International Trade

The Farming Industry is Growing Up

Michael Coon
8 December 2022

Twenty years ago, the Netherlands set about on a mission to increase their agricultural production to sufficiently feed its population in the face of a severe land constraint. The European country has roughly the same landmass as the US state…

Will a Shortage of Popcorn Spoil the Movies?

Veronica Horton
28 June 2022

After two years of watching movies on small screens, the reopening of cinemas following COVID-19 closures has been a welcome change of pace. For many, watching favorite actors on a larger than life screen has been a much-missed experience. For…

Was Your iPhone Made in India?

Veronica Horton
28 April 2022

Notes: Was the iPhone you just bought made in India? Maybe not, but your next one very well could be. Apple recently announced that it will be increasing production in India. The company hopes the move will help it reduce…

The Guac is Going to be Extra

Michael Coon
17 February 2022

The US has announced it is suspending all imports of avocados from the Mexican state of Michoacan. At the heart of the dispute is a reported threat against US plant inspectors who certify the produce for export. According to the…

How a Blockage in the Suez Canal is Contributing to a Change at the Mall

Veronica Horton
11 May 2021

Like so many businesses, clothing retailers have endured a year or more of disrupted supply chains, challenges with maintaining appropriate inventory, and significant fluctuations in demand. The recent blockage in the Suez Canal was just the latest in a string…

Tesla Quality Issues: The Economic Cost of a Damaged Reputation – Video

Veronica Horton
23 March 2021

Abstract: This video explores Tesla’s mounting problems in China. In 2018, Tesla announced that it would be building its first Gigafactory outside the United States in Shanghai. China has emerged as the world’s biggest auto market and as an important…

Economics and Sustainability Series: The Geopolitics of Batteries

Veronica Horton
18 March 2021

Abstract: As interest in addressing climate change continues to gain speed, demand for electricvehicles in rising. Currently, these vehicles largely rely on lithium-ion batteries for their power,and within those lithium-ion batteries, a blue metal called cobalt. Cobalt is the sort…

Boxed Out: China’s Exports Pinched by Global Run On Shipping Containers

Veronica Horton
24 February 2021

Abstract: Disruptions to global supply chains have taken on a new level of complexity in recent months, this time caused by a shortage of shipping containers. Despite estimates of as many as 180 million shipping containers in existence worldwide, increased…

We’re Excluded, It’s Not A Good Thing

Veronica Horton
12 January 2021

Abstract: This video explores the creation of the world’s largest free trade area. The new trading bloc, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), covers about one third of the world’s trade and one third of the world’s population. The RCEP…

Chicken Little is an Increasingly Rare Bird

EVs: Driving Change at Convenience Stores

Who’s In The Driver’s Seat: The Changing Dynamics of Auto Production

China’s Population is Declining – Too hot, too cold, or just nice for its Economic Development?

The Externalities Effect of Child Firearm Fatalities in the States

Why is Everything Getting So Expensive?

Understanding the U.S. Labor Market – A January 2023 Snapshot

The New Economics of Car Production

Looming Water Crisis – What can YOU do to Conserve Water?

U.K. Economy Three Years after Brexit