Innovation and Invention →
- 12 Mar 2024
- HBS Case
How Used Products Can Unlock New Markets: Lessons from Apple's Refurbished iPhones
The idea of reselling old smartphones might have seemed risky for a company known for high-end devices, but refurbished products have become a major profit stream for Apple and an environmental victory. George Serafeim examines Apple's circular model in a case study, and offers insights for other industries.
- 22 Feb 2024
- Research & Ideas
How to Make AI 'Forget' All the Private Data It Shouldn't Have
When companies use machine learning models, they may run the risk of inadvertently sharing sensitive and private data. Seth Neel explains why it’s important to understand how to wipe AI’s spongelike memory clean.
- 09 Feb 2024
- HBS Case
Slim Chance: Drugs Will Reshape the Weight Loss Industry, But Habit Change Might Be Elusive
Medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro have upended a $76 billion industry that has long touted lifestyle shifts as a means to weight loss. Regina Herzlinger says these drugs might bring fast change, especially for busy professionals, but many questions remain unanswered.
- 30 Jan 2024
- Research & Ideas
‘Intrinsic Joy’ Sparks Ideas Better than Cash
Can financial incentives turn innovation into a chore? A study of GitHub's efforts to sponsor software coders by Maria Roche and colleagues explores the interplay between motivation and creativity.
- 23 Jan 2024
- Book
More Than Memes: NFTs Could Be the Next Gen Deed for a Digital World
Non-fungible tokens might seem like a fad approach to selling memes, but the concept could help companies open new markets and build communities. Scott Duke Kominers and Steve Kaczynski go beyond the NFT hype in their book, The Everything Token.
- 09 Jan 2024
- In Practice
Harnessing AI: What Businesses Need to Know in ChatGPT’s Second Year
Companies across industries rushed to adopt ChatGPT last year, seeing its potential to streamline tasks formerly handled by people and vendors at much higher cost. As generative AI enters its next phase in 2024, what can leaders expect? Harvard Business School faculty members highlight four trends to watch.
- 22 Nov 2023
- Research & Ideas
Humans vs. Machines: Untangling the Tasks AI Can (and Can't) Handle
Are you a centaur or a cyborg? A study of 750 consultants sheds new light on the strengths and limits of ChatGPT, and what it takes to operationalize generative AI. Research by Edward McFowland III, Karim Lakhani, Fabrizio Dell'Acqua, and colleagues.
- 14 Nov 2023
- Research & Ideas
The Network Effect: Why Companies Should Care About Employees’ LinkedIn Connections
What do Honeywell, IBM, and Pfizer have in common? Employees with strong professional networks. A study of 2 billion employee relationships on LinkedIn probes the power of such connections—and potential benefits for companies. Research by Frank Nagle.
- 24 Oct 2023
- Cold Call Podcast
How the United States Air Force Accelerated AI Adoption
In August 2022, the Pentagon tasked U.S. Air Force Captain Victor Lopez with launching a new Air Force innovation unit that leveraged commercial developers and military talent to acquire advanced technologies. Having been granted flexibility in the setup of the office, Lopez pondered the complexities of his assignment and the decisions around organizational design he would have to make. It’s often believed that only small start-up organizations can innovate, but a lot of innovation happens in big organizations, including government. Harvard Business School assistant professor Maria Roche is joined by Major Lopez to discuss the challenges of digital transformation in a large bureaucratic organization and the specific choices the U.S. Air Force needed to make when launching its AI Accelerator in her case, "Accelerating AI Adoption in the United States Air Force."
- 24 Oct 2023
- HBS Case
From P.T. Barnum to Mary Kay: Lessons From 5 Leaders Who Changed the World
What do Steve Jobs and Sarah Breedlove have in common? Through a series of case studies, Robert Simons explores the unique qualities of visionary leaders and what today's managers can learn from their journeys.
- 26 Sep 2023
- Book
Digital Strategy: A Handbook for Managing a Moving Target
Digital strategy demands significant organizational energy at many companies. By the time teams have adapted to newly implemented technology, another platform has emerged to replace it. A book coedited by Feng Zhu offers a guide for executives trying to manage the chaos.
