Anthropology in Business with Matt Artz

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Jennifer Studebaker speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation focuses on Jennifer’s journey from academia to applied anthropology, her experiences in various roles, including project management and market research, and her recent work on the Career Tools for Anthropology workbook. Jennifer shares insights on the value of anthropological skills in business settings, the importance of networking, and her passion for making anthropological knowledge accessible to students and practitioners alike. She also discusses her new consulting company, Studebaker Consulting LLC, and plans to offer training in practical business skills. About Jennifer Studebaker Jennifer is the owner and founder of Studebaker Consulting LLC. She is a business anthropologist and a PMP® certified project manager. She has over twelve years of research, operations, and communications experience. She has worked with nonprofits, foundations, startups, market research firms, and other consultants. She is based out of Kansas City, MO, but welcomes collaboration opportunities across the US and globally. Jennifer is a Co-Chair of the Anthropology Career Readiness Network (ACRN). Serving in this role has allowed her to give back to her discipline and help anthropology graduates discover the potential of their education. She is a co-editor and co-author of Career Tools for Anthropology. Jennifer, along with her ACRN Co-Chairs Elizabeth Briody and Riall Nolan, consults with anthropology departments on how to improve the career readiness of their curriculum. She is also a member of the Society for Applied Anthropology’s Nominations & Elections Committee. Key Moments 00:31:30 – Jennifer explains her initial interest in archaeology and the pivot to biocultural anthropology in college. 00:05:20 – She describes her exposure to applied anthropology during graduate school at Purdue University. 00:15:35 – Jennifer shares her experience at mySidewalk, where she first applied anthropological methods to solve business challenges. 00:20:00 – She discusses her transition to the Kauffman Foundation and the importance of networking in securing the position. 00:26:20 – Jennifer talks about her interest in project management and obtaining the PMP certification. 00:30:40 – She explains the origins and development of the Career Tools for Anthropology workbook. 00:34:04 – Jennifer provides information about her consulting work and future plans for offering Google Drive training. Recommended Links Jennifer Studebaker on LinkedIn Studebaker Consulting LLC Anthropology Career Readiness Network (ACRN)

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Timothy Malefyt speaks with Matt Artz about his career as a business anthropologist. The conversation focuses on Tim's new book, Business Anthropology: The Basics. They explore how anthropology can be applied within business contexts, making it a powerful tool for understanding organizational culture, consumer behavior, user experience, and the ever-evolving digital landscape. Tim [...]

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Jay Hasbrouck speaks with Matt Artz about his career as a business anthropologist. They also discuss the evolving role of anthropology and insights in business, the second edition of his book Ethnographic Thinking: From Method to Mindset, and how ethnographic thinking can help organizations navigate complexity and uncertainty in areas like [...]

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Matthew J Hill speaks with Matt Artz about his career as a business anthropologist. Matthew details his transition from the fields of chemistry and philosophy to anthropology and its application in the business context. He highlights his early experience with design anthropology and its influence on his subsequent focus on organizational development and design. Matthew discusses the approach of addressing complex organizational issues through a comprehensive perspective and outlines his process of organizational consulting. About Matthew J Hill Matthew J. Hill, an anthropologist specializing in organizational contexts, leads Matthew J. Hill Consulting. His current professional focus is on organizational development and design, serving mission-driven organizations, government agencies, and institutions of higher education. Matthew's professional path is marked by roles at eLab, Doblin Group, and CFAR. His academic journey encompasses a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from the University of Colorado, a Master's degree in Philosophy from Boston College, and culminates in a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Chicago. Key Takeaways Athropologists can apply their skills in organizational development and design by taking a holistic approach to problem-solving and understanding the complexities of organizations. Organizational development and design require deep knowledge of the organizational context and collaboration with clients to collectively solve problems. Anthropologists can contribute to organizational effectiveness by conducting organizational diagnosis, facilitating workshops, and helping organizations adapt to change. Mission-driven organizations, government agencies, and higher education institutions are ideal sectors for anthropologists interested in organizational development and design. Chapters 00:01:27 Matthew J Hill’s journey from studying chemistry to anthropology and his doctoral research in Cuba on the use of historic cities in heritage tourism. 00:06:58 Matthew’s experience at eLab and Doblin, where he applied ethnography to inform design and develop deeper insights into user needs. 00:10:00 The importance of taking a holistic approach to problem-solving and the alignment of anthropology with design thinking. 00:12:03 Challenges in the design anthropology field and the transition to working at CFAR. 00:15:33 Transition to organizational development and design work 00:19:00 Importance of contracting and defining the problem 00:20:00 Discovery work and organizational diagnosis 00:23:01 Partnership and collaboration with clients in organizational work 00:25:33 Importance of leadership and collaboration in organizations 00:26:41 Getting started in organizational work Recommended Links Matthew J Hill on LinkedIn Matthew J Hill Consulting

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Margret Jaeger speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. Margret discusses her journey into anthropology and her current role in the research department at the Social Fund Vienna Education Center. She explains the challenges of introducing qualitative research methods in a predominantly quantitative-focused organization. Margaret also shares her experience in building a research team and the value of interprofessional collaboration. She emphasizes the need for anthropologists to have a holistic view of the world and their ability to understand and adapt to different contexts quickly. She also discusses her advocacy work in promoting medical anthropology in healthcare education and the importance of training local trainers to ensure cultural sensitivity and relevance. About Margret Jaeger Margret Jaeger, an Austrian medical anthropologist, leads the research department at the Vienna Social Fund Education Centre. Her work focuses on the intersection of education and practice for care professionals, emphasizing the integration of anthropological insights into healthcare training. In addition to her primary role, Margret co-founded the Apply Club Health of the AAN-EASA, where she actively promotes the inclusion of medical anthropology in the education of health professionals. Her efforts in this area contribute to the broader understanding and application of cultural and social perspectives in healthcare training and practice. Key Takeaways Introducing qualitative research methods in a predominantly quantitative-focused organization requires explaining the value and benefits repeatedly. Building a research team involves finding individuals with the necessary training and experience and providing them with opportunities for growth and development. Anthropologists have a unique ability to quickly understand and adapt to different contexts, making them valuable in various business sectors. Interprofessional collaboration is essential in healthcare and other fields to address complex problems and improve outcomes. Training local trainers is crucial to ensure cultural sensitivity and relevance in healthcare education. Chapters 00:02:00 Margaret's interest in anthropology and journey into medical anthropology 00:04:00 Challenges of finding a job in anthropology in Austria 00:05:00 Trends of anthropologists going into other business sectors 00:07:00 Importance of networking and support among anthropologists 00:08:00 Margaret's role as researcher number one in building a research team 00:10:00 Research focus on improving courses for non-academic nurses and care professionals 00:12:00 Challenges of getting buy-in and explaining the value of research 00:13:00 Supporting colleagues as a teacher and researcher 00:14:00 Challenges of building a qualitative research team and overcoming them Recommended Links Margret Jaeger on LinkedIn Apply Club for the Anthropology of Health

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Kasper Tang Vangkilde speaks with Matt Artz about his career as a business anthropologist. Kasper discusses the challenges of bridging the gap between academic anthropology and applied anthropology and the importance of breaking down the distinction between the two. He shares the changes he has seen in the field of business anthropology over the past 15 years, including the integration of design and anthropology. Kasper expands on that and highlights the value of design anthropology in studying and changing organizations. Finally, he discusses his new role as the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Business Anthropology and his current research project, RE-ANIMATE, which explores visionary designs for life-enhancing economies. About Kasper Tang Vangkilde Kasper Tang Vangkilde is an Associate Professor and Head of Studies at the Department of Anthropology at the University of Copenhagen and the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Business Anthropology. His research interests lie at the nexus of business, organizational, and design anthropology, with a focus on formulating theoretical frameworks for understanding social and cultural dimensions in corporate settings as well as enhancing the applicability of anthropological methods in societal and business contexts. His recent work delves into "life-enhancing design," examining its implications for human and non-human life and its integration into organizational sustainability and responsibility. Vangkilde's past scholarship covers an array of topics, including creativity, branding, and organizational structures, and he has also applied anthropological approaches in the private sector. Key Takeaways Anthropology can be applied to the study of business and organizations, and it is important to break down the distinction between academic anthropology and applied anthropology. The field of business anthropology has evolved over the past 15 years, with more anthropologists actively working in organizations and making an impact through their research. Design anthropology offers valuable perspectives on studying and changing organizations, as it bridges the gap between research and application. The ReAnimate project explores new ways visions for the economy with a focus on regenerating human and non-human life and draws on the concept of animism to understand modern tendencies. Chapters 00:01:19 - Kasper shares how he got interested in anthropology 00:03:00 - Coincidences led Kasper to study anthropology and fashion 00:05:00 - Kasper's interest in consumption and material culture studies 00:07:00 - Kasper's PhD focus on creativity and fashion 00:08:00 - Business anthropology was perceived as new and marginal in the discipline 00:10:00 - Kasper's mission to show business anthropology as a legitimate field 00:11:00 - Using classic anthropological notions to understand business organizations 00:13:00 - Changes in the field of business anthropology in the last 15 years 00:14:23 - The history of business anthropology and its presence in academia. 00:16:00 - The emergence of design anthropology and its value in bridging research and application. 00:19:00 - Breaking down the distinction between a...

