To report on food sourcing and access in the United States, author Tracie McMillan went undercover, picking garlic in the fields in California and working at a Walmart in Michigan and an Applebee's in New York. She published a book about what she learned from these experiences called The American Way of Eating. Knowledge@Wharton recently spoke with McMillan about how income level affects food consumption, who controls the food we eat and why the food system might be transformed if people threw away less food. (Podcast with transcript)

Named one of The Wall Street Journal's top 10 nonfiction books of 2012, Steven Ujifusa's A Man and His Ship: America's Greatest Naval Architect and His Quest to Build the SS United States brings William Francis Gibbs' story to life. Wharton legal studies and business ethics professor G. Richard Shell recently sat down with Ujifusa to learn more about what inspired the author to tell Gibbs' story, what led Gibbs to build ships and how the builder's firm became responsible for 70% of all ships built during World War II. (Video with transcript)

How do we know which of our successes and failures can be attributed to either skill or luck? That is the question that investment strategist Michael J. Mauboussin explores in his book The Success Equation: Untangling Skill and Luck in Business, Sports, and Investing. Wharton management professor Adam M. Grant recently sat down with Mauboussin to talk about the paradox of skill, the conditions for luck and how to avoid overconfidence. (Video with transcript)

Whether you are an educator, an art director or a project manager, you are in sales. So argues bestselling author Daniel Pink in his new book, To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth about Moving Others. Pink recently visited the University of Pennsylvania as a guest lecturer in the Authors@Wharton series. Wharton management professor Adam M. Grant interviewed Pink while he was there to learn more about the ideas in his book, including why consumers mistrust salespeople, what the new ABCs of selling are and why questions may be the greatest selling tool. (Video with transcript)

With the spotlight on U.S. budget cuts, a timely book looks at the unique nature of the country's debt and the options available to avoid hitting the debt ceiling. Is U.S. Government Debt Different? -- a collection of 15 articles published by the Wharton Financial Institutions Center -- is co-edited by Wharton finance professor Franklin Allen, who shares insights from the book with Knowledge@Wharton. (Video with transcript)

Though stock market volatility continues to rattle investors' nerves, the future looks bright for equities in the U.S. and many emerging markets, according to Wharton finance professor Jeremy Siegel. In an interview with Knowledge@Wharton, Siegel says that investors should think about reducing their bond holdings, buying more stocks and keeping just enough cash for a rainy day and other liquidity needs. He also discusses the housing market and offers his take on where the stock market is headed for the rest of 2013. (Video with transcript)

When Princeton professor Anne-Marie Slaughter published an essay in The Atlantic titled, "Why Women Still Can't Have It All," in July 2012, she touched a nerve across generations and set off a renewed public debate on women's progress and work-life balance. In an interview with Stewart Friedman, director of the Wharton Work/Life Integration Project, Slaughter shares what it was like to draw back the curtain on her life as someone perceived to "have it all" and suggests how companies can make life better for both women and men. (Video with transcript)

In a career spanning 34 years, Edward Breen has faced many difficult situations, perhaps none as challenging as his most recent assignment -- CEO of Tyco International -- which he took on when the company was facing bankruptcy. In an interview with Wharton management professor Michael Useem, Breen, who just stepped down from Tyco, talks about the importance of knowing when and how to make the "bold, big decisions," mentoring and always raising your hand for assignments, among other topics. (Video with transcript)

Newly elected Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants to take Japan's economy in a daring new direction to end 20 years of stagnation and deflation. His policies resemble past efforts -- but with far more firepower behind them. That means even looser monetary policies and a sharp rise in government spending to boost demand. Some analysts say it's just the medicine Japan needs and, on the spending side at least, the opposite of what Europe and the U.S. are doing. But Wharton finance professor Franklin Allen, in an interview with Knowledge@Wharton, says the plan carries serious risks and could lead to a big meltdown. (Video with transcript)

Africa is the next frontier for global business, presenting a rare growth opportunity in a stagnant world. But navigating this complex continent with more than 1 billion people can be exceedingly difficult, and many businesses have failed to make a lasting impression in the region. Kenyan business tycoon Manu Chandaria, chairman and CEO of the multi-billion dollar privately held Comcraft Group, explains in an interview with Knowledge@Wharton how he mastered the African market and how others can follow his lead. (Video with transcript)

Although the global economy is in better shape than it was during the worst days of the 2008-2009 financial crisis, don't expect to see a dramatic turnaround in 2013, say Wharton professors Mauro Guillen and Kent Smetters. In separate interviews with Knowledge@Wharton, they discuss some of the challenges that the U.S., Europe, China and emerging markets such as Brazil and India are facing going into the New Year. (Video with transcript)

