Rotman Executive Summary

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Rotman Executive Summary

You know there’s valuable research and thought leadership on management issues that would help you and your organization move forward. But you don’t have time for a lot of in-depth reading – and where would you even start? The answer is Rotman Executive Summary: your inside track to the latest insights and innovative ideas from the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. Each episode features a Rotman faculty member sharing their expertise on a topic that organizational leaders tell us they want to know more about — from creating HR systems that truly care about employees, to weighing the costs of sustainability, to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. Through brief, engaging conversations you can listen to anytime, anywhere, Rotman Executive Summary offers specialized expertise, practical tips and fresh perspectives that will sharpen your own thinking and help shape your organization’s strategic agenda.

  1. 8 APR

    Accounting for labour: What your employees can reveal about company success

    What can your employees' LinkedIn and Glassdoor activity tell you about a company's prospects?  More than you might think. From competition for top talent to out-of-sync business prospects, these platforms offer valuable insights — but are leaders paying attention? Assistant professor Nan Li joins Executive Summary to unpack what employees are really signaling and why companies must start listening. Show notes [0:00] Are you listening to what your employees are and aren’t telling you about your company’s prospects? [0:29] Meet Nan Li, an assistant professor of accounting at the Rotman School of Management who studies human capital – that is employees – and its impact on company performance.  [1:46] Big changes are coming to the reporting standards world. Starting in 2027, companies in the U.S. will have to disclose how much of their expense line items (think R&D, administration, marketing) is spent on compensation.  [3:22] This news makes Nan and other researchers excited, since it’s a goldmine of insights.  [4:00] The changes are long overdue. While once a company’s output and profits were driven by things like machinery and widgets – so that was a primary focus on reports; as we shift into a knowledge economy, employees are becoming the biggest asset.  [5:11] What are peer firms, and why does it matter when it comes to talent pools?  [5:30] LinkedIn is changing how we define peer firms.  [7:13] Why is it important to know that, says, a car company isn’t just competing against other car manufacturers for talent? [8:29] Glassdoor reviews, specifically “employee business outlook,” is predictive of firm performance. A bad employee outlook will likely mean a bad earnings report down the line.  [9:46] So why aren’t company leaders and financial analysts paying attention to social media as a source of information?  [11:36] Certain types of labour costs are directly tied to future sales growth. More money into R&D translates into greater profit down the line, while fixed costs like administration can make it easy to grow in good times, but dampen growth in hard times, Nan’s research finds.  [13:34] Employees certainly pay attention to company earning calls, and adjust their own outlook on a company accordingly. So perhaps it’s time employers start doing the same.  [15:11] “All the information there is public. So as a manager or analyst, you can just sign on to Glassdoor, write your own review about your company. And there are some academics and also practitioners already noticed or recognize that we are kind of falling behind.” That’s because employees aren’t just workers; they’re insiders. They are on the ground seeing how your company is really performing. So maybe it’s time leaders start treating employees not just as assets, but as one of their most valuable sources of insight.

    17 min

  2. 11 MAR

    When autonomy backfires: When 'control' creates more stress

    The push to return to the office has sparked backlash — employees felt trusted to work remotely, so why take that control away? But what role does control play in mitigating or causing stress? And when is autonomy a bad thing? Professor Jia Lin Xie joined the Executive Summary to unpack how job demands, individual traits and culture shape our experience at work, and how to determine if complete control will be empowering or stress-inducing. Show notes [0:00] Meet professor Jia Lin Xie, an expert in job design, stress and employee well being. She’s in the middle of research exploring attitudes towards return to office. [0:25] The pandemic gave employees control and autonomy over their work, and now many employees feel that control is being taken away by the RTO request. It turns out, once given, removing control can be detrimental. But should it always be given?  [1:26] We’re working in a “boundaryless” world, where technology enables us to be always connected. [1:56] Research shows boundarylessness can boost job satisfaction, but it also contributes to emotional exhaustion and stress. [3:35] Those who struggle with boundarylessness might blame their person-environment (P-E) fit.  [4:23] What happens when you have a “good” versus “bad” P-E fit? (Hint: it’s burnout!) [4:48] Job demands — whether physical, cognitive, or emotional — can make or break your workplace experience. [6:24] How does having control offset the risks of stressful job demands?  [8:35] Jia Lin questioned the widely held theory that control is always a buffer to job demand stress. [10:08] Control isn’t always a good thing; things that affect your control include your abilities to do a task… [11:41] …your attribution style… [11:59] … and even your cultural background can impact its effectiveness at buffering stress. Take the difference between American and Hong Kong bank tellers. [14:20] So if you’re struggling with control and autonomy, and think it’s causing you stress, you have to reflect on why that is. [16:11] So, how can you tell if having more control at work will help or hurt you? Jia Lin has some questions you can ask yourself. [18:26] The takeaway? Control isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s about self-awareness, personal preferences, and the right support system.

