Brookings: Experts - Clifford Winston

What About Microeconomics?

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Robert Crandall and Clifford Winston respond to Paul Krugman's recent New York Times Magazine article which laments the current state of macroeconomics. The authors call attention to the fact that Krugman did not mention the state of microeconomics which, they argue, has not suffered any serious intellectual setbacks from the current Great Recession.

President Obama's Plan to Increase Fuel Efficiency Standards

Wed, 20 May 2009 14:40:26 GMT

In proposing higher fuel efficiency standards for new cars, President Obama has intervened in the private sector. Cliff Winston explains how consumer demand alone for fuel efficient cars was clearly not strong enough to drive the market in that direction. But, he warns of such unintended consequences as cars being less safe and driven more.

Infrastructure: What and How?

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Clifford Winston join other experts in an important and timely discussion of something that will affect both the immediate economic progress of the U.S. and our economic viability for generations to come: infrastructure, on NewTalk moderated by Amy Resnick.

"Stimulus" Doesn't Have to Mean Pork

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In order for Barack Obama to truly stimulate the nation’s economy through infrastructure spending, Clifford Winston argues that he needs to wring wasteful spending not just out of pork projects, but out of all of his transportation expenditures. Unlike the bailout of the financial system, sound economic guidelines exist to enable investments to generate large social returns.

Toward a Comprehensive Assessment of Road Pricing Accounting for Land Use

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Highway congestion increases motorists’ travel times and contributes to urban sprawl by raising the price of homes that are close to employment centers. Clifford Winston and Ashley Langer analyze the costs and benefits of congestion pricing accounting for its effects on highway travel conditions and on land use.

Detroit Needs a Selloff, Not a Bailout

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Robert Crandall and Clifford Winston discuss a proposal for automakers they think will cost taxpayers less and, in the long run, be more beneficial to labor and the overall economy than either a straight bailout or bankruptcy.

The Efficacy of Information Policy

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The book Archon Fung, Mary Graham, and David Weil’s Full Disclosure: The Perils and Promise of Transparency provides a thorough discussion of governmentmandated disclosure policies. Clifford Winston uses their book to frame an empirical assessment of whether these—and other information policies—have significantly reduced the costs to consumers created by imperfect information.

Science: Worker Burnout and Taking Risks

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Clifford Winston joins Shankar Vedantam of the Washington Post to discuss human behavior and worker burnout on washingtonpost.com Department of Human Behavior online chat.

Delayed! U.S. Aviation Infrastructure Policy at a Crossroads

Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In this chapter excerpted from their new book, Aviation Infrastructure Performance (Brookings 2008), Steven Morrison and Clifford Winston argue that privatized airports and air traffic control would have the potential to improve service to travelers and reduce the cost of carrier operations while maintaining the nation’s outstanding record of air travel safety in the face of an ever greater volume of traffic. In addition, privatized airports could facilitate greater competition among airlines that would lead to lower fares.

Aviation Infrastructure Performance : A Study in Comparative Political Economy

Thu, 01 May 2008 12:00:00 GMT

International transportation experts compare and contrast how different nations have managed their airports and air traffic control systems and how well they are meeting the needs of their people.

The State of Airline Competition and Prospective Mergers

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

This fall the United States will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 and, Clifford Winston and Steven Morrison argue, the nation has reason to celebrate because airline deregulation has benefited both travelers and carriers.

Airlines are Safer than Ever

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Flights on U.S. airlines have never been more crowded, but despite recent reports, Clifford Winston and Robert Crandall argue, U.S. airlines have never been safer.

The Effect of FAA Expenditures on Air Travel Delays

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) seeks to prevent the nation’s aviation system from becoming congested. To reduce delays, the FAA makes investments in air traffic control. Clifford Winston and Steven A. Morrison assess the efficacy of these investments by developing an empirical model of delays that is motivated by air traffic control operations.

Another Look at Airport Congestion Pricing

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

In this paper, Steven A. Morrison and Clifford Winston develop a model of the net benefits to air travelers from flights to and from US airports and calibrate it with data that account for a large share of the nation’s passenger air travel in 2005.

Vehicle Choice Behavior and the Declining Market Share of U.S. Automakers

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Clifford Winston and Kenneth E. Train develop a consumer-level model of vehicle choice to shed light on the erosion of the U.S. automobile manufacturers’ market share during the past decade. They examine the influence of vehicle attributes, brand loyalty, product line characteristics, and dealerships.

Government Failure versus Market Failure

Fri, 23 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Testimony by Clifford Winston. (03/23/07)

Unfriendly Skies

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Robert Crandall and Clifford Winston argue that policy-makers take the wrong approach in opposing recent merger attempts in the airline industry. While enforcement of antitrust laws can improve consumer welfare in some cases, Crandall and Winston conclude that government efforts to prevent such mergers "do little to improve consumer welfare and sometimes actually reduce it."

