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New research on technology from Harvard Business School faculty on issues including technological innovation, technology networks, and technology adoption.
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Is There a Method to Musk’s Madness on Twitter?

by Christina Pazzanese, Harvard Gazette

Elon Musk's brash management style has upended the social media platform, but was bold action necessary to address serious problems? Andy Wu discusses the tech entrepreneur's takeover of Twitter.

Will ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ Push Cash-Strapped Holiday Shoppers Too Far?

by Rachel Layne

More consumers may opt to "buy now, pay later" this holiday season, but what happens if they can't make that last payment? Research by Marco Di Maggio and Emily Williams highlights the risks of these financing services, especially for lower-income shoppers.

Why TikTok Is Beating YouTube for Eyeball Time (It’s Not Just the Dance Videos)

by John Deighton and Leora Kornfeld

Quirky amateur video clips might draw people to TikTok, but its algorithm keeps them watching. John Deighton and Leora Kornfeld explore the factors that helped propel TikTok ahead of established social platforms, and where it might go next.

When Design Enables Discrimination: Learning from Anti-Asian Bias on Airbnb

by Pamela Reynolds

Airbnb bookings dropped 12 percent more for hosts with Asian names than other hosts during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, says research by Michael Luca. Could better design deter bias, particularly during times of crisis?

Can Amazon Remake Health Care?

by Christina Pazzanese, Harvard Gazette

Amazon has disrupted everything from grocery shopping to cloud computing, but can it transform health care with its One Medical acquisition? Amitabh Chandra discusses company's track record in health care and the challenges it might face.

A Lesson from Google: Can AI Bias be Monitored Internally?

Re: Tsedal Neeley

Dr. Timnit Gebru was the co-lead of Google’s Ethical AI research team—until she raised concerns about bias in the company’s large language models and was forced out in 2020. Her departure sent shockwaves through the AI and tech community and raised fundamental questions about how companies safeguard against bias in their own AI. Should in-house ethics research continue to be led by researchers who best understand the technology, or must ethics and bias be monitored by more objective researchers who aren’t employed by companies? Professor Tsedal Neeley discusses how companies can approach the problem of AI bias in her case, “Timnit Gebru: 'SILENCED No More' on AI Bias and The Harms of Large Language Models.”

Burgers with Bugs? What Happens When Restaurants Ignore Online Reviews

by Kara Baskin

Negative Yelp reviews hold more sway with consumers than restaurateurs might think. A machine learning study by Chiara Farronato reveals how online platforms amplify the customer voice, and why business owners should listen.

Free Isn’t Always Better: How Slack Holds Its Own Against Microsoft Teams

by Lane Lambert

What will it take to win the collaboration app wars: massive scale or a loyal following? A case study by David Yoffie digs into the intense competition between Microsoft Teams and Salesforce's Slack.

Delivering a Personalized Shopping Experience with AI

Re: Jill J. Avery

THE YES, a shopping app for fashion brands, uses a sophisticated algorithm to create and deliver a personalized store for every shopper, based on her style preferences, size, and budget. After launching the app in 2020, the founders had to decide whether to continue developing the algorithm to deliver on the company’s customer value proposition or to focus their resources on new customer acquisition, with the idea that more users on the app would improve the algorithm's performance. Senior Lecturer Jill Avery and The YES co-founder and CEO Julie Bornstein discuss this make-or-break dilemma in the case, The YES: Reimagining the Future of e-Commerce with Artificial Intelligence (AI). This episode was recorded live at Harvard Business School on March 30, 2022 as part of our Case Method 100 celebration.

Company Reviews on Glassdoor: Petty Complaints or Signs of Potential Misconduct?

by Michael Blanding

Online reviews by employees can signal internal factors that raise the risk of scandal. Research by Dennis Campbell, who analyzed reviews of 4,000 companies, offers insights for managers trying to prevent misdeeds long before they happen.

Why Digital Is a State of Mind, Not Just a Skill Set

by Sean Silverthorne

You don't have to be a machine learning expert to manage a successful digital transformation. In fact, you only need 30 percent fluency in a handful of technical topics, say Tsedal Neeley and Paul Leonardi in their book, The Digital Mindset.

