Episodes

  • Burnout Market Feminism: Inside China’s Female Economy with Dr. Ling Tang

    Burnout Market Feminism: Inside China’s Female Economy with Dr. Ling Tang
    Aug 8 2026
    In her book Burnout Market Feminism: Urban Chinese Businesswomen in the Internet Age, Dr. Ling Tang examines how female entrepreneurs navigate China's digital economy. Rather than viewing Chinese feminism solely through state socialist or civil society lenses, Tang introduces a third perspective focusing on women's economic agency within the market. While China's booming digital landscape allows women to achieve significant financial success and leverage economic growth to gain social tolerance, such as for non-normative identities, this market-driven empowerment comes at a high cost. Entrepreneurs face structural frictions, including state regulation of personal desires, navigating toxic, male-dominated guanxi business cultures, and absorbing heavy platform pressures. Consequently, women engage in auto-exploitation, framing extreme overwork as passion and national duty. Ultimately, Tang illustrates that while market practices offer a viable route for feminist ideas when civil society is constrained, true empowerment requires moving away from growth-obsessed burnout. This podcast is brought to you by Global Management Consultancy. Disclaimer: 1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy, and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music. 2. Dr. Ling Tang shared key insights from her publication, “Burnout Market Feminism: Urban Chinese Businesswomen in the Internet Age”, in an engaging episode of the Business Talk podcast. The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so changing any graphics, music, or on-screen appearance of the author or host is not allowed.
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    49 mins
  • Why Free Market Capitalism and Democracy Can’t Coexist | Prof. Mordecai Kurz

    Why Free Market Capitalism and Democracy Can’t Coexist | Prof. Mordecai Kurz
    Aug 8 2026
    In his book, Private Power and Democracy's Decline: How to Make Capitalism Support Democracy, Stanford Economics Professor Emeritus Mordecai Kurz examines how tech monopolies fuel income inequality and social polarization. Expanding on the ideas in The Market Power of Technology (2023), Dr. Kurz presents concrete policy solutions, including antitrust reform and taxing monopoly profits, to protect democratic institutions and realign capitalism with the public good. Professor Kurz contends that free-market capitalism and democracy are fundamentally incompatible because concentrated tech monopolies convert economic power into political inequality. Unlike the first Gilded Age, modern digital automation systematically replaces rather than expands blue-collar labor. To counter democratic decline driven by policy deregulation, tech displacement, and social neglect, Dr. Kurz proposes aligning capitalism with public interest. His key solutions include taxing replacement technologies while subsidizing worker-assisting AI, enshrining a legally guaranteed worker livelihood program, and reforming unions into supportive social organizations. Ultimately, he urges workers to organize, upskill, and reject demagoguery to build a balanced economic future. This podcast is brought to you by Global Management Consultancy. Disclaimer: 1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy, and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music. 2. Professor Mordecai Kurz shared key insights from his book, "Private Power and Democracy's Decline: How to Make Capitalism Support Democracy", in an engaging episode of the Business Talk podcast. The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so changing any graphics, music, or on-screen appearance of the author or host is not allowed.
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    47 mins
  • How Mobile Money Changed Everything in Kenya | Dr. Sibel Kusimba explains

    How Mobile Money Changed Everything in Kenya | Dr. Sibel Kusimba explains
    Aug 8 2026
    Dr. Sibel Kusimba, Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of South Florida, joins us to explore her fascinating book, Reimagining Money: Kenya in the Digital Finance Revolution. a 2023 SEA Book Prize finalist from the Society for Economic Anthropology. In an episode of Business Talk, Dr. Sibel Kusimba discusses her book, Reimagining Money: Kenya in the Digital Finance Revolution. Tracing the rise of mobile money services like M-Pesa, Prof. Kusimba explains that digital currency in Kenya serves as a medium for building social relationships and reinforcing cultural values of "wealth in people" rather than simply accumulating assets. Practices such as airtime gifts (sambaza), crowdfunding platforms (MChanga), and rural remittances allow users to express care, maintain community obligations, and establish status across distances. However, she notes that digital finance also introduces friction, privacy concerns, and predatory inclusion through high-interest loans and automated debt recovery. Rejecting the notion of technological leapfrogging, Dr. Kusimba demonstrates how modern digital tools build directly upon historical monetary traditions. Ultimately, she advocates for fintech design that respects complex social ecologies, addresses networked debt, and incorporates relational value alongside utility. This podcast is brought to you by Global Management Consultancy. Disclaimer: 1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy, and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music. 2. Dr. Sibel Kusimba shared key insights from her publication, “Reimagining Money: Kenya in the Digital Finance Revolution”, in an engaging episode of the Business Talk podcast. The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so changing any graphics, music, or on-screen appearance of the author or host is not allowed.
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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • Free Markets Are a Myth: Dr. Allan Lichtman Explains "Conservative at the Core"

