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Thomas Kochan

Thomas Kochan is currently Professor of Management, MIT Sloan School of Management and teaches and studies Work and Employment Relations at the MIT Sloan School of Management. For the past 40 years I have applied my research by working intensively with leaders in business, labor, and government to update labor and employment policies and practices to catch up with changes in the workforce and the economy. I just published Shaping the Future of Work (Business Educators Press, 2016) that focuses on what workers, employers, government, and educators can do to meet the needs and aspirations of the "Next Generation" workforce.

I also teach a MIT "MOOC" on line course that addresses these issues. Information about the course can be found at: https://www.edx.org/course/american-dream-next-generation-mitx-15-662x#.VNuR5bDF9IU

Here's how workers would spend the corporate tax cut – if they had a voice

Jan 30, 2018 12:09 pm UTC| Insights & Views Economy

Over 200 CEOs have said they will raise wages or give bonuses as a result of the large corporate income tax cut passed late last year by Congress. Some view their plans as simply a public relations move, others as a...

US Election Series

Election rage shows why America needs a new social contract to ensure the economy works for all

Nov 17, 2016 23:29 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

The recent U.S. election exposed two major intersecting fault lines in America that, if left unchecked, could soon produce an era of social and economic upheaval unlike any in our history. First, it revealed deep...

It's time we reinvented labor for the 21st century

Sep 03, 2016 10:01 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

On Labor Day, politicians have traditionally paid lip service to the plight of the worker, whom the national holiday is meant to honor. With working-class struggles taking center stage in this years election, we will...

How to transform workers' campaign rage into better jobs and wages

Mar 25, 2016 02:12 am UTC| Insights & Views Law

The presidential campaigns deserve some credit for finally voicing some of the deep frustrations and anger felt by American workers who have lived for decades in an economy that works for those at the top but not for them...

How do we ensure the next generation of workers isn't worse off than the last?

Jan 14, 2016 04:09 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Discussions about the future of work are clearly in the air. This week, Secretary of Labor Tom Perez is convening a three-day symposium on the issue. Simultaneously, the Brookings Institution hosted a discussion about...

Attack on unions shows why we need a new social contract governing work

Jan 14, 2016 04:06 am UTC| Politics

The U.S. Supreme Court heard a case this week that may deal a significant blow to labor unions and shows why its vital, to my mind, to come up with a new social contract governing work. The case involves ten California...

Outlook for 2016: middle-class woes, hopeful on wages, the fear factor

Jan 04, 2016 13:35 pm UTC| Insights & Views Economy

Editors note: We asked a few of our regular writers to weigh in on what will (or should) be the key economic themes and issues of 2016 or offer their predictions. Topping the list are the worsening plight of the middle...

Economy

Asian Currencies Rally as Dollar Weakens Amid Iran Ceasefire Hopes

Most Asian currencies gained ground on Thursday as the U.S. dollar extended its losing streak for a ninth consecutive session, driven by renewed optimism surrounding potential U.S.-Iran peace talks ahead of next weeks...

U.S. Crude Oil Exports Surge Toward Record Highs Amid Global Supply Crisis

The United States came remarkably close to becoming a net crude oil exporter last week for the first time since World War Two, as American shipments surged to meet surging international demand. The dramatic shift was...

Chile's Kast Unveils 40-Point Economic Reform Package to Boost Growth

Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast introduced a sweeping economic reform package this week, outlining 40 measures aimed at reinvigorating the countrys economy and stabilizing employment. Addressing the nation for the...

China's Economy Surpasses Q1 2026 Growth Forecasts

Chinas economy outperformed expectations in the first quarter of 2026, with official GDP data released Thursday confirming a 5% year-on-year expansion ahead of the 4.8% analysts had forecast and a notable acceleration...

China's New Home Prices Continue to Fall in March Despite Signs of Recovery in Major Cities

Chinas new home prices extended their downward trend in March, according to fresh data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, though some of the countrys largest cities began showing modest month-on-month...

Politics

Trump Pushes for Lebanon-Israel Dialogue Amid Renewed Hezbollah Conflict

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the leaders of Lebanon and Israel are set to hold direct talks for the first time in roughly 34 years, signaling a diplomatic push to ease escalating tensions between the two...

Russia Launches Deadly Missile and Drone Strikes Across Ukraine, Killing Three Including a Child

Russian forces launched a wave of missile and drone attacks on multiple Ukrainian cities in the early hours of Thursday, leaving three people dead among them a 12-year-old boy and wounding more than 20 others. The...

Federal Judge Dismisses DOJ Lawsuit Attempting to Block Hawaii's Climate Case Against Oil Giants

A federal judge in Honolulu has dismissed a Trump administration lawsuit that sought to prevent Hawaii from pursuing climate change litigation against major fossil fuel companies in state court. U.S. District Judge Helen...

Pentagon Taps Auto Giants to Supercharge U.S. Weapons Production

The Pentagon is in early discussions with major American manufacturers including automotive leaders General Motors and Ford Motor about redirecting a portion of their factory capacity and workforce toward producing...

U.S. Senate Blocks Resolutions to Halt $450 Million Weapons Sale to Israel

The U.S. Senate voted Wednesday to reject two resolutions that sought to block approximately $450 million in military equipment sales to Israel, including bombs and bulldozers. Republicans united in opposition to the...

Science

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

Technology

TSMC Posts Record Q1 Profit Fueled by AI Chip Demand

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE: TSM), the worlds largest contract chipmaker, delivered a record-breaking first-quarter profit in 2026, surpassing analyst expectations as artificial intelligence continues...

Elon Musk's Terafab Foundry Courts Top Chipmaking Giants for AI Self-Sufficiency Push

Elon Musks ambitious semiconductor venture, Terafab, is moving closer to reality after his team began reaching out to some of the worlds leading chipmaking equipment suppliers. According to Bloomberg, staff representing...

Sam Altman Moves to Dismiss Punitive Damages in Sister's Sexual Abuse Lawsuit

Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, has filed a motion in St. Louis federal court seeking to strike punitive damages from a civil lawsuit brought by his sister, Annie Altman, who accuses him of repeated sexual abuse...

Samsung Races to Deliver Next-Gen HBM4E Memory Samples to Nvidia

Samsung Electronics is pushing hard to deliver engineering samples of its next-generation HBM4E high-bandwidth memory to Nvidia as early as next month, according to South Korean outlet ChosunBiz. The move signals Samsungs...

ASML Raises 2026 Revenue Outlook as AI Chip Demand Surges

ASML Holding N.V. lifted its full-year 2026 revenue forecast after the Dutch semiconductor equipment giant surpassed first-quarter profit and sales expectations. The results were fueled by accelerating AI-driven chip...