Management
-
Is the world becoming more autocratic?
The last 50 years has seen a shift in the composition of autocratic states across the globe. However, while there is not yet exactly an economic bloc of autocratic states, along the lines of the Soviet spheres of influence between 1945 and 1990, Simon Commander and Saul Estrin argue that autocracy is alive and kicking…
-
Companies Don’t Have to Slash Jobs Because of AI
Harry Haysom/Ikon Images | Carolyn Geason-Beissel «If AI is going to destroy all the jobs, why don’t we just stop?» That was the rhetorical question my college-age son asked after we talked about the possibility of drastic changes to career paths and society thanks to AI (technically, generative AI). It was in line with what…
-
A Need for Nuance: The Economist’s Andrew Palmer
On today’s episode of the Me, Myself, and AI podcast, Andrew Palmer, senior editor at The Economist, describes how organizations can experiment with generative AI while balancing speed, quality, and risk. At his own organization, Andrew and others test artificial intelligence with human oversight to develop editing and publishing efficiencies. As the host of The…
-
Take 5: When the Going Gets Tough, Lead
For every benefit to being a leader, there are just as many challenges—if not more. But challenges are not always bad news for leaders. They often create opportunities for growth and learning, especially when people respond to them thoughtfully. Kellogg faculty offer advice to help leaders navigate several different challenging circumstances—from heated disagreements and hidden…
-
The specialisation trap: Why your best hire might not look like one
When the candidate in front of you lacks the specific industry experience you need, the default option is not hire them and move onto the next. However, Oliver, Jiayi, Yasaman, Marisa, Paolo, and Muhammad, argue that the managers who build the strongest teams are those willing to look beyond industry labels, and instead assess a…
-
How Job Design for Disability Improves Work for Everyone
Gary Waters / Ikon Images Disability-related innovations are all around us. Curb cuts in sidewalks, originally designed for wheelchair users, benefit caregivers with strollers, travelers with suitcases, and delivery workers with hand trucks. Automatic doors intended for individuals with mobility impairments are convenient for all. Blurred backgrounds in video calls, standing desks and ergonomic keyboards,…
-
Resolve the Conflict Between Efficiency and Resilience
Ellice Weaver/Ikon Images Operational efficiency is critical for both financial success and customer satisfaction. Efficient systems, characterized by minimal buffers and idle time, tight schedules, and maximum asset utilization, allow organizations to do more with less, thereby boosting revenue and appealing to time-sensitive customers. However, such systems often lack resilience, increasing an organization’s vulnerability to…
-
Beyond Verification — What Responsible AI Really Demands of Human Experts
For the fifth year in a row, MIT Sloan Management Review and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) have assembled an international panel of AI experts that includes academics and practitioners to help us understand how responsible artificial intelligence is being implemented across organizations worldwide. In our first post this year, we explored how organizations should think…
-
How Leaders Can Move Past Personal Obstacles
Brian Stauffer/theispot.com Imagine you’re Gabrielle, a senior leader at a fast-growing tech company. Two of your top performers are also your biggest headaches, and they’re making everyone miserable — most of all, you. One is technically brilliant but undermines colleagues’ ideas with sly sarcasm and strategic inaction. The other is a creative powerhouse but belittles…
-
Podcast: Why Companies Can’t Keep Their Climate Commitments
We’d like to think that businesses have the power to make a difference on the climate. It’s why we pressure them to make commitments to reduce their emissions. That way, we can hold them to their word. Many such commitments were made after the Paris Accords. But today? Most companies aren’t even close to achieving…