Business Talk

Dr. Andrew Dilley, Senior Lecturer in History at the University of Aberdeen and Deputy Director of the Scottish Graduate School of Arts and Humanities, explores the central themes of his compelling book, Commerce and the Commonwealth: Business Association, Political Culture, and Economic Governance, 1886-1975.

In this episode, Dr. Andrew Dilley discusses his book, Commerce and the Commonwealth: Business Association, Political Culture, and Economic Governance, 1886-1975. He explores how chambers of commerce and business networks sought to sustain economic cooperation across an increasingly fragmented British Empire. Distinguishing the imperial Commonwealth from its postcolonial successor, Dilley explains how sovereignty, political culture, and commercial interests shaped economic governance. The conversation examines imperial preference, commercial regulation, wartime mobilization, and the importance of personal relationships in influencing policymakers. It also confronts racial inequalities within business representation, highlighting the exclusion of colonized populations and the emergence of alternative Indian business associations. Dilley traces the temporary strengthening of Commonwealth economic coordination after the Second World War, followed by its decline amid decolonization, changing trade relationships, and regional integration. Ultimately, the discussion reveals how business cooperation depended on political institutions and shared assumptions that could no longer endure historical transformation.

Disclaimer:

1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy, and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music.

2. Dr. Andrew Dilley shared key insights from his book, “Commerce and the Commonwealth: Business Association, Political Culture, and Economic Governance, 1886-1975”, in an engaging episode of the Business Talk podcast. The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so changing any graphics, music, or on-screen appearance of the author or host is not allowed.

Dr. Manju Ahuja, Scientia Professor of Information Systems and Technology Management at the University of New South Wales, shares key insights from her research, “Work-Family Frustration When You and Your Partner Both Work From Home: The Role of ICT Permeability, Planning, and Gender.”

Professor Ahuja discusses how digital work interruptions blur work-family boundaries when both partners work from home. Drawing on a 10-day diary study of 117 participants, she explains how these interruptions are associated with greater frustration during family time, with a stronger relationship among women. Although participants may feel more productive by responding to work messages, this does not necessarily reflect better-quality work. The discussion highlights shared planning between partners, supportive leadership, and clear expectations around after-hours communication as ways to protect family time and support healthier work-family boundaries.

Disclaimer:

1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy, and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music.

2. Dr. Manju Ahuja shared key insights from her research publication, “Work-Family Frustration When You and Your Partner Both Work From Home: The Role of ICT Permeability, Planning, and Gender”, in an engaging episode of the Business Talk podcast. The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so changing any graphics, music, or on-screen appearance of the author or host is not allowed.

In this episode of Business Talk, Dr. Michael Barnett, Professor of Management & Global Business at Rutgers Business School, explores how fake news disrupts the connection between corporate behaviour, reputation, and public trust. Drawing on his work, Evaluating Organizations in an Age of Absurdity, he explains why responsible companies can still suffer reputational damage and why facts alone may not repair it. The conversation highlights the importance of transparency, strong stakeholder relationships, and emotionally resonant, fact-based communication in protecting corporate accountability.

Disclaimer:

1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy, and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music.

2. Dr. Michael Barnett shared key insights from his publication, “Evaluating Organizations in an Age of Absurdity: How Fake News Disrupts the Relationship Between Business and Society”, in an engaging episode of the Business Talk podcast. The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so changing any graphics, music, or on-screen appearance of the author or host is not allowed.

Dr. Alexandre Frenette, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Vanderbilt University, unpacked the central ideas behind his compelling new book, Blame the Intern: On (Not) Breaking into the Creative Economy.

On Business Talk, Dr. Alexandre Frenette, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Vanderbilt University, discussed his book, Blame the Intern: On (Not) Breaking into the Creative Economy. He explored how internships can reinforce inequality, with financial resources, social connections, and unwritten workplace expectations shaping access to creative careers. The conversation highlighted the gap between promised learning opportunities and workplace realities, examining the responsibilities of employers and universities in providing meaningful training and fairer pathways into work.

Disclaimer:

1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music.

2. In a compelling episode of Business Talk, Dr. Alexandre Frenette unpacks key ideas from his book, “Blame the Intern: On (Not) Breaking into the Creative Economy”. The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so you may not change any graphics, music, or the on-screen appearance of the author or host.

In this episode of Business Talk, Professor Marie Gottschalk, Edmund J. Kahn Distinguished Professor of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania, joins Deepak Bhatt to discuss her book, Crime and No Punishment: Wealth, Power, and Violence in America. She examines the contrast between the harsh punishment of street crime and the limited accountability faced by powerful corporations, exploring how economic inequality, deregulation, and political influence shape the American criminal legal system.

The conversation connects corporate wrongdoing with the opioid crisis, the fallout from the 2008 financial crisis, and declining public trust in democratic institutions. Professor Gottschalk also discusses the limitations of incarceration and the importance of investing in healthcare, education, housing, and employment as foundations of public safety. Throughout, she raises a central question: how can society hold powerful actors accountable without reproducing the punitive approaches that have driven mass incarceration?

Disclaimer:

1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music.

