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Artwork for Is Business Broken?

Is Business Broken?

Questrom School of Business
Corporate Governance
Climate Change
Artificial Intelligence
Competition
Business
Gene and Cell Therapies
ESG
Executive Compensation
Investment Strategies
Common Ownership
Self-Regulation
Misinformation
Capitalism
Antitrust Laws
Regulation
Healthcare
Political Polarization
Government Regulation
Big Tech
Geopolitical Risks

Conversations about the role of business in society, brought to you by the Ravi K. Mehrotra Institute for Business, Markets & Society at BU Questrom School of Business.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes42Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Business

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Artwork for Is Business Broken?

Latest Episodes

More than 70 million Americans now do some form of freelance or gig work. For many, the appeal is flexibility: the freedom to choose when, where, and how much to work. But that flexibility sometimes comes with a cost.

Gig platforms give companies a ... more

In the age of remote and hybrid work, one question has taken on new urgency: how do you measure productivity when you can’t see it?

From AI-powered engineering dashboards to internal chatbots that log every question an employee asks, companies now h... more

We've watched companies wrap themselves in green branding, issue elaborate corporate sustainability reports, and promise a future where capitalism and conservation march hand in hand. But is corporate sustainability truly about saving the planet, or ... more

Individual companies don't operate in a vacuum. They're part of industries, supply chains, financial markets, and a much larger system. So in this bigger picture, how did the idea of corporate sustainability become so ubiquitous and powerful? How did... more

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Recent Guests

Thomas Costa
Director of Education, Workforce, and Income Security at the U.S. Government Accountability Office
U.S. Government Accountability Office
Episode: Is Employee Surveillance a Productivity Solution, or a Trust Problem?
Rhonda Morris
Former Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at Chevron
Chevron
Episode: Is Employee Surveillance a Productivity Solution, or a Trust Problem?
Kabrina K. Chang
Professor of business law and ethics at BU Questrom
BU Questrom School of Business
Episode: Is Employee Surveillance a Productivity Solution, or a Trust Problem?
George Champlin-Scharff
Senior business agility and operating model consultant at Scrum Inc.
Scrum Inc.
Episode: Is Employee Surveillance a Productivity Solution, or a Trust Problem?
Naomi Oreskes
Professor of the History of Science at Harvard University; co-author of Merchants of Doubt and The Big Myth
Harvard University
Episode: Beyond Corporate Sustainability: Can the Free Market Be Environmentally Responsible?
Tom Lyon
Professor of Business, Economics, and Public Policy at University of Michigan's Ross School of Business
University of Michigan
Episode: Beyond Corporate Sustainability: Can the Free Market Be Environmentally Responsible?
Ken Pucker
Former COO of Timberland; professor of practice at Tufts; commentator on ESG investing and sustainability reporting
Tufts University; Timberland (former)
Episode: Beyond Corporate Sustainability: When Did Sustainability Become Sustainability Inc?
Andy King
Professor of strategy and innovation at BU Questrom; scholar of corporate environmental strategy
Boston University Questrom School of Business
Episode: Beyond Corporate Sustainability: When Did Sustainability Become Sustainability Inc?
Auden Schendler
Climate activist and author of Terrible Beauty and Getting Green Done
Aspen One (formerly Aspen Skiing Company)
Episode: Beyond Corporate Sustainability: Can Corporations Solve Climate Change?

Hosts

Curt Nickisch
Host associated with the Mehrotra Institute for Business, Markets & Society at BU Questrom School of Business; long-running presenter in business governance and policy discussions.
Kurt Nikish
Host and frequent co-presenter in episodes covering governance, economics, antitrust, and corporate strategy; collaborates with Curt Nickisch.

Reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars from 68 ratings
  • Green Shipping

    A whole episode on decarbonising shipping. Mentions nukes and biofuel but no mention of hydrogen or wind. Not to mention the hidden costs, externalities of current shipping fuels or the spike in engine fires in recent decades.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    guamer671
    United States5 months ago
  • The way the world works is explained here.

    Listen to find out why!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    My janlucvd Apple ID account
    United States6 months ago
  • Dragon city

    Im just here for the cha-ching

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    L1LpeepIsLife
    United Statesa year ago
  • Really good!

    I js want my gems bru😭

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    xdegi
    United Statesa year ago
  • Is business broken

    It’s very motivating and sounds clear

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dndkskd738/5
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The show is valued for accountability and thoughtful analysis, though some episodes can be dense for casual listeners.
Listeners appreciate the rigorous, multi-perspective debates on governance and regulation.
Guests often bring credible, cross-disciplinary insights that help illuminate complex policy implications.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#164
United States/Business

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Is Employee Surveillance a Productivity Solution, or a Trust Problem?
Q: What rights do employees have to know what's being collected?
Kabrina K. Chang says employees have few legal protections or remedies in many situations, making transparency important. Some states have additional privacy laws, but protections vary and can have exceptions.
Is Employee Surveillance a Productivity Solution, or a Trust Problem?
Q: When we talk about employee monitoring technology, what actually falls under that umbrella? What are we talking about?
Thomas Costa describes a broad range of tools, including computer and vehicle cameras, wearables, scanners, geolocation devices, keystroke monitoring, and eye-tracking technology.
Beyond Corporate Sustainability: Can the Free Market Be Environmentally Responsible?
Q: How did the narrative around free enterprise evolve into a broader anti-regulatory stance, and what does that mean for future business leadership?
The rhetoric shifted from private to free enterprise to appeal to broad public sentiment, making it harder to push for necessary reforms; understanding this helps future leaders balance innovation with accountability.
Beyond Corporate Sustainability: Can the Free Market Be Environmentally Responsible?
Q: Tom, what limits do you see in corporate sustainability when it comes to tackling large-scale environmental issues?
Corporate sustainability excels at internal efficiency and niche, win-win improvements, but faces fundamental limits on addressing systemic problems like climate change without robust public policy and collective action.
Beyond Corporate Sustainability: Can Corporations Solve Climate Change?
Q: Can you tell us more what you mean by that?
The host asks for elaboration on how voluntary corporate sustainability actions have interacted with policy and public perception, highlighting the need to understand whether incremental, company-by-company efforts can translate into systemic change or if they mainly offer a narrative that defers regulation.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Is Business Broken?

What is Is Business Broken? about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The program centers on how business, policy, governance, and market dynamics intersect with society. Episodes frequently explore topics like corporate governance, antitrust, regulation, AI in healthcare and media, private equity, and geopolitics, often featuring researchers, policymakers, journalists, and industry leaders. A notable strength is its ability to bring diverse viewpoints—from academia, government, finance, and media—into nuanced discussions about the role and impact of business in public life. The format tends to balance rigorous analysis with accessible storytelling, making complex issues tangible for listeners who want to understand systemic forces shaping modern economies and society.

Listeners are likely drawn to thoughtfu... more

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1. NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast
2. On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti
3. Slate Money
4. Choiceology with Katy Milkman
5. This Is Uncomfortable

How many episodes of Is Business Broken? are there?

Is Business Broken? launched 3 years ago and published 42 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Is Business Broken??

Recent guests on Is Business Broken? include:

1. Thomas Costa
2. Rhonda Morris
3. Kabrina K. Chang
4. George Champlin-Scharff
5. Naomi Oreskes
6. Tom Lyon
7. Ken Pucker
8. Andy King

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