Columbia Business School In the News

The Japan Economy Network (JEN) and the Center on Japanese Economy and Business (CJEB) at Columbia Business School invite submissions of papers and extended abstracts for the Fifth Annual JEN Conference. Submissions are encouraged in all areas relating to the Japanese economy, including, among others, monetary and fiscal policy; exchange rate policy; developments in Japanese banking and finance; perspectives on potential output; economics of climate change; demographic change; womenomics; inequality; labour markets; education; and economic history. Papers adopting a comparative perspective are welcome. Young scholars are particularly encouraged to submit their work.Submission deadline is 9 December 2022. Please send your submissions to the following email address: JEN@soas.ac.uk. The outcome of the selection process will be announced by 16 December 2022. Later submissions will be considered.Click here for more information.

On the School's Bizcast podcast, host Fahad Ahmed '17 spoke with Professor Bruce Usher on his new book, which outlines the risks and opportunities for investors from climate change, and how current students and alumni are addressing major environmental challenges.

A new book argues the best decision makers combine good data with their own good judgment.

JPMorgan and Haven Realty Capital entered into a joint venture agreement on November 15. The companies plan to acquire up to $1 billion in build-to-rent properties, starting in Atlanta. Housing experts warn that it can take a long time to bring build-to-rent properties to market.

Professors Bruce Usher and Todd Jick co-wrote this piece on how business leaders must "understand [societal divides] at the starting point, accept the responsibility to consider the impacts of their decisions on the divides, and seek creative and constructive dialogue" about alternatives.

Adjunct professor Georgia Levenson Keohane was named CEO of the Soros Economic Development Fund, the impact investment arm at Open Society Foundations. Georgia, a leader in ESG investing, is the host of our Capital for Good podcast.

Tamer Fund for Social Ventures portfolio company Kheyti, co-founded by Kaushik Kappagantulu '17, is a 2022 finalist for the Earthshot Prize, which is "awarded to five winners each year for their contributions to environmentalism." Kheyti is changing the lives of small-hold farmers in India through its "Greenhouse-in-a-Box," which provides shelter from unpredictable elements and pests.

Professor Bruce Usher discusses the importance of ESG and the rise of climate finance in the October 21 edition of the New York Times's Dealbook.

"The vision of Equality Now to ensure that all women and girls the world over enjoy equal rights under the law is a vision I know we must achieve. In a world that is shifting away from this vision, our work is even more critical to ensure that women and their communities can thrive. I am deeply humbled to lead an extraordinary team to make legal and lived equality a reality." Center advisory board member S. Mona Sinha '93 was appointed global executive director of Equality Now, which aligns her passion for gender equality with her corporate sector experience.

Questioning isn't just a way to get the right answer — it's also a means for sustaining relationships and creative thinking. Key Takeaways At one level, questioning helps people engage with others and accumulate knowledge from them.  But questioning can also help us nurture cultures of inclusion and inquisitiveness.  To do so, we must recognize the different categories of questions, when to use them, and how to listen effectively.

CJEB's event featuring Professor Takatoshi Ito, Director of CJEB's Program on Public Pension and Sovereign Funds, was covered by NHK World-Japan in the article "Professor Explains Why Japan’s Prices Are So Low" and in other media outlets. The English and Japanese coverage is linked below. Professor explains why Japan's prices are so low (NHK World, 10/6/2022)なぜ日本は“安く”なった？ アメリカで講演 専門家一問一答も (NHK News Web, 10/6/2022)

The company is losing huge sums of money on cookie-cutter homes—suggesting a fundamental weakness in the US housing market.

In the heart of midtown Manhattan lies a multibillion-dollar problem for New York, building owners and thousands of workers. Blocks of decades-old office towers sit partially empty, in an awkward position: too outdated to attract tenants seeking the latest amenities, too new to be demolished or converted for another purpose. It’s a situation playing out around the world as employers adapt to flexible work after the Covid-19 pandemic and rethink how much space they need. Stijn Van Nieuwerburgh of the Columbia Business School discusses the dilemma on "Bloomberg Markets: The Close." 

We're thrilled to see Phoebe Boyer '93, president and CEO of Children’s Aid; Alison Overseth '84, CEO of Partnership for After School Education; and Ben Thomases '03, executive director of Queens Community House, part of the top 100 public officials, philanthropic leaders, and nonprofit executives leading the sector in NYC.

Professor Takatoshi Ito, director of CJEB's Program on Public Pension and Sovereign Funds, professor at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, wrote the Project Syndicate article "The Challenge of Monetary Tightening." Professor Ito states in the article that, "The US Federal Reserve’s latest interest-rate hike is just one more step on the long and difficult road away from quantitative easing. While the Fed and other central banks, such as the Bank of Japan, must complete the journey, governments must refrain from politicizing the pitfalls that await."