Thinkers & Ideas

Margaret Heffernan is a Texas-born, Cambridge educated author, former media CEO, award-winning journalist, and BBC documentary maker whose TED Talks have been viewed more than twelve million times. Her six previous books include Willful Blindness, which was named one of the most important business books of the decade by the Financial Times.In this podcast with Martin Reeves, Chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute, she discusses insights from her forthcoming book, Uncharted: How to Navigate the Future. Heffernan argues that the future is inherently unpredictable and, as such, we really need to stop force-fitting models for prediction onto business strategy and elsewhere, as doing so only provides us with a false sense of certainty and security.Instead, she argues, the right approach is to embrace uncertainty and use scenario planning, experimentation, and imagination. She discusses several domains (art, military intelligence, “cathedral” projects like CERN) where acceptance of uncertainty and using creative approaches has led to great success.***About the BCG Henderson InstituteThe BCG Henderson Institute is the Boston Consulting Group's think tank, dedicated to exploring and developing valuable new insights from business, technology, economics, and science by embracing the powerful technology of ideas. The Institute engages leaders in provocative discussion and experimentation to expand the boundaries of business theory and practice and to translate innovative ideas from within and beyond business. For more ideas and inspiration, sign up to receive BHI INSIGHTS, our monthly newsletter, and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

In this podcast, Martin Reeves interviews Roger L. Martin about his book on the negative consequences of pursuing economic efficiency at all costs. They discuss the flawed measurement of efficiency, the link between income distribution and efficiency, the trade-off between efficiency and resilience during the coronavirus crisis, and the impact of the over obsession with efficiency on democracy and capitalism in America.

Jeffrey D. Sachs is a Professor of economics and Director of Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University. He is considered to be one of the world’s leading experts on economic development, global macroeconomics, and the fight against poverty.In this discussion with Martin Reeves, Chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute, he discusses insights from his new book, The Ages of Globalization, which describes the dynamics of globalization across history and how it has influenced and has been influenced by economy, culture, geography and technology.In particular he describes the opportunities and challenges of the current digital age, and discusses possible solutions, including the social role and contribution of corporations.***About the BCG Henderson InstituteThe BCG Henderson Institute is the Boston Consulting Group’s think tank, dedicated to exploring and developing valuable new insights from business, technology, economics, and science by embracing the powerful technology of ideas. The Institute engages leaders in provocative discussion and experimentation to expand the boundaries of business theory and practice and to translate innovative ideas from within and beyond business. For more ideas and inspiration, sign up to receive BHI INSIGHTS, our monthly newsletter, and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Gary Hamel and Michele Zanini's forthcoming book, Humanocracy: Creating Organizations as Amazing as the People Inside Them, highlights bureaucracy's social, economic and strategic shortcomings and proposes 'humanocracy' as an alternative management model.In this discussion with Martin Reeves, Chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute, Gary Hamel discusses why companies need to tackle bureaucracy's shortcomings and shares examples of vanguard firms which have managed to make steps towards realizing the principles of humanocracy.***About the BCG Henderson InstituteThe BCG Henderson Institute is the Boston Consulting Group's think tank, dedicated to exploring and developing valuable new insights from business, technology, economics, and science by embracing the powerful technology of ideas. The Institute engages leaders in provocative discussion and experimentation to expand the boundaries of business theory and practice and to translate innovative ideas from within and beyond business. For more ideas and inspiration, sign up to receive BHI INSIGHTS, our monthly newsletter, and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter: @BCGHenderson

Peter J. Williamson is Professor of International Management at the University of Cambridge, Judge Business School and Fellow of Jesus College.He is the coauthor of a new book, Ecosystem Edge, which focuses on how to start and manage ecosystems. In this discussion with Martin Reeves, Chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute, he discusses insights from the book, including ecosystem strategy and innovation.***About the BCG Henderson Institute The BCG Henderson Institute is the Boston Consulting Group’s think tank, dedicated to exploring and developing valuable new insights from business, technology, economics, and science by embracing the powerful technology of ideas. The Institute engages leaders in provocative discussion and experimentation to expand the boundaries of business theory and practice and to translate innovative ideas from within and beyond business. For more ideas and inspiration, sign up to receive BHI INSIGHTS, our monthly newsletter, and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

