Kenneth Cukier is a New York Times bestselling author on technology and business, a journalist at The Economist, and an Associate Fellow at the University of Oxford's Saïd Business School.

Francis de Véricourt is a Professor of Management Science and the Director of the Center for Decisions, Models and Data at the European School of Management and Technology in Berlin.

Together with Viktor Mayer-Schönberger, they recently published a new book, Framers: Human Advantage in an Age of Technology and Turmoil. 
In Framers, the authors outline how to use the unique human capability of framing to generate new options and structure decision-making effectively.

In a conversation with Martin Reeves, Chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute, Cukier and de Véricourt discuss framing's unexploited potential, how it can enhance decision making in uncertain times, and how we can better educate ourselves to become better framers.
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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.

Framers with Kenneth Cukier and Francis de Véricourt

Ram Charan is a world-renowned business advisor, author, and speaker who has spent the past 40 years working with many of the top companies, CEOs, and boards.
Ram has authored over 30 books since 1998 that have sold over 4 million copies in more than a dozen languages. His recent book, Rethinking Competitive Advantage, explains the source of digital giants' competitive advantage and describes the path for other companies to develop their own. 
In a conversation with Martin Reeves, Chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute, Ram provides an overview of how leaders - of both traditional and digital companies- can increase their chances of success in the digital age. He proposes 6 rules which redefine the precepts of competition.
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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.

Rethinking Competitive Advantage with Ram Charan

Kai-Fu Lee is the CEO of Sinovation Ventures and the New York Times bestselling author of AI Superpowers. Lee was formerly the President of Google China and a senior executive at Microsoft and Apple. He chairs the Artificial Intelligence Council at the World Economic Forum.

His new book, AI 2041: Ten Visions for Our Future, co-authored with Chen Qiufan, is a literary call-and-response: Qiufan calls to Lee with one fictional chapter on the future of AI, and Lee responds to Qiufan with a supporting, nonfictional analysis of those futures. Each chapter deals with the applications of a different technology and explores the human dilemmas which arise as a result. This novel approach not only educates, engages, and entertains readers but also encourages to think ahead on the moves we need to takes as companies and societies in order to maximize benefits and minimize negative consequences.

In a conversation with Martin Reeves, Chairman of the BCG Henderson Insitute, Lee shares his thinking and predictions on artificial intelligence's potential applications, its social impact, and also the regulations required to tame it.
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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.

AI 2041 with Kai-Fu Lee

Will Guidara made his name in the hospitality industry as the co-owner of Eleven Madison Park, transforming it from a "good" New York restaurant to a 3 Michelin star establishment that was ranked number one on "The World's 50 Best Restaurants" list in 2017.

In his new book, Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect, Will shares his personal memoir and manifesto, outlining his business management philosophy on the art of service.

Together with Martin Reeves, Chairman of BCG Henderson Institute, Will discusses how to be intentional in the pursuit of relationships with both the people you work with and those you serve, and the impact of digging deeper to explore new creative approaches that turn ordinary transactions into extraordinary experiences.
***
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.

Unreasonable Hospitality with Will Guidara

Bent Flyvbjerg has a sobering statistic to share: 99.5% of major projects fail to deliver their targeted results on time and on budget. His new book How Big Things Get Done, coauthored with Dan Gardner, explores this phenomenon—from infrastructure projects to major sporting events to corporate transformations.

Flyvbjerg, the first BT Professor of Major Programme Management at Oxford’s Saïd Business School and VKR Professor of Major Program Management at the IT University of Copenhagen, is the world’s foremost expert on megaproject management—a subject on which he has published prolifically.

He recently joined Martin Reeves, Chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute, to discuss the patterns and drivers of the failure of big projects, as well as potential solutions that can help executives overcome these dramatic odds. For example, cognitive biases, particularly at the C-suite level, cause leaders to act too spontaneously—when they would be better off acting fast only after first thinking slowly and deliberately. They explore not only conventional project success but also how the thinking can be applied more broadly – from personal projects to climate change.

Key topics discussed: 

[01:16] The Iron Law of megaprojects
[04:03] Patterns of failure
[09:02] Solutions (think slow but act fast, think from right to left, reference class forecasting)
[17:28] Continuous vs. episodic change
[20:47] Tackling climate change: a megaproject?
[23:03] Impact of technology
[25:46] Practical recommendations

***

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.

