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This Week in Business
Climate Change in 2019: A Look Ahead
We're featuring a series this month called “2019: A Look Ahead” and continue with a look at climate change. Several major studies, including the federal government's National Climate Assessment and the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, showed that global warming is already having a deadly impact around the world and that all countries need to take "unprecedented" actions to cut carbon emissions over the next decade. Business leaders seem to be focusing more on the dangers posed by climate and environmental issues, and it's even a top issue at the World Economic Forum in Davos this month. But the US seems to be falling behind, with President Trump having pulled the US out of the Paris climate accord and reversing a lot of Obama era policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions. Host Dan Loney talks with ERIC ORTS, Guardsmark Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics at the Wharton School and faculty director of the Initiative for Global Environmental Leadership (IGEL), and FELIX MORMANN a Professor at Texas A&M University School of Law, join us to discuss how we can deal with this urgent issue in the coming year.
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Inside Iran’s Payment Network and Global Sanctions Strategy
13:24|Philip Nichols, Wharton Professor of Legal Studies & Business Ethics, explains how Iran has built a complex and adaptive banking and payments infrastructure under decades of sanctions while exploring its future in an evolving global financial system.
The Business Impact of Leadership Under Pressure
16:24|Nancy Rothbard, Deputy Dean and Professor of Management at the Wharton School, joins the show to examine how leaders respond to intensifying workplace disruption. The conversation covers decision bottlenecks, delegation, emotional regulation, and sustaining performance under pressure. Rothbard also discusses Wharton’s Owner/President and CEO Program, which helps executives strengthen strategy and succession planning. Learn more at: whartonopc.com
The Fed’s Payment Rails and Fintech Access
14:15|David Zaring, Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics at the Wharton School, joins the show to explain the Federal Reserve’s consideration of a “skinny” master account for nonbank financial firms. The conversation covers payment rails, regulatory oversight, competition with traditional banks, and the implications for community lenders and financial stability. They also examine potential litigation and legislative responses.
Zeke Emanuel on Medicare Payment and Innovation Reform
12:47|Zeke Emanuel, Vice Provost for Global Initiatives at the Wharton School, joins the show to discuss recent reforms at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The conversation covers site-neutral payments, strengthening primary care compensation, innovation models, and efforts to address waste and Medicare Advantage risk adjustment. They also examine the broader fiscal and policy implications for the $1.7 trillion agency.
The Economic Cost of Conflict with Iran
10:17|Kent Smetters, Faculty Director of the Penn Wharton Budget Model and Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy at the Wharton School, breaks down the projected budgetary costs of conflict with Iran, estimates potential GDP losses driven by higher oil prices, and explains how supply shocks could influence inflation and Federal Reserve decision-making.
The Decline of the Cover Letter in the AI Era
11:36|Judd Kessler, Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy at the Wharton School and author of Lucky by Design, explains how artificial intelligence is eroding the signaling power of cover letters and elevating the importance of recommendations, networking, and real-world connections in the labor market.
From Hype to Impact: AI Reshapes Enterprise Software
13:13|Stefano Puntoni, Marketing Professor at the Wharton School and Co-Director of the Wharton Human-AI Research Program, explains how artificial intelligence is pressuring SaaS margins, lowering barriers to entry, reshaping pricing models, and marking a potential inflection point for enterprise software markets.
Fed Leadership, Rate Cuts, and Geopolitical Risks Ahead
10:39|Jeremy Siegel, Professor Emeritus of Finance at the Wharton School and Senior Economist at Wisdom Tree, analyzes the Supreme Court’s ruling on tariffs, the market’s resilience amid policy uncertainty, the potential impact of Kevin Warsh as Fed chair, and how geopolitical tensions with Iran could influence interest rates and economic growth.
Understanding Crypto Sentiment and Market Signals
11:33|Dave Reibstein, Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School, explains how the school’s Cryptocurrency Confidence Index tracks U.S. consumer sentiment, explores links between confidence and price volatility, and examines the role of regulation and public perception in shaping the future of digital assets.