Abigail Rawson – Sound Economics

A Game for Game Theory. A Game Theory Game!

Posted on February 9, 2018 by Abigail Rawson — No Comments ↓

Do you love game theory? Do you love games? What about game theory games? Well, I’ve got just the thing for you. The Evolution of Trust by Nicky Case is an interactive simulation that shows you not only the various possible behaviors and outcomes of game theory, but how those behaviors become more dynamic with repeated interactions. It’s a really interesting look into those who cheat, those who play by the rules, and everyone in between, and who comes out on top. It takes a little while to fully enjoy the game, so try this one out when you have Continue reading A Game for Game Theory. A Game Theory Game!→

America’s Empty Shopping Malls

Posted on February 2, 2018 by Abigail Rawson — No Comments ↓

Over the holiday (read: gift-buying) season, some of us were very confident in what each of our recipients wanted and just bought everything online with a couple of clicks. No stress, no hassle. The rest of us normal people likely found ourselves in our local shopping mall at some point. Did you notice anything odd about the mall you went to? A disorganized department store, disheveled displays, a food court restaurant or two shut down? In my case, the entire movie theater attached to the mall boarded up? Sure, shopping malls have their advantages: you get a variety of products Continue reading America’s Empty Shopping Malls→

Honey, The Market Shrunk Our House: The Journey of Micro-Apartments in Seattle

Posted on November 30, 2017 by Abigail Rawson — 1 Comment ↓

While visiting my boyfriend a few weeks ago at Seattle University, a shocking facet of the city’s housing crunch was brought to my attention. As we walked through Capitol Hill’s bustling streets, looking for a place to eat dinner, he pointed out a building just a few blocks from his school, where he had heard the studio apartments were built with no wall separating the toilet and shower from the main room. How horrible, I thought. The demand for affordable housing has left Seattle’s low-income residents living in prison cells. Some investigation into this issue has shown that Seattle is Continue reading Honey, The Market Shrunk Our House: The Journey of Micro-Apartments in Seattle→

Heart of Gold: Game Theory in Game Show “Golden Balls”

Posted on November 9, 2017 by Abigail Rawson — No Comments ↓

Would you trust a complete stranger to cooperate with you when money is on the line? Would you deceive them instead and take the money for yourself? These questions are put to the test on the British TV game show called “Golden Balls”, which ran from 2007 to 2009. After several rounds involving strategizing, cooperating, and lots of golden balls, the final round consists of an all-or-nothing decision between the two finalists. The jackpot will either go to only one of the two contestants, be split in half, or be lost by both players. This is because each finalist has Continue reading Heart of Gold: Game Theory in Game Show “Golden Balls”→

There’s No $ In Team: Columbus Crew Heads to Austin

Posted on October 26, 2017 by Abigail Rawson — No Comments ↓

Sports teams move all the time. From football to basketball to hockey to baseball, if team owners aren’t getting the public funding they want, they will threaten to leave or actually relocate to get what they want. Last week, Columbus Crew owner Anthony Precourt announced that the team will relocate to Austin if it fails to get a new stadium. This is a demonstration that Major League Soccer is no different from the big four. This topic is actually in the same vein as my post last week about Amazon. Much like the way that big corporations can threaten to Continue reading There’s No $ In Team: Columbus Crew Heads to Austin→

Not Cutting It: Corporate Subsidies Abound as Amazon Looks for HQ2 Spot

Posted on October 19, 2017 by Abigail Rawson — 1 Comment ↓

Today is the deadline for cities to propose their bids to Amazon in hopes of hosting their new headquarters. The ever-growing corporation promises “up to 50,000 jobs paying an average of $100,000”, and cities all over the United States and Canada want this boost in their economy. All of the cities making a bid can be found here. But what price will these cities pay to get it? Corporate subsidies, or breaks on taxes and other concessions, is what city governments use to entice a company into setting up operations there. Is this big spending worth it for the long-term Continue reading Not Cutting It: Corporate Subsidies Abound as Amazon Looks for HQ2 Spot→

Brandless Part 2: Tasteless Or Ostentatious?

Posted on October 12, 2017 by Abigail Rawson — 2 Comments ↓

This week’s post will be about my review of the food I ordered from Brandless, along with my revised thoughts on this quirky online company. For context, my previous post about Brandless can be found here. My classmates and fellow writers on this blog helped clarify for me why this website gives us such an odd feeling, and what it says about the consumption behaviors of millennials today. But first, my review. Last Wednesday, I made an order on Brandless’s website. They offer a $3 shipping cost on your first order, compared to the regular $9 shipping. (Once I placed Continue reading Brandless Part 2: Tasteless Or Ostentatious?→

Demand Without a Brand: Online Grocery Store Eliminates “Brand-Tax”

Posted on October 5, 2017 by Abigail Rawson — No Comments ↓

You may have heard of Brandless, the e-commerce startup launched this year. The San Francisco-based company, founded by entrepreneurs Tina Sharkey and Ido Leffler, flaunts online groceries and essentials with an enticingly simple pricing model: everything is $3 or less. Why is it called Brandless? The inspiration for this online grocery store, Sharkey says, was the so-called “brand tax” (additional costs for shipping, warehouse space, etc.) on traditional consumer packaged goods (CPGs). In addition, Sharkey makes the claims that millennials don’t want to buy their parents’ brands and that there is an overwhelming variety of choices in grocery stores today. Continue reading Demand Without a Brand: Online Grocery Store Eliminates “Brand-Tax”→