Brain for Business

At a certain point all organisations are destined to fail, or are they?In a recent article, Professor Charles McMillan and colleagues explored some of the reasons why organisations fail and considered, in particular, three levels at which organisational failure can occur. We discuss these further with Professor McMillan in this episode of Brain for Business, Brain for Life.Professor Charles J McMillan, Professor of Strategic Management and International Business at York University in Toronto. Charles is the author of nine books and monographs related to international business and global management and has written and lectured extensively on globalization, bilateral and multilateral trade agreements, strategic management, corporate governance, science policy, knowledge management and diffusion, and management development.Active in Public Affairs, Professor McMillan has also served as Senior Policy Advisor to Canadian Prime Ministers, working on trade agreements, regional development, Pacific Rim strategies, energy policy, science and technology strategies and Centers of Excellence, privatization of crown corporations, regional development, and foreign investment legislation. He now also consults widely to governments, multinationals, and international organizations around the world.The article referred to is available here: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Charles-Mcmillan/publication/319421301_Crossing_the_Chasm_and_Over_the_Abyss_Perspectives_on_Organizational_Failure/links/5a5fa61a458515b437798050/Crossing-the-Chasm-and-Over-the-Abyss-Perspectives-on-Organizational-Failure.pdf Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Little did we know when we kicked off Brain for Business 12 months ago how the year would turn out. So much has happened, and yet so much of our normal, everyday lives has been prevented from happening by Covid and associated restrictions.To reflect on the past year and everything that has happened in the world of the brain and behavioural sciences we are re-joined by Professor of Experimental Brain Research, Trinity Institute of Neurosciences (TCIN), Professor Shane O’Mara. Professor O’Mara also provides insights into recent research from Trinity College Dublin into the effects of “Long Covid”.Shane O’Mara is Professor of Experimental Brain Research (Personal Chair) at Trinity College, Dublin - the University of Dublin. He is a Principal Investigator in the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience and is also a Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator. His research explores the brain systems supporting learning, memory, and cognition, and also the brain systems affected by stress and depression, and he has published more than 140 peer-reviewed papers in these areas. Professor O'Mara is a graduate of the National University of Ireland - Galway, and of the University of Oxford (DPhil). He is an elected Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science (USA), and an elected Member of the Royal Irish Academy.Professor O'Mara's new book is 'In Praise of Walking: A New Scientific Exploration' (WW Norton, 2020). He loves to walk wherever and whenever he can, with walking in cities a firm favourite. He particularly wants to see urban design incorporate ease of walking and movement for all into our daily lives.www.shaneomara.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a recent article discussing the evolution of organisations, Professor Francisco Brahm and colleagues draw upon cultural evolution theory to explain their growth. But what does this tell us about how organisations have evolved and what makes them effective and productive?Francisco is Assistant Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at London Business School. His research focuses on two key aspects of organisations. First, their nature: the essential forces that explain their origin and functioning. And second, the interchange between the formal structures and the informal forces within firms such and how these impact performance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While we might like to think that innovation is a rational and considered process with a clear formula for success, the reality is somewhat different. Trial & error, failure and even serendipity all play a crucial role in the innovation process and recognising the value of these is more important than ever.Dr Wendy Ross is a Senior Lecturer at London Metropolitan University. She is particularly interested in serendipity and its role in creativity and innovation. Her research explores how we can best foster these at both an individual and an organisational level. She has published research on collaborative creativity as well as serendipity and creativity. She is an invited member of several international networks and has been asked to talk about her research in Europe and the US. She is the co-editor of two collections on Serendipity, The Art of Serendipity and Serendipity Science, and secretary of the Serendipity Society as well as its conference chair. In 2021 she was awarded the Frank X Barron prize by Division 10 of the American Psychological Association. She is currently working on serendipity and innovation in the business environment as well as examining small moments of “accident” and how we can turn them to our advantage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In times of great