The markets for true commodities are different from those for other goods. While buyers in other markets are concerned with many facets of quality, commodity purchasers care only that the final product for these goods meets a single standard. Does this affect the extent to which participants in these markets must rely on trust when transacting?
Markets and social networks are sometimes portrayed as entirely distinct mechanisms for exchanging goods and services, but a rich social network is a valuable asset that can be used within markets to gain access to scarce resources from individuals who prefer to trade with those they know and trust.
Cooperation often benefits all parties involved in an agreement or relationship, but such behavior is often difficult to bring about because of a lack of trust. Some theorists have suggested that obstacles to trusting can be thwarted with effective use of communication and contracts. With support from the Russell Sage Foundation, Avner Ben-Ner of the University of Minnesota and Louis Putterman of Brown University will test the effectiveness of these proposed remedies with laboratory experiments.
Previous research has focused on the reasons that people discriminate in relationships where two parties are forced to interact. However, discrimination can also occur through selection; that is, people may choose to interact with one individual over another because of gender or ethnic stereotypes. This type of exclusion can have powerful consequences, as minorities might be consistently excluded from attractive jobs, desirable neighborhoods, and other opportunities, simply because those in the majority prefer to select their own kind.
According to the 2000 Census, more than 30 million immigrants reside in the United States, nearly half of whom entered the country within the last 10 years. Currently, immigrants comprise 11 percent of the population, the highest percentage since 1930. Although immigrant groups have always tended to live in ghettoized clusters, few studies have examined the socioeconomic impact of residential isolation or whether today's immigrant groups are more or less isolated from the native-born population than were early twentieth-century immigrant groups.
Access to and use of financial services can affect a wide range of economic behaviors, including decisions about consumption, saving, home ownership, business formation, investment and retirement. These services have the potential to empower disadvantaged groups and give them greater control over their economic future. However, little is known about the use of financial services among one historically impoverished group - immigrants to the United States. To what extent do they participate in mainstream financial institutions?
New immigrants to the United States bring with them new attitudes about gender roles and the division of labor within the family. Though these cultural differences may translate into new patterns of workforce participation for men and women, until now little research has focused on gender differences in outcomes and rates of assimilation.