
Factoring high-skills freelancers into the enterprise equation
- 24 FEB 2021 | MANAGING THE FUTURE OF WORK
Digital platforms for highly skilled freelancers are set to broker more strategic
engagements for businesses needing extra capacity and flexibility. HBS and Managing
the Future of Work’s Joe Fuller and Boston Consulting Group’s Allison Bailey, co-authors
of the report Building the On-Demand Workforce, join Bill Kerr. How can employers
adapt their approach to talent and align management incentives to benefit from this
trend? What are the implications for workers and what choices are policymakers weighing?
Digital platforms for highly skilled freelancers are set to broker more strategic
engagements for businesses needing extra capacity and flexibility. HBS and Managing
the Future of Work’s Joe Fuller and Boston Consulting Group’s Allison Bailey, co-authors
of the report Building the On-Demand Workforce, join Bill Kerr. How can employers
adapt their approach to talent and align management incentives to benefit from this
trend? What are the implications for workers and what choices are policymakers weighing?

How Businesses Can Find “Hidden Workers”
By: Joseph Fuller, Manjari Raman, Eva Sage-Gavin, and Ladan Davarzani
- 24 Dec 2020
- |
- Harvard Business Review
Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, low- and middle-skill workers struggled to find and retain steady work. Now, many of these workers are considered “essential,” while many others are unemployed and struggling to find work. As the pandemic eases throughout 2021, companies will be looking to hire, and these workers are ready and willing. But there are several, persistent barriers in the way, including caregiving responsibilities and a lack of official credentials. So, in order to capitalize on their strengths and talents, leaders need to understand what’s preventing them from hiring “hidden workers” in the first place and how to better reach them.

The Gift of Global Talent: How Migration Shapes Business, Economy & Society
By: William R. Kerr
- 27 May 2020
The global race for talent is on, with countries and businesses competing for the best and brightest. William R. Kerr combines insights and lessons from business, government, and individual decision making to explore the data and ideas that should drive the next wave of immigration policy and business practice.
Research Topics
Vodafone: Managing Advanced Technologies and Artificial Intelligence
By: William R. Kerr & Emer Moloney
- 19 FEB 2018
Vodafone was operating in the fast-moving telecommunications market where innovation and scale were key. Faced with an onslaught of technological advances-big data, automation and artificial intelligence-CEO Vittorio Colao reflected on how he should change the organization to incorporate these advancements to improve the way the functions work, how to incorporate machine learning and artificial intelligence that de facto improve productivity and slash costs and what can he could do to give back to society and make sure that new opportunities were created for the new generation.
Transformation at ING (A): Agile
By: William R. Kerr, Federica Gabrieli, & Emer Moloney
- 15 JAN 2018
In December 2017, Vincent van den Boogert, CEO of ING in the Netherlands, was reflecting upon the company's "agile" transformation, a reorganization of work which had been critical to respond to and exceed rapidly changing customer expectations. Launched in 2015 at the head office, agile had spread to the rest of the Dutch organization, from client services to the branch network, and permeated the overall company culture. It was now time to rollout the transformation to other units of the ING Group, but some questions remained: could agile be as successful in other countries as it had been in the Netherlands? How fast should ING roll out the transformation? How could they build on the experience acquired so far to improve their methodology?
Hot Chicken Takeover
By: William R. Kerr, Manjari Raman, & Olivia Hull
- 27 FEB 2019
By December 2018, entrepreneur Joe DeLoss's fried chicken company, Hot Chicken Takeover, has opened three restaurants in Columbus, Ohio using an unconventional employment model that helps people with criminal records get back on their feet. DeLoss is proud of the supportive employment environment he has cultivated, but wonders how to scale it beyond Columbus.
The Golden Triangle: Back in Business (A)
By: Joseph B. Fuller, William R. Kerr, Manjari Raman, & Donald Maruyama
- 08 FEB 2018
The Golden Triangle Region (GTR) is a three-county area in rural Mississippi that suffered a steep decline as manufacturing companies faced pressures from automation and overseas competition. Between the mid 1980s and late 1990s, several textile, toy, and tubing factories that accounted for a substantial share of local employment closed and forced GTR residents to make a difficult choice - leave their homes and communities behind for better employment opportunities elsewhere or stay and face a lower quality of life. GTR LINK, the local economic development agency, brought in a new leader in Joe Max Higgins, Jr in order to stem the flight of businesses from the region and offer locals the hope that they could stay and still enjoy a better tomorrow.
Digital Transformation at ING Netherlands
By: William R. Kerr
By: William R. Kerr
- 21 OCT 2019
Vincent van den Boogert, CEO of ING Netherlands, discusses ING’s digital transformation
efforts
Vincent van den Boogert, CEO of ING Netherlands, discusses ING’s digital transformation
efforts

How COVID experiences will reshape the workplace
Re: Joseph Fuller & Ashley Whillans
- 09 Feb 2021
- |
- Harvard Gazette

For a more equitable recovery, corporations must stop using a college degree as a proxy for ability
Re: Joseph Fuller & Manjari Raman
- 09 Feb 2021
- |
- Fast Company