Shaming of Tax Delinquents Works
34,334 letters were sent to test how sensitive those owing back taxes are to neighbors’ knowledge of the debts
Businesses Vastly Overestimate the Likelihood of Being Audited
Should tax-collecting agencies keep audit activity secret to discourage cheating?
Lending to Startups: Not as Risky as You’d Think
Entrepreneurs borrow between equity funding rounds with a strong record of repaying debts
Segregation Compounds the Effects of Poverty
In Northern cities, railroad tracks that defined Black neighborhoods remain boundaries against economic mobility
Hospital Financial-Aid Programs Boost Use of Vital Health Care
Uninsured and insured both receive help; benefits are temporary
Banks, Freed to Operate Across State Lines, Helped Stabilize the Economy
Lenders financed expansion in some markets, offsetting problems in others
Carefully Crafted Messaging Boosts Uptake in Cancer Screening
Embedding psychological nudges in mail reminding people to get tested improves compliance
In a Global Church, Even a Widely Publicized Scandal’s Impact is Decidedly Local
Revisiting research on Catholic clergy sex abuse: Pennsylvania can expect fewer churchgoers and a painful decline in charitable contributions
Why Rising Stocks Sometimes Reverse, Then Rally
Cultural differences and investor behavior can drive reversals and momentum
Corporate Bosses, Given Fewer Stock Options, Turn Risk-Averse
Research might give pause to corporate boards changing compensation models
The Role of Board-of-Directors Pay in Effective Corporate Investing
A model juggles who should suffer when a project goes awry; job market prospects of the CEO; and the quality of information shared in the boardroom
Banks Transmit Financial Shocks, Including from Natural Disasters
How a localized flood may result in fewer loans to a far-off community
Low-Quality Earnings: The Uncoupling of Stock Price from Fundamentals
Studying Chinese A and B shares reveals investor uncertainty
Ignorance — About One’s Investments, Anyway — Isn’t Always Bliss
Valentin Haddad’s research looks at the phenomenon of “information aversion,” when individual investors stop tracking their portfolios for fear of bad news
Why Aren’t There More Women Firefighters?
Aligning people’s idea of a firefighter with the range of work and skills actually required might reduce gender bias