Business, Government & the International Economy
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- 2024
- Working Paper
Exports in Disguise: Trade Re-Routing During the U.S.-China Trade War
By: Jaya Y. Wen, Ebehi Iyoha, Edmund J. Malesky, Sung-Jun Wu and Bo Feng- 2024
- Working Paper
Exports in Disguise: Trade Re-Routing During the U.S.-China Trade War
By: Jaya Y. Wen, Ebehi Iyoha, Edmund J. Malesky, Sung-Jun Wu and Bo Feng -
- 2024
- Chapter
The U.S. Secession Crisis as a Breakdown of Democracy
By: Dean Grodzins and David MossThis chapter examines the U.S. secession crisis of 1860–1861 as a case of democratic breakdown. From December 1860 to early June 1861, eleven of the fifteen slaveholding states in the U.S. South declared secession from the Union. The trigger for the crisis was Abraham Lincoln’s victory in the presidential election of November 1860. Many Southerners rejected the outcome of the election as intolerable. Together, the seceding states tried to form a new, proslavery nation, the Confederate States of America (CSA). They went to war with the United States to win their independence, only to be completely defeated within four years. The death toll from the war was approximately 750,000 (on both sides). Importantly, the war also led to the emancipation of four million enslaved Americans.
- 2024
- Chapter
The U.S. Secession Crisis as a Breakdown of Democracy
By: Dean Grodzins and David MossThis chapter examines the U.S. secession crisis of 1860–1861 as a case of democratic breakdown. From December 1860 to early June 1861, eleven of the fifteen slaveholding states in the U.S. South declared secession from the Union. The trigger for the crisis was Abraham Lincoln’s victory in the presidential election of November 1860. Many...
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- January 2024
- Case
Colbún and Chile’s Energy Transition
By: Forest Reinhardt, Jenyfeer Martinez Buitrago and Mariana CalIn May 2023, Colbún, Chile’s second-largest electricity generator, plans capacity expansions using renewable energy and storage. This strategy supports Chile’s commitment to carbon neutrality (also known as net zero emissions) by 2050. The case delves into the advantages and disadvantages of several energy sources and storage technologies, taking into account Chile's energy transition pathway. Colbún aims to expand while ensuring a reliable 24/7 power supply, a challenge due to the intermittent nature of some energy sources, such as solar and wind technologies. To this end, the company must consider complementary energy sources and storage solutions. Additionally, there is a need for new or upgraded transmission lines to transport electricity from new plants, along with regulatory changes to accommodate energy source characteristics. However, these changes are not unfolding as rapidly as renewable energy projects across the country. Chile has become a global hotspot for solar and wind energy developers, but several companies are already running into obstacles. José Ignacio Escobar, who became Colbún’s CEO in 2022, must navigate these intricate landscape to determine whether to expedite the company's shift into renewable energies. This choice includes selecting the most suitable technologies to invest in while striking a balance among competitiveness, energy security, reliability, and the sustainability of the energy system. Taking a close look at Colbún’s operations, this case illustrates the intricacies of conducting business in the context of global energy markets. It particularly underscores the challenges posed by the ongoing decarbonization of energy systems.
- January 2024
- Case
Colbún and Chile’s Energy Transition
By: Forest Reinhardt, Jenyfeer Martinez Buitrago and Mariana CalIn May 2023, Colbún, Chile’s second-largest electricity generator, plans capacity expansions using renewable energy and storage. This strategy supports Chile’s commitment to carbon neutrality (also known as net zero emissions) by 2050. The case delves into the advantages and disadvantages of several energy sources and storage technologies, taking...
About the Unit
The BGIE Unit conducts research on, and teaches about, the economic, political, social, and legal environment in which business operates. The Unit includes scholars trained in economics, political science, and history; in its work, it draws on perspectives from all three of these disciplines.
The following demonstrates one way of classifying the approaches the Unit takes to learning and teaching.
- The Unit examines the “rules” and policies established by government and other non-business institutions that affect business in the United States.
- The Unit turns to history to understand the origins of today’s business environment as well as some of the alternatives that have emerged from time to time.
- The Unit examines other countries’ business environments and their historical development.
- The BGIE group is deeply interested in the impact of globalization and the way rules are emerging to govern international economic transactions as globalization proceeds.
Recent Publications
Exports in Disguise: Trade Re-Routing During the U.S.-China Trade War
- 2024 |
- Working Paper |
- Faculty Research
The U.S. Secession Crisis as a Breakdown of Democracy
- 2024 |
- Chapter |
- Faculty Research
When Democracy Breaks: Studies in Democratic Erosion and Collapse, from Ancient Athens to the Present Day
- 2024 |
- Book |
- Faculty Research
The Political Effects of Immigration: Culture or Economics?
- March 2024 |
- Article |
- Journal of Economic Literature
ReNew (B): A New Direction
- February 2024 |
- Supplement |
- Faculty Research
Stagflation: The 1970s and the Crisis of the Post-War Order
- January 2024 |
- Teaching Note |
- Faculty Research
Nigeria: Africa's Giant
- January 2024 |
- Teaching Note |
- Faculty Research
Harvard Business Publishing
Seminars & Conferences
There are no upcoming events.