Archive for December, 2008
The Business of Shock
December 25th, 2008 | post a comment
In her book, The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, Naomi Klein delves into the secret history of capitalism, and explains how the “free-market” has expanded by exploiting periods of shock and crisis. She spent years traveling to disaster zones to see how the policies forced through in crisis impact people on the ground, and her insight is particularly valuable in this time of crisis in the US and world economy.
Today, we are in such a time of political upheaval and economic crisis. Just as outlined by Naomi Klein, in this time of shock, large banks and financial interests are trying to push through corporate-friendly policies. Can we somehow break the cycle of shocks with a new administration? This week, Business Matters will explore how the lame-duck Bush Administration and the Federal Reserve are applying a kind shock therapy to the economy, and we’ll spend the hour with the best-selling author of The Shock Doctrine, Naomi Klein.
Listen to the Full Episode | Download MP3
Naomi Klein, Author of The Shock Doctrine | Download MP3
The Business of Consumerism – Resources
December 19th, 2008 | post a comment
As the Black Friday kicked off the holiday shopping frenzy this year, 3 people died in shopping-related deaths. Even as the credit crisis and waves of layoffs pressure the pocketbooks of millions of Americans, advertisers desperately attempt to find our unfulfilled needs. How does consumerism shape our society? As new generations of parents mold a new generation of consumers, how are businesses working to extend their brand to children?
This week, we’re looking at the past and future of consumerism in America. We’ll delve into the psychological elements of consumer behavior, and explore how the relationship between parents, businesses and children shapes our consumer culture.
Listen to the Full Episode | Download MP3
Part 1: Jackson Lears, Cultural Historian | Download MP3
T.J. Jackson Lears is a Board of Governors Professor of History at Rutgers University. He’s the author of Something for Nothing: Luck in America and Fables of Abundance: a Cultural History of Advertising in America, and he’s the Editor-in-Chief, Raritan Quarterly Review. Jackson Lears is also the author of the forthcoming culture history of the United States, Rebirth of a Nation: The Making of Modern America, 1877-1920.
Part 2: John Cacioppo, Social Neuroscientist | Download MP3
John Cacioppo is a social neuroscientist, the Tiffany and Margaraet Blake Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago and the author, most recently, of Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection. Cacioppo leads a team of scholars that received a $7.5 million grant from the National Institute on Aging to study social, behavioral and neural mechanisms responsible for the association between social isolation (and feelings of isolation) and broad-based morbidity and mortality. Check out a recent opinion piece he published in the Wall Street Journal, “The State of Solitude”.
Part 3: Dan Cook, Child Researcher | Download MP3
Dan Cook is a Associate Professor of Childhood Studies at Rutgers University-Camden. He is the author of The Commodification of Childhood: The Children’s Clothing Industry and the Rise of the Child Consumer and has an edited book forthcoming, The Lived Experiences of Public Consumption. Dr. Cook’s research focuses on the phenomena of children as consumers in the United States. In particular, he explores how tensions between “the child” and “the market” create children’s consumer culture, including through advertising, food, rituals, clothing and media. Dr. Cook is also the founder of The Consumer Studies Research Network (CSRN), a scholarly network created to exchange information about how commodities and a market logic have come to pervade virtually all forms of social life and social interaction.
The Business of Consumerism
December 19th, 2008 | post a comment
As the Black Friday kicked off the holiday shopping frenzy this year, 3 people died in shopping-related deaths. Even as the credit crisis and waves of layoffs pressure the pocketbooks of millions of Americans, advertisers desperately attempt to find our unfulfilled needs. How does consumerism shape our society? As new generations of parents mold a new generation of consumers, how are businesses working to extend their brand to children?
This week, we’re looking at the past and future of consumerism in America. We’ll delve into the psychological elements of consumer behavior, and explore how the relationship between parents, businesses and children shapes our consumer culture.
Listen to the Full Episode | Download MP3
Part 1: Jackson Lears, Cultural Historian | Download MP3
Part 2: John Cacioppo, Social Neuroscientist | Download MP3
Part 3: Dan Cook, Child Researcher | Download MP3
The Dark Side of Banking – Resources
December 12th, 2008 | post a comment
Instead of letting big banks do whatever they want with out money , how can we start to harness our own financial power? Our guest today, Catherine Austin Fitts, is committed to bringing people together to resist the economic tyranny of large banks and corrupt government officials. She’s been in both the private and public sector, working as Assistant Secretary of Housing in the first Bush Administration, a former investment bank president, and now president of the financial education company Solari. Today, she’ll help explain how we got into this mess and how we can work together to build a more financially sustainable society.
