Discussion papers and briefings

September 7, 2021 – Asia’s consumer markets are not only growing rapidly but diversifying and segmenting. Three changes in perspective are key to understanding new consumption paths in the region.

August 6, 2020 – Greater frequency and severity of climate hazards can create more disruptions in global supply chains—interrupting production, raising costs and prices, and hurting corporate revenues.

June 29, 2020 – The world’s stock of natural resources performs a range of services that are essential to human well-being. But climate change is accelerating the depletion of natural capital.

June 10, 2020 – Beyond COVID-19, automation, migration, and shrinking labor supply are shifting the geography of employment.

June 3, 2020 – Corporations in Asia have grown in scale but lag behind the global average on profits, and the COVID-19 crisis poses new challenges.

May 28, 2020 – The Mediterranean’s signature climate drives tourism and agriculture in the region. What impact is climate change likely to have?

May 18, 2020 – Agriculture is critical to Africa’s growth and development, but climate change could destabilize local markets, curb economic growth, and heighten risk for agricultural investors.

May 18, 2020 – The COVID-19 pandemic is exposing vulnerabilities in the global food system which could be compounded by climate change risks.

April 27, 2020 – Flood risk is rising in Florida due to climate change. How exposed is residential real estate—both directly and indirectly—and what can be done to manage the risks?

April 20, 2020 – Coastal cities are on the front line of flooding. Two very different cities, Ho Chi Minh City and Bristol, help illustrate variations in risks and approaches to adaptation.

April 2, 2020 – Up to one-third of US jobs may be vulnerable—and more than 80 percent are held by low-income workers.

February 20, 2020 – Connectivity is undergoing evolutionary change in most parts of the world—and, in select areas, a genuine leap into the frontier.

October 16, 2019 – Innovation is of fundamental importance for Europe’s economic and social system. These five paths could build on its strengths and help the continent regain its competitive edge.

September 18, 2019 – The Asian Century has begun. Asia is the world’s largest regional economy and, as its economies integrate further, it has the potential to fuel and shape the next phase of globalization.

June 26, 2019 – While the wealth gap has narrowed globally, inequality within advanced economies has increased since the 1980s.

June 10, 2019 – Millions of women in the United Kingdom may need to transition between occupations and into higher-skilled jobs due to automation but those transitions could be challenging.

June 10, 2019 – The United Kingdom is one of Europe’s AI leaders, and now needs to build on its strengths and tackle weaknesses.

June 6, 2019 – AI has the potential to help humans make fairer decisions—but only if we carefully work toward fairness in AI systems as well.

May 22, 2019 – Globalization, technology, and other often-cited factors may not be the main causes.

May 21, 2019 – The world that has been radically transformed since the commercial internet emerged a quarter century ago. Ten insights help frame the digital journey.

May 15, 2019 – Focusing on innovation, skills, and labor fluidity will be keys to good social outcomes of technology adoption.

February 7, 2019 – Europe’s average digital gap with the world’s leaders is now being compounded by an emerging gap in artificial intelligence.

January 22, 2019 – Global trends are creating ever-larger winners and losers.

December 12, 2018 – The combination of six global megatrends is increasing the stress on Europe’s inclusive growth and the EU social contract.

November 28, 2018 – AI is not a silver bullet, but it could help tackle some of the world’s most challenging social problems.

October 24, 2018 – Is there a superstar effect? McKinsey Global Institute research uncovers the dynamics of superstar firms, sectors, and cities in the global economy.

October 15, 2018 – AI promises considerable economic benefits, even as it disrupts the world of work. These three priorities will help achieve good outcomes.

September 11, 2018 – Bridging the gender gap in the Dutch labor market brings significant opportunities both for individuals and the wider economy.

September 4, 2018 – Artificial intelligence has large potential to contribute to global economic activity. But widening gaps among countries, companies, and workers will need to be managed to maximize the benefits.

September 3, 2018 – New research explains why the United Kingdom has been experiencing historically low productivity growth and what can be done to return to long-run averages.

August 29, 2018 – The world economy has recently returned to robust growth. But some familiar risks are creeping back, and new ones have emerged.

July 5, 2018 – Smart solutions can help cities across the region manage the next stage of growth.

June 18, 2018 – Corporate bond issuance has increased 2.5 times over the past ten years, creating a broader and deeper market in many countries. But there are rising risks.

June 1, 2018 – As machines increasingly complement human labor in the workplace, we will all need to adjust to reap the benefits.

April 17, 2018 – An analysis of more than 400 use cases across 19 industries and nine business functions highlights the broad use and significant economic potential of advanced AI techniques.

January 18, 2018 – Europe has an opportunity to ensure that growth and well-being continue in the long term, and to strengthen trust in its institutions.

March 12, 2018 – Automation is coming, disrupting the world of work at unprecedented speed and scale. Here’s how the largest economy in Latin America can face the challenge.

October 13, 2017 – Despite increased spending and pockets of progress, infrastructure investment gaps remain.

October 12, 2017 – Global housing stock has not expanded quickly enough to keep up with a surge in demand, but cities can focus on three supply-side solutions to make progress.

October 2, 2017 – Europe, while making progress, is behind the US and China in capturing the opportunities of artificial intelligence and automation.

August 3, 2017 – China is already more digitized than many observers appreciate and has the potential to set the world’s digital frontier in coming decades.

June 15, 2017 – Companies new to the space can learn a great deal from early adopters who have invested billions into AI and are now beginning to reap a range of benefits.

June 13, 2017 – As India’s labor market shifts, it is time to focus on improved quality of work and the income derived from it, not simply the number of jobs being lost or created.

May 11, 2017 – Innovations in digitization, analytics, artificial intelligence, and automation are creating performance and productivity opportunities for business and the economy, even as they reshape employment and the future of work.

April 17, 2017 – The country could exert leadership in seeking to preserve globalization’s benefits while addressing its downsides.

April 4, 2017 – The region needs to remove obstacles to competitiveness, pursue digitization, raise skills, and improve economic fundamentals.

March 31, 2017 – Can the productivity puzzle be solved? Fresh analysis examines the issue and highlights opportunities for companies and policy makers to act on.

March 15, 2017 – As the EU faces an inflection point, its response to three global forces will shape the path forward.

February 8, 2017 – Our new Corporate Horizon Index provides systematic evidence that a long-term approach can lead to superior performance for revenue and earnings, investment, market capitalization, and job creation.

May 24, 2017 – Automation, digital platforms, and other innovations are changing the fundamental nature of work. Understanding these shifts can help policy makers, business leaders, and workers move forward.

November 16, 2016 – Slower economic growth in the United States has wrought a vicious cycle that has hobbled many American households. Targeted investment and policy action could turn it around.

May 16, 2016 – Investing in access to essential services and reducing the gap in labor-force participation rates could significantly expand the global economy by 2025.

April 6, 2016 – Discussion paper: Ultra-low interest rates have failed to spark investment and economic demand. What can be done?

November 1, 2013 – Ultra-low interest rates, in part as a result of central-bank policies since 2007, have had a very different distributional impact on governments, corporations, financial institutions, and households.

November 1, 2014 – If the prevalence of obesity continues on its rising trend, almost half of the world’s adult population could be overweight or obese by 2030, imposing even greater personal, social, and economic costs. Effectively combating obesity around the world may require a comprehensive strategy of 44 interventions as part of a potential Obesity Abatement Program.

December 1, 2009 – Could the US prioritize domestic growth and jobs over its global responsibilities, sparking greater currency volatility that threatens competitiveness?