There’s no question Tesla is a remarkable brand. Just the name evokes emotionally charged responses from both its critics and its champions. It records quarterly losses by the millions, and rarely hits company goals or meets new vehicle launch deadlines. Yet, Tesla has what your organization (and every other) covets…
Trying to satisfy your customers is a misguided mission. There is no such thing as a perfectly and permanently satisfied customer, argues Gabor George Burt, an innovation pioneer and mastermind on re-imagining market boundaries…
You’re on a mission to know more about your customers. Stop. The extraordinary variety and volume of data you’re collecting at unprecedented speed and analyzing in sophisticated ways while hoping it leads to successful innovation isn’t working…
Is family a source of career conflict for you? Stew Friedman, the world’s leading work/life integration expert, would take that bet. But more than ever, he says, it’s not spouses and children causing the most angst – it’s mothers and fathers…
The number of people displaced by conflict is at the highest level ever recorded – one in every 113 people on the planet is a refugee, asylum seeker or internally displaced.
The Olympics are costly, risky megaprojects, infamous for blowing budgets out of the water. Are yours? When the Rio Games open Friday they will have exceeded initial budget estimates by…
Middle children. Middle class. Middle market. None of them get enough attention – but according to Tom Stewart, it’s the American middle market that matters most to your growth.
Most of us believe we know what purpose our products serve. We assume we understand, we really know, our customers – what they want, and how and where they want…
American health care is caught in a vise, squeezed from the positive gains in life expectancy on one side and unsustainable medical costs on the other. Meanwhile, the pace of…
It’s pretty much fact: the world around us is volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. These VUCA forces are recasting industries, companies and entire societies with lightning speed. Leadership, however, is…
Collaborative consumption. On-demand services. The gig economy. Peer-to-peer business. Numerous names describe the same phenomenon: the rise of technology-enabled sharing. The likes of Uber, Airbnb, TaskRabbit, Lending Club and Rent…
Virtual reality (VR) and hype have a long-standing relationship. After more than two decades, the long-promised future of VR is finally here. Oculus – Facebook’s $2 billion bet on VR…
The cost of Boston’s “Big Dig” ballooned to $14.8 billion – five times the original estimate – before its completion in 2007, eight years behind schedule. Europe’s infamous “Chunnel” project…
Why do the vast majority of innovations fall so far short of ambitions? Companies have never had more sophisticated tools and techniques in their arsenal. More resources than ever –…
On the surface, China’s dominance seems a given. The country’s GDP is likely to surpass that of the U.S. (though not until at least 2028). It’s already the world’s largest…
Are we making computers that are smarter and better than us? Will algorithm-enabled machines and ubiquitous tracking eventually win, taking over our jobs, our lives and eventually the world? This…
Giggles and pitter-patters of little feet aren’t what you’d expect to echo through the halls of an elderly care community. Then again, fragile, silver-haired men and women, many in wheelchairs,…
By the end of the decade, every company will be a software company, predicts Robert Tercek, business futurist and digital media pioneer. We’re entering a new era defined by data…
Our cars are getting smarter. They dictate (and recalculate) directions, sync with our phones, help us park or switch lanes, and brake if we don’t before it’s too late. The…
There was a time not long ago when commerce flowed linearly. Companies produced products, shipped them out and sold them to consumers. Single product lines were profitable. Today, not as…
We all talk about it. Most of us aspire to it; few of us, if any, ever achieve it. Some believe it’s something granted by employers. Others see it as…
In life, you can do everything right and still fail. Same goes for business. A well run, seemingly thriving company nose dives, succumbing to disruption. It’s the classic innovator’s dilemma…
Congressional testimony is underway in Apple’s stand-off with the U.S. government over the FBI’s request for what the tech titan equates to a master key for its devices. The issues…
