administration Can consultants save universities? The question at hand has been floating around since the Global Financial Crisis of 2009, when universities in the United States began hiring management consultants to review their operations and help them cut spending amidst the economic downturn. Bain & Company scored a $3 million contract with the University of North
2014 The myths of university deregulation I don’t usually watch Q&A, but when I do it’s when Christopher Pyne gets such a grilling that happy Twitter users suspect the cleaners will have a long night removing the sweat stains off his seat. He was given some respite, however, when university students in the
agriculture A tale of two classes: China’s hukou-based discrimination – Part 2 China’s first lawsuit against hukou discrimination commenced in May last year, when a recent graduate from Anhui, Su Min, sued the Nanjing Municipal Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security, alleging that it had discriminated against her during job recruitment. The Bureau specified that applicants must have a Nanjing
agriculture A brief history of China’s 'hukou' system - Part 1 The hukou system has been an indispensable tool in implementing Communist China’s political, social and economic objectives since 1949. By establishing an agricultural production unit and rapid urban industrialisation during the Great Leap Forward and regulating intra-provincial migration to China’s boom areas in recent years, hukou deprives one
college athletics Should student athletes get paid? In my previous article I looked at how prevalent academic cheating is for college athletes in revenue-generating sports. The situation stems from pressure applied on student athletes by both coaches and academic counsellors, including subtle endorsement of sport over study and course plans arranged without consulting students’ preferences. The pressure
academics Out of their league One of the things that struck me most while on exchange at the University of North Carolina (UNC) is that it really is like being in a movie. While there are no meticulous canteen table partitions according to social status, on the playing field, which is where college spirit bursts
creativity Equilibrium: the non-excludability of good ideas Looking back on Equilibrium 2012 I find that yes, it is a review of ESSA’s year and yes it is a memoir, a keepsake, a gift to our members. It is also, more than anything a celebration of economic thought. It is about the thinking and sharing of ideas,
asylum seekers Top Ten Tweets: your Q& A digest in 140 characters or less John Daley at #essaqanda: the govt got a massive free kick with the #miningboom and almost none of it was saved pic.twitter.com/CMonIN7Sul — James Wong (@james_wong) September 3, 2013 ESSA’s night of nights kicks off with a discussion on the topic of “Post Mining Boom”: where
Asia Pacific The economics behind the asylum seeker policy This article is one of two Q&A specials informing the reader on a topic of economic importance to Australia that was discussed by the panel on the night. Background On the 19th of July this year, Kevin Rudd introduced the PNG solution whereby any asylum seeker arriving by boat
australia Should you be studying? From discussing the possibilities of making tertiary education more accessible, I now segue to the other side of the debate: Are there too many people getting university degrees, and are they worth it? The issue is exacerbated in the US, where the stakes are so much higher. A college education
education Do Tertiary Subsidies affect Tertiary Accessibility? Earlier this year the Grattan Institute published Graduate Winners, a report which suggested that government subsidies for tertiary education should be cut, given the already strong incentives to pursue higher education, and the low net public benefits that students of certain disciplines accord to society. To paraphrase, the private benefits
economics How to Win at Life What sort of person should you be to increase your chances of survival? Are conscientious people better at looking after their health? Do neurotic people increase chances of survival if their tendency to feel anxious drives them to a state of constant vigilance? Are introverts more risk-averted and therefore likelier
ageing population A smaller carbon footprint for the digital citizen Having retrospectively decided to write a series on climate change, four weeks after part one of my supposed ‘series’ appeared, here is the third installment exploring the interplay between climate and economics – more specifically, all of my articles look at how to change climate change without really changing climate change.
climate change Why Empowering Women is Good for the Weather In my most recent article, I shed light on how changing demographics can lead to a change in climate. More specifically, climate change can be affected by ageing population, declining household size and urbanisation. Slowing population growth can contribute a 16-29% cut in our 2050 emissions target – this brings the
climate change Can Changing the Population Change Climate? The intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) in its special report on emission scenarios (SRES) attempted to predict increases in global surface temperature under different social, economic and demographic conditions. Broadly speaking, they identified a group of scenarios to capture and generalise future climate change in different conditions. The scenarios
china A Broader View of the so-called Resource Curse In light of ESSA’s upcoming Q&A event, this article will explore some of the effects of Australia’s two-speed economy and how it relates to the wider notion of a ‘resource curse’, ultimately branching out to include some of the social and political consequences often befalling countries which
china Why International Climate Change Action Will not be Taken A recent paper published by Chinese climate change researchers and modelling statisticians has claimed that developed nations carry the bulk of the responsibility to reduce carbon emissions. Up until 2005, emissions from the U.S., Europe, Australia and other rich nations have accounted for 60 to 80 per cent of
1984 Unsolicited Book Suggestions That Might Relate to Economics Unaccustomed as I am to impart advice of any value, I thought it’d be good to write up something you don’t usually see on the ESSA website – maybe it will help you procrastinate! But mostly I hope it’s entertaining enough to refresh you after mulling over Bertrand
behavioural economics Changing Perspectives on Consumer Psychology (Not Examinable) Rational consumer decision-making is often characterised by phrases such as opportunity cost, willingness to pay and cost-benefit principle, words that you should be sick of (or will be soon) as you gear into hyperventilating-exam-hermit mode. Marketing and psychology papers in the past have posited explanations for consumer behaviour based on
dividsion of labour Why the Divide: Factors Influencing the Division of Household Labour A recent article1 published by The Economist highlights the issue of housework chores falling disproportionately on women. New research suggests that the fulfilment of household obligations depends on different attitudes to housework. Namely, men who like housework would spend up to 60% more time on it during weekdays than those
australia Federal Budget 2012 – A Preview What is the Budget? The Budget is the Government’s annual financial report. It outlines planned expenditure, and comprises the Treasurer’s speech, the main appropriation bills allowing the allocated spending of public money and other legislation to bring about financial proposals in the Budget Speech. Context Treasurer Wayne Swan
dowry The true story of a Tuscan romance Located in the province of Arezzo, Tuscany, Italy, is the town of Cortona, where Giovanni, son of Tommaso, the wealthiest citizen there in 1421, married his daughter Caterina to the lawyer, Mariotto with a dowry of 420 florins. Four years later his other daughter, Isabetta, was married to the merchant
charles darwin The Accidental Economist Gilbert White was an 18th century parson-naturalist who devoted his time studying the interactions within the natural environment of his local parish, Selborne. In retrospect, he can be regarded as today’s amateur ecologist. Notable for his eccentricities (White is rumoured to have played the trumpet to his pet tortoise