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Louise Vang Jensen speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. Louise discusses the evolution of applying anthropology in business within a Copenhagen context. She also shares her journey from studying anthropology to joining Is It a Bird and becoming the Co-CEO. She also discusses how the practice has matured over the years and emphasizes the importance of shifting from a focus on methodology to a mindset. About Louise Vang Jensen Louise Vang Jensen is a partner and co-CEO at Is It a Bird, a Copenhagen-based strategic innovation agency. With a background in anthropology and over a decade of consulting experience, she focuses on integrating anthropologically informed, human-centered approaches into business. Throughout her career, Louise has led projects and facilitated teams to build innovation capacity and enact organizational change. Her competencies extend to ethnographic research, co-creation, analysis, and project management. She has collaborated with a diverse range of organizations, including commercial companies like NIKE and public sector organizations such as the Municipality of Copenhagen. Key Takeaways Shifting from a focus on methodology to a mindset of curiosity and reflection is crucial in applying anthropology in business. Combining anthropology and design thinking offers strategic potential by integrating slow, reflective approaches with fast, experimental ones. Embracing friction and uncomfortable truths can lead to valuable insights and transformation in client interactions. Chapters 00:01:28 - Louise discovers anthropology 00:03:08 - The focus of anthropology education in Copenhagen was not on business 00:05:07 - Louise reached out to agencies to apply anthropology in business 00:06:22 - Louise joined Is It a Bird after selling a project 00:10:11 - The name "Is It a Bird" is a reference to Superman 00:11:00 - The philosophy of Is It a Bird is to start with questions and curiosity 00:15:00 - Shifted focus from methodology to mindset and value of anthropology. 00:19:00 - Transitioned from data collector to trusted advisor. 00:21:00 - Anthropology is now recognized and acknowledged in business contexts. 00:24:23 - The combination of anthropology and design in strategy 00:25:44 - The potential of anthropology in strategy and problem-solving 00:27:13 - The importance of curiosity and looking around in strategy 00:28:20 - Exploring the role of anthropology as a trusted advisor 00:30:29 - Staying in the trouble and embracing friction 00:32:00 - Encouragement for those starting their own practice 00:32:53 - The value of holding on to uncomfortable truths Recommended Links Louise Vang Jensen on LinkedIn Is It a Bird

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Melissa Cefkin speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. Melissa discusses how her interest in anthropology began in high school and was further cultivated by her family's international background and experiences living abroad. She pursued her PhD at Rice University, focusing on the Middle East and questions around rethinking anthropology as a discipline. Melissa then transitioned into practicing anthropology, joining the Institute for Research on Learning and exploring the introduction of technology into work systems. This sparked her interest in studying automated systems, leading to roles at companies like IBM, Waymo, and Nissan, where she examined how people interact with and perceive autonomous vehicles. Throughout her career, Melissa has focused on the intersection of people and complex technologies, emphasizing the need for critical thinking and social theory in researching issues like automation and AI. About Melissa Cefkin Melissa Cefkin holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Rice University and has applied her anthropological training and multidisciplinary approach across a range of roles focused on social and behavioral research in organizational and technological settings. Most recently, she transitioned into consulting, focusing on organizational transformation and complex technology development. She previously led user experience research for autonomous vehicles at Waymo and initiated a global research team on vehicle-road user interactions at Nissan. Earlier in her career, she directed research teams at IBM and Sapient focused on data analytics, peer-to-peer work systems, and organizational learning and development. She is also the author of Ethnography and the Corporate Encounter. Key Takeaways Melissa's interest in anthropology began in high school and was influenced by her family's background. Her work focuses on understanding how people interact with and make sense of automated systems. She emphasizes the need for a social theory-informed approach to research and the importance of bridging the gap between academia and industry. Melissa believes that anthropologists can and should play a crucial role in shaping the development and implementation of complex technologies. Chapters 00:01:14 - Melissa's early interest in anthropology 00:03:57 - Melissa's academic journey and PhD at Rice University 00:06:00 - Transition from academia to practicing anthropology 00:08:00 - Joining the Institute for Research on Learning 00:11:00 - Transition into the high-tech industry 00:12:27 - Introduction to technology in workplaces and unintended consequences. 00:14:00 - Transition to digital environments and design anthropology. 00:17:00 - Focus on automated systems and autonomous vehicles. 00:25:00 - Learning from interactions with automated systems and trust issues. 00:25:11 - Automated systems and the need for guardrails. 00:28:00 - Importance of critical thinking and social theory in research. 00:29:00 - Concerns about reliance on automated tools and solutions. 00:32:00 - Communicating social theory without jargon and references. 00:35:00 - Consulting work at the intersection of p...

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Nathalie Béchet speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. Nathalie discusses her journey into anthropology and data science. She explains how her interest in understanding social norms and the construction of society led her to anthropology. However, she felt disconnected from the academic focus on traditional topics and wanted to explore contemporary issues. This led her to pursue a master's degree in data science and digital sociology, where she learned about data collection, processing, and analysis. Nathalie emphasizes the importance of data visualization in understanding digital data and highlights the value of anthropology in questioning the obvious and uncovering biases. She also shares her insights on the metaverse and blockchain, challenging the negative perceptions and highlighting the opportunities they offer. Nathalie concludes by discussing her recent research on the intersection of technology and social mobility. About Nathalie Béchet Nathalie Béchet, a digital anthropology researcher at L'Atelier BNP Paribas in Paris, has crafted a distinguished career by intertwining cultural anthropology with data science. Since October 2019, her innovative approach has led to the development of hybrid research methods to study emerging technologies, their markets, and societal impacts. Her work encompasses areas such as the virtual economy, online radicalization, ethical algorithms, and the digital shift's socio-cultural changes. Béchet has also engaged in cutting-edge research, including participating in the Digital Methods Initiative Data Sprint 2020 and leading a three-month ethnographic field study in Taipei on the use of office fengshui in Chinese entrepreneurial architecture. Her multifaceted contributions to understanding the relationship between technology and society solidify her position as a prominent figure in the field of digital anthropology. Key Takeaways Anthropologists are like anti-bias machines, questioning the obvious and uncovering biases. Data visualization is essential in analyzing digital data and uncovering patterns and insights. The metaverse and blockchain offer opportunities for creativity, social mobility, and the disruption of traditional industries. Technology should be seen as a tool that can be harnessed for positive change rather than feared. Chapters 00:01:32 - Nathalie's interest in anthropology and data science 00:08:23 - Nathalie's experience with learning data science and coding 00:10:48 - The role of data visualization in digital anthropology 00:18:37 - The value of digital anthropology in organizations 00:20:00 - The importance of digital methods for all anthropologists 00:23:24 - Nathalie's perspective on the metaverse and blockchain 00:27:50 - Nathalie's article on NFTs and crypto art 00:31:41 - Other reports Nathalie has worked on Recommended Links Nathalie Béchet on LinkedIn Crypto Art and Crypto Hopes in the Digital Age

