In just four years, it feels like our workplaces have changed irrevocably. New technologies like AI threaten old jobs; shifting demographics bring new interpersonal challenges on teams; and our work location — be it home, the traditional office or a hybrid of the two — has become a flashpoint between leaders and employees. So what's the antidote? Professor Julie McCarthy joined the podcast to talk about resilience, why organizations should work to instill it in their teams, and how it can...

Intellectual property may not be glamorous, but it’s essential to future business success. Professor Alberto Galasso explains how the right IP strategy can drive growth — or hold your business back— on the latest Rotman Executive Summary.

As companies wrestle with the return-to-office debate, it’s crucial to ask: How much does location really matter for innovation? Surprisingly, where you work can significantly shape how — and how much — you innovate. Assistant professor Ruben Gaetani dives into the research, revealing why dragging everyone back to their office tower cubicles could stifle the very creativity you’re trying to spark.

From issues of bodily autonomy to climate change to social equality, the world is increasingly polarized, and even companies can't escape hot-button topics. While once, organizations could keep their positions on divisive issues to themselves, consumers are demanding they take sides. But should they? And how can brands weigh in without alienating the people who disagree with their stance? Assistant professor Rhia Catapano explores how businesses can navigate these polarizing topics on the...

We often reach adulthood without ever being taught how to process our emotions. But an unprocessed emotion never goes away; it simply festers and grows.  Associate professor Maja Djikic joined the Executive Summary podcast to talk about how to identify if we're bad at processing our feelings, how we can get better at it, and what role organizations have in helping their leaders and teams understanding that skillset. 

A recent study from BMO found that Canadians believed they would need more than $1.7 million to comfortably retire. Yet many individuals nearing retirement have less than $100,000 saved. Why is thinking about saving - even when you have the means - such a daunting prospect? Assistant professor Avni Shah joined the Executive Summary to explain the behavioural barriers to retirement savings, and showcase some of her research into how we might overcome these blockers.

Phony stars and false testimonials are rampant online. But is this really a problem, how did we get here, and what responsibility to e-commerce platforms have in addressing the problem? Assistant professor Shreyas Sekar explores what the future of reviews looks like, and why platforms like Amazon should probably take the issue of fake reviews more seriously.

Research tells us we're probably not as good at gift giving as we'd like to think. Assistant professor Cindy Chan joined the Rotman Executive Summary podcast to explore the science behind better gift exchanges, how we approach the process asymmetrically, and how presents can actually change - and improve - our relationships. This is an episode you'll definitely want to unwrap ahead of the holidays.

Even as they wrap their heads around AI, business leaders and organizations should be devoting some R&D resources to quantum computing. Though it's still a nascent technology, Professor Francesco Bova joined the Executive Summary to explore the huge potential economic benefits of the new form of computing, and explains why every business should be getting themselves "quantum ready" today.

Professor Walid Hejazi joins the Executive Summary to explain the macro-economic trends keeping the economy chugging along and kept us out of a recession (so far), and why they might be detrimental to our economic health.

Four days of work, 100 per cent of the pay — that might sound like a fantastic idea for employees. But there's a lot of benefit to a reduced work-week for employers as well, says professor John Trougakos. He joins the Executive Summary to talk about why a four-day work week is better for employees, what it means for organizations, and how companies can actually make a shorter week work.

With challenges including continued upheaval from the pandemic, political and global instability, a changing workforce, new technology, and more, the makeup of the board of directors — and its ability to shape and influence organizational responses when things go wrong — is more important than ever. And it's crucial to ask: do boards have the right talent at the table, and what it will take to build a better one? 

What role should the office play, and can companies create equitable and sustainable WFH policies that work for all employees? Rotman's Sarah Kaplan and Carmina Ravanera weigh in on the future of hybrid work.

Pre-2020, the sharing and gig economies were thriving. Then the pandemic changed the game. While Uber's food delivery was up, its ride sharing plummeted. Airbnb saw a wave of cancellations. The entire space stumbled. As we emerge from lockdowns and restrictions, new challenges face these Silicon Valley darlings. With ongoing rights over worker classification, and increased pressure to turn a profit in a rising rate environment, it's time to ask: What's next for the sharing economy?

The state of innovation wasn't great, even before you threw a pandemic or recession into the mix. And while it's too early to tell the long-term implications that team isolation and rising interests rate might have on the research and development process, associate professor Kevin Bryan explores why our process of innovation might be in crisis, and what might be done to solve the problem.

Giving feedback is like a hand grenade. No matter how positive a spin you put on it, criticism is still hard to hear. So what can we do differently in tough conversations for a better outcome? Assistant professor Rachel Ruttan shares best practices from her research on advice-giving...and getting.

From social media to AI to celebrity endorsements — brands interact with us on a more personal level than ever. But how does that change our relationship with the products we buy and the companies that serve us? In the latest episode of the Rotman Executive Summary, professor Pankaj Aggarwal explores how the way we anthropomorphize brands is changing, and why that matters.

Blockchains and cryptocurrencies went into a spectacular meltdown in 2022. Professor Andreas Park — an expert of finance innovation at the University of Toronto — says that despite the ill tidings, businesses should keep an eye on the space...or risk missing out on a game-changing technology.

What are the dos and don'ts of improving employee engagement in 2022? Professor Alan Saks, a human resources expert from the University of Toronto Scarborough/Rotman School, explains why it's time for a different approach to HR management.