Ivey Impact Podcast

Who's in the boardroom? Examining politics, expertise, and good governance

Canada's government-owned corporations control assets worth billions of dollars and deliver essential services, from electricity to water, to millions of Canadians. But who is actually overseeing them? And are the right people in the room?   In this episode of Dialogue with the Dean, Julian Birkinshaw is joined by Guy Holburn, Professor of Business, Economics and Public Policy at Ivey and former Director of the Ivey Energy and Policy Management Centre, to explore the state of governance in Canada's public utilities. One of Canada's leading experts on energy policy and corporate governance, Holburn brings both rigorous research and real boardroom experience as a director of London Hydro.   The conversation digs into a striking and underexamined finding: roughly a quarter of directors on Ontario's electricity distribution boards are elected politicians such as municipal councillors and mayors, rather than independent industry experts. Holburn explores what this means in practice: how political and independent directors may bring different priorities to the table, what questions this raises about expertise and accountability, and examples where good governance has led to mega-project success.   This episode is essential listening for policymakers, business leaders, and anyone who cares about how public assets are managed, and by whom.   In this episode: 0:00 Essential ingredients for a board 7:18 How elected politicians approach board work 13:18 What does bad governance look like vs. good governance 19:46 Personal experience on the London Hydro Board 24:53 Students understanding role of government

Greenwashing, greenhushing, and the truth behind corporate environmental claims

From sustainable packaging to net-zero pledges, environmental branding is everywhere. But how much of it is real? And how much falls under what experts call greenwashing, or claims that mislead us into thinking companies are more environmentally responsible than they really are?   In this episode of Dialogue with the Dean, Julian Birkinshaw is joined by Wren Montgomery, Associate Professor of Sustainability at Ivey, to explore one of the most pressing and pervasive challenges in the sustainability space. A globally recognized expert on greenwashing, Montgomery has spent years examining how and why companies misrepresent their environmental performance, and what it costs us when they do.   The conversation also ventures into a newer and more subtle phenomenon: greenhushing. This is where companies choose to downplay or stay silent about their environmental actions altogether. Montgomery argues that silence is far from neutral, and that greenhushing carries its own risks for climate progress, public trust, and accountability.   This episode offers essential insights for business leaders, policymakers, and anyone who wants to separate genuine sustainability from spin.   In this episode: :00 Wren Montgomery’s research background 5:14 Defining corporate greenwashing and its evolution 10:38 Greenwashing 3.0 and the explosion of greenwashing 18:07 Examining the concept of greenhushing 24:33 Lying to your stakeholders is not a good way to do business

Is entrepreneurship really a level playing field?

We often describe entrepreneurship as the great equalizer – a space where anyone, regardless of background, can succeed if they have a great idea. But is it really that simple?  In this episode of Dialogue with the Dean, Julian Birkinshaw [https://www.ivey.uwo.ca/faculty_research/directory/julian-birkinshaw/] sits down with Janice Byrne [https://www.ivey.uwo.ca/faculty_research/directory/janice-byrne/], Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship and the Corus Entertainment Chair in Women in Management at Ivey, for a candid and insightful conversation about the gendered dynamics of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Drawing on three of Janice’s pivotal studies, they explore how leaders “do gender” to establish legitimacy, why well-intentioned role model campaigns can sometimes backfire, and what the rise and fall of the “girlboss” phenomenon reveals about media hype and shifting social expectations. Timely and sharply relevant, this episode challenges us to reconsider the narratives that shape who thrives in business – and what it will take to build a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable entrepreneurial future. In this episode:  1:20: A scholar without borders  2:22: What does it mean to “do” gender?  6:22: Do leadership standards privilege certain gendered traits?  11:18: When “Superwoman” becomes a trap  14:28: Who earns the label of “role model” for women?  16:57: The girlboss, defined  18:59: The double edge sword of hype  23:24: Changing the entrepreneurial tide To learn more about the research discussed in this episode, please visit:  Gender Gymnastics in CEO succession: Masculinities, Femininities and Legitimacy https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0170840619879184 [https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0170840619879184] Role models and women entrepreneurs: Entrepreneurial superwoman has her say. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-66233-009 [https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-66233-009]  The rise and fall of the girlboss: Gender, social expectations and entrepreneurial hype https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S088390262500014X?via%3Dihub [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S088390262500014X?via%3Dihub]

What does disruption really demand of leaders?

