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28 December 2020
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The Maddyness holiday reading list: startups and business

Every week, Maddyness curates articles from other outlets on a topic that is driving the headlines. This Monday, to conclude ur holiday reading list, we're highlighting some of the best pieces we've read on the topic of startups and business in 2020.

Could new research on A.I. and white-collar jobs finally bring about a strong policy response within business?

The encroachment of automation and robotics into the workplace has forced us to rethink the way that certain jobs are done, and it has produced anxiety about whether there will be enough jobs in the future for the human workers who need them. So far, much of the attention has focussed on blue-collar work. What is harder to visualise is how similar technology might find its way into the aspects of human labour that are invisible and not as easily routinised, such as complex decision-making, strategic planning, and creative thought. Read the full article via the New Yorker.

Uber bought itself a law. Here’s why that’s dangerous for struggling drivers like me

Along with Lyft, Instacart, DoorDash and Postmates, app companies spent more than $200M – the most spent on any ballot campaign in US history – to bankroll Proposition 22 in California. With its passage, the law will now exempt drivers like me from basic protections afforded to most other workers in the state. Read the full article via The Guardian.

In data: how startups are tipped to fuel a post-pandemic jobs surge

The number of people employed across Europe in tech startups has jumped 43% in the last four years, making the sector by far the fastest growing and most resilient job creation engine throughout the continent. European startups are bucking the COVID-19 trend, opening up a world of opportunities for the right talent. But can we keep the local VC funding coming? Read the full article via Sifted.

Businesses are already asking governments to stop austerity

After decades of antipathy towards taxes and bureaucracy, companies are increasingly campaigning for better-funded regulators and local government. Read the full article via the New Statesman.

Explainer: The potential impact of Brexit without a trade deal

Britain and the European Union are seeking a post-Brexit trade deal, with failure likely to result in increased chaos in mutual trade, financial markets tumbling and huge economic costs. Here are some of the potential pressure points of a failure to reach agreement on trade. Read the full article via Reuters