The Bottom Line

Evan Davis looks at the UK's defence industry to find out how it is responding to the war in Ukraine and whether socially conscious investors are beginning to change their minds about the sector.

Guests:

Presenter: Evan Davis

What happens when your business vision doesn't stack up or your long-standing business needs to make changes to keep up with a changing market and customer taste? Do you make a U-turn or a pivot as it's known in business. How do you know when is the right time and how do you get your employees and managers to go with you? Evan Davis and guests discuss.

GUESTS

Matthew Bannister, Broadcaster and Presenter, Folk on Foot podcast

Liz Earle, Beauty and Wellness Entrepreneur, Editor-in-Chief, Liz Earle Wellbeing magazine

and

Jessica Spungin, Adjunct Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, London Business School

PRESENTER: EVAN DAVIS

PRODUCTION TEAM

Producers: Julie Ball and Nick Holland

Evan Davis asks why there are more job vacancies in Britain than there are people looking for work. Unemployment used to be a big problem, but now businesses say they're struggling to recruit enough staff.

Guest list:

Production Coordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross and Siobhan Reed

Is it right that businesses making what look like windfall profits pay windfall taxes? And do the recent announcements from the government to lower taxes in general lead to economic growth? Evan Davis and guests discuss.

GUESTS

Irem Guceri, Associate Professor Economics and Public Policy, Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford

Professor Michael Jacobs, Professor of Political Economy, Sheffield University

Charlie Mullins, Businessman and Founder, Pimlico Plumbers

Dan Neidle, Founder, Tax Policy Associates Ltd.

PRODUCTION TEAM

Producer: Julie Ball

The government target for building houses in the UK is 300,000 a year, but over the past few years only around 60 per cent of that number have been constructed. The sector faces many challenges; labour and skills shortages and rapidly rising prices for raw materials, not to mention uneven planning laws and green building commitments.

Are they building the homes the country needs and where it needs them? Evan Davis and guests discuss.

GUESTS

Ben Dimson, Partner, Property Sector, McKinsey

Peter Truscott, CEO, Crest Nicholson

Rico Wojtulewicz, Head of Housing and Planning, National Federation of Builders

Presenter: Evan Davis

Hundreds of western businesses have decided to stop operating in Russia as a result of the invasion of Ukraine. But what does leaving Russia actually mean in practical terms – how do you go about it and who bears the cost? Can you end up hurting your own company and your Russian workers more than the Russian state? Evan Davis debates with his guests, one of whom leads a global automotive dealer that has just sold its business in Russia to its local managers.

GUESTS:

Producer: Lucinda Borrell

From Disney to the Halifax bank, companies are increasingly willing to take a stance on everything. But what is driving this trend and will it continue? Ultimately isn't it the job of a business to make money for its shareholders and not get involved in politics and contentious social issues? Evan Davis and guests discuss.

GUESTS

Nina Bhatia, Executive Director, Strategy and Commercial Development, John Lewis Partnership

Ian Leslie, Journalist and Author of 'Conflicted'

Becky Willan, CEO and Co-founder, Given Agency

Nicola Kilner, CEO and Co-founder of Deciem

Producer: Julie Ball

Why does it seem so hard to contact a business these days? It's almost like they deliberately hide their phone numbers from us. When we do manage to ring, they often make us sit through an endless list of 'caller options' before allowing us to speaking to anyone. Are they deliberately trying to dissuade us from getting in touch or are we expecting too much too soon from customer services? Evan Davis speak to the people managing our calls.

Guests:

Producer: Nick Holland

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What to expect when a workplace dispute ends up in court. Thousands of people lodge grievances relating to their jobs directly with their employers, and that's often where they remain. But if you think you have been unfairly dismissed, or suffered unfair discrimination on the grounds of sex, race of age, the case may end up at an employment tribunal. Dramatic cases - complete with lurid accusations and sometimes huge payouts - are regularly reported on by the media. Evan Davis asks his expert guests about what really goes on during this generally painful process, and whether anybody ever really wins at a tribunal.

Guests:

Producer: Julie Ball

As petrol and diesel prices hit record highs, Evan Davis looks at the economics of running a petrol station. There's an allegation motorists are being ripped off at the pumps. However, the actual amount of profit some forecourts make from selling fuel may come as a surprise.

Producer: Nick Holland