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11/11/2025

Beyond doctor shortages: Rethinking Canada’s healthcare bottleneck

Canada faces an acute shortage of doctors and medical equipment. But simply hiring more people or buying more machines won’t fix our healthcare backlog. In this episode of The Executive Summary, professor Opher Baron explains how — from an operations management perspective — we got into this mess, and why smarter planning and better use of data are just as essential as addressing our shortages if we really want to dig out of Canada’s healthcare deficit. Show notes: [0:00] Canadians are in a healthcare crisis. [0:12] Meet Opher Baron, a professor of operations management at the Rotman School, and an expert in hospital queues. He doesn’t believe more doctors and medical equipment will get us out of our healthcare crisis. [1:34] A recognition that our healthcare system – and its problems – is nuanced and complex, and this episode is just 15 minutes. [2:07] Canada has a supply shortage: too few doctors and too little equipment to meet the population demand. [2:42] This shortage is felt across all sectors of healthcare, but acutely in family care and emergency care. [3:12] The provincial governments are taking steps to remediate the problems, but it won’t happen quickly. [4:20] So how did we get here? In short: Poor planning. [5:31] Hospitals are chaotic, and that makes it difficult to plan. [7:21] Let’s look at how one issue – continuity of care, coupled with physician incentives – can affect how quickly patients move through an emergency room. Simply, doctors are more likely to take patients at the beginning of their shift than at the end of it. [9:57] How do you address these types of issues? First, you need to be measuring the right key performance indicators…which we’re not. And you can’t fix a problem, if you can’t identify the problem. [11:49] Let’s start by recognizing that healthcare professionals aren’t operations management experts. [12:33] Opher has worked with several hospitals to test new operational efficiencies, including Erie Shores. [13:58] With the advent of AI, there’s also a lot of opportunity in what Opher calls “digital twin” environments, which will allow hospital administrators to test changes virtually before implementing them in real life. [15:13] We can’t just throw money at the problem and expect we’ll fix our healthcare system. “I hope that once people understand better what is the important data for them and what they can do with the right data…we can improve the efficiency of our systems, and given the current resources, investing a little bit more kind of in the right places.” Be sure to check out the Executive Summary back catalogue. We tackle everything from whether we can fix our broken online review system to how extreme heat negatively impacts companies' bottom lines.

11/11/2025

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17 min
10/02

From #MeToo to breakthrough: How social movements drive innovation

#MeToo forced Hollywood to reckon with its past — but did it actually change the future of filmmaking? Looking at years of behind-the-scenes and on-screen data, associate professor Hong Luo explores how the wide-spread social movement did — and did not — change movie-making; how stigma, coordination and market-wide shocks influence organizational behaviour; and why large-scale movements can create opportunities for change that just weren’t profitable or possible before. Show Notes Show notes [0:22] It’s been nearly a decade since the New York Times broke the news of Harvey Weinstein’s abuse of women in Hollywood, sparking the #MeToo movement, which called out multiple men in the film and TV industry. [1:28] Meet Hong Luo, an associate professor of strategic management at the Rotman School of Management, who studies how industry-wide innovation happens. So, in the wake of #MeToo, she turned her attention to Hollywood. [2:49] Women are underrepresented behind the camera in Hollywood – and while many factors contribute, widespread sexual abuse is among one of the reasons. [3:36] To determine whether #MeToo had the power to change the film industry, she looked at how film teams associated with Harvey Weinstein changed compared to those not associated with him. [4:37] Producers with a history of working with Weinstein were more likely to hire female talent behind the camera after the #MeToo movement than those without. [5:55] Lots of reasons probably drove the change, but Hong hypothesizes that the publicity and associated guilt helped the change along. [6:54] One key finding; projects that had at least one woman on the creative team were more likely than those without to make it to theatre. [8:06] After the behind-the-camera shift, Hong wanted to know if more female-fronted stories were told. [8:31] If the team behind the scenes was all male, then yes – they were more likely to produce a movie with a female lead. But if the team had a woman, then no – they were more likely to work on male-fronted stories. [9:11] This is likely a result of how people felt the need to respond in the face of widespread social pressure. [9:39] All-male teams tended to develop female characters that conformed to traditional gender stereotypes. [10:53] Ok, so #MeToo changed Hollywood; what does that mean for other industries? Well, to really understand how social movements can spur innovation, let’s look also at the medical device industry. [12:18] Social movements let industries capitalize on a need for change that would have otherwise been too expensive or unprofitable before. [14:16] But when the movement wanes, momentum of the change also falters. [14:38] But for advocates, the long game is probably worth it: “The literature shows that when you actually have more female talent in a particular field, especially if those talent could use that opportunity to gain experience and gain track record…then we may actually sustain more longer run change.”

