Inequality
Exploring the structural and technological forces shaping the distribution of income and wealth in modern economies.
About this Research Area
Many markets, left to their own devices, do not reliably deliver efficiency, stability, or fairness. Information asymmetries, market power, externalities, and coordination failures can distort outcomes even in well-functioning economies.Â
In recent decades, these structural tendencies have been amplified by digital technologies. Platform-based business models, network effects, and the scalability of intangible assets allow firms and individuals to serve global markets at near-zero marginal cost. As a result, small differences in talent, timing, or access can translate into very large differences in income and wealth. The combination of technological change, globalization, and the growing importance of data and intellectual property is pushing advanced economies toward a winner-take-most equilibrium.
These dynamics help explain the rise in income and wealth inequality observed across many countries. Returns to capital and to high-skilled labor have increased relative to middle- and low-skilled work. Superstar firms capture disproportionate market shares, and geographic concentration reinforces disparities between regions. At the same time, traditional redistributive mechanisms face new pressures, as tax bases become more mobile and labor markets more fragmented. The challenge is not merely distributional; sustained inequality can undermine social mobility, weaken trust in institutions, and ultimately affect economic performance itself.
The Nova SBE Public Policy Institute (NPPI) contributes to this debate by rigorously analyzing the structural drivers of inequality and their interaction with market design, regulation, and technological change. The goal is not only to understand why inequality has increased, but also to develop actionable policy proposals that promote social sustainability. By combining economic analysis with institutional insight, NPPI seeks to design policies that preserve innovation and dynamism while ensuring that the gains from growth are broadly shared and compatible with long-term social cohesion.
Public Policy News
How to get involved with the Public Policy Institute
Are you a Nova SBE student (currently enrolled) interested in public policy? Here are ways to get involved.
2 Years of Impact: Nova SBE Public Policy Institute
Over the past two years, NPPI has established itself as a dynamic hub bridging rigorous academic research, civic debate, and actionable policy design.
New Study: Healthcare Retirements Impact Hospital Activity in Portugal
A new study by Eduardo Costa, Judite Gonçalves, and the Nova SBE Public Policy Institute's Deputy Academic Director Pedro Martins reveals how health professional retirements disrupt operations in Portuguese public hospitals.
Feature on NPPI’s Party Youth Program
In a recent article, the Jornal Económico highlighted an innovative political training initiative at Nova SBE’s Carcavelos campus, where youth leaders from across Portugal’s political spectrum gathered in June 2026 for the inaugural "Leadership in Public Policy" program.