Mauro Guillen
Dr. Felix Zandman Professor of International Management
Anthony L. Davis Director, The Lauder Institute, The Wharton School

Technology and the Aging Population

The population above age 60 is growing everywhere in the world. How is technology going to change our quality of life at that stage? This Joe Talk will review some of the most exciting applications of robotics, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality.

Barbara Kahn
Patty and Jay H. Baker Professor
Professor of Marketing

The Shopping Revolution: How Successful Retailers Win Customers in an Era of Endless Disruption.

Does the “retail apocalypse” that many people are proclaiming signal the end of traditional brick-and-mortar retail?

The answer is yes and no. Yes, traditional brick-and-mortar retailers that make shopping more difficult, offer sub-standard products at higher prices, and have little to entice shoppers to their stores will probably struggle. But, brick-and-mortar retailers that can offer consumers something of value better than other competition can do well.

We are just witnessing the start of radical changes in retail that will revolutionize shopping in every way. Customers’ expectations are being ratcheted up, making winning (and keeping) those customers all the more challenging.

I will examine the companies that have been most successful during this wave of change and offer insights into what we can learn from their ascendance. Building on these insights, I will present the “Kahn Retailing Success Matrix” which provides a framework that any company can use to create a competitive strategy to survive and thrive in today’s – and tomorrow’s retail environment.