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Kate Sieck speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. Kate discusses her journey from academia to industry and the various roles she has held in marketing, business intelligence, and product development. She emphasizes the need for anthropologists to apply their skills in areas such as business strategy, risk analysis, and product design. Kate also highlights the importance of building bridges between academia and industry and the opportunities for anthropologists to make a positive impact in the private sector. About Kate Sieck Kate Sieck is an anthropologist and senior manager at Toyota Research Institute's Harmonious Communities team. With extensive experience in integrating social theory into business, her career spans leadership roles in RAND Corporation, OLSON, and ReD Associates and faculty positions at Emory and Stanford universities. Known for her ability to combine qualitative and quantitative research with social theory, Kate excels at leveraging anthropological insights to enhance organizational services, products, and communications, benefiting employees, clients, partners, and communities. Her dedication to creating a positive impact drives her success in projects involving internal stakeholders and external clients, seeking to harness anthropological insights for improved outcomes and societal transformations. Key Moments 00:00:00 - Introduction to the podcast and guest, Kate Sieck 00:01:36 - Kate's interest in anthropology and how she got started 00:05:33 - Kate's transition from academia to marketing 00:10:53 - Exploring different career paths for anthropologists 00:11:58 - The value of anthropology in business intelligence and strategy 00:13:00 - Kate's role in business intelligence and risk analysis 00:20:00 - Kate's current role at Toyota Research Institute 00:21:58 - Opportunities for anthropologists in tech and product development 00:25:00 - The need for anthropology to bridge the gap between academia and industry 00:30:00 - Kate's involvement in EPIC's equity program and upcoming conferences Recommended Links Kate Sieck on LinkedIn Kate Sieck's articles on EPIC Kate Sieck's articles on RAND

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Dariusz Jemielniak speaks with Matt Artz about his career as a business anthropologist. Dariusz shares his journey from anthropology to becoming a Wikipedian and shares his perspective on the intersection of anthropology and data science. He emphasizes the value of programming skills, particularly Python, for ethnographers in effectively [...]

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Mujtaba Hameed speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist.Mujtaba shares his journey from undergraduate studies in archaeology and anthropology to his current role as a senior research consultant at Stripe Partners. The discussion highlights the value of anthropological thinking in the business field and emphasizes the importance of bridging the gap between qualitative research and data science. Mujtaba also emphasizes effective communication of anthropological insights to clients and stakeholders, ensuring their integration into business strategies. Throughout the episode, listeners gain insights into the transformative potential of anthropology in business research and strategy, the integration of qualitative research with data science, and the relevance of anthropology in understanding the impact of technology on society. About Mujtaba Hameed Mujtaba Hameed is a Senior Research Consultant at Stripe Partners, specializing in research and strategy for technology-led businesses. With extensive experience in leading multi-country projects, he assists clients in understanding market dynamics and product development strategies. Mujtaba also serves as the overseer of the Stripe Partners newsletter, Frames, where he applies social science frameworks to address business and technology challenges. With a background in anthropology and a diverse range of roles in strategy and research, including at Canvas8, Sylvain Labs, Inc., and Bamboo Crowd, Mujtaba brings a wealth of expertise to his work. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Archaeology & Anthropology from the University of Oxford and a Master of Science degree in Social Anthropology from UCL, specializing in UX research. Key Moments 00:01:21 Mujtaba's interest in anthropology and how he got started 00:06:27 Mujtaba's role at Stripe Partners and the type of work they do 00:08:53 The value of anthropological thinking in business 00:11:15 The importance of data science in anthropology 00:15:29 The concept of pathfinding in anthropology 00:20:38 The future of anthropology and its potential impact 00:26:00 Stripe Partners' thought leadership and resources 00:29:18 Mujtaba's vision for the future of anthropology 00:31:43 How to get in touch with Mujtaba and Stripe Partners Recommended Links Mujtaba Hameed's website Mujtaba Hameed on LinkedIn Stripe Partners

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Carmen Bueno Castellanos speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation delves into Carmen's journey, starting with the historical context of anthropology in Mexico and its Marxist influences. She discusses the challenges business anthropologists face in a country where Marxist theory dominates the field and explores the importance of analyzing business practices in Mexico, particularly in the context of globalization since the NAFTA agreement. Carmen also shares her research on the impact of innovation and technology, highlighting the need for inclusive and sustainable approaches and transformative innovation. The conversation then shifts to a recap of the 4th Global Business Anthropology Summit, which was held June 1 - 3, 2023, in Mexico City at the Universidad Iberoamericana. Carmen elaborates on why they selected the theme of Making Conscious Futures and the importance of awareness, connections, and uncertainty in shaping a better future. She also emphasizes the value of transdisciplinarity, collaboration, and having a clear purpose in contributing to a positive impact and offers some advice for future GBAS organizing teams. About Carmen Bueno Castellanos Carmen Bueno Castellanos is an anthropologist specializing in Social Anthropology. Holding degrees from Syracuse University and the Universidad Iberoamericana, she is recognized for her expertise and is a member of prestigious organizations such as the National System of Researchers and the Mexican Academy of Sciences. Currently serving as the Coordinator of the Master's and Doctorate programs in Social Anthropology at the Universidad Iberoamericana and a research professor, Carmen's research delves into the relationship between local expressions of the global and innovation processes in global companies. Her influential publications, including the book "Productive Configurations in Globalization: Mexican Trajectories," have been featured in renowned journals. Carmen's dedication to research and teaching highlights her significant contributions to the field of anthropology. Key Moments 00:00:00 - Introduction to the podcast and guest Carmen Bueno Castanos 00:01:47 - Carmen's background and introduction to business anthropology in Mexico 00:03:00 - Importance of analyzing and understanding business in Mexico during the nineties 00:04:00 - Impact of the NAFTA agreement on Mexico's globalization process 00:06:00 - Carmen's focus on innovation and anthropology of organizations 00:07:00 - Overview of the Global Business Anthropology Summit 00:08:00 - Theme of the summit: Making Conscious Futures 00:09:00 - Importance of business anthropology in Mexico and its role in shaping the future 00:11:00 - Challenges and opportunities in sustainable and inclusive innovation 00:12:20 - Anthropology in Mexico, its history, and its role in shaping the future 00:17:00 - The fourth Global Business Anthropology Summit and the theme of making conscious futures 00:19:01 - Inspiration for the summit: awareness, connections, and uncertainty 00:20:04 - Importance of having a vision for the future and making connections with diverse communities 00:23:00 - Importance of engaging with ecosystems and learning from different cultures 00:25:17 - The summit's focus on inspiring new generations to change the economic system 00:25:52 - The importance o...

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Liz Lewis speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation delves into Liz's unconventional journey into content marketing, exploring its role in enhancing brand recognition. Using examples from her career, Liz illustrates how her anthropological research skills have been instrumental in creating compelling content that resonates with a broad audience. The conversation extends to explore strategies for top-of-funnel marketing, concerns surrounding the misrepresentation of survey data, and the advantages of diverse content mediums. Lastly, Liz imparts her knowledge on the importance of research-backed thought leadership in content marketing, underscoring its role in solidifying a company's position as a respected industry authority. About Liz Lewis Liz Lewis is an accomplished tech anthropologist with a PhD in Anthropology, specializing in the nexus of research and content creation. She's a skillful qualitative researcher and a proficient writer with more than a decade of experience across various formats, from corporate blogs and white papers to podcasts and scholarly writings. Liz currently serves as the Corporate Content Lead at Miro, where she's been instrumental in refining the company's content strategy. Previously, as a Senior Content Marketing Manager at Indeed, she led the editorial strategy, managed a team of content creators, and produced high-profile thought leadership materials recognized by major news outlets. Alongside her corporate roles, Liz has maintained a prolific freelance writing career spanning nine years, contributing to diverse publications on topics such as science, culture, and health. Recommended Links Liz Lewis' website Liz Lewis on LinkedIn

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Michael Powell speaks with Matt Artz about his career as a business anthropologist. The conversation begins with a discussion of Michael's graduate school experience and how he combined his passion for art and anthropology. Michael shares how he adapted to a business environment and found creative research projects. Later in the episode, Michael and Matt discuss the benefits of remote ethnographic research and the challenges and opportunities of working as an independent consultant. Michael also discusses the art of ethnographic listening and shares his advice on starting a business. About Michael Powell Michael Powell is an anthropologist, design strategist, UX researcher, and writer with a passion for studying people and their behaviors. He transforms research into insights that help teams make smarter decisions. Michael's research design and methods employ a human science approach, enabling him to discover solutions efficiently and effectively. He believes that collaboration is critical and tailors his research for different audiences, budgets, timelines, and expectations. Michael works on various aspects of everyday life, from tech products to grocery stores, from voting habits to healthcare devices. He offers a wide range of services, including leading research projects, working with research partners, training others in research, and delivering customer sentiment based on interviews. Additionally, Michael engages in deeper projects that inform product or experience design cycles. Recommended Links Michael Powell's Website Michael Powell on LinkedIn

