The Bottom Line

Antibiotic resistance is a global problem but there have been no new drugs produced since the 1980s. So who is to blame? The public's over-consumption or the current economic model for drug research and production? Evan Davis and guests discuss.GUESTSSeema Patel, Medical Director, Hospital Business, Pfizer, UK, Ireland and the NordicsLord Jim O'Neill, Chair Anti-Microbial Resistance Review (2016), Former Chief Economist, Goldman SachsProfessor Colin Garner, Co Founder and Director, Antibiotic Research UK

Every business faces uncertainty. In the final programme of the series Evan Davis and guests ask what businesses should do when faced with uncertainty.Guests: Jeremy Bentham, Head of Scenarios, Shell Nick Allan, CEO, Control Risks Dr Sandra Bell, Head of Resilience Consulting, Sungard Availability Services

It's hard to buy anything these days without being asked to rate or review it. Evan Davis and guests look at how have businesses such as Tripadvisor, Feefo and Checkatrade have altered the relationship between companies and consumers? Do you trust the wisdom of crowds more than an expert's view? Guests Matt West, Chief Executive of Feefo Rob Paterson, Chief Executive of Best Western Hotels GB Caroline Wiertz, Professor of Marketing and Associate Dean for Entrepreneurship at the Cass Business School in LOndon

For many graduates an internship has become the default route to full-time, paid employment. But getting a good placement is competitive and in some cases poorly paid or unpaid. What does this mean for social mobility and diversity in the workplace? Evan Davis and guests discuss the pros and cons of internships.GUESTSSarah Churchman, UK Head of Inclusion, Diversity and Wellbeing, PwC Amalia Illgner , Freelance journalist and a former intern Oliver Sidwell, Co-founder, Rate My Placement

Technological advances have made it easier for businesses to offer us more personalised goods and services, from customised cars to clothes that fit better and pioneering cell and gene therapies to target serious illnesses. How far can this personalisation revolution go? GUESTSDarrin Disley, Chief Executive of cell therapy company, Mogrify Georgina Silvester, Chief Operating Officer (designate), Handelsbanken UK Karl Howkins, Managing Director, Citroen UK Kate Ancketill, Chief Executive of GDR Creative Intelligence

There are more than two-and-a-half thousand consumer and business magazine titles on sale in the UK. What is the appeal of magazines and how does the business endure in spite of falling advertising revenues and declining circulation figures? GUESTSWolfgang Blau, President, Conde Nast InternationalTerri White, Editor-in-Chief, Empire MagazineRebecca McGrath, Senior Analyst, Media, Mintel

What's the point of an audit if it fails to detect when a company's about to go under? The sudden collapse of BHS, Carillion and Patisserie Valerie has dented public confidence in the firms that audited them and prompted calls for a shake-up of the audit industry. Would more competition in the sector, which is dominated by four big players, drive audit quality up? Do accountants need to be more robust in challenging company figures? Joining Evan Davis for The Bottom Line:Bill Michael, UK Chairman and Senior Partner at KPMG. Jac Berry, Audit Partner and UK Head of Quality at Mazars and Christopher Humphrey, Professor of Accounting at the Alliance Manchester Business School

Understanding how humans think and what makes them tick can be enormously helpful if you're running a company. Luckily behavioural science is on hand to do just that. How far can its use improve decision making in businesses? Joining Evan Davis are:Octavius Black, CEO and Co-founder of MindGym David Halpern, CEO, The Behavioural Insights Team Kim Atherton, Chief People Officer, Ovo Energy and CEO and Founder of Just3Things

Higher education in the UK is an astonishingly successful British industry, with an income of almost £35 billion a year. Universities have expanded hugely with more students from home and abroad. But uncertain times lie ahead. Tuition fees are under review and some people in the sector argue Brexit may make it harder to attract students from EU countries. Are universities sustainable as businesses?Guests: Professor Nick Petford, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Northampton Professor Trevor McMillan Vice-Chancellor of Keele University Dr Helen Carasso, Department of Education, Oxford University

The Internet of Things promised to revolutionise the way we live and work but what has it delivered and what more is it capable of doing? Join Evan Davis and guests as they discuss The Internet of Things.GUESTSKevin Ashton, Author who coined the phrase the Internet of ThingsCaroline Gorski, Global Director of R2 Data Labs, Rolls Royce PlcPaul Beastall, Head of Strategy, Cambridge Consultants

