Topics Column Our expert columnists offer opinion and analysis on important issues facing modern businesses and managers. More in this series Subscribe Share Nick Lowndes/Ikon Images Summary: As the four-day workweek evolves from experiment to reality at many organizations, some are thriving and reaping benefits like higher productivity, stronger engagement,…
Topics Data, AI, & Machine Learning AI & Machine Learning Column Our expert columnists offer opinion and analysis on important issues facing modern businesses and managers. More in this series Subscribe Share Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images Summary: Leaders are often confused about when to use generative AI versus…
Research Highlight Online meetings are still wearing us out. Neuroscience research shows that they are uniquely fatiguing, but there are ways to make them more manageable. Eoin Whelan, René Riedl, Markus Salo, and Henri Pirkkalainen March 20, 2025 Reading Time: 10 min Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images Summary: “Virtual…
subscribe-icon Subscribe Share Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images Summary: Do your organization’s meetings continually drain people’s energy? Many leaders don’t know how to end the grind — and drive actual collaboration and results. Whether you’re looking to sharpen decision-making, spark real dialogue, or hold fewer (but better) meetings, use…
Topics Artificial Intelligence and Business Strategy The Artificial Intelligence and Business Strategy initiative explores the growing use of artificial intelligence in the business landscape. The exploration looks specifically at how AI is affecting the development and execution of strategy in organizations. In collaboration with More in this series Harvard Business…
subscribe-icon Subscribe Share Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR Summary: In traditional market segmentation, unique populations of customers are segmented and targeted using differentiated products and services — be it a soup that is thicker or a bank that is friendlier. But in this article, drawn from the book Customer Portfolio Management: Creating…
The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has served as a global standard against corruption for almost half a century. Suspending its enforcement harms both business and the rule of law. Michael H. Posner March 17, 2025 Reading Time: 7 min Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images In February, the Trump administration…
1. Office of Public Affairs, “Chinese Company Sinovel Wind Group Convicted of Theft of Trade Secrets,” U.S. Department of Justice, Jan. 24, 2018, www.justice.gov. 2. S. Bengali, “Fraud Charges, Lost Patents: How an LA Auto Legend’s China Venture Crashed,” Los Angeles Times, Aug. 13, 2020, www.latimes.com. 3. J.-C. Friedmann, D.…
subscribe-icon Subscribe Share Lessons Learned From Outside Innovators Simone Ferriani and Gino Cattani Key Insight: When creative thinkers bring fresh ideas to an organization, it can spark innovation — if they can find supportive allies. Top Takeaways: People from outside an organization can offer a unique perspective that challenges established…
Topics Column Our expert columnists offer opinion and analysis on important issues facing modern businesses and managers. More in this series subscribe-icon Subscribe Share In times of uncertainty, people seek the comfort of control. Compensatory control theory, developed by researchers in 2009, suggests that when people feel a lack of…
Radar Here’s what recent research says about the impact of technology on mergers and acquisitions, and vice versa. Kaushik Viswanath March 10, 2025 Reading Time: 1 min Topics Radar Brief insights on emerging trends in management from the opening pages of MIT Sloan Management Review’s quarterly print magazine. More in…
Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images During the past few years, company strategies have been disrupted repeatedly by major shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic, the outbreak of war in Ukraine and the Middle East, and breakthroughs in generative AI. In the first months of 2025, a stream of political surprises…
Research Feature Here’s how an online travel company set out to develop a complex metric to keep decisions made by the business development team aligned with strategy. Omri Morgenshtern and Tarik Fadil March 05, 2025 Reading Time: 20 min Klaus Meinhardt/Ikon Images Key performance indicators are critical tools for evaluating…
Roy Scott/Ikon Images The Analysis This article emerged from discussions in the Corporate Growth and International Management Working Group of the Schmalenbach-Gesellschaft, a German association that brings together corporate practitioners and business scholars. Authors Martin Glaum and Ralph Schweens head the working group; Alexander Gerybadze and Thomas Müller-Kirschbaum are members.…
Topics Innovation Disruption Column Our expert columnists offer opinion and analysis on important issues facing modern businesses and managers. More in this series subscribe-icon Subscribe Share Alice Mollon/Ikon Images Wave after wave of disruption promises continual changes to the global economy. Historians will be able to look back and draw…
Abandoning DEI initiatives can harm both performance and workplace culture. Research shows that inclusive workplaces are better for all of us — and for our businesses. Meg A. Warren March 05, 2025 Reading Time: 5 min Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images Many U.S. businesses are feeling pressured to retreat…
Topics Artificial Intelligence and Business Strategy The Artificial Intelligence and Business Strategy initiative explores the growing use of artificial intelligence in the business landscape. The exploration looks specifically at how AI is affecting the development and execution of strategy in organizations. In collaboration with More in this series Today’s episode…
Coaching for the Future-Forward Leader A productivity focus in RTO mandates tells workers they aren’t trusted. Leaders must instead emphasize connection. Sanyin Siang March 04, 2025 Reading Time: 2 min Topics Coaching for the Future-Forward Leader Leadership roles come with new personal and professional challenges — and Sanyin Siang, board…
Topics Column Our expert columnists offer opinion and analysis on important issues facing modern businesses and managers. More in this series subscribe-icon Subscribe Share Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images What matters more at the end of the workday: actual results, or all of the sensory cues from people actively…
Leaders who understand how to manage the emotional discomfort of uncertainty are better equipped to make level-headed decisions. Concentrate on five specific areas to improve your ability to be decisive. David Tuckett February 27, 2025 Reading Time: 8 min Topics Leadership Leadership Skills Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images You…