How Big Things Get Done with Bent Flyvbjerg

In his latest book, Magic Words: What to Say to Get Your Way, Jonah Berger breaks down the science of language. The right words can influence actions and happiness, and reveal insights about those who say or write them.

Berger, an associate professor of marketing at the Wharton School, is an expert on change, social influence, and word of mouth communication. Together with Martin Reeves, Chairman of BCG Henderson Institute, Berger discusses how we can use the language of agency and identity to incite action, how to best balance concreteness and abstraction, and how to harness the power of emotions—drawing on decades of experimental research.

He also speculates about how large language models will change the production and deployment of language. The book is a broad and practical guide to how we can use language more effectively.

Key topics discussed:

[01:07] The power of language and six types of magic words
[03:57] Leveraging the language of agency and identity to spark action
[06:58] Balancing concreteness and abstraction
[10:53] Harnessing the power of emotions
[13:27] Limitations of magic words and the importance of authenticity
[17:41] The role of ChatGPT and other large language models
[21:00] Using magic words in your personal and professional life

***

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.

Magic Words With Jonah Berger

In his new book, The Coming Wave: Technology, Power, and The Twenty-First Century’s Greatest Dilemma, Mustafa Suleyman discusses the new technologies that will transform society—chief among them AI and synthetic biology.

Suleyman is a renowned thought leader on this topic, having co-founded Inflection AI and DeepMind, and having served as VP of AI product management and AI policy at Google.

Together with Martin Reeves, Chairman of BCG Henderson Institute, Suleyman discusses the threats and opportunities posed by AI and synthetic biology, whether and how they will confer competitive advantage, and how governments and companies can collaborate to contain their negative effects while ensuring that society reaps their benefits.

Key topics discussed:

[01:28] The threats of the coming wave of technologies
[06:43] A modern Turing Test for AI
[10:14] The competitive advantage conferred by AI
[15:25] The benefits and limitations of AI
[18:34] Containing the next wave of technologies
[22:09] Potential regulatory interventions
[23:46] Motivations for writing the book

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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.

The Coming Wave with Mustafa Suleyman

In How to Work with (Almost) Anyone, Michael Bungay Stanier outlines how to set up working relationships for the best chance of success—by following a process of thorough preparation, a keystone conversation, and regular maintenance.

Bungay Stanier, founder of coaching firm Box of Crayons, is a world-renowned thought leader on coaching and author of the best-selling coaching book, The Coaching Habit. In his most recent book, he focuses on relationship-building, providing readers with processes and principles, as well as exercises and ample practical advice to sharpen their skills.

Together with Martin Reeves, Chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute, Bungay Stanier discusses how to build the “best possible relationship” and how to maintain and repair it over time. Moreover, they assess how to create a corporate culture conducive to these relationships, and how to make these relationships work in a hybrid or remote setting.

Key topics discussed:

[01:22] How to make difficult relationships more workable
[03:39] Definition of a “best possible relationship” and how to build it
[05:54] How to have a keystone conversation
[12:26] The impact of corporate culture and different personality types
[15:44] How to maintain and repair relationships
[20:42] The implications of hybrid and remote work
[22:31] How leaders can apply these lessons in their organizations

***

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.

How to Work with (Almost) Anyone with Michael Bungay Stanier

In Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI, Ethan Mollick explains how to engage with AI as a co-worker, a co-teacher, and a coach.

Mollick is a professor of management at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, where he studies and teaches innovation and entrepreneurship. In his new book, he discusses the profound impacts AI will have on business and education, using many examples of AI in action. His book challenges us to utilize AI’s enormous power without losing our human identity, to learn from it without being misled, and to harness its gifts to create a better human future.

Together with Martin Reeves, chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute, Mollick discusses how to train people to use AI effectively, whether AI will substitute or complement workers, and how businesses can move beyond a short-term efficiency gains perspective to generate value with AI in the long term.

Key topics discussed: 

[02:27] The four rules for living with AI
[09:04] Educating people to use AI effectively
[10:47] What experiments reveal about where AI adds (and destroys) value at work
[12:45] Substituting (vs. complementing) workers with AI
[14:14] Generating value with AI in the long-term
[17:10] Bringing about the social change in organizations alongside the tech change
[20:48] AI regulation
[27:18] How AI will transform education

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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.

