The Bottom Line

How has the pandemic affected commerce in one English town? Bolton's economy has been struck particularly hard by this pandemic. Not only was it subjected to the national lockdown, but it subsequently became a hotspot, under even tighter restrictions. With a town centre that was already in decline, how has this crisis affected local businesses and what does the future hold for the town? Evan Davis...

Is the pandemic a spur to a world of temps and zero hour contracts? Hundreds of thousands of people have been losing their jobs during the crisis. Many are turning to the gig economy to boost their income. Should we welcome the acceleration of the move away from conventional employment? Evan Davis and guests discuss the pros and cons of the expanding gig economy. Guests Xenios Thrasyvoulou, CEO of...

In modern business it's impossible not to be worried about a cyber attack of some form. But how do you lower your chances of attack and what do you do if someone manages to get in your system and data? Evan Davis and guests discuss. GUESTS Sian John, director, EMEA, cyber security strategy, Microsoft UK Geoff White, author, 'Crime Dot Com' and investigative technology journalist Jake Davis, consul...

The second pandemic wave means UK businesses have to live with uncertainty for at least another six months. Those economic green shoots and the summer of 'eat out to help out ' seem a while back. So what are the implications for jobs and overall business viability in this climate? Difficult conversations are going on in boardrooms across the country. Evan Davis with expert guests reflect on the ch...

WPP boss Karen Blackett talks to Evan Davis about building a racially diverse business.

The Black Lives Matter protests have prompted boardroom soul-searching about how to engage a more racially diverse workforce. Good intentions have been around for decades and have encouraged much talk about removing biases from mainly white corporate cultures. But this has still not led to the change people want. Hardly any large UK firms have black, Asian or minority ethnic chief executives. Evan...

Has staying at home during lockdown made us think more about our travel habits? Are you less likely to want to get on a bus or a train to get to work or are you itching to get on the next available flight? And what about the business travel industry? Are companies realising tele-conferencing is now just as acceptable and a cheaper option than a business flight? Evan Davis and guests discuss. GUEST...

Zoom meetings and working from home. Two habits which office workers have picked up during the enforced lockdown. But will these behaviours habits stick? Some believe that if more of us choose to work from our spare rooms on a regular basis, this will have profound implications for offices, commuting, human interaction and productivity. Evan Davis and guests discuss whether current predictions abo...

Evan Davis and guests ask if now is the time to exploit scientific research more effectively to help business recover from the coronavirus crash. The UK has traditionally been better at basic science research than its commercial exploitation - with examples ranging from computing to the discovery of graphene, where international companies have benefited more from those discoveries. The Bottom Line...

During the pandemic, businesses have faced severe tests, from supply chain shocks to fluctuations in consumer demand. How resilient are companies in dealing with the unknown? In recent years the focus has been on getting costs down, creating lean supply chains, and delivering returns to shareholders. But has that emphasis left supply chains insecure in the face of shocks? Will companies learn to v...

What have you learned about yourself in lockdown? What is it you crave, what have you found you barely miss? Evan Davis and guests contemplate life after lockdown and changing consumer habits. A surge in the sale of bikes, toilet roll panic buying, and flour flying off the supermarket shelves. Will these consumer habits stick? Have we learned to value other things in life than shopping? Or will we...

Will Western economies and companies decouple from China? For decades, the world has relied on this rapidly emerging economy as its factory, producing everything from toilet rolls to iPhones. But post Covid-19, US trade wars and tensions with Hong Kong, is that all about to change? Evan Davis and guests discuss GUESTS Liam Casey, CEO and founder, PCH International Diana Choyleva, chief economist,...

Should the government continue to bolster companies, large and small when lockdown is finally eased? If so what businesses do you choose to save and what are the criteria? Evan Davis and guests discuss. GUESTS Michael Jacobides, holder of the Sir Donald Gordon Chair of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, London Business School Julie Palmer, Regional Managing Partner, Begbies Traynor, Insolvency pract...