Government Failure versus Market Failure : Microeconomics Policy Research and Government Performance

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 00:00:00 GMT

When should government intervene in market activity and when is it best to let market forces take their natural course? How does the existing empirical evidence about government performance guide our answers to these questions? In this clear, concise

Government Failure vs. Market Failure: Microeconomics Policy Research and Government Performance

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT

On what basis is one to conclude that a policy to correct a market failure is as successful as possible? The first consideration is whether government has any reason to intervene in a market: Is there evidence of a serious market failure to correct? The second is whether government policy is at least improving market performance: Is it reducing the economic inefficiency, or "deadweight" loss, from market failure?

On the Social Desirability of Urban Rail Transit Systems

Thu, 31 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Despite a decline in its mode share, investment to build new urban rail transit systems and extend old ones continues. Clifford Winston and Vikram Maheshri estimate the contribution of each U.S. urban rail operation to social welfare based on the demand for and cost of its service.

The Effect of Government Highway Spending on Road Users' Congestion Costs

Fri, 05 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT

AEI Joint Center paper by Clifford Winston (May 2006)

An Exploration of the Offset Hypothesis Using Disaggregate Data: The Case of Airbags and Antilock Brakes

Mon, 01 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Clifford Winston, Vikram Maheshri and Fred Mannering find that safety-conscious drivers are more likely than other drivers to acquire airbags and antilock brakes but these safety devices do not have a significant effect on collisions or injuries, suggesting drivers trade off enhanced safety for speedier trips.

Vehicle Choice Behavior and the Declining Market Share of U.S. Automakers

Mon, 01 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Kenneth E. Train and Clifford Winston attempt to shed light on the U.S. automaker industry’s predicament by applying econometric advances to analyze the vehicle choices of American consumers.

Differentiated Road Pricing, Express Lanes and Carpools: Exploiting Heterogeneous Preferences in Policy Design

Wed, 15 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Kenneth A. Small, Clifford Winston and Jia Yan design a differentiated road pricing scheme that fills in the gap between optimal but socially unpopular first-best pricing and pragmatic but less efficient policies like carpool or HOT lanes.

The AT&T/BellSouth Merger: The Breakdown of 'Breakup'

Thu, 09 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

This week's stunning announcement by AT&T that it had reached an agreement to acquire BellSouth for $67 billion is surely an affront to proponents of a strong antitrust policy for two reasons.

Deregulating the Rails

Thu, 08 Dec 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Deregulation of U.S. industry has been such a controversial issue for the past few decades that it is perhaps understandable that people do not realize that one deregulatory initiative — the 1980 Staggers Act that deregulated the rail freight industry — surprisingly turned out to benefit both consumers and the industry.

The Success of the Staggers Rail Act of 1980

Sat, 15 Oct 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Clifford Winston assesses how railroads and shippers have fared after 25 years of deregulation, and suggests that deregulation has also turned out to be a great boon for shippers as rail carriers have passed on some of their cost savings to them in lower rates and significantly improved service times and reliability.

What's Wrong with the Airline Industry? Diagnosis and Possible Cures

Wed, 28 Sep 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Steven Morrison and Clifford Winston testify before a House committee that the airline industry's financial problems are broadly associated with the industry’s long-term adjustment to airline deregulation. They propose ways that policy-makers can allow the industry to be more efficient and benefit the public.

So Many Transit Dollars For So Little Congestion Relief

Fri, 22 Jul 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Opinion by Clifford Winston, Houston Chronicle (7/22/05)

Making HOT Lanes Sizzle

Mon, 04 Jul 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Opinion by Kenneth A. Small and Clifford Winston, The Washington Examiner (7/4/05)

Vehicle Choice Behavior and the Declining Market Share of U.S. Automakers

Fri, 01 Jul 2005 00:00:00 GMT

We develop a consumer-level model of vehicle choice to shed light on the erosion of the U.S. automobile manufacturers' market share during the past decade. Our model accounts for the influence of vehicle attributes, brand loyalty, product line characteristics, and dealerships on choice. We find that nearly all of the loss in market share for U.S. manufacturers can be explained by changes in basic vehicle attributes: price, size, power, operating cost, and body type. U.S. manufacturers have improved their vehicles' attributes but not as much as Japanese and European manufacturers have improved the attributes of their vehicles.

Auto Industry on the Line as it Juggles Efficiency, Profits

Mon, 23 May 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Robert W. Crandall and Clifford Winston argue that trade protection can no longer shield the U.S. auto producers from foreign efficiency.

Auto Industry on the Line

Mon, 23 May 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Opinion by Robert W. Crandall and Clifford Winston, Detroit Free Press (5/23/05)

Uncovering the Distribution of Motorists’ Preferences for Travel Time and Reliability

Tue, 15 Feb 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Kenneth A. Small, Clifford Winston and Jia Yan suggest that road pricing policies designed to cater to varying preferences can improve efficiency and reduce the disparity of welfare impacts compared with recent pricing experiments.

Does Antitrust Policy Improve Consumer Welfare? Assessing the Evidence

Thu, 15 Apr 2004 00:00:00 GMT

Robert W. Crandall and Clifford Winston review the literature and assesses the effects of antitrust policy and enforcement on consumer welfare.