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Gemma John, founder and director of Human City, speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Gemma's journey from studying anthropology with a focus on the built environment to founding her consultancy, which specializes in socially responsible and commercially viable property development and asset management solutions. It also touches on the WWNA's Apply Club for Anthropology of the Built Environment. About Gemma John Gemma John is a highly accomplished applied anthropologist, sustainability advisor, and the Founder & Director of Human City. Her career has been dedicated to driving positive change within the built environment. Gemma's journey started in planning and architecture with leading firms such as AECOM and Foster + Partners in London. In 2017, she founded Human City, a consultancy that drives social value through real estate investment, development, management, and operation. Gemma's extensive experience and expertise have enabled her to work with various private, public, and nonprofit organizations across Europe and Africa, conducting rigorous research and providing strategic guidance on sustainable development. Her commitment to driving meaningful impact is reflected in her extensive education, which includes coursework in Real Estate Economics and Finance at the London School of Economics and Impact Investing in Africa at the University of Cape Town. Gemma's contributions to academia and sustainable development have earned her an Honorary Research Fellowship at University College London's Department of Anthropology and Adjunct Faculty status at the University of Cambridge's Institute for Sustainable Leadership. She is also a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce and a Winston Churchill Fellow. About Human City Human City is a spatial strategy consultancy that specializes in creating socially responsible and commercially viable property development and asset management solutions. They help clients create new spaces that benefit both the community and commercial aspects. They use their expertise in social science, business intelligence, and design thinking to carry out research, develop strategies, and measure the positive impact on society and the environment. Their work spans four areas of expertise: design futures and strategy, innovation and growth, social value and impact, and tools and techniques. Recommended Links Gemma John on LinkedIn Human City Apply Club for Anthropology of the Built Environment

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Tracy Johnson, senior program officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Tracy's journey from studying psychology to becoming an internationally recognized design anthropologist in global health. About Tracy Johnson Tracy Johnson is a senior program officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where she focuses on user experience and innovation by applying human-centered design across the foundation's grants. She has over 15 years of experience in anthropology and design for various social issues, such as education and human rights, and has held positions as director of ethnographic research for Nurun and research director for Context-Based Research Group. As an internationally recognized design anthropologist, she is also contributing to the merging of design and data science for a more effective synergy. Tracy's global perspective is informed by her living and working experiences in countries such as Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Laos, Nigeria, Tanzania, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Recommended Links Tracy Johnson on LinkedIn DesignforHealth.org ProjectPathways.org Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Lucia Laurent-Neva speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Lucia's journey from design and semiotics to anthropology and how she combines the three disciplines as the Founder of Visual Signo. It also covers Semiofest and the upcoming Global Business Anthropology Summit (GBAS 2023). About Lucia Laurent-Neva Lucia Laurent-Neva is a semiotician, designer, and anthropologist skilled in brand strategy, product and brand innovation. For almost 20 years, she has been helping British and global clients in a variety of sectors to understand and anticipate cultural changes across different continents. Lucia’s interest in the practical applications of cultural semiotics began while she was a lecturer at a Colombian university and evolved through senior roles at two London marketing-strategic consultancies. As the founder of Visual Signo and co-founder of Semiofest, she is committed in demonstrating the increasing relevance of semiotics in global brand strategy in commercial organizations. Recommended Links Lucia Laurent-Neva on LinkedIn Visual Signo Semiofest GBAS 2023

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Tracey Lovejoy speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Tracey's journey from discovering anthropology at the hairdresser to co-founding Catalyst Constellations. Along the way, we learn how Tracey, the catalyst studied at the University of Chicago and worked at E-lab and Microsoft. About Trace Lovejoy Tracey Lovejoy is an anthropologist, author of Move Fast. Break Shit. Burn Out.: The Catalyst’s Guide to Working Well, and the Co-Founder Catalyst Constellations. Tracey is known for her optimistic outlook, quick mind, freakish intuition, sassy attitude, and drive for results. She is a coach that supports Catalysts and their teams and is the researcher behind the Catalyst movement. Before she became a Coach, Tracey spent 12 years at Microsoft, where she worked at the intersection of technology, design, and innovation, leading teams of change-makers. She is also the co-founder of the Ethnographic Praxis in Industry Conference (EPIC), the premier international gathering on ethnography in business. When Tracey isn’t helping individuals and organizations transform, she’s hanging out with her kids, cleaning up after pets, or stealing moments to feed her reading addiction. About Catalyst Constellations Catalyst Constellations is a change accelerator that leverages research driven insights and executive experience to catalyze innate changemakers to build future proof companies that thrive. The company was founded by Tracey Lovejoy and Shannon Lucas in 2017. January 2023 Catalyst Empowerment Summit Catalyst Constellations hosts two Catalyst Empowerment Summits yearly. The summits are designed by and for Catalysts, offering short talks with actionable insights. The events are free, and curate an amazing selection of thought leaders – each with their own domain expertise on different facets of our lives as Catalysts! The next event is January 26, 2023 7 – 11am Pacific | 4 – 8pm CET. Register for the event on LinkedIn. Move Fast. Break Shit. Burn Out. Move Fast. Break Shit. Burn Out.: The Catalyst’s Guide to Working Well, isn’t your typical change-making book, because it’s not for your typical changemaker. It’s for the innovators who can’t stop taking in information, connecting dots, and changing the world—even when the world hasn’t asked for it. Even when the changemaker desperately needs a break. Recommended Links Tracey Lovejoy on LinkedIn Catalyst Constellations Move Fast. Break Shit. Burn Out. January 2023 Catalyst Empowerment Summit

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Anders Kristian Munk speaks with Matt Artz about his career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Ander's journey from human geography to Techno-Anthropology. About Anders Kristian Munk Anders Kristian Munk is an anthropologist, associate professor, and the director of The Techno-Anthropology Lab at Aalborg University in Copenhagen. He holds degrees in ethnology and [...]

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Lianne Potter speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Lianne's journey from studying anthropology to self-learning software engineering and working in cyber security as the Head of SecOps for Asda. About Lianne Potter Lianne Potter is an award-winning security transformation manager, change-maker, tech founder, digital anthropologist, and tech diversity and inclusion advocate. She is the Head of SecOps for Asda and also the founder of The AnthroSecurist. Lianne’s passion is to ensure that the tech we use is as secure as possible while, at the same time, removing barriers for those who create it and fostering environments for innovation and growth. Lianne evangelizes a cultural security transformation that begins with embedding values that never compromise or neglect the human experience. Her mantra is: When you follow the cables, behind every piece of tech is a person, consumer, and creator, and we should never lose sight of this. Recommend Links Lianne Potter on LinkedIn Lianne Potter on Twitter

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Keirsten Snover speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Keirsten's journey from studying anthropology to founding Anthropology 4U, an online education company offering courses in anthropology. About Keirsten Snover Keirsten Snover is an Anthropologist with two Master's degrees in Anthropology. She is the founder of Anthropology 4U, which offers online courses in all four fields of Anthropology to the general public. Keirsten has multiple disabilities and uses a wheelchair to get around, a feeding tube to eat and drink, and a ventilator to breathe. All this does not stop her from teaching! About Anthropology 4U Anthropology 4U offers a unique educational experience for lifelong learners by providing online courses in all four fields of Anthropology! The academy offers 7 online courses and has trained 1700 students. Recommend Links Keirsten Snover on LinkedIn Anthropology 4U Adult anthropology coloring books

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Yaya Ren speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Yaya's journey from her dissertation research in the NICU to founding a tech company. Her company, PreeMe+You, is a social benefit company that empowers parents by harmonizing NICU care and communication to produce your preemie’s best health outcomes. About Yaya Ren Yaya Ren is a medical and cultural anthropologist. She is passionate about bringing the science of human interactions to create mobile technology solutions that improve quality of life and health outcomes for preemies and their families. She has conducted extensive field work capturing the social-emotional and health disparity journeys of NICU families in the U.S and Taiwan, focusing on bridging communication gaps between medical teams and families. PreeMe+You combines her industry experience bridging online-offline social interactions with her social science expertise in NICU medicine and epidemiology. About PreeMe+You PreeMe+You is a social benefit health startup that improves premature infant health and developmental outcomes. PreeMe+You develops neonatal interaction and communication tools that shape parent-infant relationships and parent-medical team partnerships for improving long-term health and quality of life outcomes for preemies and their families. The seed for PreeMe+You began when Dr. Yaya Ren, a medical and cultural anthropologist and Dr. Bree Andrews, a professor of pediatrics and neonatologist, came together over many cups of cafeteria coffee to share stories about the inspired tenacity of families who juggle everyday life with the demands of caring for their preemies. Recommend Links Yaya Ren on LinkedIn Yaya Ren on Twitter PreeMe+You Website