2. In a compelling episode of Business Talk, Professor Marie Gottschalk unpacks key ideas from her book, “Crime and No Punishment: Wealth, Power, and Violence in America”. The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so you may not change any graphics, music, or the on-screen appearance of the author or host.

Dr. David Samson, Associate Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology at the University of Toronto Mississauga and Director of the Sleep and Human Evolution Lab (SHEL), explores his fascinating book, The Sleepless Ape: The Story of Sleep in Human Evolution. He examines the evolutionary roots of our sleep patterns and shares insights into circadian rhythms, modern lifestyles, and the importance of consistent sleep schedules for well-being and performance.

Disclaimer:

1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music.

2. In a compelling episode of Business Talk, Dr. David Samson unpacks key ideas from his book, “The Sleepless Ape: The Story of Sleep in Human Evolution”. The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so you may not change any graphics, music, or the on-screen appearance of the author or host.

Dr. Kristina Dahlin, Professor in the Department of Strategy and Innovation at Copenhagen Business School, shares insights from her book, Everybody Fails, But Not Everybody Learns: Why Is It So Hard to Learn from Failures?, a title that captures a question many of us have quietly asked about our own organizations.

Drawing on examples from transportation, healthcare, aviation, and the military, Dr. Dahlin explains that learning from failure requires three conditions: the opportunity to understand what went wrong, the ability to respond, and the motivation to act. She examines how blame, shame, hierarchy, and fear of losing status can suppress crucial information, preventing individual lessons from becoming organizational improvements.

Disclaimer:

1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music.

2. In a compelling episode of Business Talk, Dr. Kristina Dahlin unpacks key ideas from her book, “Everybody Fails, But Not Everybody Learns”. The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so you may not change any graphics, music, or the on-screen appearance of the author or host.

In this episode of Business Talk, Deepak Bhatt speaks with Dr. Nidhi Mahajan, Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, about her book, Moorings: Voyages of Capital across the Indian Ocean, published by the University of California Press. The conversation explores how wooden trading vessels and the communities that sustain them remain active participants in contemporary capitalism, connecting Gujarat with the Gulf and East Africa through flexible maritime networks.

Dr. Mahajan examines how seafarers navigate conflict, sanctions, shifting regulations, and commercial uncertainty, revealing the complex relationships between trade, state power, and moral responsibility. She also highlights how hospitality, caste and kinship networks, women’s often-overlooked work ashore, and religious practices sustain life and commerce across the ocean. Together, these insights challenge conventional accounts of globalization, showing how capital moves not only through major ports and formal institutions but also through everyday relationships, mobile communities, and smaller trading networks.

Disclaimer:

1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music.

2. In a compelling episode of Business Talk, Dr. Nidhi Mahajan unpacks key ideas from her book, “Moorings: Voyages of Capital across the Indian Ocean”. The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so you may not change any graphics, music, or the on-screen appearance of the author or host.

Professor Susan Stokes, the Tiffany and Margaret Blake Distinguished Service Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago, joins us to examine the critical insights of her landmark study, The Backsliders: Why Leaders Undermine Their Own Democracies.

In this interview, Professor Stokes examines the mechanics of democratic backsliding, defining it as the simultaneous erosion of vertical electoral accountability and horizontal institutional checks. She highlights that leaders across the political spectrum employ a common playbook, undermining judiciaries, pressuring independent media, politicizing bureaucracies, and stoking affective polarization to justify democratic violations. Rather than an explicit preference for autocracy, she explains that voter complicity often stems from economic grievances and the prioritization of personal well-being over institutional preservation. Reversing this trajectory requires broad opposition coalitions, strong civic defense of independent institutions, and addressing extreme income inequality through education and social investment to rebuild long-term democratic resilience.

Disclaimer:

1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music.

2. In a compelling episode of Business Talk, Professor Susan Stokes unpacks key ideas from her research publication, “The Backsliders: Why Leaders Undermine Their Own Democracies.” The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so you may not change any graphics, music, or the on-screen appearance of the author or host.

Dr. Michael Segalla and Dr. Shiva Taghavi unpack the key insights and broader implications of their study, “Is Work an Act of Worship? The Impact of Implicit Religious Beliefs on Work Ethic in Secular vs. Religious Cultures.”

In this conversation, Dr. Michael Segalla and Dr. Shiva Taghavi explore how implicit religious beliefs impact work ethic across contrasting societal environments. Their study demonstrates that while subtle religious cues enhance dedication in culturally religious societies like Morocco, they trigger cognitive dissonance and dampen motivation in secular contexts like France. Beyond the empirical findings, the scholars address the ethical boundary between cultural empathy and corporate manipulation, emphasizing inclusive workplace practices over extractive managerial tactics.

Disclaimer:

1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music.

2. In a compelling episode of Business Talk, Dr. Michael Segalla and Dr. Shiva Taghavi unpacks key ideas from their research study, “Is Work an Act of Worship? The Impact of Implicit Religious Beliefs on Work Ethic in Secular vs. Religious Cultures.” The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so you may not change any graphics, music, or the on-screen appearance of the authors or host.