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Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences (2001) Michael Spence discusses his latest initiative, the Commission on Growth and Development, which has set out to tackle some of the world's 'wicked problems' by focusing on growth in developing nations. The Commission was brought together by a belief that the world's challenges - poverty, the environment, misunderstandings between nations, vast differences in living standards across countries - are best met in conditions of rising prosperity and expanding economic opportunities. He explains why the Commission is focusing on growth -- not because it is the final goal, but because it enables so many things that people care about: poverty reduction, productive employment, education, health and the opportunity to be creative.

In this interview with CogNexus Institute founder Jeff Conklin, he explains how our education and experience have prepared us to see and solve 'tame' problems, and why as a result, 'wicked problems' sneak up on us and create chaos. Conklin describes how organizations must embrace the fact that there are two distinct aspects of strategic projects - problem understanding and solution formulation. In each phase, different kinds of conversations must be woven together from beginning to end. He explains the concept of 'shared understanding' and why it is so critical to solving complex problems. At the heart of this new understanding of organizational life is the recognition that project work is fundamentally social, and that communication among stakeholders must be managed and nurtured in order for a social network to cohere into a functioning entity.

In this interview, Rotman Capital Markets Institute Director Paul Halpern discusses the state of Canadian capital markets, the current challenges they face, and what to expect as we move forward. Along the way he touches on dual-class shares, the 'rules-based approach' vs. the principles-based approach, and areas where Canada can attempt to build competitive advantage versus other small global capital markets.

Dr. Richard Florida wrote the book on creativity; in fact, he wrote two. In this interview he talks about why creative capital is drawn to certain places, the fate of 'second-tier' cities, and the dangers of our increasingly 'spikey' world, whereby a handful of cities are attracting a disproportionate number of what he has termed 'the creative class'. Florida describes how the creative class is looking for three things in life: a job that excites and challenges them; a place to live that is rich with cultural activities; and an ability to 'be themselves'. Organizations - and regions - who want to attract them, should take note.