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Mental Health at the Workplace Dec 28, 2017

Show notes

Why can you phone in sick with flu but not with depression? Mental health is a big deal in the workplace at the moment. Following recent celebrity and Royal disclosures about their own mental health issues, it's become a hot topic. But away from the glare of publicity what's actually going on - what are employers actually doing? In this edition of In Business David Baker asks how far companies should go in managing their employee's mental health. With technology and an on-call culture increasingly blurring the lines between our work and home, what are the boundaries between issues at the office and those which should remain part of our private lives?

Producer: Jim Frank

Credit: DragonImages

Tanzania’s Second-hand Trade War Dec 16, 2017

Show notes

Second-hand fashion is big business in Tanzania. Every year, it imports millions of dollars-worth of used clothes from richer nations and many ordinary Tanzanians have come to rely on these - known locally as 'mitumba' - as a reliable source of affordable outfits. Now the Tanzanian government want to phase-out these imports, which they say are killing the local textiles industry. But if they do, they risk losing a lucrative trade-aid deal that allows them to export to the United States duty free. BBC Africa's Sammy Awami investigates the 'mitumba' business and asks local textiles producers if they are ready to clothe this rapidly-growing nation.

Producer: Helen Grady

Photo: Esther Kolale and fellow tailoring students at the Don Bosco Vocational Training Centre in Dar es Salaam Credit: BBC

Ryanair - a Change of Direction? Dec 14, 2017

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In September Ryanair was headline news and in crisis, having had to cancel many thousands of flights at very short notice. By offering extremely low fares to flyers, the company has become one of the world's biggest and most profitable airlines. Matthew Gwyther traces Ryanair's history and explores how its business model differs from its competitors. Has Ryanair suffered reputational damage since September or will its passengers stick with the company no matter what? And has a change of direction now been forced on Ryanair?

Producer: Rosamund Jones

Photo: A Ryanair plane lands at Dublin Airport Credit: PAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images

Electric Cars Dec 09, 2017

Show notes

There is a motoring revolution underway: the fast accelerating switch from petrol and diesel cars, to electric vehicles. In Norway, almost 40% of new car purchases are now fully electric or hybrids. Other countries are starting to catch up, and are setting ambitious targets. Britain wants to ban the sale of all petrol and diesel cars by 2040. Motor manufacturers are investing vast sums in new electric models. Those who don't, risk being left behind. And yet, as Peter Morgan reports, obstacles remain. Many drivers feel "range anxiety", the fear that the car battery will run out before they can recharge. And electric cars are not cheap to buy. But costs are coming down fast, batteries will soon last for hundreds of miles, and charge-points are being installed in more and more places. So much so, that there's a new land grab going on for market share. Start-ups are getting in on the act, and even big oil companies like Shell are branching into this business. Nevertheless, where will all the extra electricity come from? Will there be standardisation of the charging infrastructure, so drivers don't end up frustrated at a charge-point where their plug doesn't fit? And while electric cars don't emit toxic fumes like nitrogen oxides, how much difference do they actually make to particulates in the air? Producer: Arlene Gregorius Photo: Go Ultra Low Electric Vehicle Credit: Miles Willis / Stringer

Putin's Park Dec 02, 2017

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President Vladimir Putin has gifted Moscow with a new park – a free public space right next to the Kremlin. Designed by the US architects behind New York’s High Line, Zarydaye Park is a bold step in city branding, aiming to demonstrate that Moscow is open to the world and to innovation. But does it break new ground for large-scale development projects in 21st century Russia? For Global Business, Lucy Ash explores some of the prizes and pitfalls of this notoriously bumpy terrain.

Contributors include: Boris Bernaskoni, architect, Bernaskoni Bureau Galina Gordushina, Head of Engineering, Mosinzhproekt Sergei Kuznetsov, Chief Architect of Moscow Michal Murawski, anthropologist, Queen Mary University Anton Pominov, Director, Transparency International Russia Charles Renfro, architect, Diller Scofidio + Renfro Saskia Sassen, sociologist, Columbia University

Producer: Dorothy Feaver Photo: Zaryadye Park Credit: Iwan Baan

What Keeps the Chancellor Awake at Night? Nov 30, 2017

Show notes

If you're the Chancellor of the Exchequer, worrying about where the next financial crisis might come from, what keeps you awake at night? Jonty Bloom hears about the potential problems which might induce insomnia; including car loans, High Frequency Trading and the threat of Cyber attack.

Producer: Phoebe Keane

Diversifying Russia's Economy Nov 25, 2017

Show notes

Oil and gas are the backbone of Russia’s economy and swings in energy prices can push the country from boom to bust. 80 per cent of the country's exports are directly related to hydro-carbons. So how successfully is Russia diversifying into new areas? As Caroline Bayley discovers, government money is supporting hi-tech start-ups and counter sanctions imposed by the government on food imports from the US and EU are helping the food sector. However, doing business in Russia is far from straightforward. Producer: Kate Lamble

American Jobs: The Ties that Bind Nov 18, 2017

Show notes

Why are so many US workers forced into job contracts that make it hard for them to leave? Employers routinely ask new recruits to agree to "non-compete" clauses when they start work. This means they might be unable to work for a competitor company, or to set up on their own. Is this a good way to protect intellectual property or an unnecessary infringement of workers' rights? Claire Bolderson goes to Massachusetts to explore the personal and economic impact of the legislation and asks if reform might, finally, be a possibility.

Producer: Rosamund Jones

Photo: Claire Bolderson in Boston, Massachusetts Credit: BBC

Starting Up in Bulgaria Nov 11, 2017

Show notes

Can entrepreneurs at Sofia Tech Park kick-start one of the EU's poorest countries? Ruth Alexander meets the tiny companies growing fast at Sofia Tech Park, Bulgaria's first technology business centre. Start-up culture is a new phenomenon in the former communist state, which has an unfortunate reputation for corruption; but does it now have what it takes to spark an entrepreneurial revolution?

Producer: John Murphy Photo credit: Walltopia

Uganda’s Refugee Entrepreneurs Nov 04, 2017

Show notes

Uganda has taken in more than a million South Sudanese refugees. Many have lost almost everything. So how do they get back on their feet? For some of them the answer is to set up a small business. But doing that in a refugee settlement, when you have no capital and many of your customers have no money, is no easy task.

Yet markets are sprouting up across the refugee settlements of northern Uganda. There are stalls selling eggs, vegetables, mobile phone cards, jeans; and there are even hairdressers and photocopying services in small shacks, where both the refugees and the local Ugandan population can trade. So how have these places come to existence? How have they grown out of what very recently was untamed African bush land? As John Murphy discovers, it’s a story of entrepreneurship, sacrifice, taking a gamble and simple necessity.

Produced and presented by John Murphy

Photo: 22 year old Aida who sells avocados, onions and bananas, to make money to pay for further education and training. Credit: BBC

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