AI is ready for business. Are you ready for AI? From financial modeling and product design to performance management and hiring decisions, AI and machine learning are becoming everyday tools for managers at businesses of all sizes. But AI systems come with benefits and downsides—and if you can't make sense of them, you're not going to make the right decisions. Whether you need to get up to speed quickly or need a refresher, or you're working with an AI expert for the first time, the HBR Guide to AI Basics for Managers will give you the information and skills you need to succeed. You'll learn how to: Understand key AI terms and concepts Recognize which of your projects would benefit from AI Work more effectively with your data team Hire the right AI vendors and consultants Deal with ethical risks before they arise Scale AI across your organization Arm yourself with the advice you need to succeed on the job, with the most trusted brand in business. Packed with how-to essentials from leading experts, the HBR Guides provide smart answers to your most pressing work challenges.
Don't let a fear of numbers hold you back. Today's business environment brings with it an onslaught of data. Now more than ever, managers must know how to tease insight from data--to understand where the numbers come from, make sense of them, and use them to inform tough decisions. How do you get started? Whether you're working with data experts or running your own tests, you'll find answers in the HBR Guide to Data Analytics Basics for Managers. This book describes three key steps in the data analysis process, so you can get the information you need, study the data, and communicate your findings to others. You'll learn how to: Identify the metrics you need to measure Run experiments and A/B tests Ask the right questions of your data experts Understand statistical terms and concepts Create effective charts and visualizations Avoid common mistakes
DON’T LET YOUR FEAR OF FINANCE GET IN THE WAY OF YOUR SUCCESS Can you prepare a breakeven analysis? Do you know the difference between an income statement and a balance sheet? Or understand why a business that’s profitable can still go belly-up? Has your grasp of your company’s numbers helped—or hurt—your career? Whether you’re new to finance or you just need a refresher, this go-to guide will give you the tools and confidence you need to master the fundamentals, as all good managers must. The HBR Guide to Finance Basics for Managers will help you: Learn the language of finance Compare your firm’s financials with rivals’ Shift your team’s focus from revenues to profits Assess your vulnerability to industry downturns Use financial data to defend budget requests Invest smartly through cost/benefit analysis
Understand how to adopt and implement AI in your organizationKey Featuresa- 7 Principles of an AI Journeya- The TUSCANE Approach to Become Data Readya- The FAB-4 Model to Choose the Right AI Solutiona- Major AI Techniques & their Applications:- CART & Ensemble Learning- Clustering, Association Rules & Search- Reinforcement Learning- Natural Language Processing- Image RecognitionDescriptionMost AI initiatives in organizations fail today not because of a lack of good AI solutions, but because of a lack of understanding of AI among its end users, decision makers and investors. Today, organizations need managers who can leverage AI to solve business problems and provide a competitive advantage. This book is designed to enable you to fill that need, and create an edge for your career.The chapters offer unique managerial frameworks to guide an organization's AI journey. The first section looks at what AI is; and how you can prepare for it, decide when to use it, and avoid pitfalls on the way. The second section dives into the different AI techniques and shows you where to apply them in business. The final section then prepares you from a strategic AI leadership perspective to lead the future of organizations.By the end of the book, you will be ready to offer any organization the capability to use AI successfully and responsibly - a need that is fast becoming a necessity.What will you learna- Understand the major AI techniques & how they are used in business.a- Determine which AI technique(s) can solve your business problem.a- Decide whether to build or buy an AI solution.a- Estimate the financial value of an AI solution or company.a- Frame a robust policy to guide the responsible use of AI.Who this book is forThis book is for Executives, Managers and Students on both Business and Technical teams who would like to use Artificial Intelligence effectively to solve business problems or get an edge in their careers.Table of Contents1.Preface2.Acknowledgement3.About the Author4.Section 1: Beginning an AI Journeya. AI Fundamentalsb. 7 Principles of an AI Journeyc. Getting Ready to Use AI5.Section 2: Choosing the Right AI Techniquesa. Inside the AI Laboratoryb. How AI Predicts Values & Categoriesc. How AI Understands and Predicts Behaviors & Scenariosd. How AI Communicates & Learns from Mistakese. How AI Starts to Think Like Humans6.Section 3: Using AI Successfully & Responsiblya. AI Adoption & Valuationb. AI Strategy, Policy & Risk Management7.EpilogueAbout the AuthorsMalay A. Upadhyay is a Customer Journey executive, certified in Machine Learning. Over the course of his role heading the function at a N. American AI SaaS firm in Toronto, Malay trained 150+ N. American managers on the basics of AI and its successful adoption, held executive thought leadership sessions for CEOs and CHROs on AI strategy & IT modernization roadmaps, and worked as the primary liaison to realize AI value on unique customer datasets. It was here that he learnt the growing need for greater knowledge and awareness of how to use AI both responsibly and successfully.Malay was also one of 25 individuals chosen globally to envision the industrial future for the Marzotto Group, Italy, on its 175th anniversary. He holds an MBA, M.Sc. and B.E., with experiences across India, UAE, Italy and Canada.A Duke of Edinburgh awardee, Malay has been driving the subject of responsible AI management as an advisor, author, online instructor and member of the European AI Alliance that informed the HLEG on the European Commission's AI policy.
