Economics

Thomson Reuters IP & Science has today revealed that its list of the top 100 most innovative organisations in the world contains no UK companies. The fourth annual Top 100 Global Innovators list has been released today with UK companies nowhere to be seen. The list shows that, while the French economy may have continued its sclerotic performance in 2014, the country is still home to seven of the top 100 innovators, down from 12 in 2013. Germany also outperformed the UK with...

By J T Coombes    www.globalmagnacarta.com     @GMagnaCarta In this new millennium 21st century Society is saddled with systems way past their sell by date. . . . A 15th century democratic system, complete with glass ceiling . . . An 11th century monetary system that increasingly holds the world to ransom . . . A 2000 year old surveillance system being replaced by modern technology Voting with what we now have will never solve the problems we now face  In this...

By Jack Peat, Editor of The London Economic  Every year since 1856, as the first leaf buds appear on trees and daffodils can be seen in terraced gardens and along the banks of public parks, Oxford and Cambridge eights race along the River Thames as part of the most watched university competition in the country between the two oldest and, for now, most respected institutions in the country. But could they about to be displaced by university colleges that reside...

By Jack Peat, Editor of The London Economic  Boom and bust seems like a primitive economic state, but few would argue today that the harsh cyclical nature of the economy has seen its day. If anything, they've become more severe. Soviet economist Nikolai Kondratiev theorised in the early 20th century that the economy works in waves that range from forty to sixty years, with high sectoral growth leading to intervals of relatively slow growth. In 1939 Joseph Schumpeter suggested naming...

By Jack Peat, Editor of The London Economic  There are very few big industries in existence today that are not overrun by big companies. Take a minute to count how many rail operators there are in the UK or mobile phone companies, banks or electricity firms and you’ll struggle to move past your first five fingers. In a world where corporate capitalism is allowed to run riot, understanding how to keep big firms in check has become of paramount importance....

By Gregory Taylor  It was not the best start for the Conservative Party Conference, but things have gone rather better than some would have thought. On Saturday night we had seen one MP joining UKIP and another minister standing down because of a sex scandal. For political geeks like me, it’s great political news. The Tories came back fighting and managed to avoid just discussing the EU and immigration, although both are very important. Rather, welfare, economic policy, the NHS and education...

By Simon Bartram Tesco is being investigated by the Financial Conduct Authority following its admission that it overstated its half-year profit guidance by a quarter of a billion pounds, leaving the troubled supermarket giant red-faced. However, what do we know about this accounting scandal, and why should people care? Tesco has been embroiled in scandal after the supermarket giant admitting it had overestimated first-half profits to the tune of a quarter of a billion pounds. Early reports suggest that Tesco misapplied...

UCL Launches New Curriculum in Economics “Economics teaching has failed to convey the exciting progress made in many fields in economics over recent decades in addressing the big questions about the economy,” Professor Antonio Cabrales of the University College London said in the run up to the launch of a new curriculum in economics at the university. “We are hoping to change that.” From October 1st London will become part of a worldwide beta test of The Economy, a new online introduction...

By Valentina Magri On Thursday a 307-year long union might come to an end. In just a matter of days we will know whether Scotland will become independent from the UK, with fierce arguments being fielded from both the Yes and No camps. The vote is currently on a knife-edge, although our poll found 68 per cent of people believe a Yes vote is the most likely. The first YouGov poll suggesting a victory of the Scottish National Party (SNP), published on September 6th, alarmed both...