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Grant McCracken speaks with Matt Artz about his career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Grant's journey from museums to being a consultant and author. It also touches on Grant's new book Return of the Artisan: How America Went from Industrial to Handmade. About Grant McCracken Grant McCracken is an anthropologist studying American culture for 25 years. He has worked for many organizations, including Timberland, New York Historical Society, IKEA, Google, Ford Foundation, Kanye West, Netflix, Sony, Coca-Cola, Sam Adams, Boston Book Festival, Delta, Oprah, Reddit, PBS, State Farm, NBC, Diageo, IBM, Nike, and the Obama White House. He is a long-time student of culture and commerce, publishing two books on the topic: Culture and Consumption I, and Culture and Consumption II. He argues that all corporations need to take culture more serious, publishing a book called Chief Culture Officer (Basic Books). This was named one of the best innovation books by BusinessWeek in 2009. His most recent book, Return of the Artisan, delves into the evolution of the artisanal movement from the fringes of the 1970s to the spike of domesticity—home-cooking, gardening, and DIY crafting—caused by COVID-19 and what it means for the future of work and American culture. He is the inventor of The Griff, an early warning system for social and cultural change (see www.mapping-the-future.com). He is credited with spotting the rise of Donald Trump, the fall of Second Life, and the disruption of CPG by Alice Waters and the artisanal movement. Recommend Links Grant McCracken on LinkedIn Grant McCracken on Twitter Return of the Artisan: How America Went from Industrial to Handmade

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Christine Miller speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Christine's journey from studying the innovation practices of organizations to finding design anthropology and her current role as a professor of Design Management at SCAD. It also touches on Christine's 2018 book, Design + Anthropology, and a forthcoming book on design anthropology. About Christine Miller Christine Miller is a design educator, researcher, and practitioner working at the intersection of anthropology, design, and business. Her Ph.D. research integrated anthropology, management/organizational studies, and business in an ethnographic study of process formalization and the relationship between innovation and formalization at a Tier One automotive supplier. Her research interests focus on sociotechnical systems and the ways in which sociality and culture influence the design and diffusion, adoption, and adaptation of new products, processes, and technologies. She also studies technology-mediated communication, knowledge flows within pluridisciplinary groups and teams, and the emergence of co-located and technology-enabled collaborative innovation networks (COINs). She is currently a Co-PI on a NSF grant studying the ethics and cultures of STEM research groups. She is exploring how developing context-specific ethical guidelines co-designed by lab and research group members might help cultivate ethical culture. She currently teaches at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in Savannah, Georgia. From the fall of 2014 until May 2018, she taught at IIT in Chicago for the Stuart School of Business and in the Institute of Design. Her most recent book, Design + Anthropology was published by Routledge in 2017. She is currently working on a follow up book on design anthropology. Recommend Links Christine Miller on LinkedIn Design + Anthropology book Design Anthropology Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Anthropology article

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Cathleen Crain speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Cathleen's tremendously successful career which includes being the co-founder and managing partner of LTG Associates and the current president of The National Association for the Practice of Anthropology. LTG Associates was the first business anthropology consulting agency in the US. It just had its 40th anniversary and has a new website to celebrate the milestone. About Cathleen Crain Cathleen Crain, M.A. is a Managing Partner of LTG Associates, the oldest anthropologically based consulting firm in the U.S. and a senior professional anthropologist. She has more than forty years of experience in health and human services research, program development, evaluation, policy analysis, and technical assistance. Cathleen has been engaged in scores of projects for international, federal, state, and local governmental organizations, and with for- and non-profit organizations and foundations. In addition to being an active social scientist working on projects, Cathleen is responsible for the development side of the firm. Cathleen is the current president of the National Association for the Practice of Anthropology (NAPA), a past member of the SfAA Nominations and Elections Committee, a past chair of the NAPA committee responsible for the Careers Expo, a founder of the NAPA mentor program, a long-standing and proud member of WAPA, and a current member of the WAPA program committee. Recommended Links Cathleen Crain on LinkedIn LTG Associates Website NAPA Website

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Katie Hillier speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Katie's journey from her USC online communities graduate program to becoming a digital anthropologist, and now working at the Liiv Center to bring digital innovation to all of anthropology. About Katie Hillier Katie Hillier has worked as a Digital Anthropologist for over 10 years, running global digital anthropology labs in the Innovation consultancy space. She has a passion for bringing empathy to big data and believes in a future where digital anthropology becomes as essential as data science across all aspects of society. Today she is the Chief Digital Anthropologist at the LiiV Center, a non-profit organization committed to bringing digital innovation to anthropology. Recommended Links Katie Hillier on LinkedIn LiiV Center

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Laura Korčulanin speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Laura's journey from her early grassroots organizing to focusing on design anthropology , and founding Give a Shit. About Laura Korčulanin Laura Korčulanin is a pioneer design anthropologist, systems thinker, and environmental advocate. She is passionate about true world changes and working towards positive impact and regenerative solutions. What defines her the most is an ecosystemic vision and holistic approach to world challenges and their solutions, where nature is the main stakeholder. She is passionate about life and projects that make a difference to all living beings, co-creating her legacy through innovative research and educational frameworks with different stakeholders. She has over 12 years of experience in qualitative research, six years of experience in university-level positions teaching with holistic educational models, and a decade of immersed creation in the private and public sector, from design consultancy agencies, municipalities, decision-making bodies, NGOs, and academia. She is the founder of Give a Shit and is currently finishing her PhD focused on integrated sanitation solutions and urban water management with a case study of Lisbon. Recommended Links Laura Korčulanin on LinkedIn Give a Shit

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Ainslee Hooper speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Ainslee’s journey from her anthropology schooling to becoming a disability inclusion consultant and podcaster. About Ainslee Hooper Ainslee Hooper is an Anthropologist specializing in disability inclusion. For the past three years, she has worked on numerous projects utilizing her ethnographic & qualitative research skills with a focus on disability inclusion for councils, disability service providers, public venues and sustainability services firms. Ainslee combines her unique knowledge of disability with her professional skills, along with her evidence-backed research methods to empower businesses and organizations to remove invisible barriers and be more inclusive and accessible, reducing the risk of ableism. Ainslee has been recognized in her field, receiving the Employment Award in the Geelong Awards for People with Disability in 2020. This award recognizes someone who has achieved success or made a substantial contribution to empowering and developing others in the workplace or the community. Ainslee graduated from Deakin University in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Anthropology. Ainslee is currently completing a PhD in Anthropology at Deakin University, researching the experiences of people with disabilities during the COVID19 pandemic and "COVID normal". Ainslee is currently a Community Representative on the Access & Inclusion Advisory Committee for the City of Greater Geelong and is an advisor on the 'Women and Body Mapping' Research Study Advisory Group and sits on the board of the Barwon Disability Resource Council & MuMEcations. Recommended Links Ainslee Hooper on LinkedIn Ainslee Hooper Consulting Ainslee Hooper's Podcast

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Angela VandenBroek speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Angela's journey from consulting and studying innovation, to teaching applied anthropology at Texas State University. About Angela VandenBroek Angela VandenBroek is a sociocultural anthropologist with a PhD in anthropology from Binghamton University. She has additionally worked as an applied anthropologist in design, branding, and information technologies since 2008—both within organizations and as a freelancer. Broadly speaking, her work sits at the intersection of business and design anthropology and science and technology studies and focuses on how ambitions for better futures by states, citizens and entrepreneurs are coopted and reformed by innovation culture and its infrastructures. She's conducted research in Stockholm Sweden’s startup and innovation ecosystem (#SthlmTech) and will be starting research among entrepreneurs in Austin, Texas in 2021. She is also the web producer for the Committee for the Anthropology of Science Technology and Computing (CASTAC) in the General Anthropology Division of the American Anthropological Association and a leader for the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Apply Club in the Applied Anthropology Network of the European Association of Social Anthropologists. Recommend Links Angela VandenBroek's website Angela VandenBroek on LinkedIn Angela VandenBroek on Twitter Committee for the Anthropology of Science, Technology & Computing (CASTAC)

