Business & Society with Senthil Nathan

In this episode of the Business and Society Podcast, Senthil speaks with Sven Beckert about his sweeping new book, Capitalism: A Global History. Spanning nearly a millennium, the conversation challenges conventional narratives of capitalism as a purely Western or modern phenomenon. Beckert traces its origins to early global merchant networks—from the Arabian Peninsula to South Asia—and explains how capitalism was “born global,” long before the term globalization entered modern discourse. Toge...

In this episode of the Business and Society Podcast, Senthil Nathan speaks with researcher and leadership expert Zach Mercurio, author of The Power of Mattering. Together they explore a simple but powerful idea: people thrive at work when they feel that they truly matter. Drawing on research across industries, Zach explains why small everyday interactions—being noticed, affirmed, and needed—can have a far greater impact on motivation and engagement than perks, pay, or promotions. The conversa...

In this episode of the Business and Society podcast, Senthil is joined by Dr. Kristen Lucas, Professor of Management at the University of Louisville and one of the leading scholars on workplace dignity. Drawing on her personal background and decades of research, Kristen explains what dignity at work really means—beyond the absence of bullying—and how it connects to people’s sense of self-worth, competence, and contribution. She traces the evolution of dignity from its philosophical roots to i...

This episode of Business and Society unpacks “dark patterns” – deceptive design features in apps and websites that push people into actions they never intended, such as unwanted subscriptions, extra fees, oversharing data, or staying online longer than planned. Guest Marie Potel, founder of Fair Patterns, explains that these patterns are fundamentally different from normal marketing because they exploit cognitive biases and obscure critical information, undermining user autonomy, distorting c...

In this episode, Senthil speaks with Dario Soto-Abril, Executive Director of the Trafigura Foundation, about how corporate philanthropy is shifting toward catalytic, risk-tolerant funding that supports climate adaptation and community resilience. Drawing on his global career, Dario explains what sets corporate philanthropy apart—its ability to leverage business resources for public good while prioritizing innovation, additionality, and strong community partnerships. He also highlights why ada...

In this episode, Senthil sits with Professor Nick Bloom of Stanford University to discuss the evolution, research, and future of remote, hybrid, and in-person work. Drawing from global data and his landmark Trip.com study, Nick explains why hybrid models now dominate professional work, how work-from-home trends differ across countries and industries, and their impacts on productivity, innovation, and employee wellbeing. The conversation highlights the importance of coordinated hybrid schedule...

Senthil sits with renowned MIT Sloan professor Zeynep Ton, author of The Good Jobs Strategy and The Case for Good Jobs, for a conversation to reveal how investing in frontline employees with fair pay, stable schedules, and meaningful career paths is not just ethical—but a true competitive advantage. Hear compelling stories, research insights, and real-world examples from leading companies like Costco, Sam’s Club, and Mercadona that show how systemic change, not piecemeal fixes, creates bette...

What if working less could actually mean achieving more? The four-day workweek has emerged from pandemic-era workplace experiments as perhaps the most promising innovation in how we structure our professional lives in decades. But misconceptions abound about what this shift really means and whether it's sustainable for businesses beyond a temporary feel-good measure. Professor Juliet Schor, economist and sociologist at Boston College, joins us to share groundbreaking research from hundreds o...

Hidden beneath the glossy surface of our global economy lurks a devastating reality: 40 million people trapped in modern slavery. In this eye-opening conversation, Professor Justine Nolan, Director of the Australian Human Rights Institute, reveals the complex web of exploitation that permeates supply chains across industries. Modern slavery isn't a relic of history—it's a present-day crisis hiding in plain sight. Justine expertly unpacks how today's slavery manifests through psychological co...

In a world where more women are entering the workforce than ever before, why does the gender wage gap persist so stubbornly? Our guests Naomi Cahn and June Carbone, legal scholars and co-authors of "Fair Shake: Women and the Fight to Build a Just Economy," reveal the hidden game being played in workplaces across the globe. The conversation begins with Betty Dukes, a Walmart employee told "people like you don't become managers" - a story that eventually led to the largest class action lawsuit...

Have you ever wondered why essential goods like baby formula, eggs, and lifesaving medications keep facing shortages? The answer lies in monopoly power—a force reshaping our world in ways both visible and hidden. Matt Stoller, director of Research at the American Economic Liberties Project and author of "Goliath: The Hundred-Year War Between Monopoly Power and Democracy," joins us for a profound exploration of how concentrated economic power threatens not just markets but the systems that ke...

Professor Karthik Ramanna, a prominent authority on business-government relations and sustainable capitalism, joins us to unravel the themes from his compelling book, "The Age of Outrage: How to Lead in a Polarized World." Our conversation touches on his influential role as the inaugural director of Oxford's Blavatnik School of Government's Master of Public Policy program. Discover how his course on managing organizations in polarized times served as a springboard for his book, and how engagi...

Discover the changing landscape of global supply chains with Peter Goodman, The New York Times' global economic correspondent. He sheds light on the seismic shifts in global supply chains and the vulnerabilities laid bare by the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical tensions. Uncover how the rise of economic nationalism and elite influence is reshaping trade and labour, turning the promise of liberalised trade on its head. Peter's insights from his book, "How the World Ran Out of Everything: In...