Ihsaan
@ihsaanbassier.bsky.social
Lecturer (assistant prof) at Surrey University, also associate at CEP LSE and SALDRU UCT.
Economist working on firm wage setting power, inequality and development. South African.
Economist working on firm wage setting power, inequality and development. South African.
Working paper of perhaps my fav project, w/ @joshbudlender.bsky.social
We know min wages can improve efficiency statically by reducing markdowns under monopsony. We show such worker benefits erode as firms' productivity rises, b/c some firms claw back markdowns rather than share benefits.
We know min wages can improve efficiency statically by reducing markdowns under monopsony. We show such worker benefits erode as firms' productivity rises, b/c some firms claw back markdowns rather than share benefits.
🚨New Working Paper!🚨
@ihsaanbassier.bsky.social & I start with simple stylised fact: lower productivity firms pay ~minimum wage, even as productivity increases.
What does this mean for rent sharing/passthrough? Employment? Profits?
Monopsony model + 🇿🇦 admin data = striking conclusions!
@ihsaanbassier.bsky.social & I start with simple stylised fact: lower productivity firms pay ~minimum wage, even as productivity increases.
What does this mean for rent sharing/passthrough? Employment? Profits?
Monopsony model + 🇿🇦 admin data = striking conclusions!
November 21, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Working paper of perhaps my fav project, w/ @joshbudlender.bsky.social
We know min wages can improve efficiency statically by reducing markdowns under monopsony. We show such worker benefits erode as firms' productivity rises, b/c some firms claw back markdowns rather than share benefits.
We know min wages can improve efficiency statically by reducing markdowns under monopsony. We show such worker benefits erode as firms' productivity rises, b/c some firms claw back markdowns rather than share benefits.
Reposted by Ihsaan
Colonial extraction and unequal exchange have shaped two centuries of North-South inequality.
A thread on the new study written with @gatonievas.bsky.social
[A thread 1/8🧵]
A thread on the new study written with @gatonievas.bsky.social
[A thread 1/8🧵]
🚨Global economic relations have long been defined by imbalances and unequal power, not by self-correcting market forces, NEW STUDY finds.
@thomaspiketty.bsky.social & @gatonievas.bsky.social call for structural reforms to the international monetary and exchange system.
wid.world/news-article...
@thomaspiketty.bsky.social & @gatonievas.bsky.social call for structural reforms to the international monetary and exchange system.
wid.world/news-article...
Colonial extraction and unequal exchange have shaped two centuries of North-South inequality - WID - World Inequality Database
In a new study, Gastón Nievas and Thomas Piketty examine patterns of global imbalances, current account surplus/deficit and net foreign wealth accumulation over more than two centuries.
wid.world
June 9, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Colonial extraction and unequal exchange have shaped two centuries of North-South inequality.
A thread on the new study written with @gatonievas.bsky.social
[A thread 1/8🧵]
A thread on the new study written with @gatonievas.bsky.social
[A thread 1/8🧵]
Reposted by Ihsaan
Americans favor labor unions over big business now more than ever, analysis of new data @epi.org from me & Adam Reich of Columbia Labor Lab.
In data back 60 years, Americans' sentiments are both warmer toward unions & cooler towards big business than ever before.
www.epi.org/blog/america...
In data back 60 years, Americans' sentiments are both warmer toward unions & cooler towards big business than ever before.
www.epi.org/blog/america...
May 20, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Americans favor labor unions over big business now more than ever, analysis of new data @epi.org from me & Adam Reich of Columbia Labor Lab.
In data back 60 years, Americans' sentiments are both warmer toward unions & cooler towards big business than ever before.
www.epi.org/blog/america...
In data back 60 years, Americans' sentiments are both warmer toward unions & cooler towards big business than ever before.
www.epi.org/blog/america...
Reposted by Ihsaan
We ask: Why do South African women earn less than men?
~Half the gap is due to women "sorting" into lower-paying firms, beginning in their late 20s.
New in JDE w/ @ihsaanbassier.bsky.social . Conversation piece:
~Half the gap is due to women "sorting" into lower-paying firms, beginning in their late 20s.
New in JDE w/ @ihsaanbassier.bsky.social . Conversation piece:
Why are women paid less than men? New research in South Africa shows the company you work for makes the biggest difference
A big part of the explanation for why women are paid less than men is the companies they work for.
theconversation.com
May 9, 2025 at 4:26 PM
We ask: Why do South African women earn less than men?
~Half the gap is due to women "sorting" into lower-paying firms, beginning in their late 20s.
New in JDE w/ @ihsaanbassier.bsky.social . Conversation piece:
~Half the gap is due to women "sorting" into lower-paying firms, beginning in their late 20s.
New in JDE w/ @ihsaanbassier.bsky.social . Conversation piece:
Our paper is now out at the Review of Economics and Statistics, "Vacancy Durations and Wages"
A simple paper using annual firm & union pay increases to get ~recruitment elasticities. Unsurprisingly, when firms raise wages they get workers more quickly!
direct.mit.edu/rest/article...
