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Artificial intelligence typically takes root in an organization in isolated experiments or projects, but formal structures are needed to scale the technology across the organization and deliver on its potential. The authors identify three typical structural phases of AI implementation: islands of experimentation, centers of excellence, and federations of expertise. They identify the strengths and limitations of each and describe how companies have managed transitions to new structures that better enable AI initiatives.

Bringing neurodiversity into the larger conversation about workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion is important not only for reasons of fairness: Neurodiverse individuals represent an undervalued talent pool. The authors discuss the challenges neurodivergent employees often face in the workplace and suggest ways that leaders and employees can support their neurodivergent colleagues and help them achieve their potential.

In 2021, a coalition of seven First Nations communities was exploring a potential partnership with Premium Brand Holdings Corporation (Premium Brands). If executed, this partnership would constitute the single largest investment in the seafood industry by any Indigenous group in Canada. Chief Terry Paul, the Chief of Membertou First Nation in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, had ambitious goals. He desired to develop his community to become economically and financially self-sufficient in order to free it from dependence on government funding. In 2020, John Risley, co-founder of Clearwater Seafoods Incorporated (Clearwater), shared his plans to retire with Paul and asked him to consider purchasing the company, as he believed Paul and his community would be good stewards of Clearwater. Seeing the opportunity, Paul formed partnerships with six other First Nations communities in Atlantic Canada, but they needed to secure additional funding, and sought a corporate partner to assist. While Paul searched for a partner who would be willing to eventually allow the coalition to purchase 100 per cent of Clearwater, the best offer he received was for a 50/50 ownership split with Premium Brands. Although Premium Brands was not willing to accept Paul's ownership criteria, this deal would have a significant impact for the First Nation communities. Should Paul set aside his criteria and accept the counteroffer? How could he secure this deal while maximizing the benefit for all stakeholders?

Syngenta AG (Syngenta), the Monsanto Company (Monsanto), Bayer Crop Science (Bayer), BASF SE (BASF), Dow AgroSciences (Dow), and DuPont de Neumours, Inc. (DuPont) were the only multinational firms engaged in the discovery of new agrochemical and seed technologies. Despite their fierce rivalry, the six competitors had forged strong collaborative relationships to manage the rising challenges in developing and launching agricultural innovation. A wave of unprecedented mega mergers transformed the industry into even fewer and larger firms. Syngenta, Bayer, BASF, and Corteva became the four new leaders in agriculture. As rivalry increased and innovation became even more challenged, the four competitors were pushed to reassess how they could innovate and collaborate together. Their key challenge was to determine how they could work together to develop the next wave of innovation in agriculture without compromising their individual strengths and competitive advantages.

This case about Economic Value to the Customer (EVC) enables students to deeply analyze the positive and negative differentiation value of a product or service, and how distinct demographic segments can have disparate EVC. Additionally, it makes students aware that consumers can feel differently about various types of (equivalent) payment, e.g., $1 spent on service fees, tips, or on monthly fees for a food delivery service. Finally, the case encourages students to think about how to communicate the various aspects of value that a product/service provides.

The case describes Harvard University's consideration to decarbonize its supply chain by replacing cement with a low-carbon substitute called Pozzotive®. Developed and produced by Urban Mining Industries, Pozzotive® is a ground-glass material made with post-consumer recycled glass. A successful pilot project using Pozzotive® could jump start Harvard's initiative to reduce embodied carbon emissions, but Harvard needs credible information about the magnitude and validity of potential carbon reductions. This case illustrates the flow of emissions along a simple supply chain, from Pozzotive® to concrete production to Harvard University's construction project. Students explore the different methods of measuring carbon emissions, including the greenhouse gas protocol and the E-liability approach proposed by Professors Robert Kaplan and Karthik Ramanna. The case further features the opportunity to leverage blockchain technology to facilitate the flow of comparable and reliable emissions information.

This case describes the journey of a new CEO bringing an innovative vision and strategy to a for-profit hospital under new ownership. It shows the application of a value-based health outcome approach in this setting, focused on the strategic approach, marketing and branding customer-centricity, and leadership challenges. The case describes key drivers: insurance reimbursement and cost pressures, shareholder ROI, consultant physician and surgeon demands, and patient needs and expectations.

This case explores the founding story of German enterprise software company Celonis and its early attempts to globally scale and expand into the complex U.S. enterprise software market. After achieving success co-selling with a single ERP partner with dominant market share in Europe, Celonis' founders and sales teams must learn to test and adopt different go-to-market motions and forms of incentive alignment in the larger and more strategically complex North American software market.

