Knowledge@wharton

Africa is the next frontier for global business presenting a rare growth opportunity in a stagnant world. But navigating this complex continent with more than 1 billion people can be exceedingly difficult and many businesses have failed to make a lasting impression in the region. Kenyan business tycoon Manu Chandaria chairman and CEO of the multi-billion dollar privately held Comcraft Group explains in an interview with Knowledge at Wharton how he mastered the African market and how others can follow his lead. (Video with transcript) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Although the global economy is in better shape than it was during the worst days of the 2008-2009 financial crisis don’t expect to see a dramatic turnaround in 2013 say Wharton professors Mauro Guillen and Kent Smetters. In separate interviews with Knowledge at Wharton they discuss some of the challenges that the U.S. Europe China and emerging markets such as Brazil and India are facing going into the New Year. (Video with transcript) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Cloud computing is creating waves in different industries across the developed world helping both entrepreneurs and large conglomerates quickly respond to opportunities and manage their business processes more effectively. A recent survey by Knowledge at Wharton and enterprise software firm SAP reveals that people have very high expectations for the future of cloud computing; at the same time they admit that they don’t fully understand the technology. Knowledge at Wharton spoke with David Spencer vice president at SAP and Don Huesman managing director at the Wharton Innovation Group to clarify questions surrounding the future of cloud computing. (Podcast with transcript) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Maneet Ahuja began her career at age 17 as a credit risk analyst at Citigroup. Now 10 years later she has been named to the Forbes 2012 ”30 under 30” list is a producer for CNBC’s Squawk Box and has written a new book called The Alpha Masters: Unlocking the Genius of the World’s Top Hedge Funds. Knowledge at Wharton recently talked with her about the alpha masters she profiled in her book and about where she thinks the hedge fund industry is headed. (Video with transcript) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Are you happy? Could you be happier? Gretchen Rubin was already ”pretty happy” when she asked herself these very questions. In search of the answers she started her own pursuit of happiness which eventually became a New York Times bestseller titled The Happiness Project. She has now written a second book called Happier at Home. Knowledge at Wharton recently spoke with Rubin about why happy people work more hours each week how to make and keep happiness resolutions and how to ward off the three happiness leeches. (Video with transcript) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Swarthmore professor Barry Schwartz says rules and incentives are an ”insurance policy against disaster but [they don’t] produce excellence.” In his recent book Practical Wisdom: The Right Way to Do the Right Thing Schwartz and co-author Kenneth Sharpe also a Swarthmore professor say that what is needed is not more bureaucracy. Instead society needs the Aristotelian ideal that trumps all others -- practical wisdom. Knowledge at Wharton recently discussed with Schwartz why individuals fail to do the right thing what practical wisdom looks like in practice and what organizations can do to regain people’s trust. (Video with transcript) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

New York Times editor Adam Bryant has interviewed more than 200 CEOs for his Corner Office column. In his book The Corner Office: Indispensable and Unexpected Lessons from CEOs on How to Lead and Succeed Bryant shares what he has learned from Xerox CEO Ursula Burns Ford CEO Alan R. Mulally Yum Brands CEO David C. Novak Teach for America CEO Wendy Kopp Zynga co-founder Mark Pincus and other leaders. Knowledge at Wharton recently sat down with Bryant to discuss five qualities of successful leaders the age-old question of whether leaders are born or made and how his discussions with CEOs have influenced his own approach to leadership. (Video with transcript) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Just as the Internet enabled anyone with a computer to become an entrepreneur today’s newest technologies have spawned a DIY (do it yourself) micro-manufacturing movement so anyone can be both inventor and manufacturer. Wired editor Chris Anderson author of the new book Makers: The New Industrial Revolution recently spoke with Knowledge at Wharton about how technology is changing the limits of what inventors can do what the Maker Movement is why he started DIY Drones and how the new technologies will drive the global economy. (Audio with transcript) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For many implementing an innovation strategy which requires changes within an organization means adding layers of new processes. Lisa Bodell author of Kill the Company: End the Status Quo Start an Innovation Revolution argues that there are straightforward ways to make change without bogging down the organization. Knowledge at Wharton spoke with Bodell recently about her approach to getting companies to face their vulnerabilities why taking risks is essential and why small changes make all the difference. (Video with transcript) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Television networks and advertisers alike are using social media to build buzz about programs and products -- but are their efforts really resulting in increased sales or higher ratings? Wharton professor Shawndra Hill is taking to