Business, Law and Society

Playing computer games helps improve math scores, but only for boys

Daily play of multiplayer online games lifts math test scores for teenagers, but only for boys, widening the gender gap among male and female teens, new research from the Vancouver School of Economics at the University of British Columbia has found.

Sep 7, 2018

Consumers were mostly unaware of the bias in website’s product recommendations, revealing the risk consumers face when shopping online.

Personalized online product recommendations may be more deceptive than they seem

Beware of “personalized” product recommendations on e-commerce sites, because some retailers might use them deceptively to influence consumers into buying lower quality products.

Sep 6, 2018

UBC experts on Trans Mountain pipeline decision

UBC experts are available to comment on today’s decision by the Federal Court of Appeal regarding the Trans Mountain pipeline.

Aug 30, 2018

UBC experts on recreational cannabis legalization

The Senate voted Tuesday to pass Bill C-45—the government’s legislation to legalize cannabis—meaning that recreational cannabis will soon be legal across Canada.

Jun 20, 2018

UBC experts on U.S. policy of separating migrant families

U.S. President Donald Trump is defending his administration’s practice of separating families entering the U.S. illegally, despite growing protests and condemnation. UBC experts are available to comment.

Jun 19, 2018

UBC experts on Trinity Western law school decision

Experts from the Peter A. Allard School of Law at UBC are available to comment on the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in the Trinity Western University law school case.

Jun 15, 2018

Using envy can boost brands but it can also backfire, depending on a consumer’s self-esteem, according to new UBC Sauder School of Business research.

Using envy as a marketing tool can backfire

For decades, marketers have used envy to sell, attempting to cash in on consumers’ desire to want what others have. But does it actually work?

Jun 5, 2018

New Vancouver School of Economics research has found that, on average, people living in cities have lower life satisfaction than rural dwellers.

The happiest—and least happy—places in Canada

How happy people are varies significantly by region, city, and even neighbourhood, according to new research from the University of British Columbia.

May 24, 2018

Victoria Lemieux will be presenting her research at the #BCTech Summit on Tuesday.

What is blockchain? UBC expert breaks it down

Blockchain is often touted as being the future of finance, trade, digital media, and more— but many people still don’t really understand what it is.

May 14, 2018

The researchers found that access to flexible work arrangements— such as being able to work from home and to choose work hours— improves wages for mothers, especially for those with a university education.

Flexible work arrangements reduce wage gap for mothers

Access to flexible work arrangements reduces the wage gap for mothers compared to women who don’t have children, new UBC research suggests.

May 10, 2018

Bill C-13, and the first six cases prosecuted in Canada after it became law in 2015, treat the non-consensual distribution of intimate images primarily as a privacy violation rather than an act of gender-based violence, argues PhD student Moira Aikenhead.

‘Revenge porn’ is more than a privacy violation

Canadian legislation criminalizing the non-consensual distribution of “intimate images” risks putting more scrutiny on the victims than the perpetrators, according to a recent study from the Peter A. Allard School of Law at UBC.

May 1, 2018

UBC experts on Kinder Morgan pipeline dispute

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met Sunday with the premiers of B.C. and Alberta about Kinder Morgan’s effort to expand the Trans Mountain pipeline. UBC experts are available to comment.

Apr 16, 2018

For the study, researchers spent two years conducting interviews with 138 mothers and grandmothers of young children in low-income communities in North Carolina.

Poor mothers face greater scrutiny over their children’s weight

Low-income mothers who use food assistance programs face a high level of surveillance over their children’s health and weight, new UBC research suggests.

Mar 6, 2018

Photo radar was used in B.C. in the 1990s but came to be seen as a "cash grab."

Speed limit enforcement could help fix ICBC: UBC expert

With ICBC reporting a potential $1.3-billion deficit, many ideas are being proposed to help the Crown corporation scale back its spending.

Mar 5, 2018

Researchers looking at the effect of smartphones on face-to-face social interactions found that people who used their devices while out for dinner with friends and family enjoyed themselves less than those who did not.

Not enjoying your dinner out? Try putting the phone away

Smartphones might make people feel more connected, but they likely don’t belong at the dinner table, according to new research from the University of British Columbia.

Feb 26, 2018

UBC experts on the federal budget

Finance Minister Bill Morneau will introduce the federal government’s latest budget on Tuesday.

Feb 26, 2018

The findings could have far-reaching implications for gender equality in urban China where motherhood is a major contributor to the gender pay gap.

China’s two-child policy may exacerbate gender inequality

Since China ended its one-child policy allowing all families to have up to two children, an additional 90 million women have become eligible to have a second child.

Feb 23, 2018

UBC experts on B.C. budget

The B.C. NDP government is introducing its full budget on Tuesday, Feb. 20.

Feb 19, 2018

Recommendations on ride-hailing in B.C. will be released Thursday.

Ride-hailing could shift gears for B.C. taxi industry: UBC expert

An all-party committee of Crown corporations is expected to release its recommendations on ride-hailing in B.C. on Thursday.

Feb 15, 2018

Port of Vancouver. Credit: Chris Huggins/Flickr

UBC experts on Trans-Pacific Partnership

Canada and the remaining Trans-Pacific Partnership members have agreed to a revised deal without the United States.

Jan 23, 2018