    20 min

  3. 11 FEB

    Are we thinking about traffic congestion wrong

    We’ve been thinking about traffic all wrong. Sitting in congestion costs local economies billions in lost productivity, and governments invest heavily in easing the gridlock. But what if we’re solving the wrong problem? Associate Professor Victor Couture joins The Executive Summary to challenge conventional wisdom on city transportation networks — and explain why accessibility and density might be worth the slowdown. Show notes [0:00] Not only does sitting in traffic suck, it has an economic impact, which cities and governments try to blunt through traffic mitigation strategies.  [1:38] Meet Victor Couture, an expert on urban issues such as housing, gentrification and transportation.  [3:04] In 2023, Victor and colleagues released a paper benchmarking the fastest and slowest cities in the world.  [4:20] What makes a city fast versus slow?  [6:41] Flint, Michigan, in the U.S. earns the distinction as the world’s fastest city, but it’s not a blueprint for other cities to model.  [7:22] When it comes to moving people around a city, what is the ultimate goal of a city, and why isn’t it speed?  [8:38] What is the transportation network? [9:07] What is accessibility in terms of transportation networks?  [10:46] When is speed via cars a good option?  [11:26] How does density affect productivity?  [11:40] Reducing congestion isn’t going to magically make a city more economically vibrant or affordable. [12:12] Toronto is a case study for the density versus traffic speed debate. Victor’s research shows that the city is, on average, getting slower despite traffic mitigation strategies.  [13:32] So what about that tunnel under highway 401?  [14:41] Should the city rip out newly installed bike lanes?  [15:44] So what is the purpose of a trip?  [16:19] “For 1,000s of years, cities have been about bringing people into closer proximity. They've been about facilitating the flows of goods, the flows of people, the flows of ideas and the purpose of urban policy makers should be to facilitate those flows and create infrastructure and create institutions that let people realize those benefits of cities, that let people meet easily. That's the goal of a transportation network.”

    18 min

  4. 14 JAN

    Taming the machine: Why regulating AI feels impossible (but we have to try anyways)

    "If AI didn’t offer such massive opportunities... we’d likely regulate it out of existence." On the latest episode of the Executive Summary, professor Dan Trefler explores the double-edged sword of artificial intelligence: Are the risks worth the rewards? Is bureaucratic red tape the solution — or just another hurdle? And how can the average citizen help fight the "great regulatory" battle?  Show notes: [0:00] In 2023, tech leaders and academics signed a letter agreeing to hold off on future AI development until government regulation caught up…spoiler alert: it didn’t.  [0:48] Five years ago, it would have been impossible to imagine where AI development was going to be today…what will we see in the next five years?  [1:36] Meet Dan Trefler, a professor of economics and policy at the Rotman School of Management.  [2:29] Regulating “Artificial Intelligence” is impossible.  [3:50] What’s the 2025 state of affairs when it comes to regulating uses of AI?  [4:29] Dan sees one region of the world regulating the tech use about as well as they can.  [7:12] What is the competition problem?  [7:48] What is the coordination problem?  [8:29] What happens when we have competition and coordination working together seamlessly?  [9:46] So why can’t AI regulations follow the same successful model as car regulations?  [10:19] What’s the interpretability problem?  [11:18] California’s failed attempt at regulating AI companies is the perfect microcosm of the challenges we face.  [12:45] Where is the last place governments should regulate?  [13:49] To get a handle on things now, Dan wants us to focus on (1) extreme risks;  [14:28] (2) learning from other successful regulatory bodies like the FDA; [14:49] and (3) exploring regulatory incentives that encourage positive uses of the technology. [15:33] And citizens can help wage the great AI regulatory battle with their own personal choices.  [16:03] “I'm asking people to be much more forward looking than we normally tend to be. I want them to start anticipating risks which don't exist yet, because when they do come, as we've seen with past changes in AI, they will come in such a flurry that we won't be able to shovel our way out of our own homes. So let's start thinking hard about regulating things on a precautionary principle, not because they've happened, but because they might happen.”