Cloud computing is creating waves in different industries across the developed world, helping both entrepreneurs and large conglomerates quickly respond to opportunities and manage their business processes more effectively. A recent survey by Knowledge@Wharton and enterprise software firm SAP reveals that people have very high expectations for the future of cloud computing; at the same time, they admit that they don't fully understand the technology. Knowledge@Wharton spoke with David Spencer, vice president at SAP, and Don Huesman, managing director at the Wharton Innovation Group, to clarify questions surrounding the future of cloud computing. (Podcast with transcript)

Maneet Ahuja began her career at age 17 as a credit risk analyst at Citigroup. Now, 10 years later, she has been named to the Forbes 2012 "30 under 30" list, is a producer for CNBC's Squawk Box and has written a new book called The Alpha Masters: Unlocking the Genius of the World's Top Hedge Funds. Knowledge@Wharton recently talked with her about the alpha masters she profiled in her book and about where she thinks the hedge fund industry is headed. (Video with transcript)

Are you happy? Could you be happier? Gretchen Rubin was already "pretty happy" when she asked herself these very questions. In search of the answers, she started her own pursuit of happiness, which eventually became a New York Times bestseller titled, The Happiness Project. She has now written a second book called Happier at Home. Knowledge@Wharton recently spoke with Rubin about why happy people work more hours each week, how to make and keep happiness resolutions and how to ward off the three happiness leeches. (Video with transcript)

Swarthmore professor Barry Schwartz says rules and incentives are an "insurance policy against disaster, but [they don't] produce excellence." In his recent book, Practical Wisdom: The Right Way to Do the Right Thing, Schwartz and co-author Kenneth Sharpe, also a Swarthmore professor, say that what is needed is not more bureaucracy. Instead, society needs the Aristotelian ideal that trumps all others -- practical wisdom. Knowledge@Wharton recently sat down with Schwartz to discuss why individuals fail to do the right thing, what practical wisdom looks like in practice and what organizations can do to regain people's trust. (Video with transcript)

New York Times editor Adam Bryant has interviewed more than 200 CEOs for his Corner Office column. In his book, The Corner Office: Indispensable and Unexpected Lessons from CEOs on How to Lead and Succeed, Bryant shares what he has learned from Xerox CEO Ursula Burns, Ford CEO Alan R. Mulally, Yum Brands CEO David C. Novak, Teach for America CEO Wendy Kopp, Zynga co-founder Mark Pincus and other leaders. Knowledge@Wharton recently sat down with Bryant to discuss five qualities of successful leaders, the age-old question of whether leaders are born or made and how his discussions with CEOs have influenced his own approach to leadership. (Video with transcript)

Just as the Internet enabled anyone with a computer to become an entrepreneur, today's newest technologies have spawned a DIY (do it yourself) micro-manufacturing movement, so anyone can be both inventor and manufacturer. Wired editor Chris Anderson, author of the new book, Makers: The New Industrial Revolution, recently spoke with Knowledge@Wharton about how technology is changing the limits of what inventors can do, what the Maker Movement is, why he started DIY Drones and how the new technologies will drive the global economy. (Transcript with audio)

For many, implementing an innovation strategy, which requires changes within an organization, means adding layers of new processes. Lisa Bodell, author of Kill the Company: End the Status Quo, Start an Innovation Revolution, argues that there are straightforward ways to make change without bogging down the organization. Knowledge@Wharton spoke with Bodell recently about her approach to getting companies to face their vulnerabilities, why taking risks are essential and why small changes make all the difference. [Video with transcript]

Television networks and advertisers alike are using social media to build buzz about programs and products -- but are their efforts really resulting in increased sales or higher ratings? Wharton professor Shawndra Hill is taking to Twitter and the airwaves in an effort to figure out how marketers should best employ user-generated content in trying to get consumers to pay attention to their products, or to make solid recommendations to existing fans. (Video with transcript)

Can work be fun? Can the insights of successful game designers be used to engage customers in a variety of industries? Wharton legal studies and business ethics professor Kevin Werbach and New York Law School professor Dan Hunter, authors of For the Win: How Game Thinking Can Revolutionize Your Business, say yes. Knowledge@Wharton spoke with Werbach and Hunter about what gamification really is, how companies are using it and what pitfalls to avoid when gamifying. (Video with transcript)

