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Thomas Kochan

George Maverick Bunker Professor of Management Professor, Work and Organization Studies Co-Director, MIT Sloan Institute for Work and Employment Research, MIT Sloan School of Management
Thomas Kochan is the George Maverick Bunker Professor of Management, a Professor of Work and Employment Research and Engineering Systems, and the CoDirector of the MIT Sloan Institute for Work and Employment Research at the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Kochan focuses on the need to update America’s work and employment policies, institutions, and practices to catch up with a changing workforce and economy. His recent work calls attention to the challenges facing working families in meeting their responsibilities at work, at home, and in their communities. Through empirical research, he demonstrates that fundamental changes in the quality of employee and labor-management relations are needed to address America’s critical problems in industries ranging from healthcare to airlines to manufacturing. His most recent book is Shaping the Future of Work (Business Experts Press, 2016).

Kochan holds a BBA in personnel management as well as an MS and a PhD in industrial relations from the University of Wisconsin.

video Workers left out of government and business response to the coronavirus

Mar 23, 2020 07:34 am UTC| Economy Business

As the coronavirus crisis unfolds, workers and families around the country are finding out how weak the U.S. social safety net is. Nearly three-quarters of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. About 30% of the workforce...

How to prevent the 'robot apocalypse' from ending labor as we know it

Mar 09, 2019 06:05 am UTC| Insights & Views Technology

It seems not a day goes by without the appearance of another dire warning about the future of work. Some alarmists fear a robot apocalypse, while others foresee the day of singularity coming when artificial intelligence...

What Trump and Pelosi can learn from a different kind of shutdown that crippled the nation

Jan 27, 2019 14:43 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Two sides of a dispute are at an impasse. Both refuse to negotiate until the other side gives in to their central demand, with no reason to compromise. Animosity between the parties deepens as they hurl personal...

Economy

India–EU FTA Nears Finish Line Ahead of New Delhi Summit

With most discussions over before the January 27 New Delhi summit of the leaders, India and the European Union are nearing finalization of their much anticipated Free Trade Agreement. Although the official signing will...

Gold Price Hits Record High as Geopolitical Tensions Fuel Safe-Haven Demand

Gold prices surged to a fresh record high during Asian trading on Tuesday, extending a powerful rally as investors sought safety amid heightened geopolitical uncertainty and a weaker U.S. dollar. Bullion remained firmly...

Japanese Government Bond Yields Surge to Record Highs Amid Election and Fiscal Fears

Long-dated Japanese government bond (JGB) yields surged to record highs on Tuesday, rattling global fixed-income markets as investors reacted to mounting political and fiscal uncertainty ahead of a potential February...

Asian Currencies Trade Narrowly as Dollar Slips on Trump-Greenland Tensions

Most Asian currencies traded within a tight range on Tuesday, while the U.S. dollar edged lower as renewed geopolitical concerns dampened investor appetite for American assets. Market sentiment turned cautious after U.S....

Australia’s Second-Largest Pension Fund Boosts Currency Hedging Amid Weaker U.S. Dollar Outlook

Australias second-largest pension fund, Australian Retirement Trust (ART), has announced it is reducing its exposure to the U.S. dollar by increasing currency hedging, as global investors reassess their U.S. allocations...

Politics

Supreme Court Tests Federal Reserve Independence Amid Trump’s Bid to Fire Lisa Cook

The U.S. Supreme Court is once again at the center of a high-stakes legal battle with major economic implications, as it considers the legality of President Donald Trumps attempt to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook....

Trump Revives Greenland Ownership Push Ahead of World Economic Forum in Davos

U.S. President Donald Trump has once again reignited debate over Greenland, reiterating his long-standing call for American ownership of the Arctic territory just days before attending the World Economic Forum (WEF) in...

Trump Says Greenland Is Key to Global Security After Call With NATO Chief

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he held a very good telephone conversation with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, during which they discussed issues of global security, including the strategic importance...

Trump Threatens 200% Tariff on French Wine Over Macron’s Refusal to Join Peace Board

U.S. President Donald Trump has sparked fresh controversy after saying he would impose a 200% tariff on French wines and champagnes, linking the move to French President Emmanuel Macrons refusal to join his proposed Board...

Minnesota U.S. Citizen Detained by ICE in Armed Raid Sparks Outrage and Civil Rights Concerns

A Minnesota mans traumatic encounter with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has ignited renewed debate over immigration enforcement practices and civil rights under the Trump administration. ChongLy Thao, 56, a...

Science

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced it will vote on December 8 on President Donald Trumps renewed nomination of private astronaut and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman, known for his...

NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

NASA has significantly scaled back Boeings Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The...

Technology

Micron to Buy Powerchip Fab for $1.8 Billion, Shares Surge Nearly 10%

Shares of Taiwans Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp jumped nearly 10% on Monday following news that U.S. memory chip giant Micron Technology plans to acquire one of Powerchips fabrication facilities in Taiwan,...

Tesla Revives Dojo Supercomputer Project With AI5 Chip at the Core

Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) is set to restart development of its next-generation supercomputer, Dojo3, marking a renewed push into artificial intelligence infrastructure. Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed on Sunday that work on...

South Korea Seeks Favorable U.S. Tariff Terms on Memory Chip Imports

South Korea is moving to secure favorable treatment from the United States on tariffs affecting memory chip imports, following recent trade actions announced by the U.S. government. A spokesperson from South Koreas...

South Korea Sees Limited Impact From New U.S. Tariffs on Advanced AI Chips

South Koreas trade minister said a newly announced U.S. tariff on certain advanced computing chips is expected to have only a limited short-term impact on South Korean companies, while cautioning that future measures could...

Elon Musk Seeks $134 Billion in Lawsuit Against OpenAI and Microsoft Over Alleged Wrongful Gains

Elon Musk has escalated his legal battle against OpenAI and Microsoft, seeking up to $134 billion in damages over what he claims are wrongful gains stemming from his early involvement in the artificial intelligence...

Digital Currency