This Week in Business
The Wharton School
0
This Week in Business brings together top leaders, innovators and renowned faculty from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania to discuss topics that matter to consumers and the business world. The podcast features insightful conversations on current business trends, leadership, and innovation. It is hosted on Acast.
Epizódok
-
Should AI Companies Be Supervised Like Banks? 19.08.2026 13pAI is advancing rapidly—but who is responsible when the risks become too big to ignore?Peter Conti-Brown, Professor at the Wharton School, explores whether the banking system offers a useful model for supervising powerful AI companies.Rather than relying solely on rules written years in advance, bank supervision involves ongoing conversations between public officials and private institutions to identify and manage emerging risks.Conti-Brown discusses how AI stress tests could work, what might happen if powerful models are hijacked or misused, and why consumers could ultimately end up holding the bag when things go wrong. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
Why Gen Z Is Choosing Entrepreneurship Over Traditional Careers 14.08.2026 11pWhy are more young Americans turning to entrepreneurship, and what role will AI play?Lori Rosenkopf, Vice Dean of Entrepreneurship at the Wharton School, explores how Gen Z’s shifting expectations, a tougher entry-level job market, and the desire for flexibility are reshaping career paths. She also examines how AI tools are making it easier to turn ideas into products while intensifying competition, and what venture capital, failure, the creator economy, and programs like VentureLab can teach aspiring founders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
Can AI Companies Regulate Themselves? 12.08.2026 13pAs AI becomes more powerful, who should be responsible for governing it?Kevin Werbach, Wharton Professor and Chair of Legal Studies and Business Ethics, explores the growing challenges of AI governance, from accountability and safety to the difficulty of creating effective regulations across countries. He explains why AI companies can't be expected to regulate themselves and why governments need to play a more constructive role in managing the risks of increasingly powerful AI. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
Will the Government Bail Out Your 401(k) in a Market Crash? 07.08.2026 18pWhat happens to your 401(k) if the stock market drops 25%, and would the government step in to help?Nikolai Roussanov, finance professor at the Wharton School, explains the real risks behind modern retirement investing and why volatility is built into the system.From the 1987 crash to COVID-19, he breaks down how markets recover, why long term investors tend to win, and why bailouts are more likely to support companies, not individual portfolios. If you’re relying on a 401(k), this episode will reshape how you think about risk, recovery, and protection. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
Why AI Makes Collective Intelligence More Valuable Than Ever 05.08.2026 12pArtificial intelligence is reshaping work, but human ideas remain essential. Henning Piezunka, Associate Professor of Management at the Wharton School, explains how organizations can combine AI with collective intelligence to accelerate innovation, improve learning, and help employees turn ideas into action.He also explores AI’s role as a substitute, collaborator, and training tool, along with the business case for adoption and the organizational changes leaders will need to make. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
Oil, AI, and the Fed: What's Next for Markets? 31.07.2026 14pCould rising oil prices, interest-rate uncertainty, and massive AI spending change the market outlook?Jeremy Siegel, Wharton Emeritus Professor of Finance, examines how energy supply disruptions could affect inflation and growth, what the Federal Reserve may do next on interest rates, why Wall Street is scrutinizing AI infrastructure spending, and how tariffs and demographic change could shape the broader economy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
Why Prediction Markets Are More Than a Passing Trend 29.07.2026 15pPrediction markets are becoming an increasingly visible part of sports, politics, business, and culture. But what makes them different from traditional betting?Abraham Wyner, Wharton Professor of Statistics and Data Science and Co-Director of the Wharton Sports Analytics and Business Initiative, explains the wisdom-of-crowds theory behind prediction markets, how these platforms make money, and why their structure creates a different relationship between bettors and the market. He also examines regulation, the risks of gambling, and whether prediction markets and sportsbooks can continue growing alongside one another. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
The New Strategy Behind Revenue Growth 24.07.2026 12pThe chief revenue officer is no longer just a sales leader.Raghu Iyengar, Wharton Marketing Professor and Academic Director of Wharton’s Chief Revenue Officer Program, explains why companies are turning to CROs to align sales, marketing, product, finance, and growth around a single revenue strategy.He also discusses how AI is raising the stakes for revenue leaders, why a holistic view of the organization matters, and how the role will continue to evolve as new sources of revenue emerge. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
What the World Cup Teaches Brands About Cultural Marketing 22.07.2026 12pThe biggest marketing wins at the World Cup did not always come from official sponsors.Americus Reed, The Whitney M. Young Jr. Professor of Marketing at Wharton and co-host of Marketing Matters, examines how brands connected with fans during one of the world’s largest cultural events.He discusses the power of iconic brands, social sharing, earned media, culturally relevant advertising, and creative ways companies can become part of the conversation beyond traditional sponsorship. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
