How to structure employment so workers are more creative, productive, and happier. Topics covered include: What percentage of employees work at home due to the pandemicHow many hours per week do men and women work in both paid employment and unpaid caregivingHow workers have been allocating the time saved by not commutingWhy the economy would still prosper if we worked only four hours per dayWhat is the cult of efficiencyWhat is the difference between leisure and amusementWhy employers … [Read more...]
323: The Economy Is Not A Machine
How the drive for efficiency leads to greater wealth concentration and threatens capitalism. What can be done about it? Topics covered include: Why income growth has slowed for the middle classWhy the economy now follows a power-law distribution rather than a normal distribution, leading to skewed outcomesWhy the economy is a complex adaptive system rather than a machineHow the type of job you have and the company you work for affects your incomeWhy greater efficiency increases the … [Read more...]
245: Is College Worth It?
With more and more college degrees being granted and higher student loan balances, when does it make sense to go to a highly selective college or to college at all? What can increase earnings more than just having a college degree. In this episode you’ll learn: Who benefits the most from attending a highly selective college.Why income disparities exist for college graduates from different family backgrounds.Why student loan balances are increasing and why student loan forgiveness … [Read more...]
231: What Determines How Much You Make
Why how much you make depends on the occupation, the company, and the location. Photo by J.D. Stein In this episode you’ll learn: Why some occupations pay more than others.Why the same occupation pays different amounts in different countries.Why the same occupation pays different amounts at different companies within the same city. Show Notes Why Do Some Occupations Pay More than Others? Social Closure and Earnings Inequality in the United States - Kim A. Weeden - American … [Read more...]
198: Capitalism Is Creation
Why save for retirement if capitalism is going to collapse and/or universal basic income will be available. How Millennials can lead the next work transition. In this episode you’ll learn: Why some Millennials aren't saving for retirement. How artificial intelligence will lead to job losses but won't take over the world. Why capitalism is more creative than state-controlled socialism. Why universal basic income is a bookkeeping problem, not a money problem. Show … [Read more...]
184: Massive Job Losses Are Inevitable, But There Will Still Be Work
Why technology eliminates jobs but doesn't increase the level of unemployment even though for more than 50 years that has been the worry. Photo by Christopher Burns In this episode you’ll learn: How fear of technology destroying jobs has been around for decades. What is the relationship between GDP growth, employment and productivity. How more and more jobs are involved in services dealing with complexity. What types of jobs are less likely to be replaced Show … [Read more...]
156: Your Job Or Half Your Business Could Be Gone Tomorrow
How to gain a personal competitive advantage in an evolving job and business environment. Photo by Daniel von Appen In this episode you’ll learn: How experts can become trusted authorities.What new graduates can do as they navigate their careers.How we can gain a personal competitive advantage in the market place. Show Notes National Association of Realtors Statistics Auto Dealers Decide Cars Are Taking Up Too Much Prime Space - Wall Street Journal The Thing … [Read more...]
154 Plus: How Your Profession Impacts Your Investment Strategy
This week April 20, 2017 on Money For the Rest of Us Plus we look at how investors should factor in their employment in terms of their overall asset allocation, such as the variability of their income and the industry in which they work. We look at a new study by Vanguard on dollar cost averaging versus investing lump sums. We explore the implications of the phrase, "the market went up because the money had no where else to go." Finally, we consider how investment bubbles can contribute … [Read more...]
142: Why Are Some Nations Wealthier Than Others?
Poor nations work harder than rich ones. Why then are they still poor? In this episode you'll learn: What is GDP per capita and why it is the best way to compare wealth between nations. What is purchasing power parity. How physical capital, labor and total factor productivity contribute to economic growth. Why the mix of economic sectors impacts the wealth of a nation. How exponential growth leads to a radically unpredictable economy. Show Notes OECD Average … [Read more...]
72: Will A Robot Take Over Your Job?
How robots and information technology are changing the nature of employment and what humans can do about it. Photo by David Blackwell. Painting by Albert Cuyp In this episode you'll learn: How robots and other information technology are substituting for labor.How use of robots, automation and technology pushes down prices and wages.What humans can provide that machines never will.Why job skills will be most in demand in the coming years.How the level of academic … [Read more...]