10/02

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17 min
08/11/2022

Talk human to me: Understanding the new ways we interact with brands

From social media to AI to celebrity endorsements — brands interact with us on a more personal level than ever. But how does that change our relationship with the products we buy and the companies that serve us? In the latest episode of the Rotman Executive Summary, professor Pankaj Aggarwal explores how the way we anthropomorphize brands is changing, and why that matters. Show notes [0:00] “Think back to your childhood and the foods you ate. Did you enjoy Tony the Tiger’s Frosted Flakes? Lucky the leprechaun’s Lucky Charms? Snap, Crackle and Pop’s Rice Krispies? As adults, we cook with Betty Crocker, eat at Wendy’s, clean with Mr. Clean. The products we buy and the food we eat are replete with mascots and human stand-ins. It’s called anthropomorphizing — the act of humanizing inanimate objects or situations. Companies have long known that putting a human — or human-esque — face on a brand makes it more relatable.” [0:45] Why Coca-Cola might be the post famous anthropomorphized brand. [1:21] Meet Pankaj Aggarwal, an expert in marketing who has extensively studied how, and why, we we sometime treat brands like humans. [2:45]: Why do we anthropomorphize objects as kids? And how does that change as we become adults? [3:48] A brief overview of how we humanize products, think mascots and celebrities. [4:32] When we treat brands like their humans, we tend to form more “human-like” relationship and start applying human norms on otherwise inanimate objects. [6:00] For example, we use humanized products to be extensions of ourselves… [6:41] …we’re less judgmental when it comes to anthropomorphized object… [7:31] …and, we are less likely to haggle on prices… [7:58] …and we really want all the parts to be from the same manufacturer. [8:54] What are the implications in our social connected, "cancel culture" for when a humanized brand screws up? [10:27] Gender-neutral products, and the unintended consequences of best intentions. [12:09] Companies need to be more purposeful in how they talk to customers. [13:13] The situations where you probably don’t want to anthropomorphize a brand [15:36] "I think in some ways, it's better to be overtly clear to the consumers what gender for example, the brand has, what personality trait your brand has. Because that is the cue that people use to imbue on the brand. If you leave it abstract or vague, different consumers may think of it somewhat differently. And it's obviously going to be biased by say their own views of the world their own views of humans. And that's not ideal, so it's better to be as clear as possible, whether it's giving it a name, whether it's giving it a personality through advertising, through commercials, whether it's kind of showing the celebrity or the or the mascot, any of those things is better than just leaving it ambiguous."

08/11/2022

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17 min
11/04/2023

How to build a better board

With challenges including continued upheaval from the pandemic, political and global instability, a changing workforce, new technology, and more, the makeup of the board of directors — and it's ability to shape and influence organizational responses when things go wrong — is more important than ever. And it's crucial to ask: do boards have the right talent at the table, and what it will take to build a better one? Show notes [0:00] Drama is best kept out of the boardroom because when you hear about it, it’s probably no small issue [1:03] Meet Aida Sijamic Wahid, a professor who studies board makeup [1:30] It turns out who sits on a board influences how companies manage flux. So, do boards have the right talent at the table? [2:18] What exactly does a corporate board do? [3:33] Aida started studying board dynamics in the wake of the Enron scandal [3:55] How the Enron fallout impacted its board, and why did no one notice? [4:46] The roll of director homogeny in the scandal [5:33] What is groupthink and why is it bad? [6: 09] Aida’s research shows that when you change the variables – such as introducing a woman to the directors table – fraud and accounting mistakes decline [7:14] Diversity improves board effectiveness by increasing perspective diversity [7:35] Digging into different types of diversity – such as diversity of tenure or gender diversity – and the role it plays on board effectiveness [8:23] Exchanges are now compelling organization to report on board makeup [8:59] What is tokenism and why is it bad for a board? [9:27] But increased diversification makes tokenism harder as the board becomes more balanced [10:00] Director diversification is improving, if slowly, and there are still stumbling blocks [10:29] Do we need to prove that diversification is needed to demand more balanced representation? [11:21] What skills did directors need in the early 2000s? [11:50] And today, they need tech know-how and an understanding of ESG – or environmental, social, governance. [13:12] ESG is complicated and will have big ramifications on businesses, and not every board feels they’re ready for the ESG revolution [13:38] And if a board doesn’t have the right talent, it doesn’t necessarily take a crisis to shake stakeholder confidence – just ask Amazon [14:25] Industries that have a diverse talent shortage – like energy – will have a harder time making sure their directors reflect the broader population; and that’s a problem for innovation [15:08] But not all hope is lost. “It's now that these industries are attracting people with different skill sets in different backgrounds because they have no choice but to if they want to evolve and survive.”

