With New Jersey’s new paper and plastic bag bans, we can ask if the regulations will have the unintended consequence of the “Cobra Effect.”
The Signs That Backfire
According to a recent study, sometimes highway signs can have the unintended consequence of creating what they are trying to prevent.
The Mystery of the Missing Wrap
Although soft plastic recycling was supermarket chain Tesco’s goal, it did not quite work out as they planned.
When a Rank Is Wrong
Seemingly indisputable because of their quantifiable origins, ranking criteria are really subjective and potentially misleading.
The Great Himalayan National Park’s Unintended Consequences
When planners developed India’s Great Himalayan National Park, they achieved their plans and some unintended consequences.
How National Policy Can Respond to Floods
With flooding becoming more frequent, national policy makers need to decide if flood insurance should be more affordable or avoidable.
When E-Cigarette Taxes Increased Smoking
Ranging from Argentina to Uganda, countries have banned e-cigarette sales. Elsewhere, hoping to minimize smoking, nations use e-cigarette taxes. The taxes though have had unintended consequences. Let’s take a look. E-Cigarette Taxes Globally, we have 30 countries that ban e-cigarettes…
Learn With Elaine: Misleading Metrics
Like factory quotas, snake bounties, or college ranking, sometimes incentives can create unintended consequences.
Why Metrics Can Be Misleading
We can wind up with misleading metrics when the number we use as a goal becomes the incentive that distorts output decisions.
What Central Banks Could Do To Our Cash
As more nations experiment with central bank digital currencies, we could see less cash, fewer banks, and maybe some unintended consequences.