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Normal view

Global uncertainty is the new normal. Here's why institutional legitimacy and resilience are crucial

15 June 2026 at 22:40
The world has never had more data, more models or more economists. It has rarely felt more out of control. Uncertainty, not risk, has become the defining condition of our era. Central bankers invoke it. Political leaders use it to defer decisions and justify extraordinary ones. Academics are struggling to adapt their theories to a brave new world of unexpected outcomes and erratic policy choices. The IMF's World Uncertainty Indexβ€”which tracks how often the word appears in economic and political reporting across 143 countriesβ€”has been running at historically elevated levels for the better part of a decade, with fresh spikes after every major shock.

Onboarding support helps merchants adopt digital payment methods

15 June 2026 at 21:20
Change can be hardβ€”especially when you're used to receiving change. Switching from cash-based to digital payment methods can be a difficult sell, particularly in developing economies, poorer neighborhoods and among older people who have gotten used to cash. But digital payments have certain advantages for both businesses and consumers, and a Cornell-led research team explored ways to spur adoption of modern payment technology.

Unintended consequences: When AI backfires in the workplace for employees

15 June 2026 at 17:20
While most businesses have introduced AI in the workplace to enhance employee productivity, an Auburn University information systems researcher cautions that under certain circumstances, AI deployment can inadvertently zap the motivation of its highest-performing workers, which could diminish the company's overall profit.

Higher tax burden, less corruption: Researchers examine civic engagement

15 June 2026 at 14:40
When citizens feel a bigger tax pinch, political corruption goes down and voter turnout rises. That's a key finding from new research led by Washington State University, which found that a higher tax burden is associated with increased civic engagement and citizen monitoring of public officials.

Growing energy efficiency divide making renters sweat

12 June 2026 at 12:20
Households are motivated to reduce their energy consumption and help mitigate climate change, but unaffordable technologies and rental restrictions are preventing them from doing so, according to a recent Charles Darwin University (CDU) study. "The efficiency divide: Housing constraints on energy-saving practices in Darwin, Australia" was published in the journal Energy Research & Social Science.

Persistence, focus on tech makes U.S. 'serial acquirers' different

12 June 2026 at 02:20
In the U.S., unlike elsewhere in the world, the vast majority of mergers and acquisitions are conducted by "serial acquirers"β€”large, publicly traded firms that regularly acquire smaller companies. Around four in five M&A deals are made by these major players, including tech titans IBM, Google and Microsoft.

Capable CEOs communicate climate risks more consistently

11 June 2026 at 22:20
Climate disclosures help investors and the public understand how companies view risks such as extreme weather, carbon regulation and the transition to cleaner energy. "Because these risks are uncertain and forward-looking, company leaders have considerable influence over what is communicated and how," says Postdoctoral Researcher Javad Rajabalizadeh from the University of Turku.

Seven ratios predict SME insolvency up to three years early

11 June 2026 at 21:00
A study in the Global Business and Economics Review suggests that the failure of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can be predicted as much as three years before insolvency. The work could offer lenders, investors and business owners an early warning of financial problems years in advance.

Firms with independent board members are more willing to challenge risky CEO pay structures, says new research

11 June 2026 at 16:00
The study, published in European Financial Management, focused on "inside debt," which includes pensions and deferred compensation awarded to chief executives. Unlike bonuses or shares, these payments can encourage CEOs to become more cautious because their personal wealth becomes more tied to the company's long-term financial health.

Research examines how corporate workforce messaging shapes recruiting

11 June 2026 at 01:40
When the Securities and Exchange Commission updated Regulation S-K in 2020 to require public companies to disclose more information about human capital in annual filings, the rule was designed primarily with investors in mind. New research from the University of Miami Patti and Allan Herbert Business School suggests that the regulation may also have reshaped how companies compete for talent.

How biodiversity loss could raise borrowing costs and deepen debt risks worldwide

10 June 2026 at 18:40
Financial markets are blind to the economic costs of biodiversity loss, leaving several countries at risk of defaulting on debt, according to new research published in Nature. While environmental degradation is recognized as a serious financial risk, sovereign debt markets currently have no way of accounting for it, leaving US$83 trillion in assets open to mispricing.

When men take parental leave, their careers may benefitβ€”but women's do not

10 June 2026 at 16:40
Parental leave policies in Canada are designed for both parents, but fathers use them at roughly half the rate of mothers. From 2012 to 2017, Statistics Canada found 88% of mothers took maternity leave, parental leave or a combination of the two, compared with 46% of fathers.

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