1. S. Feuerriegel, Y.R. Shrestha, G. von Krogh, et al., “Bringing Artificial Intelligence to Business Management,” Nature Machine Intelligence 4, no. 7 (July 2022): 611-613; and P. Hünermund, J. Kaminski, and C. Schmitt, “Causal Machine Learning and Business Decision-Making,” SSRN, updated Feb. 19, 2022, https://ssrn.com. 2. S. Feuerriegel, D. Frauen,…
Gary Waters/Ikon Images Managers who recognize the importance of innovation to their organization are likely to urge employees to bring them fresh, creative ideas. Yet, many employees grouse that their best ideas are frequently overlooked, dismissed, or misunderstood by those very same managers. Ironically, managers themselves may be a serious…
CDOs are under fire due to ROI pressures, evolving operating models, and GenAI disruption — and must brace for change in their role. Ryan den Rooijen, Wade Munsie, and Randy Bean February 24, 2025 Reading Time: 13 min Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images The rise of generative AI has…
Research Highlight Leaders must find ways to execute on sustainability aspirations throughout the organization, including prioritizing investments and optimizing operating plans. Stuart L. Hart February 20, 2025 Reading Time: 21 min subscribe-icon Subscribe Share Aad Goudappel/theispot.com Thoughtful business leaders today recognize that the social and environmental challenges the world now…
Topics Culture Champions Building a healthy culture is one of the most important — and hardest — leadership jobs. These articles, based on a webinar series and research by Donald Sull and CultureX, share actionable advice from leaders whose cultures produced exceptional business results and a world-class employee experience. More…
Topics Artificial Intelligence and Business Strategy The Artificial Intelligence and Business Strategy initiative explores the growing use of artificial intelligence in the business landscape. The exploration looks specifically at how AI is affecting the development and execution of strategy in organizations. In collaboration with More in this series Get updates…
Topics Workplace, Teams, & Culture Performance Management Dan Bejar/theispot.com Since managers started managing, they have questioned how to motivate employees to be productive and do good work — and, for most, their answers are still shaped by assumptions formed long ago. While modern leaders understand that the best performance comes…
Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images Technical debt is an anchor, dragging down business leaders’ efforts to run a tight ship. The accumulated costs and effort from IT development shortcuts, outdated applications, and aging infrastructure sap a company’s ability to innovate, compete, and grow. A degree of technical debt is…
Depending how it’s done, comparing oneself to colleagues can be either motivating or demoralizing. Consider these tips on making productive comparisons. Michael Matthews, Thomas Kelemen, and Mark Bolino February 12, 2025 Reading Time: 5 min Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images As social animals, we constantly compare ourselves with other…
Frontiers Risk management in many organizations is hampered by disparate teams that don’t collaborate or share technology. Richard Chambers February 11, 2025 Reading Time: 8 min Topics Frontiers An MIT SMR initiative exploring how technology is reshaping the practice of management. More in this series A. Richard Allen/theispot.com Companies today…
Frontiers Research Highlight More complex hierarchies can lead to overconfidence that exacerbates risk. Andrew Flostrand, Andrew Park, Dionysios Demetis, Jan Kietzmann, Leyland Pitt, and Ian McCarthy February 10, 2025 Reading Time: 7 min Topics Frontiers An MIT SMR initiative exploring how technology is reshaping the practice of management. More in…
Frontiers Research Highlight Manufacturers must begin to design for repairability and prepare for a more competitive services aftermarket. Jan Recker and Gerald C. Kane February 06, 2025 Reading Time: 5 min Topics Frontiers An MIT SMR initiative exploring how technology is reshaping the practice of management. More in this series…
Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images Meetings are a staple of organizational life. They’re a place where important decisions are made, strategies discussed, and problems tackled. But too often, meetings don’t deliver the desired outcomes. Teams convene regularly — sometimes out of habit rather than necessity — but while agreements…
Topics Artificial Intelligence and Business Strategy The Artificial Intelligence and Business Strategy initiative explores the growing use of artificial intelligence in the business landscape. The exploration looks specifically at how AI is affecting the development and execution of strategy in organizations. In collaboration with More in this series Get updates…
Frontiers Understanding Chinese companies’ place-based strategies for growth can be valuable to companies everywhere. Shameen Prashantham and Lola Woetzel February 03, 2025 Reading Time: 10 min Topics Frontiers An MIT SMR initiative exploring how technology is reshaping the practice of management. More in this series Harry Campbell/theispot.com The phrase “chu…
Frontiers In the digital age, brand is signaled by marketers, but meaning is cocreated with consumers. Marcus Collins January 30, 2025 Reading Time: 10 min Topics Frontiers An MIT SMR initiative exploring how technology is reshaping the practice of management. More in this series Jon Krause/theispot.com The image and meaning…
Topics AI in Action This column series looks at the biggest data and analytics challenges facing modern companies and dives deep into successful use cases that can help other organizations accelerate their AI progress. More in this series subscribe-icon Subscribe Share Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images Colgate-Palmolive, the consumer…
Topics Column Our expert columnists offer opinion and analysis on important issues facing modern businesses and managers. More in this series subscribe-icon Subscribe Share Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images A new (or is it old?) administration is back in power in the U.S. After a four-year Biden Administration, one…
Matt Harrison Clough In July 2024, an executive at luxury sports car manufacturer Ferrari received several messages that appeared to have been sent by CEO Benedetto Vigna on the messaging and calling platform WhatsApp. The messages, which originated from an unfamiliar number, mentioned an impending significant acquisition, urged the executive…
Topics Column Our expert columnists offer opinion and analysis on important issues facing modern businesses and managers. More in this series subscribe-icon Subscribe Share Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images Thanks to the deafening buzz around data science and AI, enterprise leaders no longer doubt the transformative potential of this…