Raffaella Sadun

In today’s dynamic business landscape, the key to achieving lasting success, according to Raffaella Sadun, renowned organizational economist and professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, rests in the effective integration of leadership, culture and strategy. Together, these elements play a pivotal role in the functioning of public and private organizations, often more so than any other factor. A fascinating researcher whose award-winning work earned her a place on the Thinkers50 Radar list in 2023, Sadun’s unique blend of data-driven analysis, big-picture thinking and strategic reskilling helps organizations understand how to bring leadership, culture and strategy together for transformative changes. The Faculty Chair of the Strategy Unit Executive Education Program at Harvard Business School, Sadun’s work has demonstrated that achieving operational excellence requires a fundamental shift in mentality and a profound commitment from top leadership. She highlights the pivotal role of managers in shaping the culture, performance and outcomes of their teams and organizations. By leveraging data-driven approaches and enabling managers to learn and leverage new skills, Sadun helps businesses harness the power of proven management practices to drive positive cultural change and achieve long-term success.

In the quickly evolving age of AI, businesses face a significant challenge: integrating groundbreaking technology without sidelining their workforce. In a compelling article in Harvard Business Review, international reskilling expert Raffaella Sadun emphasizes that a firm’s response to AI is what ultimately determines its success. A distinguished Harvard Business School professor featured on the 2023 Thinker’s 50 Radar list, Sadun explains that leaders must connect AI to both their overarching corporate vision and individual employee development. This demonstrates to their workforce that the goal is not merely about tech adoption but about crafting a resilient, adaptable team. A dynamic speaker, Sadun provides an actionable roadmap on reskilling and workforce strategy, ensuring AI becomes an asset and not a threat.

Aligning reskilling with strategy has become crucial for organizations to thrive and adapt to changing times. But how can you ensure everyone in your organization is actively on board in the reskilling process? According to Harvard Business School professor and organizational economist Raffaella Sadun, by giving employees a big-picture view of how their reskilling efforts contribute to the organization’s goals, they become more engaged, productive and purposeful. At the Digital Reskilling Lab at HBS, where Sadun is co-leader, she studies the effectiveness of the extensive digital training investments made in the private and public sector. She’s found that by providing a clear business outcome for why employees are learning new skills, organizations can create programs that foster willingness to embrace challenges and adapt to changing circumstances. Her research, which earned her a place on the Thinkers50 Radar in 2023, demonstrates why these practices are essential for organizations adopting new technology, experiencing layoffs or staffing changes, or adapting to other unpredictable situations. Forthright and able to break down her research into easy-to understand and actionable roadmaps, Sadun’s approach supports organizations in reskilling efforts that build a workforce that can successfully navigate rapid changes and achieve their goals.