Chicago Booth Review Podcast

Luigi Zingales, a Chicago Booth professor and expert on corporate governance, joins Amir Sufi, who studies financial crises and inequality. They explore the enduring factors behind Trump's appeal, highlighting the parallels between past and present electoral dynamics. Discussing economic anxieties, they reveal how inflation and globalization fears shaped voter sentiment. The rise of the far-right globally is also scrutinized, illustrating how systemic inequality and political disenchantment have fueled support for extreme movements, echoing earlier trends.

Stacey Kole, a Chicago Booth economist and expert in workplace management, dives into the often dreaded world of performance reviews. She challenges the traditional approach, advocating for continuous feedback over awkward periodic assessments. Kole discusses how meaningful evaluations can clarify corporate objectives and enhance teamwork. She stresses the importance of linking individual tasks to the company's mission, especially in remote settings, and highlights innovative practices that can improve communication and employee engagement.

James Janega, former journalist turned Managing Partner at Growth Innovation Strategy Group, shares insights on advocating for organizational change through storytelling. He emphasizes the importance of emotional and behavioral dynamics, using the 'do, feel, believe, act' framework. Janega discusses intrapreneurship, explaining how innovators can navigate resistance and foster innovation within established organizations. He highlights the significance of adaptable storytelling, urging listeners to tailor their narratives to engage various audiences and drive acceptance of new ideas.

Ayelet Fishbach, a motivation expert and author, teams up with Katy Milkman, a behavioral change authority from Wharton, to dive into achieving goals for 2025. They unpack practical strategies for staying motivated and overcoming obstacles, discussing a four-step framework for managing overwhelming goals. The duo also navigates the balance between personal ambitions and parenting duties, tackling 'mommy guilt.' With insights on social norms and self-reflection, they offer a roadmap for transforming aspirations into reality.

Eric Budish, a Professor at Chicago Booth known for his market design expertise, delves into the vulnerabilities of Bitcoin's decentralized structure. He argues that while blockchain offers innovative data integrity, its open nature invites sabotage. The discussion highlights the high cost of securing Bitcoin at scale, limiting its potential to replace traditional currencies. Budish also weighs his critical stance amidst a crypto-celebrating landscape, exploring the economic flaws and security challenges that underpin the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

James Janiger, Managing Partner at Growth Innovation Strategy Group and former journalist, shares his insights on crafting a winning startup pitch. He emphasizes the vital role of storytelling in engaging investors and effectively presenting complex information. Janiger highlights how to center the narrative on consumer problems and balance emotional appeals with strategic data. He offers tips on tailoring pitches to the audience while avoiding common pitfalls, ensuring that entrepreneurs come across as relatable and trustworthy.

In recent decades, stock markets have increasingly been speeding up, with large numbers of high-frequency traders executing trades at speeds up to billionths of a second. Does that reward the most powerful computers at the expense of retail investors? Chicago Booth’s Eric Budish, who argues that the incentives for high-speed trading stem from the flaws in the way financial markets are designed. At the same time, it’s become cumbersome and complicated for institutional investors to execute trades as they would like to. With both challenges in mind, Budish outlines two simple ideas from his research that could transform stock markets for the better.

Impact investing aims to serve two purposes: creating both profit and positive social outcomes. But is that possible? Is there always a trade-off between profits and impact? In the second of our two conversations with Chicago Booth’s Priya Parrish—author of the new book The Little Book of Impact Investing: Aligning Profit and Purpose to Change the World—we discuss whether it’s possible to make healthy returns on your investments while pursuing your social goals.

Lubos Pastor, a Chicago Booth professor focused on the nexus of economics and voting, discusses the surprising patterns behind Trump’s election victory. He argues that voters understood the economy was growing, which actually propelled them to seek change. The conversation reveals a century-old trend: strong economies tend to favor Republican candidates while weak ones favor Democrats. Pastor also highlights how risk attitudes shape voter behavior and contrasts stock market performance under different presidencies, emphasizing its historical complexities.

Impact investing accounts for more than $1 trillion under management, and is expected to continue growing at a double-digit rate annually for the next decade. It’s attracted a backlash, with activists successfully pushing companies to cut back on their commitment to diversity and inclusion. We hear from Chicago Booth’s Priya Parrish, author of the new book The Little Book of Impact Investing: Aligning Profit and Purpose to Change the World, about what the critics get wrong.