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Managing in the Digital Economy

Whether you’re a traditional conglomerate embracing digital transformation for the first time or a cutting edge tech startup looking to scale, managing in the digital economy lends a whole set of new managerial challenges (as well as some age old ones).

From Absenteeism to Efficiency: How Managerial Networks Shape Productivity

In their recent publication, “Absenteeism, Productivity, and Relational Contracts Inside the Firm“, Achyuta Adhvaryu, Professor of Economics at UC San Diego, Jean-Francois Gauthier, Assistant Professor of Economics at HEC Montreal, Anant Nyshadham, Professor of Business Economics at Michigan Ross, and Jorge Tamayo, Assistant Professor of Business at Harvard Business School and faculty co-director at D^3’s […]

Navigating the Waves of Change: The Impact of CEO Turnovers on Organizational Communication

Leadership transitions are pivotal events that can redefine the course of an organization. CEO turnovers, in particular, are marked by significant shifts not just in strategic direction but in the very fabric of internal communications. A recent study, “Communication Within Firms: Evidence from CEO Turnovers”, published in 2024 in Management Science (and previously at the […]

Balancing Algorithms and Human Expertise: Unlocking the True Potential of Data-Driven Decisions 

In the rapidly advancing world of data-driven decision-making, algorithms hold tremendous promise for organizations, but their effectiveness depends on how they are applied. A recent study, “Decision Authority and the Returns to Algorithms,” by Hyunjin Kim, professor at INSEAD Business School, Edward L. Glaeser, professor at Harvard University, Andrew Hillis, head of data science and […]

The Next Industrial Revolution: AI’s Economy-Wide Influence Across Major Sectors

In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital platforms have triggered a seismic shift across industries, reshaping how businesses operate and compete. This shift, often referred to as the “digital business revolution,” has impacted both technology-driven companies and industries traditionally unaffected by advanced technologies. As AI evolves from predictive algorithms to decision-making systems, it is […]

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Navigating Markups and Cost Pass-through: What Business Leaders Need to Know

Understanding how costs are passed through along the supply chain is critical for business professionals who want to effectively navigate inflationary pressures and pricing strategies. In the working paper “Markups and Cost Pass-through Along the Supply Chain”, members of the D^3 Pricing Lab Santiago E. Alvarez, Alberto Cavallo, and Paolo Mengano, along with Professor Alexander […]

Bridging the Generative AI Leadership Gap

On May 7, the Digital Data Design Institute at Harvard hosted Leading with AI: Exploring Business and Technology Frontiers. The conference featured breakout sessions where industry experts discussed specific and specialized topics. The breakout session on “Bridging the Generative AI Leadership Gap” featured two presenters, Charlene Li, CEO of Quantum Networks Group, author, and expert […]

Governance as a Competitive Advantage in AI Innovation

We recently sat down with Stephen Goodman, Founder and Managing Director of Madrone O/A, an operational partner and advisory firm, to discuss the importance of companies utilizing frameworks for AI Governance to drive innovation. Goodman has structured and managed dozens of strategic ventures, innovative programs, and commercial partnerships with industry leaders such as Apple, Disney, […]

A New Paradigm for Skill Development: A Large-Scale BCG Experiment

On May 7, the Digital Data Design Institute at Harvard hosted Leading with AI: Exploring Business and Technology Frontiers. The conference featured breakout sessions where HBS staff and industry experts discussed specific and specialized topics. The breakout session on The A New Paradigm for Skill Development: A Large-Scale BCG Experiment featured speakers from he Boston […]

Leading AI-nization: Fueling Growth with Data and AI

On May 7, the Digital Data Design Institute at Harvard hosted Leading with AI: Exploring Business and Technology Frontiers. The conference featured a one-on-one conversation between Tsedal Neeley, the Naylor Fitzhugh Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, and Hiroshi (Mickey) Mikitani, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Rakuten Group, Inc. Mikitani and Neeley […]

Insight: Here is What the World’s Leading Executives Have to Say About the Emerging Dual Space of Digital and Sustainable Economy

The digital and sustainability paths, previously considered to be parallel, are now highly intersecting and reinforcing each other, pointing towards a symbiotic relationship between technological advancement and environmental values. Showcasing this relationship, digital technologies are expected to contribute more than one-fifth, and up to one-third, of the GHG emissions reduction required by the Paris Agreement by 2030, illustrating their importance to sustainability transformation. As such, it’s important to understand the main drivers of this shift because of the implications this shift has on the global business landscape, including the demand for businesses to prioritize integrating digital innovation with sustainable practices. With the eco-digital economy including benefits that extend well beyond improvement in core business activities, it’s imperative for leaders to have a vision for digital transformation at their organizations going forward with a focus on harnessing the opportunities created by the emerging eco-digital economy including digital strategy, cybersecurity, sustainability, and more. 

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