A 2020 Academy of Social Sciences report found that sociologists, economists and philosophers help companies improve productivity, enhance problem-solving and heighten social impact.

So it makes sense that businesses would want social scientists involved in strategy and decision making.

But how does it work in practice? Are there conflicts between hard commercial realities and ‘softer’ social issues, and how do companies resolve these?

We speak to Dr Melissa Cefkin, an anthropologist and former chief scientist at the Nissan Research Centre in Silicon Valley, about how she combined social science and the corporate world.

And we find out if the trend is a uniquely western, or even Californian, phenomenon.

Producer: Izzy Greenfield

(Image: A group of women in a boardroom. Credit: Getty Images)