The Bank of England’s chief economist, Andy Haldane, has recently proposed a radical measure with the intent to avoid another recession in the United Kingdom. Mr. Haldane aims to ban the use of cash altogether and fully switch to digital money. However, is it possible to demolish a system that has been used for ages? For many, this policy proposal might be seen as taking a step too far, while others see it as a way to further improve our financial system.
On October 4th, the Portuguese population was able to vote on a new government for the first time since the bailout in 2011. Back then, the country had severe debt problems and a bankruptcy was avoided with an accumulated loan of 79 billion euros from the IMF and the EU. After this financial injection the slightly right-winged government (a coalition of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) with the Christian Democratic Party (CDS/PP)) has been devoted to establish a sustainable Portuguese resurrection. During the past four years the Greek problems have been in the spotlights, but what has happened in the meantime in Portugal?
For months the Dutch police has held strikes and protests to demand a better CAO (Collective Work Agreement), especially demanding a higher salary. Can their demands be justified? Off the Charts finds out!
The American Silicon Valley in California is famous for its high-tech companies and the many tech start-ups. In Europe, cities like London and Berlin are most famous for their start-ups. However, now there is a new upcoming city.
On Wednesday September 23 the second Inside the Business Day was organized by Asset | Economics. CZ, Priogen, Rembrandt Mergers & Acquisitions, and Van Lanschot challenged the 72 participating students with a case. Students were selected to participate in two cases that covered the entire afternoon.
We have seen it for decades: robots, machines or other artificial intelligence replacing tasks of humans in our workplace. But in recent years the idea of ‘robots taking our jobs’ is rising. Not only blue-collar jobs, like workers in factories, have to be taken in consideration, but also white-collar jobs will be involved in this process.
Just before its 70th birthday, at September 25, the United Nations will host a summit to adapt an ambitious post-2015 agenda that includes the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Broadly seen, the SDGs are about fighting poverty, improving health and combating climate change. The progress that has already been made in these areas can be partly attributed to a recent shift in the development approach. While “wicked” problems like poverty and global warming are notoriously difficult to solve and can therefore lead to narrow thinking, the main consensus these days is that these sort of challenges are not merely of economic, social or environmental nature anymore – another reason why proper data collection is so important in today’s world.
Every year on the third Tuesday of the month September the Dutch Head of State announces the budget and policy of the Dutch government for the next calendar year during the so called Troonrede. The main message the politicians and the king wanted to give the people this year is that the economy is getting away from the financial crisis. Almost all people will have a higher purchasing power next year. This positive message of course also has some downturns; for instance, not all people are going to be able to buy more next year, and students are not getting a college grand anymore.