- 19 Sep 2023
- Research & Ideas
What Chandrayaan-3 Says About India's Entrepreneurial Approach to Space
India reached an unexplored part of the moon despite its limited R&D funding compared with NASA and SpaceX. Tarun Khanna discusses the significance of the landing, and the country's advancements in data and digital technology.
- 19 Sep 2023
- HBS Case
How Will the Tech Titans Behind ChatGPT, Bard, and LLaMA Make Money?
It seems like anything is possible with generative AI right now. But how will companies profit from those big ideas? Andy Wu breaks down the potentially painful tradeoffs that tech firms might face as artificial intelligence enters its next phase.
- 12 Sep 2023
- Cold Call Podcast
Can Remote Surgeries Digitally Transform Operating Rooms?
Launched in 2016, Proximie was a platform that enabled clinicians, proctors, and medical device company personnel to be virtually present in operating rooms, where they would use mixed reality and digital audio and visual tools to communicate with, mentor, assist, and observe those performing medical procedures. The goal was to improve patient outcomes. The company had grown quickly, and its technology had been used in tens of thousands of procedures in more than 50 countries and 500 hospitals. It had raised close to $50 million in equity financing and was now entering strategic partnerships to broaden its reach. Nadine Hachach-Haram, founder and CEO of Proximie, aspired for Proximie to become a platform that powered every operating room in the world, but she had to carefully consider the company’s partnership and data strategies in order to scale. What approach would position the company best for the next stage of growth? Harvard Business School associate professor Ariel Stern discusses creating value in health care through a digital transformation of operating rooms in her case, “Proximie: Using XR Technology to Create Borderless Operating Rooms.”
- 15 Aug 2023
- HBS Case
(Virtual) Reality Check: How Long Before We Live in the 'Metaverse'?
Generative AI has captured the collective imagination for the moment, eclipsing the once-hyped metaverse. However, it's not the end of virtual reality. A case study by Andy Wu and David Yoffie lays out the key challenges immersive 3D technology must overcome to be truly transformative.
- 30 May 2023
- Research & Ideas
Can AI Predict Whether Shoppers Would Pick Crest Over Colgate?
Is it the end of customer surveys? Definitely not, but research by Ayelet Israeli sheds light on the potential for generative AI to improve market research. But first, businesses will need to learn to harness the technology.
- 23 May 2023
- Research & Ideas
Lessons on Life, Graffiti, and Value: 'It's in That Darkness That You Can Actually Develop and Evolve'
The art world has only recently started to place value on graffiti, but for James Riley, the craft's contribution to his life has been indelible. He reflects on his youth in Los Angeles, his art, and his research.
- 03 May 2023
- Research & Ideas
Why Confronting Racism in AI 'Creates a Better Future for All of Us'
Rather than build on biased data and technology from the past, artificial intelligence has an opportunity to do better, says Business in Global Society Fellow Broderick Turner. He highlights three myths that prevent business leaders from breaking down racial inequality.
- 02 May 2023
- What Do You Think?
How Should Artificial Intelligence Be Regulated—if at All?
Some AI pioneers say the technology could be a risk to humanity, and some governments have taken steps to rein it in. But who should set the rules and what details must they consider? asks James Heskett. Open for comment; 0 Comments.
How to Bring Good Ideas to Life: The Paul English Story
Paul English is one of the most imaginative and successful innovators of his generation. He cofounded several companies, including Kayak, before starting Boston Venture Studio, where he is currently a partner. This multimedia case, “Bringing Ideas to Life: The Story of Paul English,” explores his process of creative idea generation, examining how he was able to bring so many ideas to market. In this episode, Harvard Business School professor Frances Frei and English discuss how to tell the difference between a good idea and a bad one, the importance of iteration, and taking a systematic (but fast) approach to developing new ideas. They also explore how his process dovetails with Frei’s “move fast and fix things,” strategy from her recent book.