Has the #MeToo movement made businesses change the way they deal with sexual harassment and gender equality claims in the workplace? Does the law around non-disclosure agreements - often used to hush up this kind of behaviour - need to be changed? Evan Davis and guests discuss. GUESTSSamantha Mangwana, Employment Lawyer, Partner, CM Murray Zelda Perkins, Campaigner and Theatrical ProducerOctavius Black, CEO and Co-founder, TheMindGym

There has been an explosion in the number of craft ale breweries and small-scale gin distilleries in recent years. The so-called super premium alcohol sector is growing. Why are these drinks popular among consumers? Is this a passing fad or is the drinks business facing fundamental change? Evan Davis and guests discuss. Guests:Tina Warner-Keogh, partner and co-owner of Warner Edwards Gin Distillery Laura Edwards, general manager at Meantime Brewing Company and Andrew Geoghegan, global consumer planning director at Diageo

There is some evidence to suggest we are falling out of love with buying material things. Instead, we want to splash out creating memories that last a lifetime. What does the growth of what's known as the experience economy mean for businesses? Evan Davis and guests discuss. GuestsTristram Mayhew, Group Chairman, Go Ape! Myf Ryan, Chief marketing officer Europe, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield Nick Johnson, Founder and co-Director, Market Operations

Plastic is arguably one of the world's greatest inventions. Its' qualities allow it to be used in everything from food packaging to clothes and cars. But discarded plastic clogs up our rivers and oceans threatening marine life creating a consumer backlash. So what can the industry do to restore its reputation and how? Evan Davis and guests discuss.GUESTSLubna Edwards, Global Sustainability Director, Klockner PentaplastRoger Baynham, Managing Director, Philip Tyler Polymers and Chair of the Recycling Group, British Plastics FederationAdrian Griffiths, CEO and Founder, Recycling Technologies.

No supply chain is immune from disruption and shocks. From extreme weather to strikes and cyber crime, what causes a supply chain to fail? Join Evan Davis and guests.GuestsTim O'Malley, Managing Director of Nationwide Produce Richard Oldroyd, Regional Managing Director of Persimmon Homes Liam Fassam, Associate Professor of Supply Chain Geography and Research Director at the University of Northampton

Business has undergone seismic changes over the past decade; do the rules of business need to be re-written? If so, who should write them and what should they say? Evan Davis and guests discuss. GUESTS Ian Taylor, Chairman, Vitol Dame Helena Morrissey, Head of Personal Investing, Legal & General Investment Management Wendy Tan White, Partner, BGF Ventures

There are thousands of festivals in the UK each year and millions of us go to them. But as an organiser how do you make any money? Do logistics and the British weather make them a risky business? Every year festivals get cancelled and some cease trading. Profit margins are tight, say organisers, and set-up costs are high. A big festival may have to pay more a million pounds to secure a top headline act. Evan Davis and guests discuss mud, music and hard cash. Guests: Syima Aslam, co-founder and director of the Bradford Literature Festival Ian Stockley, chief executive of the Bath Festivals. Simon Taffe, co-founder of the End of The Road Festival.

The UK has been a global leader in the Advertising Industry since the end of the last century. But like many businesses it's now facing disruption from technology. Pop up banners on the internet and social influencers are cheaper and more immediate. Evan Davis and guests discuss whether a data driven approach to advertising will eventually kill creativity. GUESTSSir John Hegarty, Co-Founder BBH Rohan Midha, Managing Director, PMYBRory Sutherland, Vice-chairman, Ogilvy Producer: Julie Ball.

Commodities are the raw materials which oil the wheels of the modern economy. From minerals to crude oil to coffee, Evan Davis and guests look at how the business of buying and selling commodities works and why it matters to all of us. GUESTSAndrew Gowers, Global Head of Corporate Affairs, TrafiguraJean-Francois Lambert, Founder, Lambert CommoditiesColin Hamilton, MD Commodities Research, BMO Capital Markets.

Social media giants mishandle data, banks mis-sell PPI insurance, engineers arrange for cars to cheat emissions tests. Why do companies sometimes do bad things? Evan Davis and guests discuss whether it's by accident or deliberate. Coverage of business wrongdoing often focuses on bad individuals but how far can a company's culture be blamed? Guests: Nick Leeson, the original 'rogue trader' Sara George, Partner, Stephenson Harwood Adrian Furnham, Professor of Psychology, Norwegian Business School.

