This September, Professors John Mearsheimer and Sebastian Rosato released their controversial new book, “How States Think: The Rationality of Foreign Policy.” Mearsheimer, a longtime Professor at the University of Chicago, ranks among the most well-known advocates for the realist school of international relations. Put simply, realism argues that states act in their own interest. Rosato, a Professor at Notre Dame and fellow traveler, joins as his co-author.   Among other assertions, Mearsheimer and Rosato argue that our tendency to view one nation’s adversaries as irrational or amoral clo ..read more

While the US has managed to stave off a recession–at least for the time being–the global economy has nonetheless experienced a rocky couple of years: the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank in the U.S. this spring; the growing impact of artificial intelligence on virtually all industries; inflation in the West and deflation in China, and the subsequent interest rate hikes.  Fortunately, today’s guest on Deciding Factors is a veteran expert who can take us behind the curtain of the Federal Reserve to make sense of these factors and help us assess the state of the US economy. Eric Rosengren is ..read more

Although social media has enabled the public to obtain a more intimate and detailed understanding of the “real lives” of famous people, including our political leaders, this transparency doesn’t necessarily help us understand how the real work of lawmaking gets done in Washington.  In today’s political climate, the art of deal-making, of enacting an agenda, of reading a room, remains as mysterious as ever.  In today’s episode of Deciding Factors, Eric speaks to one of DC’s smartest operators to give us a peek behind the curtain. Danny Weiss is a former politics reporter who eventu ..read more

For many of us, the word “college” conjures images of old brick buildings, studying on the quad, and lecture halls full of students fervently scribbling notes and engaging in debate.  But at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), the entire idea of college—and how we define success there—has been flipped on its head.  While four thousand students learn on-site at the school’s campus, a whopping 180,000 more study completely online.   The school’s innovative approach speaks to its own leadership as much as the societal challenges, and opportunities, that we face today. As a ..read more

The past month has been a volatile one for the banking sector, and its impact has been felt across the entire global economy.  On Friday, March 10, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation seized control of Silicon Valley Bank after a run on its deposits left it insolvent.  The next domino to fall was crypto-friendly Signature Bank, which shut down on Sunday, March 12.    While Credit Suisse has also since been absorbed by UBS, many lawmakers have criticized U.S. federal agencies' actions and pointed to rollbacks of consumer protections in the Dodd-Frank Act of 2018 as a ..read more

The past month has been a volatile one for the banking sector, and its impact has been felt across the entire global economy.  On Friday, March 10, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation seized control of Silicon Valley Bank after a run on its deposits left it insolvent.  The next domino to fall was crypto-friendly Signature Bank, which shut down on Sunday, March 12.    While Credit Suisse has also since been absorbed by UBS, many lawmakers have criticized U.S. federal agencies' actions and pointed to rollbacks of consumer protections in the Dodd-Frank Act of 2018 as a ..read more

Since it launched in November 2022, the artificial intelligence bot known as ChatGPT has generated a lot of both excitement and controversy.    The conversation around ChatGPT invites larger questions around the role of artificial intelligence in our lives: where and how should we set limits? How can we employ it in a way that allows us to advance while minimizing collateral damage?  And can computers ever attain the ability to demonstrate empathy?  In this episode, Eric speaks to Rajen Sheth, one of the leading experts in the field of AI, to help shine light on some of the ..read more

Since 2019, GLG has conducted a survey of global CEOs to help our clients and the broader public better understand how these trends impact business, and what business leaders expect for the future.  In our fourth annual survey, we interviewed more than 450 executives. And the results tell a markedly different—and less optimistic—story than in previous years.  Yet numbers don’t tell the whole story. Fortunately, our guest today, Sheri McCoy, the former CEO and Director of Avon Products, Inc. is here to help analyze the results, and add her own perspective to the conversation.  Li ..read more

On the long road towards the 2022 midterm elections, the passion – and outrage – around the candidates, the polls, the talking points and the endless Twitter angst has reached a saturation point.   Yet this state of chaos leaves us wondering how to evaluate candidates amid this noise, and which factors impact the results of an election.   Wild times require a sober mind for guidance. On today’s episode of Deciding Factors, Eric speaks to Greg Schultz, the longtime political strategist who served as campaign manager for Joe Biden in 2020. He discusses what he sees as his own party’s ..read more

On the long road towards the 2022 midterm elections, the passion – and outrage – around the candidates, the polls, the talking points and the endless Twitter angst has reached a saturation point.   Yet this state of chaos leaves us wondering how to evaluate candidates amid this noise, and which factors impact the results of an election.   Wild times require a sober mind for guidance. On today’s episode of Deciding Factors, Eric speaks to Greg Schultz, the longtime political strategist who served as campaign manager for Joe Biden in 2020. He discusses what he sees as his own party’s ..read more