Directors Welcome
Launched in 2015, Short Supply serves as a platform for economics students and enthusiasts to collaborate and share their ideas on a carefully selected economic theme each year. With writers coming from diverse backgrounds and degrees, we aim to dive deeper into unconventional economic issues and hope that our readers have an insightful and enjoyable read.
We chose the theme The Invisible Handshake as a deliberate play on Adam Smith’s concept of the “Invisible Hand”. While Smith described the unseen market forces that guide individual self-interest toward broader economic outcomes, we wanted to extend that idea to the interconnected world we operate into today. The Invisible Handshake reflects the interdependencies that define modern economics – the supply chains that span continents, the policy decisions that ripple across borders, and the global dynamics that bind markets together.
This year’s issue of Short Supply explores those hidden linkages – the strategic alliances, trade relationships, regulatory frameworks and global flow of labour that shapes outcomes far beyond what is immediately visible. In the era of heightened global complexity, understanding the “handshake” between economic players will be just as important as understanding the invisible hand itself.
This year’s Short Supply would not have been possible without the support and tenacity of many people. We would like to wholeheartedly thank our wonderful team of writers for their tireless efforts, inspiring ideas, economic enthusiasm, and dedication of their time not only to our annual magazine, but to our vision and our community. We would also like to thank our numerous supporters, including our sponsors for their continued support and article contributions, our peers, our members, and the ESSA Committee for their dedication to ESSA as a whole.
If you are a Monash student with an interest in economics and a passion for writing, we encourage you to keep a look out for our recruitment opportunities. We would love to expand our family and welcome you to apply when the opportunity arises. Our recruitment process for 2026 can be found on page 25 of this magazine.
Lastly, to our readers, thank you for choosing this year’s issue of Short Supply. We hope you gain new insights along your path in the vast world of economic thinking. Happy reading!
Milena Knight & Emily Rowe
Publications Directors 2025
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