http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/science_society/economics/ Science and economics. Read the latest scientific research pertaining to economic theory, including practical applications. en-us Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:05:01 EST Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/science_society/economics/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123132637.htm Richer nations with competitive crop production and few trade barriers would fare the best if climate change, weather events or other factors cause yields of grain and oilseed crops to become more volatile, a new study has found. Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123132637.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091124204316.htm Researchers have identified a group of traders consistently able to outperform the market, even during the credit crisis. The study offers a rare glimpse into how biology, experience and compensation schemes work together to make a profitable and -- crucially -- a prudent risk taker. Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091124204316.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123171420.htm Everybody likes a raise in pay. Even health care professionals, it appears. Now a new study reports that the performance ratings of patient care from 25 medical groups throughout California significantly improved after the start of a statewide pay-for-performance program in 2004. But not if incentives focus on your doctor's productivity. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123171420.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123083656.htm Seventy percent of U.K. households always separate their rubbish for recycling, but only 2 percent buy their energy on a green tariff, according to the early findings of a major new annual household survey. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123083656.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111114910.htm Fossil carbon dioxide emissions increased by 40 percent from 1990 to 2008, according to new findings. Coal has bypassed oil as the largest source of CO2 emissions. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111114910.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091120081625.htm Purchasing prescription drugs in a three-month supply rather than a one-month supply has long been regarded as a way to save money. New research quantifies the savings for the first time. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091120081625.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119141219.htm As media researchers search for better methods to reach audiences, a new study has found that highlighting racial disparities in news releases increases coverage of health stories in black newspapers, which can improve health outcomes in populations at-risk for disparities. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119141219.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119101044.htm Drug approvals are taking just as long as they ever did despite increased expenditure on new information technology at the Food and drug Administration. So says a statistical analysis of approval intervals from 1997 to 2006. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119101044.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117094929.htm Monetary gain stimulates activity in the brain, Japanese researchers report. Even the mere possibility of receiving a reward is known to activate an area of the brain called the striatum. Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117094929.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116094503.htm One in four Australian adults has taken an action that puts their health at risk as a result of the global financial crisis (GFC), according to a new poll. The results show that lack of job security was particularly hard on families, with almost one in five parents turning up to work ill and close to one in 10 parents sending sick children to school. Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116094503.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110171647.htm The American health-care sector accounts for 8 percent of the country's carbon dioxide emissions, according to a first-of-its-kind calculation of health care's carbon footprint. Researchers used expenditures from different parts of the health care sector to measure the industry's potential effect upon global warming through the release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110171647.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091113130008.htm With the countdown to the climate change summit in Copenhagen underway, a new article says that rich countries need to pay the full incremental cost of low carbon technology for developing countries to avoid dangerous climate change. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091113130008.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110112444.htm When managers issue a forecast of their firm's earnings, they do not always take into account prior forecasting errors, according to new research. Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110112444.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109194743.htm The alcohol industry's sponsorship of sport should be banned and replaced with a dedicated alcohol tax modeled on those employed by some countries for tobacco, say scientists. Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109194743.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021115145.htm A new survey shows widespread consumer interest in buying plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. But the cost of the cars is much more influential than environmental and other non-economic factors as a predictor of purchase probabilities. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021115145.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106195810.htm Economists presenting their annual forecast are confident that 2010 is going to be better than this year. Unfortunately, 2009 was "really, really awful." Some have declared that the national recession is over. Others have said that any economic progress will continue to be weakened by the aftermath of a historically severe downturn. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106195810.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102121720.htm The swine flu (H1N1) pandemic has received extensive media coverage this year. In times of heightened health concerns, everyday behaviors like sneezing can serve as a reminder to wash our hands or take our vitamins. But, what if we overreact to everyday sneezes and coughs and sniffles? Can these signals transform healthy discretion into an unreasonable fearfulness about germs and more? Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102121720.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109090429.htm Companies that commit fraud can find innovative ways to fudge the numbers, making it hard to tell something is wrong by looking at their financial statements. But a new warning system sees through accounting tricks by evaluating things that are easily verifiable, such as the number of employees or the square footage a company owns. If a company says its profits are up, but these nonfinancial measures are down, something is wrong. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109090429.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109174254.htm Firms with heavy long-term debt that came due amid the nation's recent credit crisis slashed investment more than three times as much as companies whose paybacks ducked the meltdown, a new study found. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109174254.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109121123.htm Many businesses feel that the content of annual reports has become more important than ever due to the tough business climate induced by the financial crisis and the growing pressure to be environmentally and socially responsible. One researcher has taken a close look at a number of letters to shareholders and the pictures of the companies they convey. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109121123.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105121044.htm As health insurers require people to base more treatment decisions on out-of-pocket costs, physicians should learn to talk to patients about money, according to researchers. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105121044.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103171719.htm Chief executives in 35 of the top Fortune 500 companies were overpaid by about 129 times their "ideal salaries" in 2008, according to a new type of theoretical analysis proposed to determine fair CEO compensation. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103171719.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029211534.htm North American car manufacturers have come bottom of the league in the largest ever international study of the global automobile sector's sustainability performance. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029211534.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111121547.htm Fair Trade labeling can work on a small scale, as a niche market. On the other hand, Fair Trade labels are not the right way to change the situation for the great majority of poor farmers. This is shown in the report What Does Fair Trade Labeling Achieve? from AgriFood Economics Centre, Lund University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111121547.