Does Antitrust Policy Improve Consumer Welfare?

Mon, 01 Sep 2003 00:00:00 GMT

Article by Robert W. Crandall and Clifford Winston, Journal of Economic Perspectives (Fall 2003)

Direct-to-Consumer Advertising and the Demand for Cholesterol-Reducing Drugs

Sun, 15 Jun 2003 00:00:00 GMT

John E. Calfee, Clifford Winston, and Randolph Stempski try to understand why pharmaceutical companies have quadrupled advertising spending since the 1997 FDA rule, making branded direct-to-consumer advertising a new and expensive competitive tool for prescription drug manufacturers.

Bailing Out the Airlines

Mon, 24 Sep 2001 00:00:00 GMT

In the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Clifford Winston and Steve Morrison argue that Congress's airline assistance package should be achieved at minimal societal cost. "Attempts by policymakers to use this tragedy as an opportunity to correct perceived failings of airline competition," they argue, "are inappropriate and unjustified. Industry competition has been strong and effective."

Government Failure in Urban Transportation

Fri, 01 Dec 2000 00:00:00 GMT

Article by Clifford Winston, Fiscal Studies (2000)

Deregulation of Network Industries : What's Next?

Fri, 25 Aug 2000 00:00:00 GMT

This volume addresses deregulation in the airline, railroad, telecommunications, and electric power industries and identifies the next steps that policymakers should take to enhance public welfare and stimulate competition in the provision of these services.

Government Failure in U.S. Transportation

Tue, 01 Jun 1999 00:00:00 GMT

Brookings Review, Summer 1999

Have Car Won't Travel; The Sober - and Sobering - Case for Privatizing Urban Transportation

Thu, 01 Apr 1999 00:00:00 GMT

Opinion by illiam G. Gale, Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution

Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Microeconomics: 1998

Mon, 15 Mar 1999 00:00:00 GMT

For almost thirty years, Brookings Papers on Economic Activity (BPEA) has provided academic and business economists, government officials, and members of the financial and business communities with timely research of current economic issues.

Essays in Transportation Economics and Policy : A Handbook in Honor of John R. Meyer

Fri, 19 Feb 1999 00:00:00 GMT

The book covers the basic analytic methods used in transportation economics and policy development and analysis. It's comprehensive survey of transportation economic policy pays homage to a classic work, Techniques of Transportation Planning, by reno

Alternate Route : Toward Efficient Urban Transportation

Tue, 29 Sep 1998 00:00:00 GMT

This book develops an alternative solution to urban transportation problems based on economic analysis of public and private sector capabilities, concluding that public officials should take the next step and allow the private sector to play a leadin

Fundamental Flaws of Social Regulation: The Case of Airplane Noise

Tue, 15 Sep 1998 00:00:00 GMT

Steven A. Morrison, Tara Watson, and Clifford Winston review the regulatory battle over airplane noise to illustrate how addressing these questions can improve regulatory policy by targeting government action where it is needed.

Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Microeconomics: 1997

Mon, 26 Jan 1998 00:00:00 GMT

The Fare Skies: Air Transportation and Middle America

Mon, 01 Sep 1997 00:00:00 GMT

Brookings Review article by Steven A. Morrison and Clifford Winston (Fall 1997)

Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Microeconomics: 1996

Tue, 04 Feb 1997 00:00:00 GMT

The Evolution of the Airline Industry

Tue, 10 Oct 1995 00:00:00 GMT

In this volume the authors provide a comprehensive profile of the airline industry as it has evolved, both before and since the Airline Deregulation Act in 1978. The authors identify the problems the industry faces, assess their severity and their un

Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Microeconomics 1994

Fri, 10 Jun 1994 00:00:00 GMT

Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Microeconomics 1993:1

Fri, 11 Jun 1993 00:00:00 GMT

Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Microeconomics 1992

Thu, 04 Jun 1992 00:00:00 GMT

Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Microeconomics 1991

Thu, 20 Jun 1991 00:00:00 GMT

For almost twenty years, Brookings Papers on Economic Activity (BPEA) has provided academic and business economists, government officials, and members of the financial and business communities with timely research of current economic issues.

Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Microeconomics 1990

Thu, 21 Jun 1990 00:00:00 GMT

The Economic Effects of Surface Freight Deregulation

Tue, 05 Jun 1990 00:00:00 GMT

Clifford Winston, Thomas M. Corsi, Curtis M. Grimm, and Carol A. Evans provide a comprehensive evaluation of the effect of the 1980 deregulation legislation on the rail and trucking industries.

Road Work : A New Highway Pricing and Investment Policy

Tue, 13 Jun 1989 00:00:00 GMT

Road Work proposes a comprehensive highway pricing and investment policy to meet the goals of efficiency, equity, and financial stability.

Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Microeconomics 1989

Tue, 23 May 1989 00:00:00 GMT

For almost thirty years, Brookings Papers on Economic Activity (BPEA) has provided academic and business economists, government officials, and members of the financial and business commmunities with timely research of current economic issues.