Twitter and the airwaves in an effort to figure out how marketers should best employ user-generated content in trying to get consumers to pay attention to their products or to make solid recommendations to existing fans. (Video with transcript) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Can work be fun? Can the insights of successful game designers be used to engage customers in a variety of industries? Wharton legal studies and business ethics professor Kevin Werbach and New York Law School professor Dan Hunter authors of For the Win: How Game Thinking Can Revolutionize Your Business say yes. Knowledge at Wharton spoke with Werbach and Hunter about what gamification really is how companies are using it and what pitfalls to avoid when gamifying. (Video with transcript) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In 2005 immigrant entrepreneurs launched 52% of all startups in Silicon Valley. But today the number has dropped to 44% and America is not only losing the opportunity to create new jobs but also losing its competitive edge argues Vivek Wadhwa in his book The Immigrant Exodus: Why America Is Losing the Global Race to Capture Entrepreneurial Talent. In the 1980s skilled immigrants could get green cards in as little as 18 months but today it can take as long as 17 years. Failure to fix this problem says Wadhwa in an interview is killing American innovation. (Video with transcript) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Bill Clark’s job only gets harder. As executive director of Philabundance a Philadelphia area hunger relief organization he has this to say about today’s food crisis: ”The hunger that used to exist in inner cities or rural areas like Appalachia has leapt beyond those pockets into the middle and working classes. I don’t think there is a zip code in the country today that is totally devoid of hunger.” Clark talks about the challenges Philabundance faces at a time when natural disasters cutbacks in social programs and unusually high unemployment have created a ”tremendous” unmet need. (Podcast with transcript) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are shaking up traditional models of education. Among the most active providers of them today is Coursera a start-up that presents some 200 courses to 1.5 million students in collaboration with 33 educational institutions including the University of Pennsylvania. But how does Coursera deal with challenges such as scaling up the venture increasing student retention rates and monetizing free content? Knowledge at Wharton talked with Daphne Koller co-founder of Coursera during her recent visit to campus. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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The theme of the recent 2012 Wharton Management Conference -- ”Changing the Game: Leadership in Crisis” -- is an apt one for the auto industry. Daniel Ammann CFO of General Motors addressed leadership issues in a keynote presentation at the conference and in a podcast with Wharton’s John Paul MacDuffie during which he discussed upcoming product launches the struggling auto industry in Europe and a strong partnership in China. (Podcast with transcript) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The worldwide competition for bandwidth ”is like the space race where the winner will see benefits ... that will last for years to come ” according to Julius Genachowski chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). In an interview with Wharton’s Kevin Werbach Genachowski says that while the U.S. is leading the world in terms of developing infrastructure for the next generation of mobile broadband the country faces ”some real challenges” in keeping ahead. (Video with transcript) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Last week Spanish bank Banco Santander announced plans to use the recent strong financial performance of its Mexican unit as leverage to raise $4.3 billion in a stock offering -- the largest ever in Mexico’s history. Part of a longer-term expansion plan in Latin America the move is also designed to signal to financial markets that the bank has high growth potential outside of its troubled home markets in Spain and the eurozone. In an interview Wharton’s Mauro Guillen and Adrian Tschoegl authors of a book about the bank discuss how the deal fits in with Santander’s master plan. (Video with transcript) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A California jury awarded Apple what could be a decisive victory in the smartphone wars last week by ruling that Samsung infringed on a number of patents relating to the functionality and design of the iPhone. Samsung plans to appeal but Apple is now calling for a ban on U.S. sales of some of the devices at issue in the case. Some observers believe the verdict might open the door for additional Apple lawsuits against other smartphone makers -- including Google. Wharton professors David Hsu and Andrea Matwyshyn discuss the key players the future of smartphone design and the U.S. patent system. (Podcast with transcript) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hugh Sinclair is the author of a new book titled Confessions of a Microfinance Heretic: How Microlending Lost Its Way and Betrayed the Poor in which he debunks the image of microfinance as a do-good industry committed to helping poor people create sustainable businesses. Instead he documents corruption extortionist interest rates and a lack of transparency that he says characterize much of the microfinance industry today. Sinclair spoke with Knowledge at Wharton about his book the problems microfinance continues to face and some solutions for moving forward. (Podcast with transcript) See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.