In this episode, Alex Osterwalder, a pioneer in business strategy and coauthor of The Invincible Company, shares insights on how businesses can reinvent themselves. He emphasizes the importance of balancing exploration and exploitation in innovation. Alex argues that many small bets yield better results than a single large investment and highlights practical barriers faced by large corporations. He also discusses the necessity of adaptability in the post-COVID landscape, showcasing effective strategies for testing new business models quickly.

Earlier this year, Philipp Carlsson-Szlezak rejoined BCG as Chief Economist, Managing Director and Partner based in New York, and head of the Center for Macroeconomics at the BCG Henderson Institute. No one could have imagined how quickly his focus would shift to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this special episode of the BHI podcast, Rich Lesser, CEO of BCG, and Philipp discuss frequently asked questions they are hearing from BCG's clients about the global crisis, what makes this situation unique from an economic perspective, and thoughts on re-opening economies around the world. Listen now and learn more.***About the BCG Henderson Institute The BCG Henderson Institute is the Boston Consulting Group’s think tank, dedicated to exploring and developing valuable new insights from business, technology, economics, and science by embracing the powerful technology of ideas. The Institute engages leaders in provocative discussion and experimentation to expand the boundaries of business theory and practice and to translate innovative ideas from within and beyond business. For more ideas and inspiration, sign up to receive BHI INSIGHTS, our monthly newsletter, and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, Executive Chairman of LEGO Brand Group, recently had a discussion with Martin Reeves, Chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute, about LEGO’s response to the COVID-19 crisis and preparing for the more permanent shifts in the post-COVID era. Knudstorp discussed changes that are emerging in customer behavior, such as a significant increase in online sales channels, and LEGO’s efforts to increase its technology investments. He also spoke about the importance of “entertaining the inconceivable”—using imagination to think about not only what could go wrong but also to uncover new opportunities. ***About the BCG Henderson InstituteThe BCG Henderson Institute is the Boston Consulting Group's think tank, dedicated to exploring and developing valuable new insights from business, economics, technology, and science by embracing the powerful technology of ideas. The Institute engages leaders in provocative discussion and experimentation to expand the boundaries of business theory and practice and to translate innovative ideas from within and beyond business. For more ideas and inspiration, sign up to receive BHI INSIGHTS, our monthly newsletter, and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter: @BCGHenderson

Business leaders around the globe are dealing with the unprecedented challenges that the COVID-19 outbreak has brought to companies, economies, and societies. Marco Alverà, Chief Executive Officer of Snam, one of the world's leading energy infrastructure companies, recently sat down virtually with Martin Reeves, Chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute, to discuss Snam's response to the crisis.Alverà discussed Snam's crisis management measures, as well as opportunities he and his team have identified amid the uncertainty, and his thoughts on how the world might look different after the pandemic.***About the BCG Henderson InstituteThe BCG Henderson Institute is the Boston Consulting Group’s strategy think tank, dedicated to exploring and developing valuable new insights from business, technology, and science by embracing the powerful technology of ideas. The Institute engages leaders in provocative discussion and experimentation to expand the boundaries of business theory and practice and to translate innovative ideas from within and beyond business. For more ideas and inspiration, sign up to receive BHI INSIGHTS, our monthly newsletter, and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter: @BCGHenderson

In this engaging discussion, Karim Lakhani, a Professor at Harvard Business School and co-author of 'Competing in the Age of AI,' shares his insights on how AI is revolutionizing competition and business models. He explores the divide between traditional and AI-first companies and the challenges in adapting to this new landscape. Lakhani emphasizes the importance of innovative operating models and the need for future leaders to blend traditional skills with tech mastery. He also draws lessons from Nokia and Apple's struggles with disruptive technologies.