Co-Intelligence with Ethan Mollick

In The Unaccountability Machine: Why Big Systems Make Terrible Decisions and How the World Lost Its Mind, Dan Davies examines why companies and governments systematically generate outcomes that everyone involved claims they do not want.

Davies is an economist, writer, and former investment banker known for his insightful analysis of finance, corporate governance, and decision-making systems. He has written extensively on topics such as financial fraud, accountability in organizations, and the intersections of economics and management. His latest book combines cybernetics theory and real-world examples to explain how decisions are increasingly made not by accountable individuals, but by systems.

In his conversation with Martin Reeves, chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute, Davies describes the pathologies of failing decision-making systems, explains why we tend not to learn from past mistakes, and outlines why he worries that AI might not improve our capability to make decisions unless we carefully redesign decision systems to tap its potential.

Key topics discussed: 

[01:03] Unintended outcomes generated by decision-making systems
[07:08] What we can learn from the theory of cybernetics
[09:49] Pathologies of failing information systems
[11:49] Why we make the same mistakes again and again
[14:41] How AI may impact decision-making
[16:39] Steps toward improving our decision-making systems

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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.

The Unaccountability Machine with Daniel Davies

In The Measure of Progress: Counting What Really Matters, Dame Diane Coyle argues that traditional measures like GDP no longer capture economic realities.

Coyle is the Bennett Professor of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge. She is also the director of the Productivity Institute, a fellow of the Office for National Statistics, and a member of the UK’s Competition Commission. Drawing on her deep expertise, she proposes an alternative framework for measuring productivity that enables better policymaking.

In her conversation with Nikolaus Lang, global leader of the BCG Henderson Institute, she discusses the shortcomings of GDP—such as a lack of accounting for immaterial goods or natural capital, alternative measures of progress, and how corporate leaders should rethink their approach to measurement.

Key topics discussed: 

[01:32] The shortcomings of GDP as a measure of productivity
[09:14] The issues of inflated GDP statements
[11:12] Alternative measures of productivity and progress
[13:47] A time-based approach to measuring productivity
[16:39] How productivity measurement works in practice
[18:57] Implications for corporate leaders

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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.

The Measure of Progress with Diane Coyle

In The Eurasian Century: Hot Wars, Cold Wars, and the Making of the Modern World, Hal Brands illuminates the historical patterns we must understand in order to better navigate the geopolitical rivalries of the present.

Hal Brands is the Henry A. Kissinger Distinguished Professor of Global Affairs at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He is also a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. In his new book, he traces the arc from World War I to today’s rivalries between the United States and China, and between NATO and Russia.

In his conversation with Nikolaus Lang, global leader of the BCG Henderson Institute, he discusses why the 20th and 21st centuries are the Eurasian (rather than the American) Era, how today’s rivalries among great powers differ from those of the past, and what global business must pay attention to in navigating current geopolitical tensions.

Key topics discussed: 

[01:28] The 20th and 21st centuries as the Eurasian era
[05:32] The “historic achievement” of the Cold War
[08:34] How today’s rivalries among great powers are different
[13:14] The future of Eurasia
[15:59] How global businesses can operate in a polarized geopolitical world
[20:13] Reasons to be optimistic vs. pessimistic about the future

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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.

The Eurasian Century with Hal Brands

In Reshuffle: Who Wins When AI Restacks the Knowledge Economy, Sangeet Paul Choudary explores common misconceptions about how AI will change work, organizations, and business ecosystems.

Choudary is the founder and CEO of Platformation Labs and a senior fellow at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. An expert on AI, platforms, and the economics of big tech, he has sold more than half a million books on these topics. In his latest work, he explores how new forms of coordination—rather than automation and augmentation—are the true superpower of AI.

In his conversation with Adam Job, senior director at the BCG Henderson Institute, he discusses how AI will supercharge coordination, move us towards a more modular, on-demand economy, and how companies can account for all of this in their strategies.

Key topics discussed: 

[01:31] How AI will impact jobs
[04:38] Assessing the value of jobs
[09:25] AI’s power to supercharge coordination
[14:23] Unlocking “coordination without consensus”
[19:00] Moving towards a modular, on-demand economy
[25:56] Crafting a strategy for the age of AI

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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.

Reshuffle with Sangeet Paul Choudary

In Anointed: The Extraordinary Effects of Social Status in A Winner-Take-Most World, Toby Stuart dives deeply into the power that social status holds over us.

Stuart is the Leo Helzel Chair in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. In his new book, he explores how social status shapes everything—from who we trust and what we value, to which ideas and innovations change the world and who gets credit for their success.

In his conversation with Adam Job, Senior Director at the BCG Henderson Institute, he discusses the cumulative effects of social status, whereby small initial differences can snowball into outsize effects. He also outlines why the social status system persists despite a prevailing distrust in elites—and how AI may yet be poised to change the system.

Key topics discussed: 

[01:44] The importance of social status
[05:15] The role of anointment in modern times
[13:23] The cumulative effects of social status
[19:18] Why the social status system persists
[21:23] How AI may change the role of social status
[24:45] The downsides of high social status, and how to deal with them

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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.

Anointed with Toby Stuart

In How Progress Ends: Technology, Innovation, and the Fate of Nations, Carl Benedikt Frey argues that progress, throughout history, has not just depended on technological innovations but also on the flexibility of our institutions.

Frey is the associate professor of AI & Work at the University of Oxford, where he directs the Future of Work program. In his new book, he explores how technological progress has unfolded throughout history, from the Qin Dynasty to Silicon Valley. He argues that progress is always fragile, resting on achieving a delicate balance between decentralized innovation and centralized scaling of new technologies.

In his conversation with Adam Job, senior director at the BCG Henderson Institute, he discusses how to achieve institutional flexibility, the hurdles we must overcome to turn AI into progress, and what lessons history holds for business leaders looking to navigate the conundrum of innovating versus scaling.

Key topics discussed: 

[01:15] The fragility of progress
[05:35] The role of decentralization and centralization
[11:24] How to achieve institutional flexibility
[17:29] The hurdles to overcome for turning AI into progress
[21:04] How business leaders can navigate the conundrum of innovating vs. scaling
[25:00] Why progress might not yet end

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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.

How Progress Ends with Carl Benedikt Frey

In After the Spike: Population, Progress, and the Case for People, Dean Spears and Michael Geruso argue that the defining demographic risk of this century is global depopulation.

Spears and Geruso are both professors at the University of Texas at Austin, focusing on economic demography and development economics. In their new book, they explore the trend of falling birth rates, how it threatens human progress, and what actions may reverse this trend.

In their conversation with Nikolaus Lang, global leader of the BCG Henderson Institute, they discuss projections for global depopulation, why advances in AI and robotics will not replace humans, why fewer people may not be good for the planet, and what the implications of all this are for business leaders.

Key topics discussed:

[01:06] Projected global population levels
[06:11] The impact of depopulation
[11:00] The potential for AI and robotics to replace humans
[17:00] The environmental implications of depopulation
[21:24] Potential solutions to falling birth rates
[26:02] Implications for business leaders
[28:26] Reasons to remain hopeful

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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.

After the Spike with Dean Spears and Michael Geruso

In Warhead: How the Brain Shapes War and War Shapes the Brain, Nicholas Wright argues that war and competition are rooted in human biology—in our drives for survival, fairness, territory, and belonging.

Wright is a neuroscientist who researches the brain, technology, and security at University College London; Georgetown University; and the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC, where he also advises the Pentagon. In his new book, he explores how each region of the brain is linked to a certain dimension of conflict—explaining why war seems inevitable, yet also why peace is possible.

In his conversation with Nikolaus Lang, global leader of the BCG Henderson Institute, he discusses why neuroscience is a powerful lens to understand conflict, how it helps military leaders make decisions, and why we need to give AI a prefrontal cortex to ensure it makes wise decisions in conflict situations.

Key topics discussed: 

[01:27] Neuroscience as a lens to understand conflict
[04:10] The role of prediction error in the psychology of war
[07:29] The clash between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex
[12:46] How AI and its interaction with humans may influence the future of conflict
[18:55] How neuroscience insights help military leaders make decisions
[22:13] Training political and business leaders based on neuroscience insights

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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.

Warhead with Dr. Nicholas Wright

In Capitalism and Its Critics: A Battle of Ideas in the Modern World, John Cassidy offers a multi-century history of global capitalism, told through the eyes of its dissenters.

Cassidy is a staff writer at The New Yorker and a Pulitzer Prize finalist. His new book blends biography, history, and economic analysis to reveal the roots of urgent debates the business world and society face today, as AI, climate change, and inequality are forcing us to reexamine the economic system.

In his conversation with Nikolaus Lang, global leader of the BCG Henderson Institute, Cassidy discusses the main historical themes of capitalism critique, why the system continues to endure, how it is being, and what its future may be in the current context of assaults on the system from both the political left and right.

Key topics discussed: 

[01:44] The main themes of capitalism critique
[04:17] Why capitalism endures
[09:15] The paradox of state capitalism
[14:21] The misunderstood Luddites
[19:09] Trade tensions and global economic asymmetry
[24:45] The role of unpaid domestic labor in driving the capitalist system
[28:50] The most surprising insights in writing the book
[31:33] The future of capitalism

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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.

Capitalism and its Critics with John Cassidy

In SuperAdaptability: How to Transcend in an Age of Overwhelm, Max McKeown argues that the key to thriving under uncertainty is adaptability—being able to change with your environment, again and again, getting better each time.

McKeown is a leading strategy thinker, coach to Fortune 100 companies, and an award-winning author. In his new book, he reveals how figures as different as Frida Kahlo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Simone Biles all relied on the same pattern of thinking to adapt to radically changing circumstances.

In his conversation with Adam Job, senior director at the BCG Henderson Institute, he discusses the difference between adaptability and resilience, and how to scale adaptability from one person to a team to an entire organization.

Key topics discussed: 

[01:14] The power of adaptive intelligence
[03:03] Adaptability vs. resilience
[05:15] The RUN loop: Recognize, understand, necessary action
[09:08] How to help others become more adaptable
[11:57] How to make your company more adaptable
[16:19] Applying the loop logic to innovation
[23:56] Real life stories of adaptability
[29:23] Bringing adaptability to life with illustrations

***

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.

SuperAdaptability with Max McKeown

In How to Be Bold: The Surprising Science of Everyday Courage, Ranjay Gulati argues that being bold is something you can learn—not a trait you have to be born with.

Gulati, a professor at Harvard Business School, is a leading organizational sociologist and management scholar. In his new book, he explores the science and psychology of courage—showing that bravery is not the absence of fear, but the mastery of it.

In his conversation with Adam Job, senior director at the BCG Henderson Institute, he discusses the difference between uncertainty and risk, strategies for building courage at the individual and corporate level, and why we shouldn’t be worried about boldness leading to excessive risk-taking.

Key topics discussed:

[00:58] The definition of courage
[05:11] Boldness and excessive risk-taking
[06:34] Strategies for building courage as an individual
[14:51] The power of sense-making
[18:16] Risk management systems
[21:13] How to build a culture of courage
[31:40] One thing executives should do differently

***

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.

How to Be Bold with Ranjay Gulati

In annual reports, the term “ecosystem” occurs 13 times more frequently now than it did a decade ago. But like any buzzword, it tends to be over-applied. What actually is a business ecosystem? How can we use them to create value? Listen to Martin Reeves, Global Director of BHI, and Michael Jacobides, Chair of Entrepreneurship & Innovation and Strategy Professor at the London Business School, dispelling the myths of business ecosystems: https://bit.ly/2T57g2c

***

The 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, follow us on Twitter: @BCGHenderson

Dispelling the Myths of Ecosystems with Michael Jacobides

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 Institute
The 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

Lessons from the COVID Crisis: Jørgen Vig Knudstorp, Chairman of LEGO Brand Group

Inspiring and thought-provoking conversations with leading thinkers about influential ideas on business, technology, economics, and science. Hosted by Martin Reeves, Chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute, and Philipp Carlsson-Szlezak, Global Chief Economist of BCG.

For more ideas and inspiration, sign up to receive BHI INSIGHTS, our monthly newsletter, and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Thinkers & Ideas / BCG Henderson Institute

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