    17 min

  5. 10/12/2024

    Too hot to handle: How extreme heat damages businesses' bottom lines

    Extreme heat is reshaping daily life, but what does it mean for companies? Assistant Professor Nora Pankratz joined the Executive Summary to unpack the financial toll of rising temperatures on organizations, and what — if anything— companies can do about it.  Show notes [0:00] The world is getting warmer, and it’s costing businesses. [0:37] Meet Nora Pankratz, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto Mississauga, with a cross appointment to the Rotman School of Management. She studies the impact of climate change on organizations. [1:48] One of the biggest risks of heat is its impact on production.  [3:06] What does “heat exposure” even mean?  [3:32] Heat – specifically days over 30 degrees Celsius – might be costing businesses an average of $650,000 per quarter.  [3:54] And it affects indoor and outdoor industries alike, albeit in slightly different ways.  [4:49] It also has an impact on investors… [5:39] …and supplier relationships.  [7:39] How can businesses adapt? [8:40] Importantly, no one can really study what businesses are doing, since they aren’t sharing, nor are they required to share, their heat mitigation strategies. As a result, we don’t know what works, and what doesn’t.  [9:17] Nora studied the impact of heat on worker safety, and the results weren’t great.  [10:38] What’s driving heat-related injuries?  [11:39] But a simple, low-cost heat-mitigation strategy – training to identify signs of heat stroke – had a huge impact.  [12:35] So are businesses doing anything? Well…maybe?  [13:46] Nora is hopeful: “Overall, I think over the last couple of years, there has been an uptake in this type of data and analytical work at the firm level. So, I think firms will explore this more and more going forward.”

    15 min

  6. 12/11/2024

    Beyond Burnout: How to cultivate resilience in your workforce

    In just four years, it feels like our workplaces have changed irrevocably. New technologies like AI threaten old jobs; shifting demographics bring new interpersonal challenges on teams; and our work location — be it home, the traditional office or a hybrid of the two — has become a flashpoint between leaders and employees. So what's the antidote? Professor Julie McCarthy joined the podcast to talk about resilience, why organizations should work to instill it in their teams, and how it can help us all move beyond burnout.  Show notes:  [0:00] The world has been a very stressful place, and some people are talking about burnout as the new baseline.  [1:02] Meet Julie McCarthy, a professor of organizational behaviour and HR at the Rotman School of Management. She studies workplace stress.  [1:20] Her antidote for a stressful life? Resilience.  [1:44] How do you define stress, stress reactions and anxiety?  [3:13] While a little bit of anxiety can be useful… [3:36] …too much is detrimental to your well-being.  [4:23] What is resilience? [4:48] What chips away at your resilience?  [6:10] How do you build resilience?  [8:27] What does this look like, organizationally?  [9:14] What does anxiety cost organizations?  [10:30] Why a one-size-fits-all approach to resilience is destined to fail.  [10:55] Step 1: recognize there’s a problem and commit to dealing with it strategically.  [11:22] Step 2: Don’t waste your money fixing the wrong problem.  [12:04] Step 3: evaluate, re-evaluate, and then evaluate again. [12:53] Be prepared: this is a big cultural shift for lots of organizations.  [13:31] Questions to ask yourself to kick things off.  [14:46] Look deeper: do you need to change procedures, the people you hire, or the types of training you offer?  [15:42] It is a time and financial investment.  [17:18] “But if it's done properly, it's not a matter of, will it work, but it's just a matter of when.”