Listen to the Full Episode | Download MP3
Catherine Austin Fitts, President, Solari; Former Assistant Secretary of Housing | Download MP3
Catherine Austin Fitts has an unparalleled perspective on the current housing crisis, having witnessed the corruption in the market during the first Bush and Clinton administrations. Since then, she’s become the founder and managing member of Solari Investment Advisory Services, LLC.; and President of Solari, Inc. an
online media company focused on ethical investment. She’s also been president of The Hamilton Securities Group, investment bank and financial software developer and an Managing Director and member of the board of Wall Street investment banking firm Dillon Read & Co. Inc. (She writes about her experience there in Dillon Read and the Aristocracy of Stock Profits.)
You can read Catherine’s blog, articles, audio seminars, video presentations, and sign up for weekly educational conference calls at Solari.com
The Dark Side of Banking
December 12th, 2008 | post a comment
Instead of letting big banks do whatever they want with out money , how can we start to harness our own financial power? Our guest today, Catherine Austin Fitts, is committed to bringing people together to resist the economic tyranny of large banks and corrupt government officials. She’s been in both the private and public sector, working as Assistant Secretary of Housing in the first Bush Administration, a former investment bank president, and now president of the financial education company Solari, Inc. Catherine’s experiences on Wall Street and in Washington D.C. are chronicled in Dillon Read and the Aristocracy of Stock Profits.
Listen to the Full Episode | Download MP3
Catherine Austin Fitts, President, Solari; Former Assistant Secretary of Housing | Download MP3
The Fundamentals of Change – Resources
December 5th, 2008 | post a comment
The next president has been elected on a wave of popular demand for change. How can leaders move from inspiring their business or community to sparking action to enact the change? We’ll find out what steps are necessary to enact fundamental change in corporations, non-profits and communities on Business Matters this week.
Listen to the Full Episode | Download MP3
Part 1: Richard Strozzi-Heckler | Download MP3
Richard Strozzi-Heckler, Ph.D. is founder and President of Strozzi Institute. He’s been a leading teacher of the practical application of Somatics (the unity of language, action, and meaning) to business leaders and executive managers. Richard is the author of five books, including The Anatomy of Change, and he has a Ph.D. in Psychology and is a black belt in the martial art of Aikido. He also holds ranks in Judo, Jujitsu, and Capoeira.
Part 2: Rob Paterson , Social Media and Network Consultant | Download MP3
Robert Paterson is the president of the Renewal Consulting Group, which provides clients with insight and context needed to find solutions to novel situations and in times of great change. Before starting the Renewal Consulting Group, Rob had extensive experience as a leader in the investment banking industry. You can also check out his blog here.
Part 3: Peter Luzmore | Download MP3
Peter Luzmore is the president of Synthesis, a New York based executive training and development organization. Peter works with companies in the U.S., England, and Hong Kong and is a contributor to the anthology, Being Human at Work: Bringing Somatic Intelligence into Your Professional Life.
The Fundamentals of Change
December 5th, 2008 | post a comment
The next president has been elected on a wave of popular demand for change. How can leaders move from inspiring their business or community to sparking action to enact the change? We’ll find out what steps are necessary to enact fundamental change in corporations, non-profits and communities on Business Matters this week.
Listen to the Full Episode | Download MP3
Part 1: Richard Strozzi-Heckler, Founder, Strozzi Institute | Download MP3
Part 2: Rob Paterson, Social Media and Network Consultant| Download MP3
Part 3: Peter Luzmore, Founder, Synthesis | Download MP3
Subscribe to Our Podcast
Monthly Archives
-
2010: Jan Feb Mar
2009: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2008: May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Recent Episodes
- The Toyota Model
- The Poetry of Business
- The Business of the Food Supply
- Violence in the Media
- Business Matters Dialog: Innovation
Video Podcast
Our Story
Business Matters is a weekly radio program that offers its listeners admission into the inner circle of thought-leaders, entrepreneurs and executives from the worlds of business, government and non-profit. Through unbiased dialogue we explore the decisions and actions of their organizations and the impact they have on the economy, culture, the environment, public policy and international relations.
We bring our listeners a portal into the future. We feature guests who are breaking down old paradigms and creating new models for success through innovations in the areas of science, technology, philosophy and management.