This podcast discusses a JIBP article that explores how firms in developing regions can turn foreign technology into real wins for the planet. It shows that the biggest gains happen when companies have the skills, drive, and freedom to use new tools to cut waste and emissions. The podcast calls for smarter policies that not only share technology but also build local know-how, reward green innovation, and clear away red tape so that businesses can actually make change happen.

Citation: Hendriks, G. (2025). When does foreign technology help firms from periphery countries improve their environmental impact? An ability–motivation–opportunity framework. Journal of International Business Policy. https://doi.org/10.1057/s42214-025-00225-7

This podcast episode discusses a new article that argues that Africa’s thousands of languages create a barrier to trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and proposes Kiswahili as a single trade language to boost communication, economic integration, and poverty reduction. It presents a 25-year roadmap using institutional theory’s three pillars: rules and enforcement (regulative), shared norms (normative), and common ways of thinking (cognitive) to guide governments, businesses, and educators in making Kiswahili a continent-wide trade language. The podcast concludes that adopting Kiswahili could lower trade costs and strengthen African unity but will require sustained investment in education, policy harmonization, and cultural acceptance.

Citation: Chrysostome, E. V., Adegbile, A., Boafo, C., & Ogunsanya, F. (2025). From Thousands of African Languages to a Pan-African Language for the African Continental Free Trade Area: A Framework Promoting Kiswahili as Common Language for Intra-African Trade. AIB Insights. https:/​/​doi.org/​10.46697/​001c.136476.

Climate change is a critical issue, largely driven by human activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation. Multinational enterprises (MNEs) contribute significantly to global emissions but also have the resources to combat climate change. This podcast episode discusses an article that explores whether and how worsening ecological conditions motivate MNEs to innovate climate solutions.

Citation: Genin, A., Bu, J. (2025). Global ecological dependence and multinationals’ climate innovation: the role of climate risk exposure and institutional conditions. Journal of International Business Studies https://doi.org/10.1057/s41267-025-00793-z