11/04/2023

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16 min
02/01/2025

Rewriting the story: Malcolm Gladwell on stories, micro-targeting and the epidemics shaping our world

How do small, targeted actions create massive ripple effects in business and society? Malcolm Gladwell joined host Brett Hendrie to discuss his latest book, Revenge of the Tipping Point, unpacking the hidden forces behind epidemics, the power of overlooked metrics, and the stories that shape our world. Head over to our YouTube channel to watch this conversation as well! Three takeaways Epidemics, be they health or societal, are often started by a very, very small number of individuals. Gladwell points to the opioid epidemic in the U.S. While it's had a massive impact on hundreds and thousands across the U.S. (and beyond), the root of the crisis owes its thanks to Purdue Pharma, which relentlessly targeted just a small handful of doctors. By micro-targeting a handful of physicians willing to over-prescribe painkillers, Purdue engineered a national crisis.We're often shaped by narratives in ways we aren't always aware of, and they tend to be more community and locally based than we realize. Gladwell uses the concept of "overstories," that is how the upper canopy of a forest shapes life below it, to explore how these stories — say Canada's pride in multicultralism and immigration — can shape entire nations. As we become increasingly digitized and decentralized in our community identities, it's worth considering which new "overstories" are shaping how we interact with the world.The law of a few — that epidemics are shaped by just a few individuals, often with unique gifts — was one of Gladwell's most enduring concepts introduced in The Tipping Point. This time around, he introduces us to the idea of "the rule of thirds." You don't need a majority or even an even split to achieve critical mass, particularly with positive societal change. Instead, looking at the niche example of women in male-dominated fields, critical mass might simply be "too many to ignore."

02/01/2025

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23 min
25/01/2023

Cassie Holmes

The economy, health care, the environment ⁠— there are so many important issues to focus on. But are we paying enough attention to that fundamental question: Are we happy? Professor Cassie Holmes joins host Brett Hendrie to talk about how we can re-prioritize our schedules to make time for happiness.

25/01/2023

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30 min
30/01/2024

What not to do when you buy a company: Lessons from Twitter

What can we learn from Elon Musk, his takeover of Twitter and its downward spiral? Author Ben Mezrich joined host Brett Hendrie to talk about the new book Breaking Twitter: Elon Musk and the Most Controversial Corporate Takeover in History; exploring what businesses - and CEOs - can take away from the ordeal to avoid the same fate. It's a must-listen for anyone looking to better understand how the whims of a single individual can derail even the most powerful of organizations.

30/01/2024

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27 min
03/01/2024

Fail smarter: What the research tells us about failure and growth

Can you get better at failure? Amy Edmondson joined Rotman Visiting Experts to explore the good kind of failures, the kind we need to avoid, and what we can learn from it all.

03/01/2024

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28 min
11/10/2022

Cryptocurrency for the cautious business leader

Blockchains and cryptocurrencies went into a spectacular meltdown in 2022. Professor Andreas Park — an expert of finance innovation at the University of Toronto — says that despite the ill tidings, businesses should keep an eye on the space...or risk missing out on a game-changing technology. Show notes: [0:00] “So I think there's a disconnect between what people are building on the blockchain and what the use cases are. There's a lot of beautiful ideas of how to streamline existing blockchain operations, how they can have some gimmicky trading tools and so on and so forth, but thinking about what business case you can solve and what value you bring to customers is a much harder problem.” [1:08] A short journey through the recent history of cryptocurrency and blockchain. [2:11] What is a blockchain? What is a cryptocurrency? What is a token? And how do they work together? [3:17] Why Bitcoin is like Beanie Babies. [4:16] A breakdown of utility tokens, stablecoins, asset tokens, futures and derivatives tokens, and governance tokens. [7:10] Crypto’s first boom/bust/boom cycle. [8:03] The current Crypto winter, and how it compares to the 2000s dot.com bubble bust. [9:30] Is Cryptocurrency a Ponzi scheme? [10:24] To solve the current crisis, cryptocurrency needs to be more user friendly… [11:25] …and some regulatory support. [12:07] But not all is lost. The dot.com bust paid dividends for some companies. Crypto and blockchain might follow the same path. [13:00] Crypto and blockchain is more than just a currency to be traded and sold. So what businesses should keep an eye on this space? [14:38] “The reality is that a blockchain is a very useful piece of technology for borderless digital transfers of value. I cannot see a world in which just is not used, and this is not useful.”

11/10/2022

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16 min
30/05/2023

Kelly Richmond Pope's lesson from the pervasive world of fraud

Fraud may seem pervasive, but that doesn't mean we need to fall victim to it. Kelly Richmond Pope joins Rotman Visiting Experts to explore what we can learn from fraudsters and their victims, and what steps individuals and organizations can take now to avoid become victims ourselves.

30/05/2023

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37 min

Rotman Podcasts showcase the latest insights from Rotman researchers alongside in-depth conversations with leaders, thinkers and scholars from around the globe. They’re a great way to access thought-provoking content and valuable ideas – wherever and whenever you’re free to join the conversation.

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The Rotman channel

Top de programas

Beyond doctor shortages: Rethinking Canada’s healthcare bottleneck

From #MeToo to breakthrough: How social movements drive innovation

Talk human to me: Understanding the new ways we interact with brands

How to build a better board

Rewriting the story: Malcolm Gladwell on stories, micro-targeting and the epidemics shaping our world

Cassie Holmes

What not to do when you buy a company: Lessons from Twitter

Fail smarter: What the research tells us about failure and growth

Cryptocurrency for the cautious business leader

Kelly Richmond Pope's lesson from the pervasive world of fraud

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