• "Does the Electric Car Have the Juice?" Fierce price competition, painstaking cost-cutting, and widespread volatility is making life in the auto industry incredibly challenging. How has Renault adapted, and where does it see the auto industry heading? As a fledgling technology (and one of the great hopes for reducing global carbon emissions) can any electric car concept overcome such an inhospitable environment? Renault Group Commercial Director Len Curran and Electric Vehicles chief Andrew Heiron both offer their insights as the first installment of the Economics in Action series. (25 February 2010)

  • Dr. Leszek Balcerowicz An economist, a Professor at the Warsaw School of Economics, Former President of the National Bank of Poland and Former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance in the first non-communist Polish Government after the Second World War. The 31st December 2009 marked the 20th anniversary of the "Balcerowicz Plan". Among other things, the reforms provided for the privatization and restructuring of some state-owned enterprises, as well as for the exchangeability of the Polish zloty and the standardization of taxes. They abolished the state's monopoly in international trade and allowed foreign businesses and individuals to invest in Poland. The reforms introduced by Leszek Balcerowicz in 1989 became a foundation on which a strong free market economy was built. In 2009, Poland was the only European Union member to experience a positive economic growth. Results, lessons, and prospects. (22 February 2010)

  • Stephen King (HSBC Group Chief Economist) Part 1 | Part 2 | (Powerpoint file) A double-dip recession? A bumpy recovery? The path ahead, as perceived by HSBC Group's Chief Economist Stephen King. (9 February 2010)

  • Economics Debate Cup 2010 Final Round Debate was on the motion of "This house believes that Western countries should not enforce drug (pharmaceutical) patents on developing countries." Judges included representatives from Ernst and Young, Oxera, and Dr Di Falco (Lecturer at the LSE). The four competing teams were: 1. Daniel Gross and Giles Templeman 2. Leon Melnicoff and George Cole 3. Sriramprasad Rangarajan and Rizwana 4. Alexandra Oprea and Siddhant Saxena. (28 January 2010)

  • Dr. Edward Prescott (Nobel Laureate) The current state of the economy. The recent collapse of financial markets plunged economies around the world into recession. The series of events following the downfall of Lehman Brothers last September scripted an unprecedented chapter in economic history. Whether it was enormous bail-out packages, monetary policy or quantitative easing, economies around the world took expansive steps to stay afloat. This leaves us in a very sensitive and interesting position today. Is the worst over? With US Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke declaring the end of the recession, will we see dissipating unemployment, growing GDPs and bullish stock markets? And most importantly, what changes, if any, will we see in economic policy? Speaking to the Economics Society as part of the Economist in Residence lecture series. (8 October 2009)