Robert Chovanculiak

An INESS analyst. He holds the Ph.D. degree from the Matej Bel University, Slovakia, where he did his research at the Department of Public Economics and Regional Development at the Faculty of Economics. He worked for Slovak Business Agency prior to joining INESS. Robert’s field of professional interest is public finance, economic policy, regulation, and education.

Society

Let’s Get Rid Of Free Lunch Program and Actually Help Poor Kids

BY Robert Chovanculiak AND INESS / February 15, 2019

It was late 2018, when the Slovak government approved the free lunch program for all children attending elementary schools. The supporting argument was that this measure is outreaching to poor kids who had not been targeted by previous lunch subsidies.

Economy

Lighthouse: The Most Thrilling Case in Economics

BY Robert Chovanculiak AND INESS / October 26, 2018

The history of ship navigation on the shores of England shows us that when explaining events we need to take a look not only on the market failures, but also on the state failures. These played a bigger role than the textbooks\' authors might expect.

Economy

Two Faces of, and a single Punch for, Slovak Labor Market

BY Robert Chovanculiak AND INESS / July 31, 2018

The most important figure of the Slovak economy in the last 5 years has been the trend in unemployment. This rate had been decreasing since the first quarter of 2013 and had dropped to almost a half in the first quarter of 2018. The unemployment rate fell from more than 14% to nearly 7%.

Economy

How Not to Scare Off Uber and Taxify from Slovakia

BY Robert Chovanculiak AND INESS / April 17, 2018

How can Slovakia match the technologies of the 21st century with regulation, so that the opportunities will be exploited? It\'s simple. It is not rocket science or a super-secured secret. Just look at what has been done by more than half of the U.S. states.

Economy

How an Illegal Shipping Container Reshaped the World Economy

BY Robert Chovanculiak AND INESS / January 8, 2018

An example of innovation is a standardized cargo container. Today, there are more than 20 million of these containers around the globe and we move practically everything in them. This innovation from the late sixties completely changed the world.

Society

Let’s Ban Uber and Live in the Trees

BY Robert Chovanculiak AND INESS / October 1, 2017

Imagine a world in which everything has to be approved by the parliament, and only then that thing might actually happen. In such a world, there would be no innovations. In a different kind of world, things change first and the laws follow. Recently, the news that the General Advocate has advised the Court of Justice of the EU to recognize Uber as […]

Economy

Thou Shalt Not Forbid Voluntary Exchange

BY Robert Chovanculiak AND INESS / June 19, 2017

This should be the first commandment of every regulator. Or at the very least, forbidding should not be their first step. All over the world, many governments which have imposed a ban on sharing economy do not respect this rule. They shoot first and ask questions later.

Review #6

REVIEW #6: How to Reform the Content of Education in Slovakia

BY Robert Chovanculiak AND 4liberty.eu / April 22, 2017

Even though there is no coordinating center and no “minister for IT,” the industry runs like clockwork. There are ever newer and better-quality products and efficiency puts downward pressure on prices. The same is true with food, cars, clothing, housing, and so on.

Economy, Politics

Foreign Investment and the Schizophrenia of Nationalism

BY Robert Chovanculiak AND INESS / February 28, 2017

The rising popularity of nationalist thought all over the world is evident. It has already won several battles in the political competition. Nevertheless, it is important to highlight an interesting occurrence here: nationalists operate with at least two incompatible opinions on the functioning of economy.

Economy

Numbers Alone Cannot Explain Unemployment in Slovakia

BY Robert Chovanculiak AND INESS / February 28, 2017

On the one hand, Slovak unemployment rate is declining. Automotive industry and large companies find it difficult to hire enough employees. According to the recent reports, workers are brought in not only from Ukraine or Hungary, but even from Serbia.