Named after the Roman God Janus, who could survey two or more directions simultaneously, in this episode Loizos Heracleous explains how Janus Strategy is the route to success for today's top companies. The Professor of Strategy explains to Core Insights host Trevor Barnes how Janus Strategy sees companies adopt two seemingly contradictory objectives to take a competitive advantage in their industry, with Apple being the prime example. Listen to hear how the Silicon Valley giant has done it and generated huge profit margins. And read more on Janus Strategy in this excerpt from Professor Heracle ..read more

Design thinking has become the de facto way to innovate for successful companies these days, but it is now moving further up the organisational hierarchy. Core Insights host Trevor Barnes talks to Pietro Micheli, Professor of Business Performance and Innovation, on how organisations can use design thinking in building a strategy and why the concept is so helpful in today's climate of uncertainty. Read more on how design thinking can aid a company's strategy and the six factors involved in using it here. Further, find out how design thinking can help build a strategy from the bottom-up here ..read more

Core Insights host Trevor Barnes interviews Hossam Zeitoun, Associate Professor of Behavioural Science & Strategy, on his latest research on which firms are able to withstand a recession. Dr Zeitoun analysed nearly 1,000 workplaces before and after the 2007-09 Great Recession to see why some thrived and others capitulated. As we enter the pandemic-induced global recession he reveals what the research revealed about those companies that came out of the recession intact. Read more about this research here ..read more

Graham Loomes, Professor of Behavioural Science, reveals the trade-offs Governments are making between people's health and their livelihoods and argues they should be made transparent as leaders relax lockdown measures to get their economies moving again. Professor Loomes talks to Core Insights host Trevor Barnes about the difficult balancing act Governments are making in trying to save jobs and the economy and the increase risks it brings in spreading the virus. You can read Professor Loomes' argument here and more on the dilemmas involved for Governments in deciding how much money to spend o ..read more

Core Insights host Trevor Barnes talks to Keith Grint, Professor Emeritus at the University of Warwick and one of the leading figures on leadership in academia. He talks about the different facets of leadership that are needed during a crisis from command-and-control to handling wicked problems. Professor of Grint, who was Professor of Public Leadership at Warwick Business School until 2018, has written numerous books on leadership including Leadership, Management & Command: Rethinking D-Day.  You can read more from Professor Grint on leadership in a crisis here ..read more

The lockdown across much of the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic has meant many people having to work from home, but how do you lead a team over the internet? Davide Nicolini, Professor of Organisation Studies and Director of the Knowledge & Innovation Network, reveals his research on the topic to Core Insights host Trevor Barnes. Professor Nicoloni explains the rules and pitfalls of managing a team exclusively online. For more read Professor Nicolini's article Four rules for leading a virtual team.  ..read more

Eivor Oborn, Professor of Healthcare Management, discusses the various coronavirus tracing apps that are being trialled with Core Insights host Trevor Barnes. Professor Oborn explains the disadvantages and advantages of the UK's NHSX app currently being tested on the Isle of Wight and how it differs to Google and Apple's version. To read more on how the app will work read Professor Oborn's article here ..read more

John Colley is Professor of Practice in Strategy, a former MD of a FTSE 100 company and has held non-executive director roles on a number of Private Equity boards. Here, Professor Colley talks to Core Insights host Trevor Barnes on what businesses need to do to survive the pandemic, who the winners and losers will be, and how it could be the end of the likes of Uber and WeWork. Read more on Professor Colley's analysis of the impact on business here ..read more

Core Insights host Trevor Barnes talks to Nick Chater, Professor of Behavioural Science, author of award-winning book The Mind is Flat and star of BBC Radio 4's The Human Zoo, about the biases and heuristics that leaders suffer in a time of crisis. Professor Chater also suggests the tactics leaders can use to resist these very understandable biases that we often fall prey to, but can lead to taking wrong turns or a false sense of security. Read more on these biases here and find out more about Professor Chater here ..read more

In Warwick Business School's special Core Insights podcast series on how organisations can survive the Coronavirus crisis, host Trevor Barnes interviews Hugh Wilson, Professor of Marketing, on how brands should market during the pandemic. Professor Wilson and his colleagues have analysed data produced by insights agency MESH Experience's tracking of consumers during the first weeks of the crisis to draw up four valuable lessons for brands. After listening to this WBS Core Insights podcast read Professor Wilson's article on it here ..read more