Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Path Dependence, Behavioral Economics, and the Emmanuel Administration

Already the new administration of Mayor Rahm Emmanuel is showing a shrewd understanding of path dependence. At the north end of the golf course about 2 miles from my apartment there is a wild flower prairie. Under the Daley Administration, it was fenced but runners routinely bend the fence down and cut through it creating a well trodden path through the flowers and natural plants. The Park District would replace the fence, it would be folded down, over and over with the path being more and more entrenched.

Until this week. Finally, some one woke up and bowed to reality. There is a now an opening to the path on both ends with the fence on either side to protect both halves of the bisected prairie with even a new layer of cedar chips to cushion the running path and protect the soil underneath.

What new behavioral insights will Mayor Emmanuel unveil next?

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