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Lee Wilson speaks with Matt Artz about his career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Lee's journey from studying Indonesian martial arts to working in global development. About Less Wilson Lee Wilson specializes in working with organizations and their leaders to help them understand and drive sustainable change. He has pioneered innovative, participatory approaches to research and implementation grounded in applied ethnography and anthropological thinking. Key to the success of these approaches is detailed analysis of the cultural patterns that shape the ways we think about and act in the world. His approach is highly participatory and works to put people back into strategy. He works with clients to break down silos, to ensure all voices are heard (irrespective of seniority), and help people understand organizational challenges from standpoints other than their own. He creates secure environments for issues to be raised for collective resolution – putting problem-solving and consequent ownership for change into the hands of participants. His work has spanned three continents (UK/Europe, Asia, and Australia/Pacific) with a diverse array of partners and clients including government agencies, the United Nations, art organizations, corporate entities, law enforcement agencies, think tanks, and NGOs. Recommended Links Lee Wilson on LinkedIn

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Timothy Malefyt speaks with Matt Artz about his career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Tim's journey from studying flamenco performance and symbolism in Spain to working in advertising in New York, and on to his current role as a Clinical Professor at the Gabelli School of Business at Fordham University. About Timothy Malefyt Timothy de Waal Malefyt is a Clinical Professor at the Gabelli School of Business at Fordham University. Previously, he held senior positions in advertising agencies where, as a corporate anthropologist, he applied anthropological and cultural approaches to consumer research for developing brand and strategic insights. He has co-authored and co-edited five academic press books, Women, Consumption and Paradox (2020); Magical Capitalism (2018); Ethics in the Anthropology of Business (2017); Advertising and Anthropology (2012); and Advertising Cultures (2003). He often is quoted in popular media, including Bloomberg Businessweek, USA Today and The New York Times, and he has appeared on ABC News. He presents papers at The American Anthropological Association Meetings, Society for Applied Anthropology, EPIC and the Global Business Anthropology conferences. Recommended Links Timothy Malefyt on LinkedIn Timothy Malefyt Amazon Author page Timothy Malefyt on Fordham University's website BusinessAnthro.com

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Tom Maschio speaks with Matt Artz about his career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Tom’s journey from Papua New Guinea, the founding of his consulting firm Maschio Consulting, and his most recent book, Digital Cultures, Lived Stories and Virtual Reality. About Tom Maschio Thomas Maschio has been a business anthropologist for the past 22 years and head of his own consultancy, Maschio Consulting, since 2004. Prior to that he carried out academic ethnographic research in Papua New Guinea. He is the author of Digital Cultures, Lived Stories and Virtual Reality. Recommended Links Maschio Consulting Digital Cultures, Lived Stories and Virtual Reality on Routledge

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Elizabeth Briody speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Elizabeth's formative years at General Motors, the founding of her consulting firm Cultural Keys, and the new Anthropology Career Readiness Commission. About Elizabeth Briody Elizabeth K. Briody is the founder of Cultural Keys LLC. Prior to establishing Cultural Keys, she worked over two decades at General Motors R&D, most recently as Technical Fellow. She managed multiple cross-functional teams and led research and change-management projects on high-impact issues including GM’s relationships with strategic partners. Her projects ranged from the effects of downsizing and restructurings on employees to decision-making and governance issues on global vehicle programs to implementing the “ideal culture” in GM’s U.S. manufacturing plants. Elizabeth is co-author of three recent books including The Cultural Dimension of Global Business, written to make culture understandable, visible, and useful to business people; the 8th edition will be out early in 2017. Her work is documented in award-winning publications and videos. She has been featured in Fast Company, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Working Women, and other news media. She has held positions as Secretary on the Executive Board of the American Anthropological Association and is as Past President of the National Association for the Practice of Anthropology. Elizabeth also recently co-founded the Career Readiness Commission with Riall Nolan. The Career Readiness Commission is a new initiative helping to prepare the next generation of anthropologists to meet tomorrow’s challenges and opportunities. Check it out at anthrocareerready.net. Recommended Links Elizabeth Briody on LinkedIn Cultural Keys LLC The Career Readiness Commission

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Adam Gamwell speaks with Matt Artz about his career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Adam's journey from studying cultural anthropology to working as a senior researcher with MotivBase. It also touches on Adam's interest in public anthropology and storytelling, which he has demonstrated with This Anthro Life (TAL) and Missing Link Studios. About Adam Gamwell Adam Gamwell is an anthropologist and culture expert, digital producer, innovation consultant & researcher, writer, speaker, and educator. But fundamentally he is a storyteller and driven to make our world a more friendly, humane, and sane place. Through and beyond podcasting, he helps businesses, organizations, and individuals understand the problems they face, create clarity and communication in the face of complexity, and make good things with good people to solve those problems. Because the right story changes hearts, creates community, and drives action. About This Anthro Life This Anthro Life is a podcast that brings you smart conversations with humanity’s top makers and minds on our creative potential through design, culture, business, and technology. Change your perspective. From Missing Link Studios in Boston, MA. Recommended Links Adam Gamwell on LinkedIn Adam Gamwell on Twitter Adam Gamwell's personal website This Anthro Life Missing Link Studios

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Min’enhle Ncube speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Min’enhle's journey from anthropology to the HighTechXL accelerator where she became interested in AI and innovation. About Min’enhle Ncube Min’enhle Ncube is an anthropologist researching artificial intelligence in healthcare and its embedded ethics in central and southern Africa. Passionate about applied anthropology and UX research, she worked for technology startups at the HighTechXL, a venture builder on the Eindhoven HighTech Campus. There, she observed a major paucity of multidisciplinary approaches for innovative processes. While technologists envision the future as digital and autonomous, Min’enhle believes that this vision should be more human and socially responsible. She works with a cohort of fellows at the Institute for Humanities in Africa (HUMA), researching broadly on ‘Future Hospitals’, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, AI and the Ethics of Care in Africa. She shares how she is shaping her research work for applied innovation in the sub-Saharan African region. Recommended Links Min’enhle Ncube on LinkedIn Min’enhle Ncube on Twitter

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Dawn Walter speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Dawn’s journey from working as a technical writer to becoming a social anthropologist and then starting the Response-ability Summit and Response-ability.Tech Podcast. About Dawn Walter Dawn Walters holds a BA (Hons) in European History (UEA), a BA (Hons) in Social Anthropology (University of Canterbury, NZ), and an MA (Hons) in Social Anthropology (University of Auckland, NZ). In 2018, Dawn founded the Response-ability Summit, formerly the Anthropology + Technology Conference. As a social anthropologist, Dawn believes that social scientists play a crucial role in the design and development of emerging technologies. About the Response-ability Summit The Response-ability Summit brings together technologists, who are working on emerging technology projects related to AI, and anthropologists to foster dialogue and collaboration across the disciplines. The inaugural 2019 conference saw 150 delegates from around the UK and Europe meeting to discuss socially responsible AI at the Watershed, a leading arts and media space, on Bristol’s historic harbourside. The 2020 event returned on Friday 9 and Monday 12 October, this time online, connecting speakers and delegates from across the globe, and two major sponsors, Microsoft UK and Spotify, with funding from UKRI (ESRC). Recommended Links Dawn Walter on LinkedIn Response-ability Summit Response-ability.Tech Podcast Mundy & Anson

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Max Matus speaks with Matt Artz about his career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Max's journey from studying social anthropology to semiotics to sociology. It also touches on the state of business anthropology in Mexico, the founding of his consulting firm Semiosfera, and the work he does as a research fellow for the College of the Northern Borderland (Colef) in Tijuana. About Max Matus Max Matus is an anthropologist and sociologist and a research fellow at the College of the Northern Borderland (Colef) in Tijuana. Max has extensive experience in consulting for the public and the private sector. He earned his Ph.D. in Sociology at Wageningen University in Holland and an M.A in Semiotics at Tartu University in Estonia. Max Matus is the research director of Semiosfera consulting, an innovation consultancy firm established in Mexico City. Recommended Links Max Matus on LinkedIn Max Matus on COLEF Website Semiosfera

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Natalia Usme Manrique speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Natalia’s journey from studying cultural analysis at Lund University in Sweden to co-founding Flipa Consultora in Colombia, where she started the first business anthropology summit and digital magazine for LATAM. About Natalia Usme Manrique Natalia Usme Manrique is a business anthropologist, service designer, and entrepreneur from Colombia. As the co-founder of Flipa Consultora, she started the first Digital Magazine in Business Anthropology for Latam and the first online Business Anthropology Summit for Latam. With Flipa she’s worked on projects that include developing products and services, marketing strategies, culture and communication plans, 360 change management strategies, UX research, cultural innovation strategies, and customer experience. Natalia currently works as a service designer for EPAM Systems. She earned a Master’s Degree from Lund University in Applied Cultural Analysis. Recommended Links Natalia Usme Manrique on Linkedn Natalia Usme Manriqueon Instagram Flipa Consultora About the Anthropology in Business Podcast The Anthropology in Business podcast is for anthropologists and business leaders interested in learning more about the many ways anthropology is applied in business and why business anthropology is one of the most effective lenses for making sense of organizations and consumers. It is hosted by Matt Artz (https://mattartz.me), a business anthropologist specializing in design anthropology and working at the intersection of product management, user experience, and business strategy. To learn more about the Anthropology in Business podcast, please visit the website (https://www.mattartz.me/podcasts/anthropology-in-business-podcast/).