Companies that don't use AI to their advantage will soon be left behind. Artificial intelligence and machine learning will drive a massive reshaping of the economy and society. What should you and your company be doing right now to ensure that your business is poised for success? These articles by AI experts and consultants will help you understand today's essential thinking on what AI is capable of now, how to adopt it in your organization, and how the technology is likely to evolve in the near future. Artificial Intelligence: The Insights You Need from Harvard Business Review will help you spearhead important conversations, get going on the right AI initiatives for your company, and capitalize on the opportunity of the machine intelligence revolution. Catch up on current topics and deepen your understanding of them with the Insights You Need series from Harvard Business Review. Featuring some of HBR's best and most recent thinking, Insights You Need titles are both a primer on today's most pressing issues and an extension of the conversation, with interesting research, interviews, case studies, and practical ideas to help you explore how a particular issue will impact your company and what it will mean for you and your business.
Anyone can think more creatively and unlock innovation. Creativity is the key to innovation, but too many projects and teams are organized in ways that stifle new ideas. You need to ensure that creativity can thrive—and that you are part of the process. Fortunately, anyone can use method-driven approaches to teach and learn creativity. The HBR Guide to Unlocking Creativity will show you how to reach your creative potential, manage creative collaboration, and achieve groundbreaking results. This guide will help you: Understand the neuroscience of creativity Run better brainstorming sessions—in person or virtually Use design thinking to generate new solutions Model a mindset of curiosity and experimentation Balance creativity with productivity Bring breakthrough ideas to life Arm yourself with the advice you need to succeed on the job, with the most trusted brand in business. Packed with how-to essentials from leading experts, the HBR Guides provide smart answers to your most pressing work challenges.
Drive transformation. Change is now constant. As a leader, you must serve as interpreter, project manager, cheerleader, and conduit. Plans evolve. Contexts shift. Progress happens in fits and starts. Through it all, you must push your team forward even when you encounter pushback. How can you ensure that your team has the information, the mindset, and the resources they need to be successful? The HBR Guide to Leading Through Change provides the practical tips, research, stories, and advice you need to understand, communicate, and implement change effectively, no matter the size or scale of the challenge you’re facing. You'll learn to: Improve your odds of success Communicate a shared vision Keep going, even amid lags and setbacks Deal with naysayers and roadblocks Build trust and resilience on your team Make a lasting impact Arm yourself with the advice you need to succeed on the job, with the most trusted brand in business. Packed with how-to essentials from leading experts, the HBR Guides provide smart answers to your most pressing work challenges.
Set yourself up for a successful transition. Retirement is perhaps the greatest and most deeply personal career transition you'll ever make. Will you switch gears, slow down, or stop work entirely? Will you have the money, the good health, and the companionship you need to enjoy it? The HBR Guide to Designing Your Retirement provides the practical tips, research, stories, and advice you need to take stock of your skills and interests and define retirement for yourself. You'll learn how to: Assess your readiness to make the transition Craft a plan to slow your pace—or stop working altogether Experiment with possible future selves Find new ways to apply old skills Communicate your plan to key partners Bridge your old identity to your new one Stay connected Arm yourself with the advice you need to succeed on the job, with the most trusted brand in business. Packed with how-to essentials from leading experts, the HBR Guides provide smart answers to your most pressing work challenges.
Is your workplace toxic? Toxic workplaces take many forms. Whether you're dealing with a narcissistic boss, a backstabbing colleague, endless microaggressions, or a culture of overwork and burnout, it can feel impossible to know what to do. Should you address the issue directly, play office politics, go to HR, or just keep your head down? The HBR Guide to Navigating the Toxic Workplace will help you set boundaries and change what you can while maintaining your mental health and self-respect through some of the toughest interpersonal challenges you'll face at work. You'll learn how to: Recognize what's fixable Help bring problems to light Keep your performance up Protect your reputation and your career Prevent a toxic culture from infecting your team Rebuild trust and psychological safety Move on if you choose, without burning bridges Arm yourself with the advice you need to succeed on the job, with the most trusted brand in business. Packed with how-to essentials from leading experts, the HBR Guides provide smart answers to your most pressing work challenges.
Think big, buy small. Are you looking for an alternative to a career path at a big firm? Does founding your own start-up seem too risky? There is a radical third path open to you: You can buy a small business and run it as CEO. Purchasing a small company offers significant financial rewards—as well as personal and professional fulfillment. Leading a firm means you can be your own boss, put your executive skills to work, fashion a company environment that meets your own needs, and profit directly from your success. But finding the right business to buy and closing the deal isn't always easy. In the HBR Guide to Buying a Small Business, Harvard Business School professors Richard Ruback and Royce Yudkoff help you: Determine if this path is right for you Raise capital for your acquisition Find and evaluate the right prospects Avoid the pitfalls that could derail your search Understand why a "dull" business might be the best investment Negotiate a potential deal with the seller Avoid deals that fall through at the last minute