    18 min

  7. 08/10/2024

    Unlocking success: Why your IP strategy could make or break your business

    Intellectual property may not be glamorous, but it’s essential to future business success. Professor Alberto Galasso explains how the right IP strategy can drive growth — or hold your business back— on the latest Rotman Executive Summary. Show notes:  [0:00] There are a lot of factors that go into whether a company is innovative or not, so  much so that Professor Alberto Galasso wrote a book on the topic.  [1:50] But he warns that people often overlook the importance of IP to the innovation process.  [2:25] Let’s define IP, copyright and patents.  [3:52] The importance and value of IP has ballooned over the past 20 years.  [4:48] Today, it’s something companies big and small are increasingly reliant on. [6:06] How often do patent applications succeed? How often do they fail?  [6:58] To get your IP and innovation strategy right, you have to know the overall goal of your organization, and you should think about it early and often.  [8:44] Is IP protection even the right approach? Or should you consider trade secrets? What are the trade-offs? [10:59] How can you use IP data to boost innovation?  [12:31] And how can you use IP protection like patent filings to incentivize workers?  [13:41] What is absorptive capacity, and how does IP protection allow organizations to tap into this critical element of innovation?  [15:18] “So from that perspective, it is a crucial asset to this intellectual property to protect the area that are more valuable of your company, but also to share technology and access technology with other firms for which you want to collaborate.”

    16 min

  8. 10/09/2024

    Location, location, innovation: Why where you work changes (almost) everything

    As companies wrestle with the return-to-office debate, it’s crucial to ask: How much does location really matter for innovation? Surprisingly, where you work can significantly shape how—and how much—you innovate. Assistant Professor Ruben Gaetani dives into the research, revealing why dragging everyone back to their cubicles could stifle the very creativity you’re trying to spark. Show notes [0:00] Downtown offices are in the midst of an identity crisis. As vacancy rates rise, some leaders are demanding workers return to their towers to strengthen culture and innovation.  [1:11] Meet Ruben Gaetani, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto, who specifically looks at how office location influences innovation strategy.  [2:22] What is conventional versus unconventional innovation, and how do they differ?  [3:48] You’re most likely to see unconventional innovation in dense, urban environments, while conventional innovation thrives in the suburbs. But why? [5:53] How should leaders be thinking about office location in relation to their innovation strategy?  [6:44] Don’t discount conventional innovation: it plays an important role in company growth. [7:27] But don’t get stuck chasing iterative innovation; make sure you have a strategy for unconventional ideas too.  [10:21] If you’re calling people back to their downtown office cubicle, ask yourself: What kind of innovation am I actually chasing…and is an office tower really helping my team meet strangers?  [11:48] Downtowns might be dense, but they are not the dense, urban environments that Ruben is talking about. Instead, he says companies chasing unconventional innovation should look for places that encourage random encounters.  [13:07] If innovation is the goal of your office strategy, there are some questions to keep in mind.  [13:48] Post COVID-19, it’s a great opportunity for businesses and policy makers to reflect on how companies influence their surroundings, and vice versa; Ruben has some not-so-great research to share. [14:36] What can policy makers do to alleviate this negative gentrification of innovative tech clusters?  [15:26] And why should business care? “We have been observing in some instances, tech firms, innovative firms are consider by the public opinion as responsible for these negative effects they have on local communities. It reduces their ability to attract talent if a location is extremely segregated. And it reduces the amount of diversity and richness of interactions that firms have in their geographical location.”

    17 min
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About

You know there’s valuable research and thought leadership on management issues that would help you and your organization move forward. But you don’t have time for a lot of in-depth reading – and where would you even start? The answer is Rotman Executive Summary: your inside track to the latest insights and innovative ideas from the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. Each episode features a Rotman faculty member sharing their expertise on a topic that organizational leaders tell us they want to know more about — from creating HR systems that truly care about employees, to weighing the costs of sustainability, to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. Through brief, engaging conversations you can listen to anytime, anywhere, Rotman Executive Summary offers specialized expertise, practical tips and fresh perspectives that will sharpen your own thinking and help shape your organization’s strategic agenda.

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