Knowledge that Transforms

Pfizer succeeded in digitizing its manufacturing operations not by improving the technology alone but by rebuilding trust, processes, and collaboration between digital and plant teams. This case study demonstrates that successful transformation depends first on strong operational foundations, integrated systems, and organizational alignment.

As organizations adopt diverse flavors of AI more widely and scale applications across the enterprise, managing new risks that arise in the development process or during application use becomes increasingly complex. New and adaptive forms of governance must be put in place and systematically embedded across processes so that companies can gain the benefits of moving quickly with AI innovation without exposing themselves or stakeholders to harms.

When platform businesses permit other platforms to embed within their own, or offer their own functionality hosted on another platform, they can gain access to new markets and customers, and improve the user experience of current customers. But platform owners must also consider whether such a relationship will affect the integrity of their brand and what it means for customer relationships. Research can help guide leaders through the strategic implications of nesting decisions.

Research shows that top performance comes from intrinsically motivated, highly engaged employees, but many managers assume that only carrots and sticks will ensure that people do their jobs, and their motivational toolbox overrelies on rules, monitoring, and rewards. The authors share advice on how organizations can build a more engaged workforce by rooting their performance management approach in the human drive for self-determination and embracing democratized management principles.

Being your “authentic self” can undermine leadership effectiveness if it’s fueled by ego. Evidence drawn from years of collective research shows that a lived commitment to personal values is the hallmark of the type of authentic leadership that can successfully bring teams together in pursuit of positive change. Leaders can learn to practice humble authenticity by owning, managing, and sustaining their values.

The first 2024 Artificial Intelligence and Business Strategy report looks at how organizations are using AI to evolve their key performance indicators (KPIs) to better align with their strategies and deliver on enterprise goals.