Disruption and innovation dominate today’s business conversations. But when the stakes include climate change and artificial intelligence, what do these ideas truly demand of leaders? In this episode of Dialogue with the Dean, Julian Birkinshaw [https://www.ivey.uwo.ca/faculty_research/directory/julian-birkinshaw/] sits down with Michael Raynor [https://www.ivey.uwo.ca/faculty_research/directory/michael-raynor/], MBA ’94 – Ivey Associate Professor, bestselling author, and respected authority on strategy and innovation – for a candid and thought-provoking discussion on how disruption must be understood and led in this moment. Together, they revisit the promise – and limitations – of disruptive innovation and reflect on Raynor’s collaboration with the late Clayton Christensen. The conversation then turns to two powerful forces reshaping business: greenhouse gas emissions and artificial intelligence. Raynor urges leaders to approach decarbonization not as a talking point but as a strategic reality, and to move beyond experimentation with AI toward focused, high-impact applications, particularly in medicine. Provocative and pragmatic, this episode challenges leaders to rethink strategy in an era where disruption isn’t theoretical – it’s already underway. In this episode: 1:15: The 25-Year Internship  2:10: From Christensen to ChatGPT   7:17: Net zero is dead. Long live net zero  9:25: The problem hidden in plain sight  14:32: A “credit” to the system  19:38: Hope isn’t a climate strategy  21:00: The Decarbonizer's Dilemma  23:08: When algorithms meet medicine  30:27: Why cases beat codes To learn more about the research discussed in this episode, please visit: Using Early Gait Data From a Smart-Enabled Total Knee Arthroplasty to Identify Patient Function and Activity at 90 Days Postoperative https://www.arthroplastyjournal.org/article/S0883-5403(26)00089-6/fulltext [https://www.arthroplastyjournal.org/article/S0883-5403(26)00089-6/fulltext] Scope 3 decarbonization through environmental attribute certificates https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17583004.2025.2486624 [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17583004.2025.2486624] Net Zero Is Dead. Long Live Net Zero https://iveybusinessjournal.com/net-zero-is-dead-long-live-net-zero/ [https://iveybusinessjournal.com/net-zero-is-dead-long-live-net-zero/]  What Is Disruptive Innovation? https://hbr.org/2015/12/what-is-disruptive-innovation [https://hbr.org/2015/12/what-is-disruptive-innovation]

Allyship, power, and feeling seen at work

Conversations about equity and inclusion are increasingly common in today’s workplaces. But allyship is often misunderstood and treated as a label rather than a set of ongoing actions shaped by power, identity, and accountability.   In this episode of Dialogue with the Dean, Julian Birkinshaw is joined by Barnini Bhattacharyya, Assistant Professor of Organizational Behaviour at Ivey Business School, to explore what effective allyship actually looks like in practice. Drawing on her research, Bhattacharyya examines how women of colour experience allyship at work, why good intentions can still miss the mark, and how power dynamics shape whether support is meaningful or performative.   The conversation also explores the idea of invisibility in the workplace, including how being overlooked or unheard affects belonging, performance, and career progression, and what leaders and colleagues can do to create environments where people feel genuinely seen and supported.   Thoughtful and practical, this episode offers clear insights for leaders, managers, and teams seeking to move beyond rhetoric and build more inclusive workplaces.   In this episode: :00: Not all allies are created equal 12:38: Do you see me – exploring invisibility in the workplace 19:36: How can workplaces make informed decisions 25:16: Applying research to the classroom