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Lora Koycheva speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Lora's journey from behind the Iron Curtain to studying innovation and entrepreneurship. It also touches on co-organizing new applied anthropology clubs for the EASA Applied Anthropology Network and co-founding a robotics startup. About Lora Koycheva Lora Koycheva is a Visiting Researcher at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, EPIC board member, and a Convenor for EASA Applied Anthropology Network. She is irresistibly drawn to complex problems, ambitious projects, and crazy people. An anthropologist by training, she is lucky to have as craft the kind of mindset and thinking which thrives in uncertainty, embraces failure as a necessary first step, and demands stepping and acting outside of any zone of comfort. With 15+ years of experience in qualitative research in a variety of contexts, from ethnographic interviews and participant observation to surveys and sociolinguistic analysis, she is adept at immersive and adaptive techniques in seeking to understand people, products, systems, and structures from otherwise hard-to-obtain angles and in unfamiliar terms. Recommended Links Lora Koycheva on LinkedIn EASA Applied Anthropology Network Why the World Needs Anthropologists EPIC

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Erin Taylor speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Erin’s journey from studying economic anthropology to the founding of Finthropology, a consulting firm focused on the FinTech sector. About Erin Taylor Erin Taylor is an economic anthropologist who specializes in research in FinTech. She is the Founder and Principal Consultant at Finthropology, and previously Canela Consulting. Erin is the author of the book Materializing Poverty: How the Poor Transform Their Lives (2013, AltaMira), which deals with socioeconomic transformation in the Dominican Republic. She has published chapters (with Professor Heather Horst) on financial inclusion and financial literacy in Haiti and the Dominican Republic in Money at the Margins (2018, Berghan), Design Anthropology (2017, Springer) and Linguistic and Material Intimacies of Cell Phones (2018, Routledge). Recommended Links Erin Taylor on LinkedIn Finthropology Materializing Poverty: How the Poor Transform Their Lives

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Ken Banks speaks with Matt Artz about his career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Ken's career as a social entrepreneur working in mobile technology, his current role as Head of Social Purpose at Yoti, and his upcoming bookThe Pursuit of Purpose. In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Ken Banks speaks with Matt Artz about his career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Ken's career as a social entrepreneur working in mobile technology, his current role as Head of Social Purpose at Yoti, and his upcoming bookThe Pursuit of Purpose. About Ken Banks Ken Banks is a British award-winning social entrepreneur, mobile technology and global development expert with an undergraduate major in Social Anthropology with Development Studies. He is best known for developing FrontlineSMS, a mobile messaging platform used today by non-profits in over 190 countries around the world. Ken is also a published author. His first edited book, The Rise of the Reluctant Innovator, was self-published in late 2013 and came with a Foreword from Archbishop Desmond Tutu. A follow-up, Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation, published by Kogan Page, was released in March 2016. The Pursuit of Purpose The Pursuit of Purpose is an honest, poignant, and emotionally powerful book. It’s a story about struggle, finding a purpose in life, striving to build a fairer society, and discovering who you are along the way. It's a book in three parts. Purpose Pursued begins on the beautiful island of Jersey, where a difficult early childhood shaped and influenced Ken. We learn how a global music event lead to an unexpected awakening, and the incredible lengths he went to try and find some sort of purpose and meaning in life. Later, in Purpose Lived, we’ll find out what happened when he eventually found it, and lived it, and the wider impact that finding purpose has had not just on him, but many others he met and worked with along the way. Then, to wrap things up, Purpose Explored looks at the meaning of purpose, how and why it matters in different cultures, the role our ancestors might play in our own drive for purpose, and any lessons we might learn from Ken's own fascinating journey. Recommended Links Ken Banks on LinkedIn The Pursuit of Purpose Kiwanja.net Yoti The Rise of the Reluctant Innovator Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Melissa Vogel speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Melissa’s journey into business anthropology after training as an archeologist and working in academia for 15 years, and the challenges of switching mid-career. About Melissa Vogel As a Business Anthropologist and Director of Qualitative Research at Hanover Research, Melissa is committed to demonstrating anthropology‘s relevance to everyday life and using it to improve cross-cultural understanding. During her academic career, she created Clemson University’s Business Anthropology program, which gives both industry professionals and students the global mindset and social science research skills needed in the modern job market. In her applied work, she has assessed workplace climate and diversity education needs, and gathered consumer insights data for such clients as Lego, Ann Taylor Loft, and FedEx Office. She has also conducted evaluation research with her team at UCLA’s CRESST Center. For 18 years she directed field research on the development of urbanism in prehistoric Peru, which is published in her two books: The Casma Capital City of El Purgatorio and Frontier Life in Ancient Peru. She also published 18 articles in academic journals and books. Recommended Links Melissa Vogel on LinkedIn Clemson University Business Anthropology Certificate The Casma Capital City of El Purgatorio Frontier Life in Ancient Peru About the Anthropology in Business Podcast The Anthropology in Business podcast is for anthropologists and business leaders interested in learning more about the many ways anthropology is applied in business and why business anthropology is one of the most effective lenses for making sense of organizations and consumers. It is hosted by Matt Artz (https://mattartz.me), a business anthropologist specializing in design anthropology and working at the intersection of product management, user experience, and business strategy. To learn more about the Anthropology in Business podcast, please visit the website (https://www.mattartz.me/podcasts/anthropology-in-business-podcast/).

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Inga Treitler, Christine Avenarius, and Alberto Guglielmone speak with Matt Artz about the 2021 Global Business Anthropology Summit (GBAS). The summit runs June 14 - 18 and is a fully online event realized in collaboration with the prestigious Freie Universitat Berlin. The episode discusses the session themes, the challenges and opportunities of hosting a virtual global summit in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the many achievements of the entire volunteer team. About the Summit The program includes six sessions, anticipated by two exceptional keynote speakers: Joanna Breidenbach, anthropologist, writer, TED speaker and founder of Betterplace.org one of the largest European crowdfunding companies on sustainability projects, and Das Dach (innovative co-working company) Carlo Colpo, global manager of brand communication of Lavazza, with previous experience in marketing and communication in the automotive world (Jeep brand). Two different interlocutors of business (start up and traditional business) and education (anthropology and business) who will dialogue with Claus- Bernhard Pakleppa, high management consultant (among others for the German government) and founder of the consulting company P4D (Partnership for Development). The main theme of the summit will focus on the future. Are we really ready for 2030? And what about 2080? To answer these questions the six sessions of the summit (formed through a co-creation process that took place remotely during the pandemic) will focus on different topics such as innovation, business sustainability also in relation to taxation, acceptance of change and organizational behavior, perception and marketing of anthropology in the future. In addition, special sections such as the Black Lives Initiative will be dedicated to racial diversity and inclusion, while networking will be promoted and organized with the support of the professional associations of anthropologists in Europe (EASA – European Applied Anthropology Association) and America (AAA – American Anthropology Association). Recommended Links Global Business Anthropology Summit Website Global Business Anthropology Summit Registration on Eventbrite Global Business Anthropology Summit post on MattArtz.me