In some countries politicians have fixed term limits. What would happen if the same principle applied to CEOs? On average bosses in the UK stay for just under six years. But founder chief executives stay much longer. Evan Davis and guests discuss whether chief executives know when their time is up? Guests:Martin Gilbert, co-ceo, Aberdeen Standard Investments. Margaret Heffernan, author and entrepreneur Catherine Bright, a leadership consultant with Spencer Stuart.

Is becoming a franchisee a good way to start your own business? Evan Davis and guests discuss the ups and downs of franchising. GUESTSKen Deary, Franchisor Right at HomeRachana Pancholi, Franchisee, SubwayRoz Goldstein Goldstein LegalProducer: Julie Ball.

Facebook, Apple, Google, or Amazon. Dominant companies that today look unassailable. But similar claims were made about MySpace, Tesco, Microsoft, Kodak and Polaroid. However, these companies turned out to be more vulnerable than anyone thought. Evan Davis and guests discuss invulnerability, complacency and hubris in corporations. Guests:Sean Percival, entrepreneur and former Vice President for Online Marketing at MySpace Dr Kamal Munir, Reader in Strategy and Policy at the Judge Business School, University Of Cambridge Martin Franklin, Head of Global Marketing at Polaroid Originals.

Evan Davis hosts the business conversation show.

The next generation of mobile technology - 5G - will be rolled out from 2019. It will enable faster streaming on our mobile phones and tablets and speed up the 'internet of things', allowing thousands of computers to 'talk' to each other. The fifth generation mobile network also has applications that could be used in public safety and healthcare. But will the UK build the infrastructure - installing more fibre and small communications masts - to benefit from this new technology? Joining Evan Davis for the debate will be:Derek McManus, Chief Operating Officer at Telefonica UK, which owns O2. Professor Dimitra Simeonidu, Director of the Smart Lab at Bristol University and Kyle Brown, Head of Technology at Samsung Electronics.

As children few of us have had experience of running a business. But this week we'll be hearing from four teenage entrepreneurs who have been honing their business skills in one case, since the age of 6. Evan Davis hears their stories.GUESTSKate and Annie Madden, Co-founders, FenuHealthHenry Patterson, Founder and Director, Not Before Tea Rebecca Patterson, Not Before TeaAkshay Ruparelia, Founder and CEO, Doorsteps.co.uk.

Radio 4’s Bottom Line and Briefing Room will combine in a special hour-long programme examining the economic and political future of the EU once Britain has left. Evan Davis meets Jean-Claude Trichet – former president of the European Central Bank – and is joined by a panel of business leaders from across the EU. David Aaronovitch will look at the politics of the EU and its future direction. France’s President Macron has outlined a vision of a profoundly transformed and more unified EU. But do all the EU’s members support such a vision? And what might a more integrated bloc on its doorstep mean for Britain? Producers: Tim Mansel, Serena Tarling and Lesley McAlpine

The tech giant Apple has just spent five billion dollars building a campus in California's Silicon Valley. It's not alone in its architectural ambitions. The new Facebook HQ in London features trees, grass and plants. So what does a corporate headquarters tell us about a business? Is it an opportunity for a company to show off its wealth and attract the best talent or is it folly? Evan Davis and guests explore what the latest trends in corporate architecture reveal about our business leaders.Guests: Ken Shuttlewoth, founder of Make Architects Helen Berresford, head of interior design at Sheppard Robson Architects and Deyan Sudjic, director of the Design Museum.

What is strategy and why do businesses need it? What distinguishes a good strategy from a bad one or a non-strategy? Not to be confused with goals or a company's ambition, strategy is a word that is often mis-used and misapplied. But in reality it can make the difference between success and failure - especially if it's adaptable to changes in the market. Evan Davis looks at where companies have got strategy right and where it's gone badly wrong.GUESTS:Michael Jacobides - Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at The London Business School.Jacqueline de Rojas, President of Tech UKAnn Cairns, President of International Markets, MasterCard.

Are 'ethical' businesses all they're cracked up to be? Evan Davis and guests discuss the newest type of certification in ethical business, the B Corp, and ask if it'll catch on. GUESTSKatie Hill, Executive Director, B Lab UKWendy Chapple, Associate Professor in Management and member of the Responsible and Sustainable Business Lab, Nottingham Business SchoolJean-Cristophe Laugee, Vice-President, Nature and Cycle Sustainability, Danone.

What has happened to Margaret Thatcher's dream of creating a nation of shareholders? Over the last decade there's been a big increase in the amount of foreign ownership. ONS figures show foreign investors now own over fifty per cent of shares listed on the stock exchange. Evan Davis and guests discuss why this has happened and whether it matters. GUESTSJohn Dawson, Founding Partner, StateraGillian Karran-Cumberlege, Founder, Fidelio PartnersGervais Williams, Fund Manager, Miton Group.

Evan Davis and guests discuss why some restaurant chains thrive and others fail. Why are so many chains closing down branches now? GUESTSPaul Campbell, Founder, Hill Capital Partners LLPAngela Hartnett, Chef and Owner of Murano, Café Murano and Merchants' TavernSarah Willingham, Entrepreneur and Investor.

Evan Davis and guests discuss the relationship between three important pillars of modern society: science, business and the consumer. Is the public right to be suspicious of business and the science it's selling? Why do some us fear GM foods, nanotechnology, AI and gene editing? GUESTSJackie Hunter, Chief Executive, Benevolent BioJustin King, Vice-Chairman and Head of Portfolio Businesses, Terra FirmaKriti Sharma, Vice-President of Artificial Intelligence, Sage.

Civil engineers would argue they are the unsung heroes of the railways, roads and bridges we all take for granted. But building major infrastructure projects is a complicated business. So how do you go about putting up a bridge? Are you limited by engineering or economics? Evan Davis tries to find the answer from three civil engineers. GUESTSMike Glover, Arup FellowLouise Hardy, Civil Engineer, Non-Executive Director Sirius Minerals and Ebbsfleet Development CorporationKaty Toms, Senior Engineer, WSP Engineering Consultancy.

In the final programme of the current series Evan Davis will be talking to Sir Terry Leahy, former Tesco CEO, in front of an invited audience at Sir Terry's old school, St. Edward's College, Liverpool.

Are you being served? Where do you shop - online, a department store or one of the large shopping centres around the country? Evan Davis looks at the competitive business of running a mixed retail outlet, or department store, and asks can they survive?GUESTSTony Brown, CEO, Beales Department StoresStacey Cartwright, CEO, Harvey Nichols,David Fischel, CEO, INTU Shopping Centres.

What makes the UK an attractive place for foreign companies to invest in? Britain has tended to enjoy high levels of inward investment thanks to its open economy. How might this change when the UK leaves the EU? Evan Davis and guests explore the topic. Joining Evan Davis are: Ian Robertson, Global Head of BMW sales and marketing Vera Wei, Chief Executive of Sloan Education David Landsman, Executive Director of Tata Limited.

In the UK we spend £4.5 billion a year on domestic pets. Where does the money go? Evan Davis and guests discuss the business of keeping pets. GUESTS Lynne Hill, Chief Executive of Linnaeus Group of veterinary practices Dean Richmond, Managing Director of retailing chain, Pets Corner Ashley Gray, Managing Director of Vetsure Pet Insurance.

This week the programme looks at the business of agents. What exactly do they do and are they adding value to their clients' careers? Evan Davis discusses their role with three agents from the worlds of show business, football and books. GUESTSProfessor Jonathan Shalit, Chairman, InterTalent Rights GroupAnna Davis, Literary Agent. Founder and Creator of Curtis Brown Creative Writing course. Curtis Brown GroupJames Featherstone, Founder and Owner, OmniSports Producer: Julie Ball.

What is the business case for having a diverse workforce? Evan Davis and guests debate whether a mix of talents in the workplace leads to better companies and translates into more profits. Joining the programme: Ruby McGregor-Smith, former Chief Executive of MITIE, and author of a government commissioned review: Race in the Workplace. Jane Farrell, group Chief Executive of Equality Works Scott Page, author of The Diversity Bonus.

What's behind the recent collapse of airlines such as Monarch, Alitalia and Air Berlin? Is it a case of supply outstripping demand or is there a larger crisis looming? Will Ryanair's cancellation of thousands of flights do the company permanent damage? What's really happening to Europe's airline industry? Evan Davis and guests discuss.GUESTSJohn Strickland, Aviation consultantPeter Duffy, Chief Commercial Officer, EasyJetAndRoger Flynn, Chairman, Loveholidays.com.

