MEDIA: CBC News Network Weekend Business Panel (March, 2024)

Pleased to join the CBC News Network Weekend Business Panel alongside Mark Warner and Linda Ward, talking The Body Shop’s store closures, the Wendy’s surge pricing controversy, and questions around the fairness of Cineplex online booking fees.  You can watch our segment here and the Weekend Business Panel on Saturday mornings at around 10:15 AM ET on CBC News Network.

This week’s Business Advisor Highlight (it’s a simple one):

CEO’s and senior executives need to remember to be very careful about what they say, especially in a public venue, as they are viewed to be speaking on behalf of the company.  In the case of Wendy’s CEO, comments and content on a presentation slide resulted in lots of media attention, in terms of the potential use of dynamic pricing to increase prices when restaurant traffic peaks.  Although this issue was clarified in a media release after the fact, being careful with wording and considering how it could be construed would have avoided this controversy.

I recall reading a study years ago that debunked the myth that CEO’s and business leaders can “do whatever they want”, by stating that research indicated the opposite; that business leaders typically exhibit lower levels of risky behaviour in relation to the decisions that they make, because there is more at stake.  This is analogous to the idea that behaviour becomes less risky, as the job held increases in seniority.  I have never forgotten this concept, and it is a good reminder, despite the fact that we see what can only be described as billionaire business leader bad behaviour on a fairly regular basis.

Thanks for watching!

Jenifer Bartman
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