Archive for the ‘THE INDICATOR’ Category
Link: https://www.npr.org/2021/03/12/976569019/chips-cars-and-the-baby-bust
In 2020, everyone, no matter their involvement with economics, knew what a shortage was. Toilet paper was gone from the shelves before it was even able to be stocked in stores. In 2021, there are some new shortages the U.S. is facing: microchips, cars, and babies. The Indicator discusses the causes of the limited supply of microchips which in turn is limiting car production, as well as the declining birth rate that the U.S. will face as a result of the pandemic.
Original Air Date: March 12, 2021
Length: 9 minutes 33 seconds
Link: https://www.npr.org/2021/03/22/980064728/myths-and-realities-of-americas-rural-economy
This week the Indicator talks with Economist Gbenga Ajilore, a senior advisor at the Department of Agriculture about the incorrect assumptions associated with life in rural America. He has studied these rural demographics and now advises policymakers away from these misguided ideas. They discuss the common misconceptions about these rural areas of the US relating to population, jobs, and migration. Some highlights Ajilore shares include: farming is not the only way of life, white people are not the only ones that live in rural areas, and that rural areas are not actually dying out.
Discussion Prompt: What are some other myths about rural areas that have an economic influence?
Original Date: March 22, 2021
Length: 9 minutes 39 seconds
Link: https://www.npr.org/2021/02/26/971873769/empty-houses-reclaimed
Housing insecurity is a major issue that is facing our nation especially in a pandemic with millions out of jobs. As a result of this people have began taking their living situation into their own hands. A group in California who call themselves the “Reclaimers” decided to break into and reclaim vacant houses owned by the state. State officials decided to not evict any of these new tenets but instead leased the properties out to the housing authority, which allowed for the homes to be part of a transitional housing program. Sasha Atkins, one of the “Reclaimers”, discusses how housing insecurity could be lessened greatly if more states employed programs like the one put forth in California.
Original Air Date: March 1, 2021
Length: 9 minutes and 49 seconds
Link: https://www.npr.org/2021/02/23/970726684/seeking-refuge-on-the-open-road
Have you ever thought about throwing all your belongings in a car and living on the open road? Bob Wells, a van nomad discusses how he turned his life on the road from a last hope into a chance to create hope and opportunity for others by documenting his nomadic life on YouTube. This episode discusses how the break from the societal “rat race” can end up being a much better economic choice for many.
Original Air Date: February 23, 2021
Length: 9 minutes 59 seconds
Link: https://www.npr.org/2021/03/31/983097569/the-virtual-office
Virtual reality (VR) might be the future of meetings in the office. With COVID-19 keeping people at home in online meeting spaces such as Zoom, VR is now being used by many businesses to join up for meetings. There is even more interest and investment happening in the field of VR making it currently worth around $16 billion and is expected to double within the next 5 years. The Indicator team discusses their experience with the virtual reality world and its growing market.
Original Air Date: March 31, 2021
Length: 9 minutes 59 seconds
Link: https://www.npr.org/2021/02/08/965572857/the-power-of-humor
The Indicator discusses the value of humor in life. They invite Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas, Stanford Business School faculty, to discuss their book new Humor, Seriously which highlights the importance of humor within the workplace. They consider all of the utility gained through the incorporation of humor into work such as increased productivity and satisfaction, as well as tips on how to add in humor to your workday.
Original Air Date: February 8, 2021
Length: 8 minutes 46 seconds
Link: https://www.npr.org/2020/10/09/922479527/wfh-from-barbados
The economy in Barbados is heavily reliant on tourism and has been struggling due to travel restrictions. To combat the effects of the lack of tourism, Barbados created a program called “Welcome Stamp”, where individuals can receive a visa to work remotely while living in Barbados for a year.
Original Air Date: October 9, 2020
Length: 9 minutes 25 seconds
Link: https://www.npr.org/2020/10/12/923123253/an-economist-walks-into-a-bar
This podcast discusses how many groundbreaking ideas were discovered at bars and how they could potentially foster innovation. Individuals like Mike Andrews have researched this through studying the number of patents filed during Prohibition. Andrews found that innovation is mainly sparked through connections made with other individuals. As seen with the Covid-19 pandemic, individuals are still finding remote ways to foster innovation through technologies like Zoom.
Original Air Date: October 12,2020
Length: 9 minutes 59 seconds
Link: https://www.npr.org/2020/04/23/843437140/the-great-potato-giveaway
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the agriculture supply chain has been suffering. Although the shelves at grocery stores are not fully stocked, farmers are giving away their goods, or even turning it into fertilizer.
Original Air Date: April 23 2020
Length: 9 minutes 25 seconds
Discussion Prompt: How will this affect the agriculture industry? What does this tell us about how these markets are functioning? What solutions can you propose which would help the industry financially?
Link: https://www.npr.org/2020/04/09/831325721/why-sweden-isnt-locking-down
The majority of countries across the globe are enforcing mandatory lockdowns, but not Sweden. All businesses are remaining open, including schools, night clubs and gyms. Sweden’s head epidemiologist states that this approach is more sustainable and less disruptive to peoples’ lives.
Original Air Date: April 9, 2020
Length: 9 minutes 57 seconds
Discussion Prompt: Do you agree or disagree with Sweden’s approach to this pandemic? Why or why not?
Note: Sweden’s chief epidemiologist has since admitted this policy resulted in “too many deaths“
