The Business Saturday 4 April 2015

The Business A weekly look at the world of business and personal finance with Richard Curran Listen Share:

John Fitzpatrick The hotel business is in John Fitzpatrick's blood. He is President and CEO of the Fitzpatrick Hotel Group in New York, and has received numerous honours including "Irish-American of the Year". He spoke to Richard about a life spent in hospitality. Listen Share:

An Irish-American Advertising Odyssey Anyone who watches the TV show Mad Men - which returns this week for its final series - will be familiar with its atmosphere of liquor-soaked offices, clouds of cigarette smoke, sharp suits, and blatant sexism. Prof. Colum Kenny of DCU takes a trip back to some decades from the 1960s to the advertising world of the early 1900s, when Irish-American, James O'Shaughnessy, ruled the roost. Colum has just published "An Irish-American Odyssey" about James and his family. Listen Share:

The Precariat Staff at Dunnes Stores were on strike this week, in protest at their precarious contracts. Many of the workers are only guaranteed 15 hours pay a week, but have to be available at short notice for more. In the UK, such "zero hours" contracts have been very prevalent of late. Professor Guy Standing from the University of London has coined a term for the growing number of people from all backgrounds and professions who find their working lives ever-more precarious. He calls them "The Precariat". Listen Share:

Insecure Employment Following on from the interview with Guy Standing, Richard was joined in studio by Gerald Flynn, employment specialist with Align Management Solutions, and journalist and commentator, Eamon Delaney, to discuss the new world order of insecure employment, zero benefits, and short-term contracts... Listen Share:

The Egg Trade With Easter happening this weekend, we'll all be stocking up on a very specific seasonal treat. The ubiquitous chocolate egg had its roots in the tradition of giving real eggs at Easter in the past. But how is the business of real eggs going? Richard took a trip to Margaret Farrelly's "O'Egg" chicken farm in Mullagh Co. Cavan to find out if the free range market is all it's cracked up to be? Listen Share: