This Week in Business

Ben Keys, Wharton Professor of Real Estate, discusses new research revealing how credit scores can impact homeowners insurance premiums more than climate risk, raising important questions about fairness, policy, and financial inequality. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Z. John Zhang, Wharton Professor of Marketing, discusses how brands like Wawa scale beyond their regional roots by leveraging innovation, customer loyalty, and strategic expansion into competitive new markets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Angela Duckworth, Wharton Professor of Operations, Information and Decisions and Co-Director of the Behavior Change for Good Initiative, discusses new findings from the Phones in Focus study on how school phone restrictions influence academic engagement, teacher satisfaction, and student wellbeing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefano Puntoni, Wharton Professor of Marketing, analyzes how OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic are pursuing distinct business models and growth strategies to compete in the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence market. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jeremy Siegel, Emeritus Professor of Finance at the Wharton School and Senior Economist at WisdomTree, discusses how the Iran conflict, Federal Reserve decisions, and artificial intelligence are shaping market performance and long-term economic expectations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Philip Nichols, Wharton Professor of Legal Studies & Business Ethics, explains how Iran has built a complex and adaptive banking and payments infrastructure under decades of sanctions while exploring its future in an evolving global financial system. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nancy Rothbard, Deputy Dean and Professor of Management at the Wharton School, joins the show to examine how leaders respond to intensifying workplace disruption. The conversation covers decision bottlenecks, delegation, emotional regulation, and sustaining performance under pressure. Rothbard also discusses Wharton’s Owner/President and CEO Program, which helps executives strengthen strategy and succession planning. Learn more at: whartonopc.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Zaring, Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics at the Wharton School, joins the show to explain the Federal Reserve’s consideration of a “skinny” master account for nonbank financial firms. The conversation covers payment rails, regulatory oversight, competition with traditional banks, and the implications for community lenders and financial stability. They also examine potential litigation and legislative responses. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Zeke Emanuel, Vice Provost for Global Initiatives at the Wharton School, joins the show to discuss recent reforms at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The conversation covers site-neutral payments, strengthening primary care compensation, innovation models, and efforts to address waste and Medicare Advantage risk adjustment. They also examine the broader fiscal and policy implications for the $1.7 trillion agency. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kent Smetters, Faculty Director of the Penn Wharton Budget Model and Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy at the Wharton School, breaks down the projected budgetary costs of conflict with Iran, estimates potential GDP losses driven by higher oil prices, and explains how supply shocks could influence inflation and Federal Reserve decision-making. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Judd Kessler, Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy at the Wharton School and author of Lucky by Design, explains how artificial intelligence is eroding the signaling power of cover letters and elevating the importance of recommendations, networking, and real-world connections in the labor market. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefano Puntoni, Marketing Professor at the Wharton School and Co-Director of the Wharton Human-AI Research Program, explains how artificial intelligence is pressuring SaaS margins, lowering barriers to entry, reshaping pricing models, and marking a potential inflection point for enterprise software markets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jeremy Siegel, Professor Emeritus of Finance at the Wharton School and Senior Economist at Wisdom Tree, analyzes the Supreme Court’s ruling on tariffs, the market’s resilience amid policy uncertainty, the potential impact of Kevin Warsh as Fed chair, and how geopolitical tensions with Iran could influence interest rates and economic growth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dave Reibstein, Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School, explains how the school’s Cryptocurrency Confidence Index tracks U.S. consumer sentiment, explores links between confidence and price volatility, and examines the role of regulation and public perception in shaping the future of digital assets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Serguei Netessine, Wharton Professor of Operations, Information and Decisions, discusses how U.S. sanctions on Lukoil are disrupting franchise agreements, banking relationships, and customer perceptions for locally operated gas stations in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter Cappelli, Professor of Management and Director of the Center for Human Resources at The Wharton School, examines the cooling in white-collar job openings, the impact of investor-driven cost cutting, the concept of “AI washing,” and why economic uncertainty is keeping companies cautious about expanding their workforce. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kevin Werbach, Wharton Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics, discusses the Stablecoin Toolkit and how clearer definitions, regulatory frameworks, and emerging use cases could position stablecoins as a bridge between digital assets and the traditional financial system. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Americus Reed, II, Wharton Professor of Marketing, breaks down the strengths, themes, and competitive dynamics of this year’s Super Bowl ads, including the role of nostalgia, humor, artificial intelligence, and long-term brand storytelling. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kent Smetters, Faculty Director of the Penn Wharton Budget Model and Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy at the Wharton School, analyzes the origins of billionaire and wealth taxes, explains why they consistently underperform revenue expectations, and explores their economic distortions at both the state and national level. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefano Puntoni, Wharton Professor of Marketing and Co-Director of the Wharton Human-AI Research Program, discusses OpenAI’s move toward advertising, its implications for monetization, consumer experience, and the future of digital advertising. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jeremy Siegel, Wharton Emeritus Professor of Finance and Senior Economist at WisdomTree, analyzes the Federal Reserve’s decision to hold rates, the significance of dissenting votes, the outlook for future cuts, shifting market leadership, and how AI-driven productivity may shape the economy and labor markets heading into 2026. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patrick T. Harker, former President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and current Wharton Professor of Operations, Information, and Decisions, draws on his experience to discuss why monetary policy has clear limits, the need for political follow-through on fiscal and workforce issues, and how investments in education, skilled trades, and digital innovation are essential for securing the nation’s long-term economic future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor Emeritus of Healthcare Management at the Wharton School, Mark Vincent Pauly, analyzes the consequences of the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced subsidy expiration, its effects on insurance coverage and costs, and the potential implications of proposed reforms allowing individuals to choose plans using direct government funding. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Judd Kessler, Wharton Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy and author of Lucky by Design, tells how affordable housing lotteries function, why they generate hidden markets, and how better design could improve outcomes for renters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Barbara Kahn, Wharton Professor of Marketing, discusses Saks Global’s bankruptcy, the strategic missteps behind it, and how luxury department stores can rebuild through experiential retail, omnichannel integration, and elite customer relationships. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eric Bradlow, Vice Dean of AI and Analytics and Professor and Chair of the Marketing Department at the Wharton School, discusses new research with Accenture that empirically measures the skills gap and explores how AI is redefining education, hiring, and the future labor market. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wharton Associate Professor of Financial Regulation, Peter Conti-Brown, analyzes the end of Jerome Powell’s term, the potential next chair, and why Federal Reserve independence is central to monetary policy, regulation, and the U.S. economy heading into 2026. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefano Puntoni, Wharton Marketing Professor and Co-Director of Wharton Human-AI Research, explores six major AI trends for 2026, including model specialization, agentic systems, everyday consumer AI, monetization, regulation, and the implications for business education and the future workforce. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dan Taylor, Professor of Accounting at the Wharton School, discusses how his research helped shape new legislation requiring foreign company executives to disclose stock trades and protect U.S. investors from opportunistic insider selling. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Susan M. Wachter, Albert Sussman Professor of Real Estate at the Wharton School, discusses the outlook for housing and commercial real estate, focusing on inflation trends, interest rates, inventory challenges, and what these forces mean for markets in the year ahead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jeremy Siegel, Wharton Emeritus Professor of Finance and Senior Economist at WisdomTree, shares his perspective on the state of the U.S. economy, analyzing recent rate cuts, inflation progress, employment data, tariff uncertainty, and what they could mean for markets and growth in 2026. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matthew Bidwell, Wharton Professor of Management, reflects on the cooling labor market, the influence of artificial intelligence, hybrid work dynamics, and what workers and graduates should expect as the economy heads toward 2026. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ethan Mollick, Co- Director of Wharton Generative AI Labs, examines how artificial intelligence continues to advance without slowing, highlighting its growing business adoption, potential labor market effects, and the importance of guardrails as organizations prepare for 2026. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Zhang, Wharton Marketing Professor, discusses his recent analysis of free versus fair trade, explaining the economic assumptions, political incentives, and distributional consequences of tariffs in today’s global trading system. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lynn Wu, Wharton Associate Professor of Operations, Information and Decisions, explains why today’s AI investment frenzy, while exhibiting bubble-like characteristics, represents a vital phase of technological evolution—driving infrastructure development, enabling future economic spillovers, and laying the groundwork for transformative advancements across industries. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Itamar Drechsler, Wharton School Professor of Finance and Co-Director of the Rodney L. White Center for Financial Research, explains the economic forces behind high credit card interest rates, highlighting the roles of defaults, operating costs, marketing expenditures, and market power in shaping what consumers ultimately pay. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Serguei Netessine, Professor of Operations, Information and Decisions and Senior Vice Dean for Innovation and Global Initiatives at the Wharton School, discusses new research analyzing how Amazon fulfillment centers affect county-level employment, median household income, and poverty rates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefano Puntoni, Wharton Marketing Professor and co-director of the Wharton Human AI Research Project, discusses emerging research on AI companionship, its effects on loneliness and mental health, and the complex safety, ethical, and legal considerations shaping this rapidly evolving space. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jeremy Siegel, Professor Emeritus of Finance at the Wharton School and Senior Economist at WisdomTree, offers his perspective on Fed decision-making amid data gaps, evolving consumer trends, AI-driven market competition, and the broader economic implications of shifting U.S.–China relations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Pauly, Professor Emeritus of Healthcare Management at the Wharton School, examines Senator Bill Cassidy’s new health savings account–based proposal, evaluates its relationship to existing ACA tax credits, and offers broader insights into the persistent economic and political challenges of U.S. health care reform. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mina Fader, Managing Director of the Baker Retailing Center at the Wharton School, offers insights on how inflation, inventory strategy, consumer spending habits, and the renewed importance of in-store experiences are shaping the outlook for holiday retail performance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.