Knowledge at Wharton

When Princeton professor Anne-Marie Slaughter published an essay in The Atlantic titled ”Why Women Still Can’t Have It All ” in July 2012 she touched a nerve across generations and set off a renewed public debate on women’s progress and work-life balance. In an interview with Stewart Friedman director of the Wharton Work/Life Integration Project Slaughter shares what it was like to draw back the curtain on her life as someone perceived to ”have it all” and suggests how companies can make life better for both women and men. (Video with transcript)

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In a career spanning 34 years Edward Breen has faced many difficult situations perhaps none as challenging as his most recent assignment -- CEO of Tyco International -- which he took on when the company was facing bankruptcy. In an interview with Wharton management professor Michael Useem Breen who just stepped down from Tyco talks about the importance of knowing when and how to make the ”bold big decisions ” mentoring and always raising your hand for assignments among other topics. (Video with transcript)

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Newly elected Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants to take Japan’s economy in a daring new direction to end 20 years of stagnation and deflation. His policies resemble past efforts -- but with far more firepower behind them. That means even looser monetary policies and a sharp rise in government spending to boost demand. Some analysts say it’s just the medicine Japan needs and on the spending side at least the opposite of what Europe and the U.S. are doing. But Wharton finance professor Franklin Allen in an interview with Knowledge at Wharton says the plan carries serious risks and could lead to a big meltdown. (Video with transcript)

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Africa is the next frontier for global business presenting a rare growth opportunity in a stagnant world. But navigating this complex continent with more than 1 billion people can be exceedingly difficult and many businesses have failed to make a lasting impression in the region. Kenyan business tycoon Manu Chandaria chairman and CEO of the multi-billion dollar privately held Comcraft Group explains in an interview with Knowledge at Wharton how he mastered the African market and how others can follow his lead. (Video with transcript)

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Cloud computing is creating waves in different industries across the developed world helping both entrepreneurs and large conglomerates quickly respond to opportunities and manage their business processes more effectively. A recent survey by Knowledge at Wharton and enterprise software firm SAP reveals that people have very high expectations for the future of cloud computing; at the same time they admit that they don’t fully understand the technology. Knowledge at Wharton spoke with David Spencer vice president at SAP and Don Huesman managing director at the Wharton Innovation Group to clarify questions surrounding the future of cloud computing. (Podcast with transcript)

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Although the global economy is in better shape than it was during the worst days of the 2008-2009 financial crisis don’t expect to see a dramatic turnaround in 2013 say Wharton professors Mauro Guillen and Kent Smetters. In separate interviews with Knowledge at Wharton they discuss some of the challenges that the U.S. Europe China and emerging markets such as Brazil and India are facing going into the New Year. (Video with transcript)

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Maneet Ahuja began her career at age 17 as a credit risk analyst at Citigroup. Now 10 years later she has been named to the Forbes 2012 ”30 under 30” list is a producer for CNBC’s Squawk Box and has written a new book called The Alpha Masters: Unlocking the Genius of the World’s Top Hedge Funds. Knowledge at Wharton recently talked with her about the alpha masters she profiled in her book and about where she thinks the hedge fund industry is headed. (Video with transcript)

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Are you happy? Could you be happier? Gretchen Rubin was already ”pretty happy” when she asked herself these very questions. In search of the answers she started her own pursuit of happiness which eventually became a New York Times bestseller titled The Happiness Project. She has now written a second book called Happier at Home. Knowledge at Wharton recently spoke with Rubin about why happy people work more hours each week how to make and keep happiness resolutions and how to ward off the three happiness leeches. (Video with transcript)

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Swarthmore professor Barry Schwartz says rules and incentives are an ”insurance policy against disaster but [they don’t] produce excellence.” In his recent book Practical Wisdom: The Right Way to Do the Right Thing Schwartz and co-author Kenneth Sharpe also a Swarthmore professor say that what is needed is not more bureaucracy. Instead society needs the Aristotelian ideal that trumps all others -- practical wisdom. Knowledge at Wharton recently discussed with Schwartz why individuals fail to do the right thing what practical wisdom looks like in practice and what organizations can do to regain people’s trust. (Video with transcript)

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