Institute for Business in Society

Between 2020 and 2021, the number of billionaires in China rose by more than 60 percent. Compared to the U.S. — which still holds the highest number of billionaires — China’s list changes frequently. Why does it show so much turnover? The answer has to do with the country’s dualistic capitalist-socialist identity.

In The Stakeholder Podcast, Professor Ed Freeman interviews Bill Shelton, who leveraged his success for social good. They discuss race in business, sports in society and how the habits of elite athletes can translate into career performance. Shelton’s EOS helps female athletes translate their success into corporate careers and sponsorships.

In Darden Professor Ed Freeman’s recent book with Oxford Professor Dominic Scott, Models of Leadership in Plato and Beyond, the two professors explore Plato’s ideas on leadership and how his ideas can be applied to modern business leadership principles. 

Since 2000, the U.S. has experienced a decline in the number of publicly traded companies, a trend that comes with significant economic risks and implications. Proponents of deregulation cite increased disclosure and regulatory burdens placed on public companies as the cause. Is that indeed the case? Award-winning research examines the issue.

In The Stakeholder Podcast, Professor Ed Freeman interviews Kip Tindell, founder of The Container Store, about starting a business where everyone thrives thanks to the simplest form of the stakeholder model. They discuss optimism about the post-pandemic era, employees as true partners, and how to fix the capital markets to protect stakeholders.

Facebook’s whistlerblower, Frances Haugen, has made international headlines with her claims about the inner workings against the tech giant. Professor Jared Harris discusses business ethics in the era of big tech.

In The Stakeholder Podcast, Professor Ed Freeman interviews Carolyn Miles, former CEO of Save the Children, on how the pandemic changed work and how organizations can overcome institutional inertia and leverage the lessons of the pandemic to be stronger, create more loyalty, be more sustainable and enhance the future of the entire enterprise.

Mining activities support the functioning of society but their benefits are usually seen far from the area of extraction. One public-private partnership leverages the value chain to strengthen the economic ecosystem in resource extraction communities, focusing on both responsible production and creating opportunities for women and young people.

How can underserved students in the Americas learn technical skills, work in teams and prepare for workforce demands? How can higher education institutions collaborate with governments, the private sector and NGOs to create training programs for students in STEM, public health, climate solutions, agriculture sciences and financial inclusion?

Zero access to electricity perpetuates the poverty cycle. In Zambia, one public-private partnership is a blueprint to providing power to rural communities and changing millions of lives. While developed economies rework a century-old, centralized grid infrastructure, developing economies can design electric grids with clean technologies in mind.