Knowledge at Wharton

Wharton management professor Michael Useem joined heads of state politicians CEOs celebrities and others at this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos Switzerland where he says the mood seemed to be one of muted optimism. But as he points out there was also a recognition of how much still needs to be done to prevent the kinds of catastrophes -- both natural and created -- that changed the lives of so many individuals over the past two years. Useem director of Wharton’s Center for Leadership and Change Management offers this report on Davos.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Starbucks has emerged over the last 20 years as one of the premier consumer brands in the world. Now the company has decided to give that brand a facelift by revamping its ubiquitous logo. While logo overhauls can successfully communicate a company’s evolution and growth they can also trigger a backlash among loyal customers. In the case of Starbucks the new logo highlights a strategic shift for the company but has sparked criticism from outspoken fans as well. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The protests in Egypt are likely to lead to long-term benefits for frustrated citizens accustomed to living under the thumb of a corrupt system that has left millions of young adults jobless and instilled a sense of hopelessness for the future say Wharton faculty and other observers. Yet much-needed reforms will take many years to unfold they add and their success will depend in part on how military leaders want events to play out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The talk coming out of the 2011 North American International Auto Show in Detroit (which opened on January 10 and closes on Sunday) was full of optimism about a turnaround for an industry that suffered a significant beating during the recent recession. The worldwide auto business emerging from the upheaval of recent years is much altered with several brands changing hands and manufacturers like General Motors and Chrysler restructuring after government bailouts and bankruptcy filings. In an interview with Knowledge at Wharton management professor John Paul MacDuffie discusses the outlook for 2011 and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What exactly is the relationship between money and happiness? It’s a difficult question to pin down experts say. While more money may make us happier other considerations -- such as whether you live in an economically advanced country and how you think about your time -- also play into the equation. An increasing number of economists sociologists and psychologists are now working in the field and most agree that there is a strong link between a country’s level of economic development and the happiness of its people. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spain is struggling with the highest unemployment rate in Western Europe as well as soaring national debt and a pension shortfall that make many people wonder if the region’s fifth-largest economy will require a bailout similar to those granted to Greece and Ireland. Yet despite these challenges the solution to the country’s problems -- according to former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar who recently spoke at Wharton -- is fairly simple: more fiscal discipline. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just six months after paying a record $550 million to settle a federal fraud case Goldman Sachs finds itself in a new controversy over an investment in Facebook the social networking site. Some critics say the deal was designed to skirt securities regulations and is marred by conflict of interest while others argue that this type of investment puts taxpayers at risk since Goldman can support its business with cheap government loans. Wharton faculty and other experts weigh in. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For more than 40 years Harold Evans has been a giant figure in the world of print on both sides of the Atlantic. Starting out as a 16-year-old cub reporter in the north of England Evans was still in his late 30s when he was named editor of The Sunday Times of London in 1967 for what turned out to be a 14-year reign. In 1984 he moved to the United States taking top jobs in magazines and book publishing before deciding to concentrate on writing books. Knowledge at Whartonspoke recently with Evans about his latest book My Paper Chase: True Stories of Vanished Times and about print’s rich past and uncertain future in the new digital age. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Freddie Mac the government-supported mortgage finance company taken over by the government 18 months ago along with Fannie Mae is waiting for the Obama administration to come up with a plan that will revamp the two agencies along with the whole area of housing finance. Waiting in the wings to implement that plan is Charles ”Ed” Haldeman Jr. who was appointed CEO of Freddie Mac last July and has already moved ahead with a strategy to revive the somewhat demoralized 6 000-employee agency. During a recent interview with Knowledge at Wharton he discussed his approach to managing people his views on what’s ahead for the real estate sector and why he feels the work that Freddie Mac does is ”absolutely critical” to the country’s welfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

According to Wharton experts the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act is a good start toward future financial stability but they warn that significant concerns remain unaddressed and stress that the details of implementation must be handled carefully to avoid creating new problems. ”I don’t think there’s a full appreciation of the major transformation of the financial structure that is upon us ” one faculty member says. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.