It’s a service-driven world. The vast majority of the global workforce provides services. We rely on them; every day, we engage with any number of value-based services, from airlines and…
The first line of Robert Kaplan’s 1996 seminal book reads, “Imagine entering the cockpit of a modern jet airplane and seeing only a single instrument.” The analogy suggested it should…
It’s a sticky subject. Is business education really necessary? Many believe such higher learning still matters – and so do those who teach it. Prominent professors (and their institutions) prepare…
Hint: the answer is not “be smart” or “work hard.” Decades of research and reflection have convinced Howard Gardner, a renowned cognitive psychologist, that believing wit and grit equate to…
Companies find it increasingly challenging to justify long-term, risky R&D investments. Innovation and strategy expert Gary Pisano believes it’s time to consider a different financing model, and he draws inspiration…
The way we think about it and get it done, how businesses organize it, and its impact on global competitiveness and quality of life – “work” is undergoing a sea…
Entrepreneurial opportunity isn’t exclusive to the Apples and eBays of the world. The vast majority of successfully scaled ventures aren’t mythical unicorns with billion-dollar paper values; they’re workhorses that plug…
It’s no secret large organizations have an innovation problem. With deep resource pools and even deeper pockets, they should be breakthrough masters. But when it comes to execution, complexity and…
First introduced in 1995 by Harvard Business School Professor Clayton Christensen, disruptive innovation theory is a zeitgeist of modern management thinking. It has inarguably and fundamentally changed how the world…
Ideas have the power to transform – industries, economies, communities and lives. It’s a mantra that propels organizations and individuals alike to innovate, push boundaries, and stimulate change and progress….
As Big Data continues to change the way we live and work, companies are recognizing the importance of analyzing and communicating data findings with business leaders across the company. To…
Despite their socio-economic significance, megaprojects (projects in excess of $1 billion, ranging from massive infrastructure and large-scale IT, to new bombers for the Department of Defense and blockbuster pharmaceuticals) have…
Since Stern + Associates (1985) and Stern Speakers (2006) were founded, the public relations and lecture firms have grown in every way – in office square footage, regional presence, headcount,…
Small businesses signify the American Dream, and start-ups are the movers and shakers, embodying entrepreneurial spirit. Then there are the large, billion-dollar enterprise corporations – household names with deep pockets…
Surviving disruption – major, game-changing innovation – is one of the greatest challenges managers in established firms face. On one hand, we’ve been warned disruption can sneak up and quickly…
We’re used to being connected all the time. Yet, we’re uncomfortable with conversation – at least conversation that isn’t aided by technology; conversation that is open-ended and spontaneous. And it’s…
Smart thermostats control an array of home devices, transmitting usage data back to manufacturers. Networked industrial machines autonomously coordinate and optimize work. Cars send virtual software upgrades to enhance performance…
At home, families sit in silence at the dinner table. We text (and shop and tweet) during class and while on dates. At work, executives email during meetings. We live…
By the middle of this century, global population will reach nearly 10 billion people, consuming ever more resources and leading increasingly complex lives. What will our cities be like? What…
Familiar things are disappearing before our eyes. Remember photo albums, audio CDs and DVDs? Maps or road atlases? Even the trusty GPS unit has been replaced by an app that…
NFL training camp 2015 is in full swing, but it’s not just players who are practicing their skills. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell recently visited the Virtual Human Interaction Lab (VHIL)…
There is perhaps no greater force for change than a powerful idea. Thousands of ideas have come to life through the Aspen Ideas Festival, commanding the attention – and inspiring…
Technology is quickly infiltrating almost every part of healthcare, creating a need for policymakers to examine the implications for patient safety, quality and the future of the U.S. healthcare system….
