MIT Sloan Management Review Sustainable Innovation
- Three Myths Fueling Companies’ Icy Silence on Politicsby Andrew Winston. <p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewwinston/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Andrew Winston</a> is a globally recognized expert on how to build resilient, profitable companies that help people and the planet thrive. He is the <a href="https://thinkers50.com/t50-ranking/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Thinkers50 top-ranked management thinker</a> in the world and coauthor of <cite>Net Positive: How Courageous Companies Thrive by Giving More Than They Take</cite> (Harvard Business Review Press, 2021).</p> on February 23, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Brian Stauffer/theispot.com In 1963, as the U.S. civil rights movement reached a new peak, most U.S. companies stayed quiet. That changed after events in Birmingham, Alabama. Images of peaceful demonstrators, including children, being attacked by police dogs and high-powered fire hoses shocked the country. Economic boycotts of segregated businesses in and near Birmingham followed. Under
- Ask Sanyin: What Makes a ‘Listening Tour’ Meaningful?by Sanyin Siang. <p>Sanyin Siang is a CEO coach and leads the Fuqua/Coach K Center on Leadership & Ethics (COLE) at Duke University. Need advice? Send an <a href="mailto:asksanyin@mit.edu">email to Sanyin</a>.</p> on February 19, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images I’ve just stepped into a new leadership role and was advised to embark on a “listening tour.” I’ve gone out and spent time with different units and functions, but I’m not sure it’s helping. Conversations feel surface-level, and I’m not learning what I need to lead effectively. What am
- Why Mergers Fail and How to Spot Trouble Earlyby Henrik Cronqvist and Désirée-Jessica Pély. <p>Henrik Cronqvist, Ph.D., is a professor of finance at Chapman University and former dean of its business school. Désirée-Jessica Pély, Ph.D., is the CEO and cofounder of GetAlfa.ai and a research associate at Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich.</p> on February 18, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Otto Steininger/Ikon Images In 2015, Kraft Foods and H.J. Heinz merged in a $45 billion deal. Backed by Warren Buffett and 3G Capital, Kraft Heinz was poised to become a global food powerhouse. But just over a decade later, that promise has soured. Iconic brands have stagnated, strategic missteps have piled up, and the share
- Why Digital Dexterity Is Key to Transformationby Linda A. Hill, Sunand Menon, Ann Le Cam, Karina Grazina, and Lydia Begag. <p>Linda A. Hill is the Wallace Brett Donham Professor of Business Administration and faculty chair of the Leadership Initiative at Harvard Business School. She is coauthor of <cite>Genius at Scale: How Great Leaders Drive Innovation</cite> (Harvard Business Review Press, March 2026). Sunand Menon is an executive fellow at Harvard Business School, an operating partner at Flagship Pioneering, and executive chairman of CIBO Technologies. Ann Le Cam is an executive fellow at Harvard Business School. Karina Grazina is program manager of the Leadership Initiative at Harvard Business School. Lydia Begag is a research associate in organizational behavior at Harvard Business School.</p> on February 17, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Davide Bonazzi The Research The Leadership Initiative at Harvard Business School, led by professor Linda A. Hill, has been exploring essential leadership mindsets, behaviors, and competencies for leading in the digital era. The authors’ qualitative and quantitative research provides valuable insights into the evolving nature of leadership in an increasingly digital era. The same patterns
- The Case for Making Bold Bets in Uncertain Timesby Adam Job, Ulrich Pidun, and Valentín Szekasy. <p>Adam Job, Ph.D., is a senior director at the BCG Henderson Institute. Ulrich Pidun, Ph.D., is an insights leader at the BCG Henderson Institute and a partner and director at Boston Consulting Group. Valentín Szekasy is an ambassador to the BCG Henderson Institute. </p> on February 16, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images In the investment world, taking risks during volatile periods can result in a windfall. During his 60 years at the helm of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett delivered compounded annual returns of nearly 20% — double what the S&P 500 achieved — guided by the rule “Be fearful when others
- AI Coding Tools for Knowledge Work: What Executives Need to Knowby Rama Ramakrishnan. <p>Rama Ramakrishnan is a professor of the practice at the MIT Sloan School of Management.</p> on February 12, 2026 at 6:00 pm
Patrick George/Ikon Images In conversations with executives, I’ve noticed a common pattern: Many are aware of agentic AI coding assistants like Claude Code but assume that these tools are relevant only to software developers. This assumption, while understandable, is rapidly being proved wrong. It turns out that the features that make AI coding tools useful
