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This Week in Business

This Week in Business

The Wharton School 1449 Episodes Aug 21, 2026

This Week in Business brings together top leaders, innovators and renowned faculty from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania to discuss topics that matter to consumers and the business world. The podcast features insightful conversations on current business trends, leadership, and innovation. It is hosted on Acast.

Episodes

When Food Safety Becomes the Family’s Responsibility
When Food Safety Becomes the Family’s Responsibility Aug 21, 2026 11:33 What happens when the systems designed to keep our food safe start to break down?Corinne Low, Wharton Associate Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy, argues that food safety is a public good—one that individuals and families simply can't provide for themselves.She explains how reduced staffing, weakened inspections and changes to disease surveillance can leave consumers more vulnerabl
Should AI Companies Be Supervised Like Banks?
Should AI Companies Be Supervised Like Banks? Aug 19, 2026 13:33 AI is advancing rapidly—but who is responsible when the risks become too big to ignore?Peter Conti-Brown, Professor at the Wharton School, explores whether the banking system offers a useful model for supervising powerful AI companies.Rather than relying solely on rules written years in advance, bank supervision involves ongoing conversations between public officials and private institutions to id
Why Gen Z Is Choosing Entrepreneurship Over Traditional Careers
Why Gen Z Is Choosing Entrepreneurship Over Traditional Careers Aug 14, 2026 11:20 Why are more young Americans turning to entrepreneurship, and what role will AI play?Lori Rosenkopf, Vice Dean of Entrepreneurship at the Wharton School, explores how Gen Z’s shifting expectations, a tougher entry-level job market, and the desire for flexibility are reshaping career paths. She also examines how AI tools are making it easier to turn ideas into products while intensifying competitio
Can AI Companies Regulate Themselves?
Can AI Companies Regulate Themselves? Aug 12, 2026 13:53 As AI becomes more powerful, who should be responsible for governing it?Kevin Werbach, Wharton Professor and Chair of Legal Studies and Business Ethics, explores the growing challenges of AI governance, from accountability and safety to the difficulty of creating effective regulations across countries. He explains why AI companies can't be expected to regulate themselves and why governments need t
Will the Government Bail Out Your 401(k) in a Market Crash?
Will the Government Bail Out Your 401(k) in a Market Crash? Aug 7, 2026 18:00 What happens to your 401(k) if the stock market drops 25%, and would the government step in to help?Nikolai Roussanov, finance professor at the Wharton School, explains the real risks behind modern retirement investing and why volatility is built into the system.From the 1987 crash to COVID-19, he breaks down how markets recover, why long term investors tend to win, and why bailouts are more likel
Why AI Makes Collective Intelligence More Valuable Than Ever
Why AI Makes Collective Intelligence More Valuable Than Ever Aug 5, 2026 12:53 Artificial intelligence is reshaping work, but human ideas remain essential. Henning Piezunka, Associate Professor of Management at the Wharton School, explains how organizations can combine AI with collective intelligence to accelerate innovation, improve learning, and help employees turn ideas into action.He also explores AI’s role as a substitute, collaborator, and training tool, along with the
Oil, AI, and the Fed: What's Next for Markets?
Oil, AI, and the Fed: What's Next for Markets? Jul 31, 2026 14:19 Could rising oil prices, interest-rate uncertainty, and massive AI spending change the market outlook?Jeremy Siegel, Wharton Emeritus Professor of Finance, examines how energy supply disruptions could affect inflation and growth, what the Federal Reserve may do next on interest rates, why Wall Street is scrutinizing AI infrastructure spending, and how tariffs and demographic change could shape the
Why Prediction Markets Are More Than a Passing Trend
Why Prediction Markets Are More Than a Passing Trend Jul 29, 2026 15:19 Prediction markets are becoming an increasingly visible part of sports, politics, business, and culture. But what makes them different from traditional betting?Abraham Wyner, Wharton Professor of Statistics and Data Science and Co-Director of the Wharton Sports Analytics and Business Initiative, explains the wisdom-of-crowds theory behind prediction markets, how these platforms make money, and why
The New Strategy Behind Revenue Growth
The New Strategy Behind Revenue Growth Jul 24, 2026 12:02 The chief revenue officer is no longer just a sales leader.Raghu Iyengar, Wharton Marketing Professor and Academic Director of Wharton’s Chief Revenue Officer Program, explains why companies are turning to CROs to align sales, marketing, product, finance, and growth around a single revenue strategy.He also discusses how AI is raising the stakes for revenue leaders, why a holistic view of the organ
What the World Cup Teaches Brands About Cultural Marketing
What the World Cup Teaches Brands About Cultural Marketing Jul 22, 2026 12:16 The biggest marketing wins at the World Cup did not always come from official sponsors.Americus Reed, The Whitney M. Young Jr. Professor of Marketing at Wharton and co-host of Marketing Matters, examines how brands connected with fans during one of the world’s largest cultural events.He discusses the power of iconic brands, social sharing, earned media, culturally relevant advertising, and creativ
Social Security’s Funding Crisis and the Future of Retirement
Social Security’s Funding Crisis and the Future of Retirement Jul 17, 2026 12:45 Social Security’s main trust fund could be depleted by early 2033, leaving incoming payroll taxes sufficient to cover only about 86% of scheduled benefits.Kent Smetters, Wharton Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy and Faculty Director of the Penn Wharton Budget Model, explains why the program is approaching a critical funding deadline and what it could mean for current and future ret
Why Companies Are Rethinking the Rush to Implement AI
Why Companies Are Rethinking the Rush to Implement AI Jul 15, 2026 13:17 What happens when companies move AI from a promising experiment into everyday operations and the technology starts making costly mistakes?Santiago Gallino, Associate Professor of Operations, Information and Decisions and Associate Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School, examines why companies such as Starbucks and Ford have reconsidered AI-driven processes after accuracy and quality problems

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