    Free Markets Are a Myth: Dr. Allan Lichtman Explains "Conservative at the Core"
    Aug 7 2026
    Dr. Allan Lichtman, Distinguished Professor of History at American University, offers a fresh perspective on the evolution of conservative thought in the United States in his compelling book, Conservative at the Core: A New History of American Conservatism, sharing his rich ideas, experiences, and insights. Applying philosopher Dr. Imre Lakatos’s framework, Prof. Lichtman argues that conservative rhetoric, like "free enterprise" and "states' rights", is merely a disposable "outer belt" hiding a true "core": protecting private enterprise through tariffs and crony capitalism, alongside selective culture-war politics. Lichtman places modern conservatism's roots in post-WWI anti-pluralist reactions rather than the mid-20th century. He identifies Donald Trump as the culmination of this legacy rather than an aberration. The discussion also highlights the historic realignment of Southern conservative Democrats to the GOP, the pattern of conservative presidents driving up federal deficits, and the impact of unprecedented disinformation on election forecasting. Ultimately, Lichtman views conservatism's central crisis as a reliance on chronic dishonesty. This podcast is brought to you by Global Management Consultancy. Disclaimer: 1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy, and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music. 2. Dr. Allan Lichtman shared key insights from his book, “Conservative at the Core: A New History of American Conservatism”, in an engaging episode of the Business Talk podcast. The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so changing any graphics, music, or on-screen appearance of the author or host is not allowed.
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    28 mins
  • Are There Billions of Other Earths? | Prof. Chris Impey on Exoplanets & Alien Life

    Are There Billions of Other Earths? | Prof. Chris Impey on Exoplanets & Alien Life
    Aug 7 2026
    Professor Chris Impey, University Distinguished Professor of Astronomy at the University of Arizona, takes us to one of modern science’s most thrilling frontiers: the search for alien worlds. In Worlds Without End: Exoplanets, Habitability, and the Future of Humanity, he poses a question that could define our species, where else might life exist, and what does it mean for us? Dr. Impey highlighted that over 6,000 exoplanets have been discovered, partly thanks to the cost-effective Kepler satellite, suggesting billions of habitable worlds exist in the Milky Way. He noted that Earth may not be the optimal planet for life and emphasized how extremophiles demonstrate life's ability to thrive in harsh environments. Additionally, Impey addressed the interdisciplinary nature of astrobiology, the limitations of private space ventures, and the massive technological, biological, and psychological hurdles of interstellar colonization. Stressing that there is no reachable "Planet B," he argued that the search for exoplanets reinforces our duty to protect Earth, while remaining confident that a biological universe awaits discovery. This podcast is brought to you by Global Management Consultancy. Disclaimer: 1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy, and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music. 2. Professor Chris Impey shared key insights from his book, “Worlds Without End: Exoplanets, Habitability, and the Future of Humanity”, in an engaging episode of the Business Talk podcast. The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so changing any graphics, music, or on-screen appearance of the author or host is not allowed.
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    18 mins
  • The Hidden Strategy Behind Earnings Announcements & FOMC Meetings | Dr. Xu Jiang