Transforming Deloitte’s Approach to Consulting

Re: Michael L. Tushman

Pixel helps facilitate open talent and crowdsourcing for Deloitte Consulting client engagements. But while some of Deloitte’s principals are avid users of Pixel’s services, uptake across the organization has been slow, and in some pockets has met with deep resistance. Balaji Bondili, head of Pixel, must decide how best to grow Deloitte Consulting’s use of on-demand talent, as consulting companies and their clients face transformative change. Professor Mike Tushman discusses Deloitte’s challenges in pursuing this new approach to consulting, and what it takes to be a “corporate explorer” like Bondili in his case, “Deloitte’s Pixel: Consulting with Open Talent.” Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Tech Hubs: How Software Brought Talent and Prosperity to New Cities

by Rachel Layne

Software invention spurred the rapid ascent of six American tech hubs, helping them draw talent from even larger cities. Will the rise of remote work shake the status quo? Research by William Kerr. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

How to Make Venture Capital Accessible for Black Founders: An Entrepreneur’s Dilemma

Re: Jo Tango

In May of 2021, Kevin D. Johnson had just graduated from a rigorous Executive MBA program, and he needed to decide on his next career move. Johnson was the founder and CEO of a successful media company, but his career goals had shifted during business school. He wanted to use his talents to help other BIPOC entrepreneurs access capital and provide opportunities to create intergenerational wealth. Johnson evaluated his four options: work full-time at an online platform dedicated to connecting Black founders with funding, join a BIPOC-focused venture capital ("VC") firm, pursue a job at an established VC firm, or continue scaling his media company. Harvard Business School senior lecturer Jo Tango and Johnson discuss which option he should choose in the case, “Kevin D. Johnson: To Be a Venture Capitalist or an Operator.” Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Digital Transformation: A New Roadmap for Success

by Linda A. Hill, Ann Le Cam, Sunand Menon, and Emily Tedards

Is your company reaping the rewards of digital transformation yet? Linda Hill and colleagues offer seven guiding principles for transformations at any stage—nascent, progressing, or stalled. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Where Can Digital Transformation Take You? Insights from 1,700 Leaders

by Linda A. Hill, Ann Le Cam, Sunand Menon, and Emily Tedards

Digital transformation seems like a journey without end, but many companies are forging ahead. Linda Hill and colleagues reveal six qualities that set digitally mature organizations apart. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Can Entrepreneurs and Governments Team Up to Solve Big Problems?

Re: Mitchell B. Weiss

In 2017, Shield AI’s quadcopter, with no pilot and no flight plan, could clear a building and outpace human warfighters by almost five minutes. It was evidence that autonomous robots could help protect civilian and service member lives. But was it also evidence that Shield AI—a startup barely two years past founding—could ask their newest potential customer, the US government, for a large contract for a system of coordinated, exploring robots? Or would it scare them away? Harvard Business School professor Mitch Weiss and Brandon Tseng, Shield AI’s CGO and co-founder, discuss these and other challenges entrepreneurs face when working with the public sector, and how investing in new ideas can enable entrepreneurs and governments to join forces and solve big problems in the case, “Shield AI.” Open for comment; 0 Comments.

How to Get Companies to Make Investments That Benefit Everyone

by Lane Lambert

Want more organizations to give back to their communities? Frank Nagle says the success of open source software offers an innovative—and unexpected—roadmap for social good. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

TikTok: Super App or Supernova?

Re: Jeffrey F. Rayport

TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, was launched in 2012 around the simple idea of helping users entertain themselves on their smartphones while on the Beijing Subway. By May 2020, TikTok operated in 155 countries and had roughly 1 billion monthly active users, placing it in the top ranks of digital platforms globally. But the app had drawn the attention of competitors, regulators, and politicians, especially in the US, where commercial success was critical to its long-term enterprise value. Would TikTok become the first “Super App” with a global footprint, or did it run the risk of becoming a supernova that shone brightly only for a passing moment? Harvard Business School senior lecturer Jeffrey Rayport discusses these strategic challenges in his case, “TikTok in 2020: Super App or Supernova?” Open for comment; 0 Comments.

5 Principles for Scaling Change from IBM’s High School Innovation

by Kristen Senz

P-TECH has bolstered graduation rates for students of color while creating a new tech hiring pipeline. Rosabeth Moss Kanter and program architect Stanley Litow discuss the social impact lessons for other organizations. Open for comment; 0 Comments.