The Pie: An Economics Podcast

Becker Friedman Institute at UChicago
  • 4.0 (165)
  • SOCIAL SCIENCES
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY
The Pie: An Economics Podcast

Economists are always talking about The Pie – how it grows and shrinks, how it’s sliced, and who gets the biggest shares. Join host Tess Vigeland as she talks with leading economists from the University of Chicago about their cutting-edge research and key events of the day. Hear how the economic pie is at the heart of issues like the aftermath of a global pandemic, jobs, energy policy, and more.

  1. NOV 12

    Deadly Prescriptions: What Happens When Doctors Compete for Patients

    When some US states allowed nurse practitioners to prescribe controlled substances without physician oversight, a serious unintended consequence took hold: Doctors found themselves competing with those nurses for patients. Molly Schnell, BFI Saieh Family Fellow and assistant professor at Northwestern University, along with her colleagues—Janet Currie of Princeton and Anran Li of Cornell—examine the resultant uptick in prescriptions in controlled substances, and the impact on patients.

    26 min
  2. An Extra Slice of the Pie, with James Robinson: History, Politics, and the Road to an Economics Nobel

    NOV 5

    An Extra Slice of the Pie, with James Robinson: History, Politics, and the Road to an Economics Nobel

    James Robinson, a University Professor with appointments in both UChicago’s Harris School of Public Policy as well as the Political Science Department in the Division of Social Sciences, is the university’s latest faculty member to win the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. On this episode of “An Extra Slice of The Pie,” Robinson joins Ben Krause, BFI Executive Director and new, semi-regular guest host, to discuss his research and the path to a Nobel. Tune in to learn more about Robinson’s early challenges as a young researcher, his major breakthroughs, and his ideas for future work.

    1h 34m

  3. OCT 29

    Economics Meets Ecology: The Huge Costs of Ecosystem Declines

    Bats are considered a natural pesticide. When they began to die out due to an invasive fungus, farmers turned to chemicals to control pests. The result, as Eyal Frank of the Harris school of Public Policy describes on this episode of The Pie, was skyrocketing infant deaths. Tune in to learn more about the vast ramifications of ecosystem disruptions.

    24 min

  4. OCT 15

    How Do Buyouts Impact Hospital Performance? Evaluating the Role of Private Equity in Healthcare

    Private equity investors made some $200 billion worth of healthcare acquisitions in 2021, and $1 trillion worth in the 10 years leading up to 2023. In this episode of The Pie, Maggie Shi, professor at the Harris School of Public Policy, discusses how private equity impacts hospitals along multiple dimensions, including patient volumes, revenues, employment, and technology adoption.

    20 min

  5. OCT 1

    What Can the North Dakota Railroad War of 1905 Tell Us About Regulating Modern Monopolies?

    When the Soo Line threatened to expand into the Great Northern Railway’s territory in 1905, the two companies entered a fierce competition for marketshare in which the they rapidly constructed nearly 500 miles of rail tracks and over 50 new towns. In this episode of The Pie, Chad Syverson, the George C. Tiao Distinguished Service Professor of Economics at the Booth School of Business, explores this unique historical episode, shedding light on how acts of strategic competition, past and present, can affect our social welfare.

    29 min
  6. Understanding the Fed: How Perception Drives Market Reactions

    SEP 17

    Understanding the Fed: How Perception Drives Market Reactions

    The Federal Reserve responded to COVID-era inflation with the fastest increase in the federal funds rate in 40 years. Importantly, the effectiveness of their response depends on how the public perceived it. In this episode of The Pie, Carolin Pflueger, Associate Professor at the Harris School of Public Policy, covers her recent talk to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City’s Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium in which she discussed her research on changing public perceptions and the effectiveness of monetary policy.

    25 min

  7. SEP 5

    Promises Delivered? The Economic Effects of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

    The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, a landmark piece of tax legislation from the first year of the Trump administration, overhauled the tax code for both individuals and businesses. In this episode of The Pie, Eric Zwick, Professor of Economics and Finance at the UChicago's Booth School of Business, discusses how the overhaul affected the economy, including investment, tax revenue, and wages.

    25 min

  8. AUG 20

    Creative Destruction: Why Innovation is Crucial for Growth

    The primary contributor to long-run growth is productivity: A country’s ability to raise residents’ standards of living depends on its ability to boost workers’ output. In this episode of The Pie, Ufuk Akcigit, The Arnold C. Harberger Professor in Economics and the College, describes his research on growth through technological progress.

    25 min
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About

Economists are always talking about The Pie – how it grows and shrinks, how it’s sliced, and who gets the biggest shares. Join host Tess Vigeland as she talks with leading economists from the University of Chicago about their cutting-edge research and key events of the day. Hear how the economic pie is at the heart of issues like the aftermath of a global pandemic, jobs, energy policy, and more.

Information

  • Creator
    Becker Friedman Institute at UChicago
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2024
  • Episodes
    79
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024
  • Show Website
    The Pie: An Economics Podcast

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