    The Hidden Strategy Behind Earnings Announcements & FOMC Meetings | Dr. Xu Jiang
    Aug 6 2026
    Dr. Xu Jiang, Associate Professor of Business Administration at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, focuses his research on banking regulation, optimal disclosure policies, accounting standards, and strategic communication. Inspired by real-world observations of companies delaying their scheduled earnings calls to coincide with Federal Reserve meetings, Dr. Jiang co-authored an original study investigating why firms and analysts cluster earnings announcements and forecasts around FOMC dates. His research reveals a strategic cost-sharing dynamic where both parties delay announcements to leverage macro-level monetary policy insights, resulting in significantly higher analyst forecast accuracy, lower bid-ask spreads, and improved firm investment efficiency, effects that are particularly pronounced for high-beta, large firms and during periods of high economic policy uncertainty. Comparing various macroeconomic events, the research highlights that FOMC meetings and Non-Farm Payroll reports exert a much stronger influence on forecast accuracy than FOMC minutes. While these self-interested timing choices maximize overall information efficiency, Dr. Jiang notes potential regulatory implications, suggesting standard-setters consider requiring firms to explain schedule deviations to protect retail investors from post-FOMC information overload. This podcast is brought to you by Global Management Consultancy. Disclaimer: 1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy, and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music. 2. Dr. Xu Jiang shared key insights from his research, “Dancing to the Fed’s Tune: Earnings Announcement Clustering and Analyst Forecast Informativeness Around FOMC Meetings”, in an engaging episode of the Business Talk podcast. The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so changing any graphics, music, or on-screen appearance of the author or host is not allowed.
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    21 mins
  • Does FX Hedging Actually Boost Innovation? | Dr. Sapnoti Eswar on Business Talk

    Does FX Hedging Actually Boost Innovation? | Dr. Sapnoti Eswar on Business Talk
    Aug 6 2026
    In a recent deep-dive interview on the Business Talk podcast hosted by Deepak Bhatt, Dr. Sapnoti K. Eswar, Senior Lecturer in Finance at the University of St. Andrews Business School, unpacked her landmark Research Policy paper co-authored with Dr. Laura Dimitrova, exploring whether FX derivatives adoption directly drives technological innovation. Capitalizing on the exogenous shock of the 1987 ISDA Master Agreement, their research proves a causal link: firms with high pre-1987 foreign exchange exposure saw a roughly 12% increase in patent filings approximately three years after adopting FX derivatives. This boost is predominantly driven by equity-constrained firms that rely on steady cash flows to protect their R&D pipelines. Rather than fueling high-risk moonshots, hedging enables companies to fund incremental, compounding innovations. Ultimately, Dr. Eswar offers a crucial reframe for modern executives and boards: managing financial risk is not merely a defensive strategy, but a fundamental driver of a firm's capacity to invent and grow. This podcast is brought to you by Global Management Consultancy. Disclaimer: 1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy, and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music. 2. Dr. Sapnoti Eswar shared key insights from her research, “Does Financial Innovation Lead to Technological Innovation? Evidence from Foreign Exchange Derivatives”, in an engaging episode of the Business Talk podcast. The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so changing any graphics, music, or on-screen appearance of the author or host is not allowed.
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    35 mins
  • Why We Must NEVER Give AI Human Rights (Before It's Too Late) - Prof. Moshe Vardi

    Why We Must NEVER Give AI Human Rights (Before It's Too Late) - Prof. Moshe Vardi
    Aug 6 2026
    In this episode of Business Talk, hosted by Deepak, guest Professor Moshe Vardi, Karen Ostrum George Distinguished Service Professor in Computational Engineering at Rice University, and 2026 National Academy of Artificial Intelligence Academy Award laureate, delves into the profound intersection of AI, consciousness, logic, and human welfare. Addressing historical and modern debates on whether machines can truly think, Vardi explores frameworks like Daniel Kahneman’s System 1 and System 2 thinking, the limits of pure logic, and classic philosophical puzzles such as Alan Turing's tests and John Searle's "Chinese Room" argument. He contends that while machine learning emulates fast pattern recognition and LLMs function similarly to "stochastic parrots," the question of AI intelligence often reflects human perception rather than an objective reality. Moving into consciousness and ethics, Vardi warns against elevating AI to equal moral standing with human beings, advocating instead for Sacred Humanity to preserve human dignity and societal purpose. Ultimately, he urges researchers and technologists to move away from purely profit-driven goals like total automation, advising that technology's true objective must always remain the advancement of overall human welfare. This podcast is brought to you by Global Management Consultancy. Disclaimer: 1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy, and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music. 2. In a captivating episode of the Business Talk podcast, Dr. Moshe Vardi unpacked key insights from his research, "Can AI Have a Mind? Logic, Consciousness, and the Limits of Machines." The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so changing any graphics, music, or on-screen appearance of the author or host is not allowed.
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    44 mins