- Why Salespeople Fear Pitching Radical Innovationby Bianca Schmitz, Olaf Plötner, and Johannes Habel. <p>Bianca Schmitz is a lecturer and member of the faculty at ESMT Berlin. She is also the founding director of the Hidden Champions Institute, the director of knowledge transfer at the Bringing Technology to Market Center, and faculty lead of the Telekom MBA program at ESMT Berlin. Olaf Plötner is a professor and director of the Bringing Technology to Market Center at ESMT Berlin. Johannes Habel is an associate professor at the C.T. Bauer College of Business at the University of Houston.</p> on February 12, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Dean Rohrer/theispot.com Across industries, companies are investing heavily in radical innovations, such as new software layers for traditional hardware, AI-powered industrial tools, and smart services that promise to transform how customers create value. Yet, when these offerings reach the market, sales pipelines often stall. Salesforce, for example, struggled with the early commercialization of a radical
- Stay Ahead of Geopolitical Supply Chain Risksby Morris A. Cohen, Shiliang Cui, Vinayak Deshpande, Ricardo Ernst, Arnd Huchzermeier, Daniela Muhaj, David Pyke, and Andy A. Tsay. <p>Morris A. Cohen is the Panasonic Professor Emeritus of Manufacturing and Logistics in the Operations, Information, and Decisions Department at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School; he is also CEO of AD3 Analytics. Shiliang Cui is professor of operations and analytics at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. Vinayak Deshpande is the Mann Family Distinguished Professor of Operations in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. Ricardo Ernst is the Baratta Chair in Global Business and professor of operations and supply chain management at Georgetown University, as well as executive director of the McDonough School of Business’s Latin American Leadership Program. Arnd Huchzermeier is chair of production management at WHU — Otto Beisheim School of Management. Daniela Muhaj is director of research and technology initiatives at Georgetown University. David Pyke is dean emeritus and a retired professor of operations and supply chain management at the University of San Diego’s Knauss School of Business. Andy A. Tsay is a professor of information systems and analytics at Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business.</p> on February 11, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Stephan Schmitz/theispot.com The Research The authors studied 13 multinational companies with revenues of $10 billion to $150 billion that are based in the U.S., Germany, Mexico, or the Netherlands. The companies represent a range of sectors, including agricultural machinery, cosmetics, semiconductors, computing hardware, auto parts, auto assembly, power generation, and health care delivery. Through qualitative
- How to Profit From Retro-Innovationby Vijay Govindarajan, Tojin T. Eapen, and Gautham Vadakkepatt. <p>Vijay Govindarajan is the Coxe Distinguished Professor at Dartmouth College. Tojin T. Eapen is the founder of the Center for Creative Foresight and a senior fellow at The Conference Board. Gautham Vadakkepatt is an associate professor of marketing at the University of Central Florida College of Business.</p> on February 10, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Kirsten Ulve/theispot.com As the phrase “brain rot” has exploded in usage over the last couple of years, evolving from a humorous jab at wasting time online into a genuine descriptor for the mental fatigue brought on by endless scrolling, many have resorted to a solution that is surprisingly retro. From 2021 to 2024, feature phone
- What the UN Treaty on Cybercrime May Mean for Youby Stuart Madnick and Angelica Marotta. <p>Stuart Madnick, Ph.D., is the John Norris Maguire (1960) Professor of Information Technology at MIT Sloan, as well as a professor of engineering systems and the founder of the Cybersecurity at MIT Sloan (CAMS) research initiative. He has cofounded five tech firms and runs Langley Castle Hotel. Angelica Marotta, Ph.D., is a cybersecurity researcher affiliated with the MIT Sloan CAMS program, investigating regulatory compliance and AI. She holds an interdisciplinary background in computer science, justice studies, and regulatory compliance and is the founder and CEO of AM Academic Consulting.</p> on February 9, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Carolyn Geason-Beissel/MIT SMR | Getty Images In crimes such as robberies or kidnappings, both the criminals and victims must directly interact in person, so it is obvious that they must both be in the same country for the crime to be committed. Local and/or federal authorities address such crimes. But cybercrimes involving data theft and
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