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111121545.htm Globalization can lead to better health but also to increased income inequality, depending on what kind of globalization we are talking about. Economists have studied the connections between inequality, globalization, and health. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111121545.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132821.htm Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's Julio Friedmann, in collaboration with the Center for American Progress, the Asia Society Center and with partner Monitor Group, today released the report, "A Roadmap for US-China Collaboration on Carbon Capture and Sequestration." Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104132821.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029141223.htm The so-called "silver spoon" effect -- in which wealth is passed down from one generation to another -- is well established in some of the world's most ancient economies, according to anthropologists. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029141223.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091030095517.htm The proposed Medicare "bundled" payment system for dialysis is likely to reduce government reimbursements for dialysis units in certain regions of the United States and for some types of facilities, according to new research. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091030095517.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027132418.htm Those in poverty in rural Oregon often know what kinds of foods they should be eating, but face tough choices between eating well and spending less money for meals. Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091027132418.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091020094058.htm New data shows that a staggering 285 million people worldwide have diabetes. The latest figures from the IDF Diabetes Atlas indicate that people in low and middle-income countries are bearing the brunt of the epidemic, and that the disease is affecting far more people of working age than previously believed. Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091020094058.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026123944.htm For years, international policy on the environment and biodiversity has not just been the concern of governments. Countless other organizations and their mutual strategic alliances also play a significant role. Without them there would be no sustainable fish in the supermarket and no FSC wood at the DIY center. However, a Dutch researcher has discovered that only a small proportion of these 'partnerships' make a substantial contribution to biodiversity. Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026123944.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022114323.htm A recent study found women graduating from community college with a two-year degree earn 45.8 percent more annually than high school educated women. Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091022114323.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021115143.htm A second straight week of stronger-than-expected third quarter earnings from a broad cross section of US industries has held the nation's Dow Jones Industrial Average above the psychological benchmark of 10,000 points for the week of Oct. 19, but the climb isn't likely to last, says a finance expert. Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021115143.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091010113638.htm Tackling smoking during pregnancy may help to reduce socio-economic inequalities in stillbirths and infant deaths by as much as 30 to 40 per cent, according to a new study. Smoking during pregnancy has been clearly linked to stillbirth and infant deaths, and smoking rates during pregnancy vary markedly with socio-economic position. Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091010113638.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021100520.htm Experts say our stress levels at work peak when we reach about 50 to 55 years of age and decrease as we head towards retirement. Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021100520.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091020111618.htm A new study finds that Americans who believe in equality are more-impulsive shoppers. And it has implications for how to market products differently in countries where shoppers are more likely to buy on impulse. Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091020111618.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021100750.htm The number of workers age 65 and older is predicted to increase by more than 80 percent by 2016. In an ongoing study, researchers are examining the financial motivations of older working Americans. New results reveal that older workers spend less money on necessities, including housing and food, and health care than older non-workers. Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091021100750.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091014102201.htm If the wife of FBI boss Robert Mueller has warned him not to use internet banking because of the threat of online fraud, then what hope is there for the average Joe? The results of research suggests that more of us are no longer entrusting our finances to virtual accounts. Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091014102201.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091015141507.htm The recent surge in Paragraph IV patent challenges is decreasing the incentives for pharmaceutical innovation and contributing to productivity and revenue declines in the pharmaceutical industry, according to a new study. Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091015141507.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091015133111.htm As Congress debates the public health care option, a recent study reveals greater public support for reducing health care disparities among socio-economic groups (i.e. by income or education) than among racial groups. Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091015133111.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091013105332.htm Retirees who transition from full-time work into a temporary or part-time job experience fewer major diseases and are able to function better day-to-day than people who stop working altogether, according to a national study. And the findings were significant even after controlling for people's physical and mental health before retirement. Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091013105332.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091013201738.htm Later diagnosis, less first-course treatment and race are the main reasons for the difference in mortality between rich and poor breast cancer patients. A new study suggests that targeted interventions to increase breast cancer screening and treatment coverage in worse-off patients could reduce much of the socioeconomic disparity in survival. Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091013201738.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091008113339.htm Because it will be difficult to prevent cyber attacks on critical civilian and military computer networks by threatening to punish attackers, the United States must focus its efforts on defending these networks from cyber attack, according to a new analysis by experts. Fri, 09 Oct 2009 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091008113339.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006201352.htm Hikers and backpackers tend to become supporters of environmental and conservation groups while casual woodland tourists do not, a new study says -- and a recent fall-off in strenuous outdoor endeavors portends a coming decline in the ranks of conservation backers. Fri, 09 Oct 2009 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091006201352.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091007103026.htm Recent bank failures point to the continuing need for vigilance by regulators and investors. Now, a new report discusses the possibility of an early-warning system that spots the outliers before they fail. Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091007103026.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091008113344.htm BioAbroad, a project created by an Israeli researcher, is a unique project that has been successful in drawing top talent to Israel's universities. It can also work for US states, universities and corporations as well, he says. Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091008113344.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091007171737.htm Survey results show that while only 27 percent of adults currently support the US Senate Finance Committee's proposed health-care legislation, an amended bill could gain the majority's favor. Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091007171737.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090901163926.htm At a time when medicine tends to focus on patients as a "collection of visceral organs and a nervous system," systems medicine provides a new approach to medical practice that is "anticipated to result in more comprehensive and systematic patient care." In a recent commentary, two researchers ask, "Is there a future for systems medicine" particularly as the country considers a health care overhaul? Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090901163926.htm