Is battery technology the key to decarbonising energy and reinventing transport? If so, can the current technology, Lithium-Ion batteries, evolve quickly enough to meet growing demand. If capacity is the problem, is Lithium-ion the answer and what are the alternatives? Can we expect to fly in battery powered aeroplanes in the near future? Join Evan Davis and his guests as they discuss the future of the power of batteries.GUESTSHuw Hampson-Jones, CEO Oxis EnergyCyrille Brisson, Vice-President, Eaton Chris Morrison, Head of Peaking Plant, Centrica.

There's no business like show business. Evans Davis and guests explore the success story that is UK theatre. From splashy musicals, and classic revivals to cutting edge new dramas the sector makes more than a billion pounds in ticket sales a year. But there's trouble on the horizon. Public subsidies for theatres are being cut back. Can corporate giving and donations from philanthropists continue to plug the shortfall? GuestsBrenna Hobson, National Theatre of Scotland Kate Varah, the Old Vic, London Rachel Tackley, Chichester Festival Theatre.

What is the best way of cutting costs and transforming a business? Bosses often have to prune their operations - either to reinvest the cash to grow the business in other directions or because costs have got out of control. But can cuts go too far and damage an organisation? It was reported that British Airways' computer meltdown earlier this year was caused in part because the company had moved too quickly to make efficiency savings. It now faces paying its customers millions of pounds in compensation. Evan Davis and panel discuss the good, bad and the ugly of cost cutting and business transformation.Guests:Ashley Almanza, Chief Executive of G4S Gavin Oldham, founder of Share Radio Marco Amitrano, head of consulting at accountants, PWC.

Evan Davis discusses the reasons why some companies have multiple brands. Is it to bamboozle or does it help consumers navigate the wide variety of choices? Can there be too many? When does product proliferation make sense? Evan talks to three guests: a brand consultant, a marketing executive from drinks company Diageo and a representative from Johnson & Johnson about how we can better understand the world of brands.GUESTSRobert Jones - Brand consultant at Wolf Olins and a visiting professor at the University of East Anglia Jana Ignatova - Head of Baby global franchise for EMEA at Johnson & Johnson Ed Pilkington - European Marketing and Innovation Director at Diageo.

Evan Davis presents the business magazine.

Are white collar workers under threat from the new robotic workforce? Manufacturing companies have been replacing production line workers with robots for years, but as the technology becomes more advanced, they are being increasingly used in healthcare, law firms and HR departments. So is the white collar worker under threat? Evan Davis talks to three guests, a roboticist, an Artificial Intelligence consultancy worker and the CEO of a hotel chain who is already using robots in his business. GUESTSThrishantha Nanayakkara - Roboticist, Imperial CollegeDr. Michael Chui - Partner, IT and innovation, McKinsey Global InstituteHubert Viriot - CEO, Yotel.

Corporate theft has played a big part in business history from Porcelain and Tea from China, to the French attempting to get their hands on the blueprint for the Spinning Jenny. In this week's programme Evan Davis and guests discuss more modern copyright infringement and how to protect against it. GUESTSChris Morgan-Jones, Crime fiction author and Consultant, K2 IntelligenceVicki Salmon, Lawyer and Patent Attorney, IP Asset Partnership, Council Member of the Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys and Chair of CIPA's Litigation Committee Mandy Haberman, Director and Founder of Haberman Products Limited.

What's the future for UK Farming? Evan Davis meets three food producers from across the country to talk about the daily challenges of farming in Britain today. Guests include one of the biggest carrot producers in the country, a Wiltshire Beef farmer and Deputy President of the National Farmers Union and a lowland sheep farmer whose herd shares the land with cadets from the Ministry of Defence in Kent. GUESTSGuy Poskitt, Managing Director, M H Poskitt LtdMarie Prebble, Lowland Sheep farmerMinette Batters, Beef farmer and Deputy President of the National Farmers Union.

Business and its place in society is a prominent issue at the moment. Zero hours contracts, executive pay, tax avoidance are all issues where opinion has shifted dramatically. Has Shareholder driven capitalism finally gone too far? In a special programme recorded at the Royal Academy of Engineering in front of a live audience, Evan Davis talks to the former BP CEO, Lord John Browne on his thoughts about big business as it relates to society. And asks whether it's now time to trust big business?