The Economics of Everyday Things

Those tiny treats that predict your future may come free at the end of a Chinese meal, but they’re big business (and not Chinese). Zachary Crockett will go on a long journey.   SOURCES: Jennifer 8. Le...

When you hit the slopes, you might not be thinking about water rights, controlled avalanches, and liability insurance — but someone has to. Zachary Crockett shreds the pow.    SOURCES:Andrew Gast, gen...

We reach for it twice a day — without thinking about the decades of research and engineering that went into that squeezable tube of minty goo. Zachary Crockett extracts the last bit.   SOURCES:Stephan...

When a Fortune 500 company needs a new leader, it turns to a well-connected headhunter who assesses candidates with psychological tests and mock TV interviews. Zachary Crockett activates his network. ...

Security guards make malls feel safer, but what can they do when there’s trouble? Zachary Crockett observes and reports.   SOURCES:Gus Parsons, mall cop in the San Diego area.David Levenberg, owner of...

How do TV producers decide how much money to give away? A little psychology and a lot of math. Zachary Crockett phones a friend.   SOURCES:Bowen Kerins, math teacher and former contestant on Who Wants...

A fast-food burger has to taste the same — and cost the same — thousands of times a day at restaurants across the country. Zachary Crockett mans the fryer.   SOURCES:John Karangis, vice president of c...

American golfers lose 300 million balls a year — and all those bad swings are someone else’s business opportunity. Zachary Crockett hits the links.   SOURCES:Todd Hutchinson, president and owner of Ba...

Before a guide dog can help a blind person navigate the world, it has to pass a series of tests, then go through $75,000 worth of training. Zachary Crockett sniffs around.   SOURCES:Peggy Gibbon, dire...

Behind that 70% off sign, there’s a liquidation consultant trying to maximize retailer profits. Zachary Crockett seeks a deal.   SOURCES:Bradley Snyder, executive managing director at Tiger Group.Zac ...