (a) production decisions for the firm, and (b) international trade.
Follow-up Prompt: Using economic thinking, consider the tradeoffs between security and cost in this podcast. The governments/regulators in these countries might say it is worth it for consumers to pay more to get more security. What do you think?
Follow-up Prompt: Considering production costs in the context of firms’ desire to maximize profits, what strategies might firms employ to maximize profits under these conditions of different regulations across countries?
Link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/09/21/140643696/operation-twist-explained-in-4-easy-steps
Summary: How does the Fed lower interest rates? This podcast gives a quick, four step process on how the Fed can lower interest rates in order to combat unemployment.
Original Air Date: September 21, 2011
Length: 4 min
Link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2011/09/16/140464797/a-slow-motion-bank-run-in-europe
Summary: What are the potential risks and negative spillovers of “big banks” failing? This podcast outlines why big banks, for example big French banks cannot default because of the havoc that would befall in an economy.
Original Air Date: September 14, 2011
Length: 3 min
Link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/07/09/200401407/episode-471-the-eddie-murphy-rule
Summary: The Planet Money team consider the movie Trading Places and it’s scheme to make millions short-selling commodity futures (specifically frozen orange juice concentrate). Includes explanations of commodity futures trading, short-selling, and regulation of futures trading.
Length: 26:05 min
Original air date: July 9, 2013
Link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/08/06/209598383/episode-477-waiting-for-robot-nannies
Summary: A discussion of the cultural obstacles to women in Japan working full time. Includes consideration of the following: impact on the Japanese economy overall, impact on demographics, related issues in the childcare industry, including impediments in the form of unintended consequences of government regulations .
Length: 14:22 min
Original air date: August 6, 2013
Link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/07/09/199048226/how-to-spend-442-on-a-15-minute-cab-ride
Summary: New York City is implementing new regulations on pricing in the pedi-cab market. Includes interview of pedi-cab drivers who are for and against this new regulation, as well as some of the challenges of regulating the industry.
Length: 3:51 min
Original air date: July 5, 2013
Link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/08/09/210550830/episode-478-rocky-pipkin-private-eye-vs-the-raisin-outlaw
Summary: Describes the raisin industry in the United States and how historic events resulted in a government sanctioned raisin cartel. Includes discussion of one producer breaking from the cartel, efforts by the cartel to enforce its collective actions, and other political and economic impacts of this defection.
Length: 21:51 min
Original air date: August 9, 2013
Link: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120624314
Summary: A look at the markets for prescription and generic drugs in the context of the impending patent expiration of a large portion of pharmaceuticals under the “patent cliff” of 2011. Discusses patents creating monopoly power for brand name drugs and compares that to the market for generics.
Length: 4:24 minutes
Original air date: November 4, 2009
Link: http://www.freakonomics.com/2013/01/17/who-owns-the-words-that-come-out-of-your-mouth-a-new-freakonomics-radio-podcast/
Summary: A discussion of the use, intricacies, and reform of copyright law, set in the context of the dedicated use of copyright law by the estate of Winston Churchill. Includes an estimate of the cost per word to use Churchill quotes, and how higher prices per quote of Clementine Churchill result in a reduction in the use of quotes from his wife. Also includes a discussion of the obstacles to business created by the system of copyright / intellectual property law in Britain.
Original air date: January 17, 2013
Length: 2:21
Link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/09/11/160959685/episode-401-four-in-one
Summary: NPR visit Manhattan New York, Brooklyn New York, Germany and the moon in this four-story podcast to consider: the effect of taxis on the infrastructure of a city; the craftsmanship of a bespoke tailor; the complicated aspects of the employment sector in the European Union; and the clever life insurance strategies of the Apollo 11 crew before their launch to the moon.
Original air date: September 11, 2012
Length: 22:21 min
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