All Else Equal: Making Better Decisions

Rerun: Ep48 “Why CEOs are Underpaid” with Dirk Jenter

All Else Equal: Making Better Decisions

As we ring in the new year, we’re bringing back one of our favorite episodes! Handpicked by Jules and Jonathan, this previous conversation is perfect for starting your year with thought-provoking insights. Are CEOs overpaid? It’s easy to see million-dollar (or even billion-dollar) salaries and jump to conclusions. But those figures might not capture the full picture. So, what really goes into deciding CEO compensation?  In this episode, hosts and finance professors Jonathan Berk and Jules van Binsbergen welcome back Dirk Jenter, Professor of Finance at the London School of Economics. Together, they debunk some common myths about how CEO compensation is set, explore the value that CEOs add to firms, and make the case for why CEOs could actually be paid more.    Find All Else Equal on the web:  https://lauder.wharton.upenn.edu/allelse/ All Else Equal: Making Better Decisions Podcast is a production of the UPenn Wharton Lauder Institute through University FM.

Ep53 “The Truth About Inflation and Price Caps: Learn From Argentina” with Veronica Rappoport

All Else Equal: Making Better Decisions

During the 2024 U.S. presidential election, inflation was one of the most talked about issues, and there was one policy idea to get inflation under control that kept coming up: price caps. But history has shown time and time again that price caps do anything but reduce inflation. So why do policymakers still want to try it? In this episode, hosts and finance professors Jonathan Berk and Jules van Binsbergen speak with guest Veronica Rappoport, associate professor at London School of Economics and former 2nd Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Argentina. Veronica served as the deputy governor during a key period of high inflation for Argentina.  She chats with Jonathan and Jules about the circumstances that can lead to inflation rates as high as the ones Argentina has seen in the last 50 years, how band-aids like price caps can in fact make inflation significantly worse in the long run, and what lessons countries like the U.S. can take from Argentina’s case.   Find All Else Equal on the web:   https://lauder.wharton.upenn.edu/allelse/ All Else Equal: Making Better Decisions Podcast is a production of the UPenn Wharton Lauder Institute through University FM.

Ep52 “Should Legacy Admissions at Universities Be Illegal?” with Patrick Awuah

All Else Equal: Making Better Decisions

Should legacy admissions at colleges and universities be banned? What are the benefits and tradeoffs of admitting students based on their legacy status?  In this episode, hosts and finance professors Jonathan Berk and Jules van Binsbergen speak with guest Patrick Awuah, president of Ashesi University, about the Ghanaian university’s unique economic engine and the place for legacy admissions in the higher ed world.   The conversation delves into how Ashesi University balances economic sustainability with educational inclusivity, the ethical and financial implications of legacy admissions, and tackles the controversial question, does admitting legacy students from wealthy families benefit the greater good of an institution?    Find All Else Equal on the web:   https://lauder.wharton.upenn.edu/allelse/ All Else Equal: Making Better Decisions Podcast is a production of the UPenn Wharton Lauder Institute through University FM.

Ep51 Celebrating 50 Episodes: The Biggest All Else Equal Mistakes

All Else Equal: Making Better Decisions

The All Else Equal: Making Better Decisions podcast has officially done 50 episodes! To commemorate the milestone, hosts and finance professors Jonathan Berk and Jules van Binsbergen look back on some of the major all else equal mistakes they’ve covered on the show.  With highlights from past guests like Google CFO Ruth Porat and former SEC chair Jay Clayton, Jonathan and Jules provide insight on the pitfalls of oversimplified decision-making, regulatory challenges, correlation vs. causation, and what organizations can do to avoid making the same all else equal mistakes.    Links to past episodes referenced in the show: "Secrets of a Stockpicking Star" with Cliff Asness "Turning ‘Bad’ Investments into Good Profits" with Pete Briger "Why Has Private Equity Grown So Much?" with Eric Zinterhofer "Why the Private Debt Markets Have Exploded" with Laurence Gottlieb “Making Regulation Work” with Jay Clayton “Investigating Implausible Theories” with John Ioannidis “Institutional Neutrality: Open Debate and Moral Stands” with John Etchemendy “Making a Business Decision” with Ruth Porat “The Future of Higher Education Part 2” with Niall Ferguson “Disentangling Causation and Correlation” with Guido Imbens “Fair or Unfair: Do Competitive Markets Give Everyone a Chance?” with John Cochrane “May Contain Lies” with Alex Edmans “Understanding the SEC's New Climate Disclosure Rules” with Lawrence Cunningham “Finance Professors on Why Leaders Can’t ‘Agree to Disagree’”  with Robert Aumann   Find All Else Equal on the web:  https://lauder.wharton.upenn.edu/allelse/   All Else Equal: Making Better Decisions Podcast is a production of the UPenn Wharton Lauder Institute through University FM.