turmoil and uncertainty radicalisation can emerge as a real challenge. Yet what is it that really drives radicalisation and how can we better support de-radicalisation?Based in Stockholm, Robert Örell is an internationally sought-after trainer, speaker, workshop facilitator and expert in the field of radicalisation, disengagement, and intervention.Robert Örell has two decades of experience in the field of disengagement and exit work and has led Exit programs in Sweden and in the USA.Since 2011, Robert has been a member of the Steering Committee of the European Commission’s Radicalisation Awareness Network (RAN) and he currently works as an independent expert, consultant, and trainer in the Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism field. His recent work focuses on setting up exit programs, online counseling in exit work, and advising on policy guidelines and recommendations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is sometimes claimed that more needs to be done to increase diversity in the tech sector, yet beyond rules and legislation, what tools do we actually have to help that make that change a reality? Perhaps the answer lies in behavioural science and the application of approaches from that field to help drive greater change.Nurit Nobel is co-founder and CEO of Impactually, a management consultancy which applies behavioural insights to create business and societal impact. In addition, Nurit is currently pursuing a PhD at Stockholm School of Economics examining human decision-making and behaviour change.You can read more of Nurit’s thoughts on how behavioural science can drive greater diversity on her website: https://impactually.se/increasing-diversity-in-recruiting-backed-by-behavioral-science/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a recent article Professor Ian McCarthy and colleagues argue that “Many organizations are drowning in a flood of corporate bullshit, and this is particularly true of organizations in trouble, whose managers tend to make up stuff on the fly and with little regard for future consequences.” So what are the implications of this? And is there a better way to deal with organisational bullshit?Ian McCarthy is the the W.J. VanDusen Professor of Innovation and Operations Management at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, Canada, and a professor at the Luiss Research Center in Leadership, Innovation and Organisation, in Rome, Italy.Professor McCarthy’s article – now one of the most impactful papers published in 2020 – can be accessed here: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339114145_Confronting_indifference_toward_truth_Dealing_with_workplace_bullshit Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Professor Eric Chudler, a Research Associate Professor at the University of Washington and founder of Neuroscience for Kids, as he discusses making neuroscience accessible to children. He shares how his background inspired the creation of his educational project and why children should learn about the brain, covering topics like neuroplasticity and myth-busting in brain science. Eric also dives into the importance of concussion awareness in youth sports and ways parents and schools can engage with neuroscience resources.

In the modern era of social media it seems as though we are surrounded by influencers all trying to grab our attention. In this episode we explore some of the science behind how influencers actually "influence" us , and along the way try to make sense of the madness that is "virtual influencers"!Sara Kennedy is the Founder of Uplift Marketing and an award-winning marketing professional and an expert in content marketing, social media marketing and digital performance marketing. She is an Adjunct Teaching Fellow at Trinity College Dublin, specialising in Social Media Marketing and is currently pursuing doctoral studies at Trinity College Dublin looking at key aspects of Influencer Marketing and Consumer Behaviour. In her spare time, Sara runs the Irish Wedding Blog and is an expert in all things wedding-related!https://upliftmarketing.ie/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At its core, innovation is an innately human process involving individuals, teams and organisations striving to do things better and find better solutions. Consequently, while processes and technology are vital to innovation, just as crucial is an understanding of the psychology of innovation and the way that individuals, teams and leaders can become more creative and innovative. So what then is the psychology of innovation? In this episode we are joined by Professor David Cropley of the University of South Australia to explore the role that psychology plays in creativity and innovation.Professor David Cropley is Professor of Engineering Innovation at the University of South Australia in Adelaide and is an internationally recognised expert on creativity and innovation. His teaching interests focus on systems engineering and related concepts, and his research examines a range of aspects of creativity and innovation, both in the field of engineering, and more broadly. Professor Cropley is an author and editor of 8 books including The Ethics of Creativity, Creativity and Crime and, with his father, Emeritus Professor Arthur Cropley, The Psychology of Innovation in Organizations published by Cambridge University Press. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.