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Simon Roberts speaks with Matt Artz about his career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Simon’s twenty-year career, which has included founding the UK’s first dedicated ethnographic research company, running an innovation lab at Intel, being ethnographer-in-residence at technology think tank iSociety, and co-founding Stripe Partners. The conversation also dives into the concept of embodied knowledge which Simon discusses in his recent book, The Power of Not Thinking: How Our Bodies Learn and Why We Should Trust Them. About Simon Roberts Simon Roberts is Co-founder and Partner at Stripe Partners and President of the EPIC Board. Simon’s work has been covered by Bloomberg, Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, BBC Radio 4 and Quartz. His book on embodied knowledge, The Power of Not Thinking: How Our Bodies Learn and Why We Should Trust Them, was published by Bonnier in 2020. Simon holds a PhD in anthropology from the University of Edinburgh. The Power of Not Thinking InThe Power of Not Thinking, Simon engages with the growing body of science to explain the concept of embodied knowledge. The book demonstrates the value it has for the ambitious organizations and leaders. Using case studies from Facebook, Procter & Gamble, Air Liquide and Intel, The Power of Not Thinking lifts the lid on how Stripe Partners do it and why it has worked to transform how its clients operate. About Stripe Partners The Stripe Partners team blends hands-on business know-how with rigorous, academic-led expertise in ethnography and the human sciences. We are a diverse group brought together by a shared passion for bridging the gap between business and what happens in the real world. Recommended Links Simon Roberts on LinkedIn Simon Roberts on Twitter The Power of Not Thinking: How Our Bodies Learn and Why We Should Trust Them Strip Partners EPIC 2021: Anticipation

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Verónica Reyero speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Verónica's journey into business anthropology after studying the rational use of medicines, as well as the founding of Antropología 2.0 and the Umanyx School. About Verónica Reyero Verónica Reyero is a business anthropologist based in Valencia, Spain. She graduated in Social and Cultural Anthropology from the University of Granada and holds a Master’s degree in Rational Use of Medicines from the University of Valencia. As a researcher, Veronica has worked both in public and private organizations in national and international projects for various sectors including health, food, technology, and Real Estate. Verónica is one of the founding partners of Antropología 2.0, a pioneering agency in applying an anthropological understanding to business challenges. Reyero is also a convener of the Applied Anthropology Network of the European Association of Social Anthropologists (EASA). Recommended Links Verónica Reyero on LinkedIn Antropología 2.0 Umanyx School Applied Anthropology Network of the European Association of Social Anthropologists (EASA) 2021 Global Business Anthropology Summit

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Autumn McDonald speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Autumn’s journey into anthropology after two decades at Fortune 500s in corporate America, and the starting of ADM Insights & Strategy, LLC. About Autumn McDonald With over 2 decades of experience in Research, Insights, and Analytics spanning 6 continents, Autumn D. McDonald is the owner of ADM Insights & Strategy, LLC. She leverages her multifaceted expertise to aid the clients of ADM Insights & Strategy, LLC in designing research organizations, developing research plans, harnessing impactful learnings, and identifying actionable paths forward. With diverse angles of expertise ADM Insights & Strategy is uniquely equipped to greatly illuminate insights. ADM Insights & Strategy, LLC utilizes mixed methods approaches that integrate market research with an anthropologically inspired lens for greater human-centricity and depth of understanding. Previously, she was the Senior Director Global Consumer Insights at The Hershey Company, leading the entire consumer research function worldwide. Autumn was responsible for spearheading the organization to provide consumer insights, tools, methodologies, models, and analyses needed in developing superior marketing, sales, and product strategies grounded in human understanding. Prior to her role at The Hershey Company, she was responsible for providing competitive advantage by identifying consumer driven opportunities, uncovering consumer needs, and creating synergies in consumer research across geographies at Mattel. Before joining Mattel, Autumn led the entire Global Knowledge & Insights organization worldwide for the Revlon company. Her work in uncovering and bringing to life engaging consumer insight at Revlon resulted in earning a 2014 Ogilvy Advertising Award. Earlier in her career, Autumn spent 4.5 years at Kraft Foods where she was responsible for leading the Company’s In Market Testing for Growth organization. During that time, she oversaw Analytics in market testing that touched each of Kraft’s Business Units and more than 15 retailers. Before Kraft, Autumn spent roughly 2 years at Colgate Palmolive, leading Shopper Marketing across the company’s largest business. Her time at Colgate Palmolive was preceded by nearly a decade with Procter & Gamble, where she led research teams spanning multiple organizations, including the Multi-Cultural Business Development Organization focused on African American and Hispanic consumers. In addition to her global research experience, Autumn has spearheaded over 500 research studies and secondary analyses focused on Black and Latinx constituents in the United States. These include, but are not limited to, the creation and validation of new research methods specifically designed for Latinx and Black consumers, quantitative habits and practices studies focused on multi-cultural populations, countless qualitative interviews with Black and Latinx constituents, in context participant observations with People of Color (POC), and new immigrant ethnographic studies. Autumn’s expertise i...

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Steven Garcia speaks with Matt Artz about his career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Steven's work at the intersection of luxury brands, affluence, and culture for Team One, where he built a new anthropology practice. About Steven Garcia cement-27" class="textannotation disambiguated wl-person" itemid="https://data.wordlift.io/wl76625/entity/steven_garcia">Steven Garcia is a cultural id="urn:enhancement-3" class="textannotation disambiguated wl-thing" itemid="https://data.wordlift.io/wl76625/entity/anthropologist">anthropologist who studies the intersection of luxury brands, affluence, and culture. His professional experience includes over a decade as a brand strategist at several advertising agencies, including Crispin Porter + Bogusky, David&Goliath, Venables Bell & Partners, and RPA. He has worked on a variety of brands, including PayPal, Braintree, Charles Schwab, La-Z-Boy, Kia Motors, Honda, Acura, Audi, and now, Lexus. In 2016, he joined Team One, where he built a new ft.io/wl76625/entity/anthropology">anthropology practice, and conducts ethnography, cultural analysis, and semiotics to dig into the cultural drivers and context that influence people and their behavior. With a passion for design, art, brands, and technology, he often draws inspiration from these sources for his work. His competencies include cultural anthropology, semiotics, consumer insights, creative briefs, brand strategy and positioning, personas, customer journeys, usability and user experience (UX) testing, ethnography, interviewing/moderating, focus groups, secondary data analysis, survey design, and trend watching. Recommended Links Steven Garcia on LinkedIn The Global Affluent Tribe by Team One

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Dan Podjed speaks with Matt Artz about his career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers Dan's applied and academic work and his efforts to increase the visibility of anthropology through efforts such as the Why the World Needs Anthropologists conference. About Dan Podjed Dan Podjed, PhD, is an anthropologist dedicated to developing ethnography-based solutions and innovative research methods at the intersection of different scientific fields. He is a Research Fellow at the Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Associate Professor at the University of Ljubljana's Faculty of Arts, and Senior Research Advisor at the Institute for Innovation and Development of the University of Ljubljana. He has led several applied, interdisciplinary and industry-oriented projects, and has contributed to the development of technological products and solutions in many EU projects. He acted as Convenor of EASA Applied Anthropology Network from its inception in 2010 until 2018 and continues his involvement as one of the Executive Advisors of the network. In 2013 he was the founder and from 2013 to 2018 the organizer of the international event Why the World Needs Anthropologists, which has become the most important meeting point for applied anthropologists in Europe and beyond. In 2019, he published the acclaimed book Seen (Videni in Slovenian, also published in Serbian in 2020), in which he explains why we are increasingly observed and exposed with the help of smartphones and other devices. In 2020, his book Indoor Anthropology was published, in which he presented to the public how he came to know society and himself during the Covid-19 pandemic. In his most recent book, Why the World Needs Anthropologists, he brought together the leading experts in the field (Thomas Hylland Eriksen, Sarah Pink, Riall W. Nolan and others) to highlight the value of anthropology in today's world. He makes regular media appearances to promote anthropology. Recommended Links Dan Podjed on LinkedIn Why the World Needs Anthropologists Conference Why the World Needs Anthropologists Book European Association of Social Anthropologists Association (EASA)

In this episode of the Anthropology in Business podcast, Amy Goldmacher speaks with Matt Artz about her career as a business anthropologist. The conversation covers her work as a consultant, book coach, and author. About Amy Goldmacher Amy Goldmacher, Ph.D., is an anthropologist, book coach, and author. She is a Fellow of the Society for Applied Anthropology and is the co-author of Designing An Anthropology Career (2nd ed.), among other publications. You can find her at www.amygoldmacher.com and on social media @solidgoldmacher. Recommended Links Amy Goldmacher website Amy Goldmacher on LinkedIn Designing An Anthropology Career (2nd ed.) Workplace Anthropology Matters video