Forward Thinking

Sep 25 2024 65 ep. 37 mins 550

Forward Thinking Podcast artwork

Forward Thinking examines groundbreaking ways in which the world is evolving and how people and organizations can respond to changing demands and technologies. In each episode theorists, innovators, and business leaders discuss global trends—technology, artificial intelligence, globalization, urbanization, climate change, and more—with hosts Michael Chui and Janet Bush of the McKinsey Global Institute.

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Is the world facing a state of permacrisis?

Sep 25 2024 49 mins

Leading economists Mike Spence and Mohamed El-Erian talk about the “pretty complicated and disorienting environment” we face. In this episode of the McKinsey Global Institute’s Forward thinking podcast, co-host Michael Chui talks with A. Michael Spence, dean emeritus of the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and Mohamed El-Erian, president of Queens’ College Cambridge a

Has the drive toward human development been thrown into reverse?

Sep 03 2024 48 mins

The UNDP’s Pedro Conceição talks about today’s global gridlock, uncertainty complex, and a pervasive sense of disempowerment.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Unpacking the mysteries of productivity

Jul 02 2024 45 mins

Leading economist Chad Syverson speculates about the ingredients in productivity’s secret sauce. In this episode of the McKinsey Global Institute’s Forward thinking podcast, co-host Janet Bush talks with Chad Syverson. Syverson is George C. Tiao Distinguished Service Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. His work focuses on the interactio

Delivering services to the public—digitally—with Jennifer Pahlka

Jun 11 2024 49 mins

A former US deputy chief technology officer talks about how digitization can be used to create a government that works for the people.

What’s the future for cities in the postpandemic world?

Apr 15 2024 37 mins

Co-host Janet Bush talks with Ed Glaeser, the Fred and Eleanor Glimp Professor of Economics and the chairman of the Department of Economics at Harvard University. His latest book, coauthored with health economist David Cutler, is Survival of the city: The future of urban life in an age of isolation, written to make sense of what might be the impact of the pandemic on cities. They c

Forward Thinking on Europe’s existential crisis with Marco Buti

Jan 24 2024 34 mins

Marco Buti and Janet Bush discuss Europe’s competitiveness.

Forward Thinking on the tricky business of removing carbon from our world with Nan Ransohoff

Dec 05 2023 26 mins

A leading market maker for investment in carbon removal believes that tackling climate change has to be done quickly, but that the problem is tractable. Doom-laden thinking has gone too far.

Forward Thinking on how geeks are changing the world with Andrew McAfee

Nov 14 2023 60 mins

One of the world’s tech scholars talks geeks, two-pizza teams, the 90 percent syndrome and a whole lot more.

Forward Thinking on why we ignore inflation—from ancient times to the present—at our peril with Stephen King

Nov 01 2023 46 mins

“We need to talk about inflation. It’s unfair. It’s not democratic, It’s a terrible thing to unleash on society. And I think many of us have forgotten what damage it can do,” says a leading British economist.

Forward Thinking on the existential issues facing the middle classes in every country with Homi Kharas

Oct 11 2023 41 mins

Historically, the middle class has always tried to avoid change and to reduce levels of uncertainty, but it now has to embrace change and write itself a new narrative, says a leading economist.