This Week in Business

John Zhang, Wharton Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy, discusses how firms use tariff-induced economic conditions to raise prices and explore dynamic pricing strategies, balancing profit motives with consumer perceptions and competition.

Peter Cappelli, Management Professor at the Wharton School and Director of the Center on Human Resources, explains why bold predictions about AI-driven job loss often miss the mark, how financial pressures are influencing executive behavior, and why uncertainty—not automation—should be guiding future workforce strategies.

Greg Shea, Adjunct Professor of Management and Senior Fellow at the Wharton Center for Leadership and Change, outlines how Boeing’s long-term shift away from its engineering roots has led to widespread reputational damage and organizational dysfunction—and what its leadership must do to repair both internal culture and external credibility.

Kent Smetters, Faculty Director of the Penn Wharton Budget Model and Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy at the Wharton School, discusses the newly passed reconciliation bill—highlighting its projected $3.6 trillion increase to the national debt, minimal near-term economic growth, and long-term GDP decline, along with how the legislation may reduce resources for lower-income households.Ask ChatGPT

Olivia Mitchell, Professor and Executive Director of the Pension Research Council at the Wharton School, joins the show to discuss Fidelity’s latest data showing record-high retirement saving rates, explore the policy and psychological factors driving increased 401(k) participation, and examine how generational trends, employer incentives, and concerns over Social Security and national debt are shaping the future of retirement preparedness.

Leon Musolff, Wharton Assistant Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy, discusses findings from a recent field experiment showing how default search engine settings significantly influence user choice, highlighting the implications for antitrust policy and competition between Google and Bing.

David Zaring, Wharton Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics, explains how the long-standing First Sale Rule allows U.S. companies to reduce tariff costs by structuring international transactions strategically and maintaining thorough supply chain documentation.

Jeremy Siegel, Wharton Emeritus Professor of Finance and Senior Economist at WisdomTree, discusses how markets are reacting to global instability, the possibility of renewed tariffs, and the Federal Reserve’s stance on interest rates, while highlighting how artificial intelligence could help offset economic challenges.

Christian Terwiesch, Wharton Professor of Operations, Information and Decisions, discusses the evolving role of AI in customer service—highlighting the tension between cost reduction and service quality, the growing expectations of consumers, and the challenges of fully automating support without losing the human element.