Entrepreneurship has always been in Hong Kong’s DNA.  From its early days as a trading port to its rise as a manufacturing and global financial center, the city has spawned “startups” that went on to become regional and global powerhouses. 

Did you know that blaming others can be just as contagious as a cold? Psychological research has shown that when participants read about political failures, they are more likely to blame others, especially if they see politicians attributing their failures to outside interests. Similarly, when management easily blames employees, it sets a precedent, leading to a culture of blame within the organisation.

Many governments around the world are struggling with below-replacement fertility rates. Recent efforts to increase birth rates have produced disappointing outcomes, which contrast sharply with the success of anti-fertility policies implemented in the past. Is it systematically more difficult to raise fertility than to reduce it? If so, what are the micro foundations and the macro implications of this phenomenon? Zhou A, Pang C, Engle S. (2024) provides a comprehensive analysis of this issue.

With Trump’s recent victory in the U.S. presidential election, the new administration is set to appoint a fresh slate of department heads. However, the position of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will remain unchanged. Despite being Trump’s nominee, Powell has often found himself at odds with the President, particularly over interest rate hikes, which Trump has publicly criticized.

Digital platforms help lesser-known cultural workers find their audience by reducing consumers’ search costs, allowing products that struggle in traditional markets to enter at lower costs, thereby fostering a more diverse marketplace. However, as traffic becomes increasingly important, operations of digital platforms are becoming more biased. In China’s digital arts and entertainment market, the platform’s promotion and manipulation can dictate a creative work’s success and may even hinder innovation.

Today, in the face of complex environmental, social, and governance challenges, ESG has become a central focus for businesses. In the past, businesses often improved their ESG ratings by following the criteria of various rating agencies. However, with around 600 ESG rating agencies worldwide, each with its own standards, rating inconsistencies are common. This means that even with significant efforts in ESG, companies may still receive varying ratings.

In recent years, the appeal of socially responsible investing (SRI) has grown significantly among investors who are not only seeking financial returns but might also be motivated by a desire to support positive social and environmental outcomes. SRI funds position themselves as instruments of driving ESG change, claiming to invest in companies with strong ESG practices. Some funds further assert that they actively work to improve the ESG behaviors of firms within their portfolios. However, a key question remains: Do these funds genuinely influence corporate behavior, or are they merely curating portfolios of companies that already demonstrate stronger ESG credentials?

Climate change demands regulatory action from governments, yet most countries’ climate efforts are insufficient. A common concern is that firms’ lobbying activities partly hinder more aggressive climate actions, as they seek to influence politicians or policymakers to undermine, delay, or avoid pro-climate regulations or policies. Despite this fact, our understanding of the scope, motivation, and impact of firms’ climate lobbying activities is limited. Leippold et al. (2024) address this gap with a comprehensive analysis, offering insights into the following aspects.