Social Security’s Funding Crisis and the Future of Retirement 17.07.2026 12pSocial Security’s main trust fund could be depleted by early 2033, leaving incoming payroll taxes sufficient to cover only about 86% of scheduled benefits.Kent Smetters, Wharton Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy and Faculty Director of the Penn Wharton Budget Model, explains why the program is approaching a critical funding deadline and what it could mean for current and future retirees.He also discusses the impact of falling birth rates and longer lifespans, why delaying reform makes the eventual solution more difficult, and the policy options Congress could consider to strengthen Social Security. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
Why Companies Are Rethinking the Rush to Implement AI 15.07.2026 13pWhat happens when companies move AI from a promising experiment into everyday operations and the technology starts making costly mistakes?Santiago Gallino, Associate Professor of Operations, Information and Decisions and Associate Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School, examines why companies such as Starbucks and Ford have reconsidered AI-driven processes after accuracy and quality problems exposed the technology’s limitations.Gallino explains how unreliable systems can erode employee trust, why human judgment remains essential, and how implementation failures can affect customers and brand reputation. He also discusses the risks of scaling AI too quickly and why companies must determine whether their technology investments deliver meaningful customer value and measurable returns. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
Why Big Companies Are Rethinking How They Work With Startups 10.07.2026 12pBig companies need innovation, while startups need capital, customers and opportunities to prove their ideas work.Wharton Professor of Operations, Information and Decisions and Senior Vice Dean of Innovation Serguei Netessine explains how corporate venturing is evolving beyond traditional investment models. He explores the rise of venture building and venture clienting, why becoming a startup’s customer can be more valuable than simply investing in it, and how these partnerships can help established companies innovate faster while giving startups a path to scale. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
Can Congress Fix America’s Housing Affordability Crisis? 08.07.2026 13pA new bipartisan housing bill promises to tackle America’s affordability crisis, but will it actually make housing more accessible?Wharton Professor of Real Estate Ben Keys examines the Road to Housing bill and its potential to address the rising cost of buying and renting a home. He discusses proposals to streamline permitting and environmental reviews, expand manufactured housing and small dollar financing, and support home repairs and local innovation. Keys also explains why limits on corporate homebuyers could have unintended consequences and why funding constraints, tariffs, labor shortages, and high mortgage rates could limit the bill’s near term impact. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
Why America Leads the World in Innovation 03.07.2026 12pInnovation isn’t just about breakthrough technologies. It’s about building the institutions that allow those breakthroughs to scale.David Hsu, Wharton Professor of Management, explores how the United States has repeatedly reinvented the way innovation works, from the patent system and Bell Labs to venture capital and today’s AI ecosystem. He explains why commercialization, institutional design, and effective regulation have been just as important as invention itself, and what lessons they offer for the future of artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
Navigating Competition and Collaboration in the AI Race 01.07.2026 13pHenning Piezunka, Associate Professor of Management at the Wharton School, explores how competition in the AI industry can shift from healthy rivalry to destructive behavior, discusses the psychology behind executive decision-making, explains why successful organizations balance competition with collaboration, and shares insights from research spanning business, sports, and innovation ecosystems. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
Evaluating Greenspan's Legacy and the Evolution of Monetary Policy 26.06.2026 15pJeremy Siegel, Wharton Emeritus Professor and Senior Economist at WisdomTree, discusses Alan Greenspan's lasting impact on monetary policy, reflects on the lessons of the 2008 financial crisis, analyzes Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh's early leadership, and explains why more forward-looking economic data could shape future interest rate decisions while also revisiting the long-term economic effects of Brexit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
Private Credit Risks and the Threat of Market Contagion 24.06.2026 12pItay Goldstein, Professor of Finance at the Wharton School, discusses the growing concerns surrounding private credit markets, including liquidity mismatches, valuation uncertainty, investor redemptions, AI-driven pressures on software borrowers, and the potential systemic risks posed by connections to banks and insurance companies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
Peanut Butter Raises and the Pay Equity Debate 19.06.2026 10pPeter Cappelli, Professor of Management at the Wharton School, examines the resurgence of "peanut butter" raises, exploring how companies distribute limited pay increases, the impact of inflation on employee compensation, and the tradeoffs between rewarding top performers and maintaining workforce morale. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
SpaceX’s Historic IPO and the Future of Space 17.06.2026 12pDavid Hsu, Wharton Management Professor, discusses SpaceX’s $2 trillion valuation, the role of Starlink, launch services, and AI in driving investor enthusiasm, the influence of Elon Musk’s leadership, and what the company’s success means for the future of the global space economy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. -
Understanding Congress’s Impact on Financial Markets 12.06.2026 12pCourtney Wiegand, Wharton Assistant Professor of Finance, explains her research on how fiscal policy shocks and shifting deficit expectations affect bond markets, inflation, monetary policy interactions, and the long-term implications of congressional budget decisions for financial markets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