The world is enamored with setting records: biggest bridge, tallest skyscraper, longest tunnel, fastest rail line. No matter the industry – construction, IT, energy, defense, oil and gas – more…
Whether hydraulic fracturing (fracking) is a force for good or evil is one of America’s most divisive issues. Backers emphasize the economic value and future promise of energy independence; critics…
Meetings that accomplish little. Committees that take two steps back for every one forward. Project units that engage in wishful groupthink rather than honest analysis. Everyone who is part of…
It is a rare CEO who doesn’t list innovation as a top priority. But innovation remains an elusive beast for most. Massive R&D investments have been made, processes built, training…
As the U.S. infrastructure crisis reaches a fever pitch in news coverage, public opinion and the next election cycle, Harvard’s Rosabeth Moss Kanter’s new book Move: Putting America’s Infrastructure Back…
Over the past five years, healthcare has rapidly gone from a paper industry to a digital one. While this transition has been long anticipated, few people anticipated to the degree…
If there’s one thing Americans can agree on, it’s the sorry state of our country’s infrastructure. We’re stuck, quite literally, and the inability to move affects every aspect of business…
Why We Need to Get Smart about Artificial Intelligence We’ve long been fascinated by the concept of artificial intelligence (AI), but only recently has technology advanced sufficiently to bring it…
We’re all racing to be more entrepreneurial, to spark – or reignite – innovation that creates breakthrough products, establishes new markets and brings in new customers. It’s not just for…
Once relegated to a small corner of a very large conversation on our nation’s broken healthcare system, health IT safety concerns are now firmly in the spotlight – in part,…
For the past 15 years, technology was touted as the cure for the problem of medical mistakes. And since healthcare has gone digital over the past few years, it has…
President Obama said Wednesday he has his pen in hand and is “ready to sign good bipartisan legislation” that will tie more payments for health care services to quality –…
Who among us hasn’t been wowed by the technology on our desktop and in our pocket? But there is one field – arguably our most important industry – in which…
This spring, backlash against standardized testing will reach a fever pitch as parents across the U.S. pull tens of thousands of children out of exams and make themselves heard at…
During the industrial revolution, people left farms for factories. Then, the knowledge economy pulled them from factories into offices; rather than leveraging their brawn, companies capitalized on their brains. Today,…
Lead with your heart – not just in life, but in business too. For some of us, the idea of bringing emotions into the workplace is uncomfortable; a sign of…
Without question, technology can – and does – bring improved efficiency to our lives. In many sectors, including healthcare, digital innovation continues to streamline many routine tasks, whether it’s booking…
Innovation is a top priority for enterprises around the world. The quickening pace of technological change and mounting pressure of global competition are helping fuel the urgency. But leaders can’t…
Deflated game balls may be one way to get a handle on the competition, but virtual reality (VR) is proving to be a much more powerful performance enhancer. While the…
Management has regressed, believes Harvard Business School Professor Clayton Christensen – in large part because innovation has become a numbers game rather than “substantive discussion about things not known.” But,…
Businesses can’t predict the future, but they can – and should – be better prepared for it. With disruption and uncertainty our “new normal,” leaders are challenged to accurately decipher…
Historically, science and business have lived in separate worlds. Science was the province of universities and not-for-profit research institutes, while business was conducted by profit-seeking companies operating in the realm…
In the life of any organization, few events are as critical, visible or stressful as leadership changes. Yet, succession planning is rarely a priority, and too often given shorter shrift….
America is aging, and not gracefully. Despite longer life expectancy, today’s generations are sicker than their parents. Half of all adult Americans have at least one chronic condition; more than…
The brain-body bond is powerful – perhaps more so, and in different ways, than most of us realize. In today’s always-on, always-connected society, it seems “mindfulness” is having a moment….
Yesterday, an American missionary doctor just back from volunteering in West Africa was quarantined in New York City – the fourth person to test positive with Ebola in the U.S….