Can new businesses survive without some form of hype or over-promotion? Or will consumer or investor disillusionment inevitably correct this? One recent example where hype came back to bite a company founder is that of the shared office space provider, WeWork. Its stock market valuation fell from $50bn to near bankruptcy over the course of a few weeks. GUESTS Brent Hoberman, serial entrepreneur an...

How will the infection affect commerce in the UK and around the world? Evan Davis and a panel of guests discuss what's happening to the economy and look at likely scenarios. Jennifer McKeown, Chief Global Economist, Capital Economics, Gloria Guevara, CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council. Tim Power, MD of maritime and shipping container research firm Drewry. Producers: Lesley McAlpine and Ju...

Is our working week due for major reform? Will a move to a four day week - as proposed by the Labour Party in its recent General Election manifesto - ever happen? From shorter hours to more flexibility in the workplace, what will the modern world of work be like in ten years time? Evan Davis and guests discuss the latest trends. Guests appearing on The Bottom Line Kate Cooper, Head of Research, Po...

What are the pros and cons of running a business with your life partner and how do you keep the personal out of your professional life? Evan Davis and guests discuss. GUESTS Sophie Mirman and Richard Ross, founders and owners, Trotters childrenswear and accessories Claire and Andy Burnet, founders and owners, Chococo artisan chocolatiers Peter Leach, author and Adjunct Professor in Family Business...

What are the rules when people have to lose their jobs? It's always a difficult situation - which is why it's often handled badly. Evan Davis and guests ask if there is a better way of doing it. GUESTS Angela O'Connor, Founder and CEO, The HR Lounge Consultancy Sian Keall, Partner, Employment Law, Travers Smith LLP Kate Griffiths-Lambeth, Group HR Director, Charles Stanley, Wealth Managers Produce...

Do business gurus really hold the secret to success? Peter Drucker, Michael Porter and Gary Hamel are some of those who've found fame and influence via best-selling business books. But can following their lead transform a company - or are they really just selling themselves? Evan Davis and guests assess the pros and cons of buying from the ideas merchants. GUESTS Lynda Gratton, professor of manage...

How should businesses deal with workplace quarrels? At a time when the nation seems increasingly divided and hot-tempered, is there a way to bring harmony among staff when there are differences of opinion and personality? Evan Davis and his guests explore what can go wrong and look for some possible solutions. In a very cooperative spirit, naturally. GUESTS: Naomi Shragai: psychological business c...

The number of companies in 'financial distress' in the UK is on the rise. What's causing the problems and what exactly happens when a company goes into administration? Evan Davis and guests discuss. Guests: Julie Palmer, Insolvency practitioner, Begbies Traynor Andy Scott, Chairman, REL Capital Dr Rebecca Parry, Director, Centre for Business and Insolvency, Nottingham Trent University Producer: Ju...

How can business benefit from the popularity of vegetarian and vegan products in supermarkets and restaurants? One in eight of us identifies as vegetarian or vegan, but that's not enough to have boosted the market so significantly. So what is happening and is it sustainable? Evan Davis and guests discuss. GUESTS Kevin Brennan, CEO Quorn Tommaso Chiabra, venture capitalist and CEO Tommaso Chiabra H...

Will Facebook's launch of its own cryptocurrency be a game changer? What will this mean for established currencies and the global banking system? Evan Davis and guests discuss. GUESTS Jutta Steiner, Chief Executive Officer, Parity Technologies Dr. Catherine Mulligan, Chief Technology Officer of Gov Tech Labs and Data Net at University College, London Barbara Mellish, Chief Executive Officer, Centr...

How can the aviation industry marry sustainability with increasing passenger numbers? Since the deregulation of Europe's airlines in the late 1990s, more and more of us have been flying every year. Whilst this may be good news for the airline industry, it's not good news for the environment. Manufacturers are trying to make models lighter and more fuel efficient, with a pledge by IATA to cut emiss...

What can we learn from how one medical start-up fooled Silicon Valley and the world? Elizabeth Holmes dropped out of Stanford University at 19 to start Theranos. She promised investors and the public a revolutionary blood diagnosis machine which would be less painful, accessible and affordable than ordinary lab tests. She managed to raise $9 billion in funding. Now the company is worth nothing. Ho...