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This Week in Business
Technological Innovation in 2019: A Look Ahead
We're featuring a series this month called “2019: A Look Ahead” and continue with a look at technology. The tech sector went through a lot of ups and downs last year: executives from several companies testified before Congressional committees regarding their use of customers personal data, employers were held accountable by their own workers over business decisions, and some tech moguls, like Elon Musk, found themselves facing unexpected legal issues. 2019 holds the promise of new technological advances, with the possible arrival of 5G, new Apple products, further development of artificial intelligence and virtual reality, and more. Host Dan Loney speaks with Saikat Chaudhuri, Executive Director of the Mack Institute for Innovation Management at The Wharton School and co-host of Mastering Innovation, and Tucker Marion, Associate Professor and Group Chair for Academic Programs, Entrepreneurship & Innovation Group at Northeastern University's D'Amore-McKim School of Business.
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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.