Microsoft and Amazon share some similarities. Both are among the largest and most valuable companies in the world, both are in the (high) technology sector, and both have their respective headquarters in the U.S. However, they differ significantly in one respect: Microsoft announced in 2022 that it would support the formation of trade unions among its employees. Amazon, on the other hand, is strongly opposed to unions is said to have intimidated its employees to prevent the formation of unions. Why do the two companies act so differently on this point? Why do some companies support unions and others not at all? The podcast looks at possible explanations for these questions.

Authors: Jakob Hüttner, Jana Mitterbauer, Emily Patek, Nico Schuh;

Language: German

When the social security system that has become famous as "Obamacare" was introduced under President Barack Obama in the U.S., it was clear that the Democratic Party and its electorate supported the president. The Republicans, who were in opposition at the time, became fierce opponents of "Obamacare" and still oppose the expansion of the programme. According to polls, however, many voters of the Republican Party are quite positive about "Obamacare". Why do the views of the party and its voters diverge so much? The podcast looks at various political backgrounds and attempts to explain this difference.

Authors: Philipp N. Henßler, Jakob Korosec, Iris Reichspfarrer;

Language: German

Data from the OECD of 2020 show that women's pensions are still on average about 27% lower than those of men. Especially the comparison of two highly developed neighbouring countries shows particularly large differences here. While the gap between the average pensions of women and men in Germany is particularly large at well over 40%, it is comparatively small in neighbouring Denmark at less than 10%. How can such differences arise in two comparable OECD countries? The podcast analyses the systems of both countries to find possible answers to this question.

Authors: Matthias Hofinger, Mira Klien, Veronika Kren, Felix Wurzinger;

Language: German

Austria's first Minister for Women's Affairs, Johanna Dohnal, once said "that men should also be given the chance to have a family and a family life". In Austria, the possibility of paternity leave was created in 1990. Finland also invests a lot in equal rights for fathers and mothers in raising their children. Nevertheless, far fewer men take up the offer of paternity leave in Austria than in Finland. Why do the two countries differ so much in this respect? The podcast explains different regulations in parental leave and explores possible explanations for this disparity.

Authors: Florian Heimhilcher, Pierce R. C. Johnston, Jana Pörnbacher, Raphaela Wenger;

Language: German

Australia and Japan have a comparable highly concentrated banking system. In both countries, the three or four largest institutions dominate a good 80% of the market. However, high systemic concentration also increases the potential vulnerability in the event of a crisis - which has occurred in both countries. As a result, the governments of the two countries reacted in completely different ways and took diametrically opposed measures regarding the control and regulation of the financial sector. Has one of the two systems proved more effective than the other? The podcast explores the motivations that led to these different decisions and how the banking systems of both countries have evolved.

Authors: Sophia Kaiser, Lisa Schmid;

Language: English

Both Switzerland and Bulgaria are small countries in Europe. Moreover, both countries have well-developed financial systems and have not adopted the euro as their currency. The respective national currencies, the Swiss franc and the Bulgarian lev, were fixed to the euro for a long time. Switzerland, however, has abandoned this peg, while Bulgaria still maintains it. How did these differences in monetary policy come about? What are the political motives behind these decisions? The podcast establishes connections and provides possible explanations.

Authors: Laura C. David, Rainhard Jungreithmeyer, Alina Mogititsch, Alexander Regner;

Language: English

For small economies like Brunei, Fiji or Kuwait, it is particularly important to connect with other economies through trade relations and international capital flows. There is a link between a fixed exchange rate to other currencies, free movement of capital and an independent monetary policy. The so-called Mundell-Fleming trilemma states that a country can never maintain all three factors simultaneously. Brunei, Fiji and Kuwait have each set different priorities in order to survive as small economies. But for what reasons? How can it be determined which two of the three factors should be prioritised? The podcast looks at the three countries mentioned and tries to derive explanations for the different approaches.

Authors: Ibrahim Dinc, Lisa A. Ficzko, Rafaela Kattner, Michael A. Maier;

Language: English

Elections to the State Duma were held in Russia in 2016 and 2021. However, in contrast to 2016, Russian President Putin authorised generous special payments to public servants before the 2021 elections. What was the president's strategy in making this decision? What effects did he hope it would have? The podcast analyses the topic of "Political Business Cycles" to answer these questions.

Authors: Hannah Appelt, Philipp N. Henßler, Jana Pörnbacher, Iris Reichspfarrer, Annalena Riegler, Max E. H. von Wedemayer;

Language: German

After long discussions, the electoral law in Japan was fundamentally changed in 1994. Since then, the members of the lower house are elected by a combination of majority and proportional representation. But why was it not until 1994 that a political agreement could be reached? How did the changes affect the Japanese parties? Were there parties that particularly benefited or lost out in the process? The podcast examines and explains the changes in the Japanese electoral system and shows political correlations.

Authors: Matthias Hofinger, Pierce R. C. Johnston, Gyöngyvér T. Karabelyos, Jakob Korosec, Fabian P. Mono, Nico Schuh, Manuel Skrobanek;

Language: German