Topics Operations

Featured Operations Articles

Will Restricted U.S. Immigration Drive Business Operations Abroad?

The MIT SMR Strategy Forum examines whether restrictions on skilled immigration in the United States will cause business to shift operations overseas.

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How Innovative Partnerships Are Changing Health Care Delivery

Regina E. Herzlinger, interviewed by Steven C. DeMaio

Unlikely collaborators are teaming up to provide higher-quality, lower-cost services.

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How Should Companies Talk to Customers Online?

Brent McFerran et al.

Digital customer service platforms offer better service when they use customer-centric language.

Creating a Pro-Innovation Environment

young man watering a big light bulb on dark background

Building the Right Ecosystem for Innovation

May 15, 2018 | Nathan Furr and Andrew Shipilov

As digital disruption expands, many legacy businesses seek partnerships with tech companies to maintain competitiveness in the digital sphere. But instead of a centralized “hub” partnership, some companies find greater success through an adaptive ecosystem model, where partners develop significant projects or innovations together. This type of strategy requires imagination and flexibility.

Tools for Quality Service

Can Your Supply Chain Hear Me Now?

Frontiers |

Brian Subirana et al.

Conversational commerce has the potential to transform the business supply chain.

Rethink AI Objectives

Sam Ransbotham

Using AI to create humanlike computers is a shortsighted goal.

Customer Relationships Evolve — So Must Your CRM Strategy

Jonathan Z. Zhang et al.

Customers relationships evolve. Understanding how is the key to tailoring your CRM strategy.

Managing Project Teams

Get Things Done With Smaller Teams

Frontiers |

Chris DeBrusk

By creating smaller, more agile teams, managers can facilitate collaboration and efficiency.

When Communication Should Be Formal

Antti Tenhiälä and Fabrizio Salvador

Formal communication protocols may seem outdated, but they offer crucial performance advantages.

Breaking Logjams in Knowledge Work

Sheila Dodge et al.

How organizations can improve task flow and prevent overload.

Five Ways to Improve Communication in Virtual Teams

Frontiers |

N. Sharon Hill and Kathryn M. Bartol

New research reveals five communication strategies that boost performance in virtual teams.

Video Series: Following the Digital Thread

Our eight-part video series explores how integrated digital technologies can transform business.

PROLOGUE: The Path Toward the Digital Enterprise

EPISODE 1: Revolutionizing Supply Chains

EPISODE 2: Creating a Smart Part and Managing Its Life Cycle

EPISODE 3: Augmenting Part Design With Topology Optimization

EPISODE 4: A Digital Safety Net

EPISODE 5: Fabricating Within the Digital Thread

EPISODE 6: Testing and Validation

EPISODE 7: How the Digital Thread Weaves Its Way Through the Business

EPISODE 8: The Digital Thread Takes Flight

EPILOGUE: Beyond Manufacturing

“[Most] companies are ... using words that, while designed to engage customers, can sometimes alienate them..” — Brent McFerran, et al.

How Should Companies Talk to Customers Online?

What's Hot

Regina E. Herzlinger, interviewed by Steven C. DeMaio

Brent McFerran et al.

May 15, 2018 | Nathan Furr and Andrew Shipilov

Brian Subirana et al.

Sam Ransbotham

Jonathan Z. Zhang et al.

Jason Acimovic et al.

Laurent Chevreux et al.

Chris DeBrusk

Antti Tenhiälä and Fabrizio Salvador

Sheila Dodge et al.

N. Sharon Hill and Kathryn M. Bartol

October 26, 2018 | Brent McFerran, Sarah G. Moore, and Grant Packard

July 19, 2018 | Laurent Chevreux, Michael Hu, and Suketu Gandhi

September 07, 2018 | Chris DeBrusk

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