Why Baseball Umpires Are Like Wine Tasters

Whether looking a the strikes called by an umpire or the scores from wine tasters, we would see inconsistent decisions that are called noisy.

How Legos Helped to Build a Vaccination Center

Albrecht Broemme had to figure out the design of Germany’s Covid-19 vaccination centers at two airport terminals, a concert venue, a velodrome, an ice rink, and a convention hall. So, he used Legos. Below, Mr. Broemme is holding a picture…

Why Amazon Is Buying a Freighter Fleet

Just 16 years ago, we needed a $25 minimum order to get Amazon’s free Super Saver Shipping for an 8 to 10 day wait. An extra $9.48 got us two-day delivery and $16.48, one day. But then in 2009, they…

Apple’s Goldilocks Strategy

A behavioral economist can explain why a pricing strategy can become a legend when it relates to a bread making machine.

How Subscriptions Could Affect Car Sales

Through a BMW subscription, the incentive to buy a menu of extras like heated steering wheels shifts from the typical car dealer’s option package.

The Best Way To Measure Happiness

When we compare Bhutan’s gross national happiness (GNH) to its gross domestic product (GDP, we could decide if happiness relates to economic growth.

The New Meaning of Fast Delivery

From the nineteenth century to the twenty-first, our expectations for fast letter and package delivery have changed considerably.

How a Behavioral Economist Explains a Frappuccino Problem

Since 1995, many of us have been consuming shamelessly decadent Frappuccinos. Just one Ultra Caramel Frappuccino with dark caramel coffee, layers of whipped cream (each topped with a dollop of caramel sauce), and white chocolate tops the 400 calorie threshold.…

Why You Might Want Some “Price Gouging”

Called “price gouging” by many of us, an increase in prices as a hurricane approaches could be a productive incentive for supply and demand.

What Soccer Can Teach Us About Investing

When measuring happiness around the world after a World Cup finals match, the pain of loss can exceed the pleasure of gain.