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Supply Chain Disruptions, Trade Costs, and Labor Markets

Global supply chain disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic have increased the costs of trade between countries. Given the interconnectedness of the U.S. economy with the rest of the world, higher trade costs can have important impacts on U.S. labor markets. A model of the U.S. economy that incorporates variation in industry concentrations across regions…

High inflation: uncharted waters for supply management

High inflation: uncharted waters for supply management

With a long period of price increases possible, a proactive approach can help procurement professionals weather the storm. A growing economy. A tight labor market. Two of the biggest telltale signs of inflation have been evident in recent months, and concerns have been further fueled by two factors: tariffs and trade turbulence stemming from the Trump administration’s…

What is supply chain inflation and why is it driving up consumer prices now?

What is supply chain inflation and why is it driving up consumer prices now?

The interconnectedness of global supply chains means that when one price goes up, others tend to follow. Increases in labour, energy and transport costs are contributing to inflation around the world, posing difficult policy challenges. Back when we could travel easily, a regular announcement at airports all over the world was: ‘The airline would like…

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Stuck in place

The Democrats’ social-spending package cannot repair the American Dream; Social mobility has dropped precipitously In the 1940s Joseph Biden senior fell from early wealth to near-destitution. He moved his young family in with his in-laws as he scrabbled for work in Scranton, Pennsylvania, before re-establishing middle-class ease as a used-car salesman in Delaware. For all the…