The “skills gap” is real and it’s growing. More than 90 percent of U.S. senior executives attest to major areas of weakness, with soft skills and leadership topping their list,…
The world is in the throes of perpetual and permanent crisis – political, financial, ethical, health. Leadership, says Harvard University’s Ronald Heifetz, is both the problem and solution. It’s dangerous…
Did the Internet really kill distance and render location irrelevant? Not at all, argues e-commerce and digital marketing expert David Bell. In fact, location – of customers – is more…
“How Smart, Connected Products are Transforming Competition” just published on Harvard Business Review’s website. Read it now as it will only be available, in full and for free, for two…
There’s no question the U.S. healthcare system is broken. It’s overloaded, over-administered, over-litigated, and way more costly – in dollars and in lives – than it ever should be. For…
Last week, President Obama promised a sustained military campaign to rout the rampaging insurgent group ISIS – the militants who captured and deployed U.S.-supplied equipment (Humvees, helicopters, antiaircraft cannons, tanks)…
Innovation. It’s a term we hear nearly every day, yet it still feels intangible, inaccessible and, at times, downright impossible. “Many managers have a hard time applying [innovative thinking and…
Popularity of business degrees has surged over the past 40 years. But having an MBA isn’t the same as having the vision and creativity to take a company forward in…
It defies logic: an elite team of an organization’s top performers fails to deliver, falling short of expectations. It happens often, and organizational visionary Thomas Malone believes he knows why….
Science and the arts are often portrayed as polar opposites: scientists methodically pursue facts and truth while artists soar over the landscape of everyday detail to imagine and design what’s…
Align social initiatives with corporate objectives, and do well by doing good. Or so the theory goes. The practice of strategic philanthropy has taken hold over the last two decades,…
Healthcare is a contentious topic of conversation around many of our dinner tables, but most of us don’t even consider that the food in front of us is a big…
The leadership model is broken – and an entire generation of potential leaders is on the verge of falling through the cracks. Today’s organizations simply aren’t suited to thrive through…
It’s been five years since the U.S. recession was declared over, but Americans haven’t stopped asking: “When will things get better?” The Fed continues to feed more capital into the…
Health care continues to dominate business, government and personal agendas alike – uniting the world through a shared need for new approaches that deliver high quality outcomes of care and…
The World Wide Web has not yet fulfilled its promises – and full potential – for enabling more social interaction, stimulating business growth, and promoting greater equality and opportunities for…
There is no shortage of criticism for the financial sector, particularly in the incessant wake of the 2008 economic crisis. Yet, Wall Street’s size and profit continues to swell, and…
Schools are approaching the tipping point of a digital transformation that will change the way the world learns. How can we channel the indisputable surge of online learning into a…
Do ordinary citizens have the right to demand that outdated, misleading, or even simply potentially embarrassing information about themselves be removed from Google? Earlier this week, the European Court of…
In today’s hyperconnected society and increasingly globalized economy, it would seem geography is no longer the linchpin it once was for multi-national organizations. After all, the “death of distance” has…
The internet and social media sphere exploded with the recent news of Facebook’s $2 billion acquisition of Kickstarter-funded virtual reality company Oculus VR. The move signaled a momentous turning point…
Robert F. Kennedy once said a country’s gross domestic product (GDP) measures “everything except that which makes life worthwhile.” Even Simon Kuznets, chief architect of the macro-economic metric, warned against…
The startup movement has failed, but not necessarily for the reasons most believe. Roughly 50 million new companies launch globally each year. More than 75 percent crash and burn. And…
Some believe rules are made to be broken; others consider rules mere suggestions for when circumstances call for them. But in business, rules – three of them, in fact –…
The U.S. healthcare system is in the midst of major disruption – by mobile technology. Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), investment in healthcare tech startups –…
Higher education – formal degree programs taught by brilliant, tenured professors in idyllic campus settings – is undergoing full-fledged disruption. But MOOCs and other more accessible, affordable, Internet-driven “alternatives” are…
Advances in technology grant individuals more freedom than ever, yet businesses continue to take it away—stifling it by adhering to outdated, inflexible, top-down, command-and-control styles of management. And it’s to…
For all of our talk about globalization, are we really as connected as we think? Renowned economist and global strategist Pankaj Ghemawat argues that as leaders around the world hail…
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