A simple paper using annual firm & union pay increases to get ~recruitment elasticities. Unsurprisingly, when firms raise wages they get workers more quickly!
direct.mit.edu/rest/article...
March 14, 2025 at 5:07 PM
Our paper is now out at the Review of Economics and Statistics, "Vacancy Durations and Wages"
A simple paper using annual firm & union pay increases to get ~recruitment elasticities. Unsurprisingly, when firms raise wages they get workers more quickly!
direct.mit.edu/rest/article...
A simple paper using annual firm & union pay increases to get ~recruitment elasticities. Unsurprisingly, when firms raise wages they get workers more quickly!
direct.mit.edu/rest/article...
One is really astonished and frankly enraged every time these intergovernmental organizations walk into a global south forum to deliver a "country report" with clear "recommendations" that of course have zero clues about anything and yet all the power and arrogance to demand everyone's attention.
November 29, 2024 at 2:35 PM
One is really astonished and frankly enraged every time these intergovernmental organizations walk into a global south forum to deliver a "country report" with clear "recommendations" that of course have zero clues about anything and yet all the power and arrogance to demand everyone's attention.
Reposted by Ihsaan
Optimist: The cup is half full
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Economist: The cup reveals how much the consumers like to drink given his budget constraint.
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Economist: The cup reveals how much the consumers like to drink given his budget constraint.
November 23, 2024 at 7:32 PM
Optimist: The cup is half full
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Economist: The cup reveals how much the consumers like to drink given his budget constraint.
Pessimist: The cup is half empty
Economist: The cup reveals how much the consumers like to drink given his budget constraint.
Reposted by Ihsaan
Churning numbers w/ @ihsaanbassier.bsky.social & @rosaabraham.bsky.social from India's economic census for a project:
From the set of non-agri enterprises in India, >98% are informal or micro enterprises (with no hired or hired but < than 10 workers) + they acc for 79% of all workers in the set.
From the set of non-agri enterprises in India, >98% are informal or micro enterprises (with no hired or hired but < than 10 workers) + they acc for 79% of all workers in the set.
November 22, 2024 at 12:01 PM
Churning numbers w/ @ihsaanbassier.bsky.social & @rosaabraham.bsky.social from India's economic census for a project:
From the set of non-agri enterprises in India, >98% are informal or micro enterprises (with no hired or hired but < than 10 workers) + they acc for 79% of all workers in the set.
From the set of non-agri enterprises in India, >98% are informal or micro enterprises (with no hired or hired but < than 10 workers) + they acc for 79% of all workers in the set.
Reposted by Ihsaan
Got a longish read in @phenomenalworld.bsky.social on the budget, Labour's economic strategy and UK political economy.
www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/bey...
www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/bey...
Beyond Growth | Jo Michell
Can Labour rise to the politics of growth after fourteen years of stagnation?
www.phenomenalworld.org
November 22, 2024 at 8:47 AM
Got a longish read in @phenomenalworld.bsky.social on the budget, Labour's economic strategy and UK political economy.
www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/bey...
www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/bey...
After all, 99% of RCTs are information interventions with huge effects, who needs hospitals when we have lectures!
someone needs to put this in a development economics lecture
November 20, 2024 at 1:15 PM
After all, 99% of RCTs are information interventions with huge effects, who needs hospitals when we have lectures!
Nice presentation by Imran rasul on race-related research in econ:
2% of publications related to race, pretty flat since 1970 but rising for top 5 journals -- still way below eg sociology at 12%.
2% of publications related to race, pretty flat since 1970 but rising for top 5 journals -- still way below eg sociology at 12%.
October 3, 2023 at 5:40 PM
Nice presentation by Imran rasul on race-related research in econ:
2% of publications related to race, pretty flat since 1970 but rising for top 5 journals -- still way below eg sociology at 12%.
2% of publications related to race, pretty flat since 1970 but rising for top 5 journals -- still way below eg sociology at 12%.
Reposted by Ihsaan
Very happy to be International Economic Association's
@IEA_economics featured economist for the month of October 2023.
In this profile, I reflect on why I do economics, relevance of my work, and how to think about the issue of diversity in the discipline.
iea-world.org/Featured%20E...
@IEA_economics featured economist for the month of October 2023.
In this profile, I reflect on why I do economics, relevance of my work, and how to think about the issue of diversity in the discipline.
iea-world.org/Featured%20E...
Surbhi Kesar | IEA
iea-world.org
October 1, 2023 at 9:38 PM
Very happy to be International Economic Association's
@IEA_economics featured economist for the month of October 2023.
In this profile, I reflect on why I do economics, relevance of my work, and how to think about the issue of diversity in the discipline.
iea-world.org/Featured%20E...
@IEA_economics featured economist for the month of October 2023.
In this profile, I reflect on why I do economics, relevance of my work, and how to think about the issue of diversity in the discipline.
iea-world.org/Featured%20E...