The invisible hand is a concept introduced by economist Adam Smith. It refers to the self-regulating nature of markets where ...

How far back can one trace the origin of an idea? Economist Adam Smith’s “invisible hand” may have hidden roots that stretch back to the days of nomadic hunting and gathering. Readers of this blog are ...

The concept of the invisible hand is one of the many contributions of the legendary Scottish philosopher and economist Adam Smith. In his book The Wealth of Nations, Smith wrote of a person who ...

The academic economist’s dry prose usually benefits from an evocative metaphor. But we would all be better off if Adam Smith had skipped the bit about “the invisible hand.” He meant little, if ...

Adam Smith has become the symbol of American capitalism, a champion of free trade and a free market. But it wasn’t always that way. In fact, it sometimes seems as if capitalism and America share the ...

Kirkcaldy, a small town on Scotland’s east coast, is a nice place. But aside from a small alleyway, Adam Smith Close, the town has largely forgotten that Adam Smith lived there. The Adam Smith ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I share tips about launching, validating and growing startups. When it comes to concepts from economics useful to startup founders ...