In 2005, immigrant entrepreneurs launched 52% of all startups in Silicon Valley. But today, the number has dropped to 44%, and America is not only losing the opportunity to create new jobs but also losing its competitive edge, argues Vivek Wadhwa in his book, The Immigrant Exodus: Why America Is Losing the Global Race to Capture Entrepreneurial Talent. In the 1980s, skilled immigrants could get green cards in as little as 18 months, but today it can take as long as 17 years. Failure to fix this problem, says Wadhwa in an interview, is killing American innovation. (Video with transcript)

Bill Clark's job only gets harder. As executive director of Philabundance, a Philadelphia area hunger relief organization, he has this to say about today's food crisis: "The hunger that used to exist in inner cities or rural areas like Appalachia has leapt beyond those pockets into the middle and working classes. I don't think there is a zip code in the country today that is totally devoid of hunger." Clark talks about the challenges Philabundance faces at a time when natural disasters, cutbacks in social programs and unusually high unemployment have created a "tremendous" unmet need. (Podcast with transcript)

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are shaking up traditional models of education. Among the most active providers of them today is Coursera, a start-up that presents some 200 courses to 1.5 million students in collaboration with 33 educational institutions, including the University of Pennsylvania. But how does Coursera deal with challenges such as scaling up the venture, increasing student retention rates and monetizing free content? Knowledge@Wharton talked with Daphne Koller, co-founder of Coursera, during her recent visit to campus.

The theme of the recent 2012 Wharton Management Conference -- "Changing the Game: Leadership in Crisis" -- is an apt one for the auto industry. Daniel Ammann, CFO of General Motors, addressed leadership issues in a keynote presentation at the conference and in a podcast with Wharton's John Paul MacDuffie, during which he discussed upcoming product launches, the struggling auto industry in Europe and a strong partnership in China. (Podcast with transcript)

The worldwide competition for bandwidth "is like the space race where the winner will see benefits ... that will last for years to come," according to Julius Genachowski, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). In an interview with Wharton's Kevin Werbach, Genachowski says that while the U.S. is leading the world in terms of developing infrastructure for the next generation of mobile broadband, the country faces "some real challenges" in keeping ahead. (Video with transcript)

Last week, Spanish bank Banco Santander announced plans to use the recent strong financial performance of its Mexican unit as leverage to raise $4.3 billion in a stock offering -- the largest ever in Mexico's history. Part of a longer-term expansion plan in Latin America, the move is also designed to signal to financial markets that the bank has high growth potential outside of its troubled home markets in Spain and the eurozone. In an interview, Wharton's Mauro Guillen and Adrian Tschoegl, authors of a book about the bank, discuss how the deal fits in with Santander's master plan. (Video with transcript)

A California jury awarded Apple what could be a decisive victory in the smartphone wars last week by ruling that Samsung infringed on a number of patents relating to the functionality and design of the iPhone. Samsung plans to appeal, but Apple is now calling for a ban on U.S. sales of some of the devices at issue in the case. Some observers believe the verdict might open the door for additional Apple lawsuits against other smartphone makers -- including Google. Wharton professors David Hsu and Andrea Matwyshyn discuss the key players, the future of smartphone design and the U.S. patent system. (Podcast with transcript)

Hugh Sinclair is the author of a new book titled, Confessions of a Microfinance Heretic: How Microlending Lost Its Way and Betrayed the Poor, in which he debunks the image of microfinance as a do-good industry committed to helping poor people create sustainable businesses. Instead, he documents corruption, extortionist interest rates and a lack of transparency that he says characterize much of the microfinance industry today. Sinclair spoke with Knowledge@Wharton about his book, the problems microfinance continues to face, and some solutions for moving forward. (Podcast with transcript)

Stephen J. Girsky, vice chairman of General Motors, says the company has a new emphasis on the customer even as it faces such challenges as industry-wide overcapacity, strong competition from rivals both in the U.S. and Europe, and slower-than-expected sales of the Volt. Wharton management professor John Paul MacDuffie asked Girsky to talk about these issues and others shortly before Girsky's presentation at the recent Wharton Leadership Conference. (Podcast with transcript)

In their book, Jugaad Innovation: Think Frugal, Be Flexible, Generate Breakthrough Growth, authors Navi Radjou, Jaideep Prabhu and Simone Ahuja present a new approach to innovation that is fueling growth in emerging markets as well as developed ones. Radjou and Ahuja recently sat down with Knowledge@Wharton to talk about the six principles of jugaad, a Hindi word meaning "an improvised solution born from ingenuity." (Podcast with transcript)