Even as companies devote increasing shares of their marketing budgets to paying social media influencers to tout their products, researchers know little about the tactic's effectiveness or its overall impact on influencers, their followers, and their partner brands. So, a team of researchers decided to investigate. HBS assistant professor Shunyuan Zhang and doctoral student Magie Cheng analyzed more than 85,000 influencer videos posted on YouTube from August 2019 to August 2020. Comparing similar posts with and without paid promotions, they found that putting out a sponsored video caused significant numbers of followers to doubt the influencers' authenticity and drop off. The study's findings suggest several ways for influencers and brands, along with the platforms hosting their content, to minimize the damage.

A new body of research shows that shoppers who lean to the right politically are more likely to buy goods with obvious flaws than shoppers who lean to the left. But it could be that the conservatives believe hidden positives will compensate for the items' drawbacks.

Allegis Services (India) Pvt. Ltd., the Indian arm of the Allegis Group, a leading talent staffing and recruitment services firm, had become the best-practice advisor on enabling disability inclusion. With a large internal workforce that provided contract staffing and permanent hiring, they provided a template for various organizations that wanted to bring talent with disability into their workforce. Slowly and steadily, there was an increase in the number of people with disability inducted into formal white-collar jobs within Allegis and the clients it serviced. However, some challenges persisted. Given the accommodation requirements for hiring persons with disability, Allegis' clients questioned the business benefits of being disability-inclusive. A few organizations struggled to enable their hires, resulting in a few people with disability opting out of jobs in large and well-reputed organizations. The case broadens the scope of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity (DEI) agenda within organizations by focusing on the dimension of enabling disability inclusion. The case helps debate the need for disability inclusion, the enabling systems and mindsets to be truly disability-inclusive, and its intangible benefits for organizations.

Crop residue burning (CRB) is a major factor contributing to the pollution in the northern part of India and the national capital region (NCR). In November 2021, the NCR consistently recorded an air quality index (AQI) of more than 450, which is hazardous to human health. As a result of these bad weather conditions, Delhi residents have experienced multiple health issues such as red eyes, headaches, cough, itchy skin, and itchy throats. Farmers burning crop residues during the winter months in the states surrounding Delhi contributed to these environmental conditions. Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) has been working with farmers in Punjab and Haryana to encourage them to adopt eco-friendly straw management practices as part of CII's Crop Residue Management (CRM) initiative. The CRM's main objective was to eliminate the practice of burning crop residues in the open. Chandrakant Pradhan, manager for CRM, wondered how to demonstrate CRM's results in the upcoming funding agency meeting. As part of his presentation, he wanted to raise stakeholders' awareness of the alternative methods based on ground realities and the tools that farmers have been using primarily in different districts and villages of Punjab and Haryana. As he weaved through the traffic, several thoughts began to race through his mind. How should the data collected diligently by his team through farmer surveys be presented to potential funders? How best to examine and analyze the data? What valuable insights can the data provide that can help raise more funds and support from various stakeholders? Is there enough evidence to show whether this initiative will reduce pollution over time and hence needs to be scaled up?

Spreadsheet supplement for case IMB959.

The case is intended to help the student learn about an important source of startup funding in India, namely, angels. It also provides an opportunity to learn about how organisations emerge - in this instance angel networks - to solve economic problems that economic agents in a market face. The note also provides an overview of how angel networks manage their investment activity. Finally, it also brings out the strategic challenges faced by players in a rapidly evolving ecosystem.

This case is about the digital transformation at Apollo Hospitals (Chennai Main) facility. The case enumerates the various digitalization initiatives with the view to highlight how a successful digitalization project will result in all three possible outcomes - cost reduction/ efficiency improvement, product/ brand differentiation leading to high willingness to pay for the products and services, and improvement in patient/ consultant experience. Most digitalization initiatives would be focused on only one of these, but this case is an instance where there has been an equal focus on all these three outcomes.

The case provides an opportunity to analyze sourcing decisions in a firm. Specifically, the case illustrates the development of a supplier scorecard system in an organization involved in new product development, where the technology of component design may change over time. The case also attempts to link the design of the scorecard mechanism to that of the incentives (or reward mechanisms) for various players.

Spreadsheet supplement for case IMB967.

It was July 2022, and Isaac Morgado, one of the founders of MVMT Strength Inc., wanted to create a comprehensive marketing plan for the fall season. The gym had recently moved to a new location and Morgado wanted to continue growth through promotional campaigns.