https://phys.org/science-news/economics-business/ en-us The latest news on economics research, business research, management sciences Approximately 88% of organizations around the world implemented artificial intelligence (AI) into at least one business function by the end of 2025, the latest McKinsey Global Survey on the state of AI found. Despite promised productivity gains, passive AI use at work, where employees copy-and-paste AI responses to complete tasks, can make people doubt their skills and find their work meaningless, according to a study co-authored by a faculty member from Penn State's Smeal College of Business that published in Scientific Reports. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-passive-ai-meaninglessness.html Economics & Business Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:40:07 EDT news699881808 Geopolitical tensions are increasingly influencing where companies choose to invest, according to new research co-authored by a King's academic that suggests firms are becoming more likely to favor politically-aligned countries when making foreign investments. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-geopolitics-playing-role-investment-decisions.html Economics & Business Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:40:01 EDT news699880142 Fossil fuel companies were a major force behind the United States (US) state of Florida's move to stop banks and pension funds from investing in companies that prioritized environmental and social governance (ESG), new research from Griffith University found. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-florida-war-woke-reframed-responsible.html Economics & Business Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:20:04 EDT news699872642 Working from home comes with some major pluses. It's more flexible, there's no more pesky commute, work-life balance improves, and you can even stay in your pajamas all day if you want. But according to a major study of more than 580,000 American workers published in Science, remote work is taking its toll on people's mental health. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-remote-toll-mental-health-american.html Social Sciences Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:20:03 EDT news699871293 Imagine you have used a generative artificial intelligence (AI) tool such as ChatGPT to tidy up notes you took while in a meeting. Your colleague comments on how clear they are. You don't disclose it was the AI that made the notes clear and not you. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-people-ai-communicate-disclosing-morally.html Social Sciences Fri, 05 Jun 2026 07:40:04 EDT news699858782 Employment—a major marker and measure of quality of life—declined among Black Californians between 2024 and 2025, according to new research from the Black Policy Project, a research initiative of the UCLA Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-sharply-unemployment-black-californians.html Economics & Business Thu, 04 Jun 2026 17:00:06 EDT news699801182 The concept of the "15-Minute City" has gained global traction as a blueprint for more livable, sustainable communities by placing daily essentials—such as grocery stores, schools, restaurants and parks—within easy reach of residents. The idea envisions neighborhoods where people can meet most of their daily needs within a 15-minute walk, bike ride or transit trip from home, reducing automobile dependence while improving quality of life. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-minute-cities-nearby-jobs-streets.html Social Sciences Thu, 04 Jun 2026 16:20:01 EDT news699795787 For years, remote work has been viewed as one of the most important drivers of employee satisfaction. New research suggests that assumption may be giving remote work too much credit. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-remote-employees-happy.html Economics & Business Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:00:01 EDT news699794942 In 1970, nearly half of all Black individuals in the U.S. resided in a large city. Over the past 50 years, that number has fallen to merely 25%, while the share living in the suburbs of large cities rose from 16% to 36%.This demographic shift is as large as the post-World War II wave of the Great Migration, according to economists Evan Mast of the University of Notre Dame and Alexander Bartik of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-black-suburbanization-reshaping-american-neighborhoods.html Social Sciences Thu, 04 Jun 2026 12:20:03 EDT news699793201 New data reveals that young people with caregiving responsibilities are more than twice as likely as their peers to be persistently not in employment, education, or training (NEET) for a period of two years or more. The research, published by City St George's, Carers Trust and University College London, comes just days after the release of the Milburn report into youth unemployment, which identified young caregivers as one of the most "at risk" yet "least visible" groups vulnerable to NEET status. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-young-caregivers-persistently-uk.html Economics & Business Thu, 04 Jun 2026 11:20:04 EDT news699787561 Entrepreneurs use a variety of strategies to achieve their goals, sometimes turning to online crowdfunding campaigns to increase their reach and raise money. Yet the success of fundraising campaigns is often variable, driven by what's being asked and the language that people decide to use in their campaigns. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-hype-explores-language-successful-crowdfunding.html Economics & Business Thu, 04 Jun 2026 08:20:01 EDT news699779282 Austin Zwick, associate teaching professor in the College of Professional Studies and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, explains how cities can fix their planning systems to address housing crises. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-qa-housing-major-cities.html Economics & Business Wed, 03 Jun 2026 22:20:02 EDT news699706981 A truce of sorts has quelled the return-to-office wars that have raged in the post-pandemic workplace. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-hybrid-golden-compromise-employees-companies.html Economics & Business Wed, 03 Jun 2026 20:00:02 EDT news699700781 Ahead of major soccer tournaments, a research team led by Achim Zeileis of the University of Innsbruck and Andreas Groll of TU Dortmund University calculates the chances of winning for all participating teams. For the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, their model identifies Spain as the slight favorite with 14.5%. Closely behind are England (12.4%), France (12.4%), and Germany (11.2%). Somewhat further back are Portugal (8.9%) and Argentina (8.2%), as well as the Netherlands (5.6%) and Brazil (4.7%). "Compared to previous tournaments, this year's title race is very tight," confirms Achim Zeileis. