Immigration is one of the most relevant issues of our time. One of the most important questions is whether immigrants are helpful or hurtful to the economy. This interview with Professor Zeke Hernandez provides an overview of his research exploring how immigrants affect capital investment, innovation, and economic growth, and what the evidence implies for setting immigration policy.

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The Wharton Public Policy Initiative hosted Binyamin Appelbaum for a talk on his newly released book, The Economists’ Hour: False Prophets, Free Markets, and the Fracture of Society. Appelbaum is a member of the New York Times Editorial Board and his book traces the history of the US economists’ growing influence in the policy sphere. He met with Dan Loney in the Knowledge@Wharton Business Radio studio to talk about his book.

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Gig economy jobs have soared in recent years, but as the consumer receives a quick service or a same-day delivery product, what are the workers getting? When this type of work, including ride-hailing services and ice cream delivery came along, some thought women would benefit greatly. But data shows that this hasn't occurred yet, as inequality is a growing component of the global workforce. There has been an "Uberization" of what the gig economy is today, and those jobs are mainly done by men which has left the discussion about women in this sector primarily on the side. Professor Julia Ticona joined host Dan Loney in the Knowledge@Wharton Business Radio studio to discuss her research into the inequalities of the gig economy.

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Richard Cordray, was the first Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which was formed in the wake of the Great Recession as part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. In his five years leading the CFPB, Cordray was tasked with making sure consumers were no longer harmed by the actions of banks, lenders, and other financial institutions. In 2017, Cordray returned to his home state of Ohio where he had previously served as State Treasurer and Attorney General, to run for governor. Mr. Cordray was the Wharton PPI 2019 Public Policy Visiting Fellow and joined Dan Loney in the studio for a special interview.

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Big U.S. tech companies like Apple, Alphabet, Facebook, and others, are coming under fire for being monopolies that should be broken up. This is what we have been hearing from Democratic Presidential candidates like Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren and Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar. It is an idea that is gaining steam as these tech giants face accusations of violating privacy rights, squeezing out competitors, and spreading misinformation. A new 150-page report commissioned by the British government includes many of those similar criticisms and say the existing rules governing these companies are outdated and need to be strengthened. And the European Union has repeatedly fined big tech companies. So is it time for the U.S. to look at whether the tech industry is too big and make some changes?

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The idea of brand identity extends beyond the corporate world. Countries are also brands, and a country’s brand, like a corporate brand, is economically powerful. A positive country brand brings money and economic growth to it through tourism, foreign direct investment, and foreign trade; conversely, a negative country brand is economically costly. Professor David Reibstein, who collaborates with U.S. News and World Report in developing the Best Countries Rankings, shares select insights from his research.

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The idea of a universal basic income (UBI) has generated a lot of conversation. The conversation in the U.S. often has focused on whether a UBI program here would be politically palatable and feasible. Its economic implications, however, are not always well understood. Based on her B-School seminar, Professor Marinescu discusses her research on UBI-style programs, such as the Alaska Permanent Fund, to discuss their effects, especially with regard to labor markets.

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With big data and automation becoming more common, so too has the “robo advisor”, any automated service that ranks or matches consumers to financial products on a personalized basis. Tom Baker, Professor of Law and Health Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania School of Law, joins host Dan Loney of Knowledge@Wharton to discuss his recent B-School for Public Policy seminar about research he’s been doing on the regulation of robo-advisors, particularly within the financial services industry.

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Much attention has been given to Donald Trump’s call for deregulation, a priority based on the notion that regulation impedes business growth. According to data from the Penn Wharton B-School for Public Policy seminar “Achieving Regulatory Excellence” by Professor Cary Coglianese, the number of cumulative pages in the code of Federal regulations has more than doubled from 75,000 to over 180,000 between 1975 and 2016. But regulatory excellence is more complicated than the raw number of regulations and needs to incorporate not only concern for the success of businesses, but also, and perhaps more importantly, the protection of citizens. Cary Coglianese, the Edward B. Shils Professor of Law and Political Science and Director of the Penn Program on Regulation has researched and written extensively on “Achieving Regulatory Excellence”. He joins Dan Loney, host of Knowledge@Wharton Radio to discuss the topic.

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Sarah Light, Assistant Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics at the Wharton School, joins host Dan Loney to discuss her recent B-School Seminar presented to congressional staffers that focuses on examining the challenges facing regulators and legislators when new disruptive forms of business and technology require regulations that promote innovation while also protecting the public interest.

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