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-world-cup-spain-title-wide.html Mathematics Wed, 03 Jun 2026 13:20:20 EDT news699711508 Big brands have built empires on slogans, declaring themselves the best among their competitors. These claims—glowing, subjective and impossible to verify—fall under what marketers call puffery. For decades, they've been treated as harmless fluff, waved through the court system on the assumption that consumers tune them out. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-charming-reveals-power-puffery-consumer.html Social Sciences Wed, 03 Jun 2026 13:00:01 EDT news699705002 Three-quarters of S&P 500 companies now tie a portion of their CEO's pay to environmental, social and governance (ESG) metrics. They typically include carbon emissions, workforce diversity and worker safety, among others. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-standardize-esg-scores-corporate-greenwashing.html Economics & Business Wed, 03 Jun 2026 11:40:08 EDT news699700742 The good news: When environmental rules pressure one company, the effect can spread through shared boardroom ties, leading connected firms to reduce emissions, too. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-boards-echo-climate-firms-pollution.html Economics & Business Tue, 02 Jun 2026 17:00:03 EDT news699624441 Globally, about 1 in 5 people in jobs live in poverty. A key reason lies in how global supply chains are organized. From agriculture to tourism, many jobs are embedded in systems that keep wages low, even as they generate value for international markets. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-global-chains-workers-poor-case.html Social Sciences Tue, 02 Jun 2026 15:20:04 EDT news699623042 Megalomaniacal leaders are fascinating. They exude boundless confidence, harbor sometimes excessive ambitions and make decisions that are often out of touch with reality. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-megalomaniac-leaders-group.html Social Sciences Tue, 02 Jun 2026 13:20:04 EDT news699616202 Balancing economic growth and environmental protection is not easy. Consider wetlands, which provide flood protection, aid water quality, and are linchpins of larger ecosystems. How can we best preserve wetlands while enhancing economic activity? https://phys.org/news/2026-06-wetlands.html Economics & Business Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:40:07 EDT news699612797 In 2018, Caitlin Caspi started a five-year research project looking at how raising the minimum wage could impact nutrition-related health outcomes. Caspi is an associate professor of allied health sciences in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR), associate director of InCHIP, and the director of food security initiatives for the UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-covid-era-policies-food-insecurity.html Economics & Business Mon, 01 Jun 2026 17:00:04 EDT news699540241 The rise of remote work since the pandemic has made businesses more reluctant to hire young, inexperienced workers and is the key driver of higher unemployment rates for recent college graduates, a study released Monday has found. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-young-unemployed-remote-ai-problem.html Economics & Business Mon, 01 Jun 2026 14:08:12 EDT news699541669 Many people are reluctant to ask others for advice—for fear of being a burden or taking up unnecessary time. A new study led by Professor Dr. Anne Burmeister at the ECONtribute Cluster of Excellence shows how this reluctance can be lowered: When people seeking advice learn that the other person involved will also benefit from the exchange, they are much more likely to seek support. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-people-aware-advantages-parties-advice.html Social Sciences Mon, 01 Jun 2026 14:00:05 EDT news699529318 Each year, Canada generates roughly $58 billion in avoidable food waste, much of which is from spoilage that goes undetected until it is already too late. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-smart-sensors-canada-tackle-billion.html Economics & Business Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:20:03 EDT news699528601 From satellite imagery to clandestine price reports, a new study draws on North Korea to explore economic activity in opaque regimes and information-scarce regions. North Korea is the blackest of economic black holes. Even a basic question like "is the economy shrinking or expanding?" can be difficult to answer. The country does not publish reliable statistics. It sharply restricts outside access and treats trade data as a state secret. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-world-economic-black-holes-leak.html Economics & Business Fri, 29 May 2026 23:00:01 EDT news699268549 Ever feel uncomfortable when a payment screen asks for a tip? We sure have. As tipping prompts become more widespread, more consumers are feeling uneasy or frustrated, but not always sure why. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-fatigue-canada.html Social Sciences Fri, 29 May 2026 21:40:01 EDT news699262850 Commercial marketing oriented toward sustainability is not compatible with degrowth, even when it promotes consuming less. That is the conclusion of a study by ICTA-UAB and the London School of Economics and Political Science. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-citizens-political-actors-individual-consumers.html Social Sciences Fri, 29 May 2026 13:20:03 EDT news699279541 The aging population is a global success story. People are, on average, living longer, healthier lives. The World Health Organization estimates that from 2015 to 2050, those aged over 60 will increase from 12% to 22% of the world's population—but our workplaces have not kept up with these demographic shifts. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-job-ai.html Social Sciences Fri, 29 May 2026 10:20:02 EDT news699265741 A new investigation finds that workplace monitoring platforms are systematically sharing personal data about workers and online activity with hundreds of outside data brokers and big tech companies in ways that are not clearly disclosed and that, in some cases, may contradict the platforms' own privacy policies. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-bossware-spying-workers.html Economics & Business Fri, 29 May 2026 10:00:05 EDT news699264483 Officials in Oakland sharply increased the number of homeless encampments they cleared in the months after the 2024 U.S. Supreme Court decision made it easier for municipalities nationwide to do so, new research from UC Berkeley shows. https://phys.org/news/2026-05-homeless-encampment-spiked-supreme-court.html Social Sciences Fri, 29 May 2026 07:20:01 EDT news699251582