Alec R. Levenson Archives - USC Center for Effective Organizations

USC CEO Webinar: Driving Organizational Change with Data – in the Age of AI

Sep 3, 2025 | AI (Artificial Intelligence), HRBP, Strategic HR

Over the past quarter century, workforce/people analytics has become central to the work of HR. Yet good analytical work often fails to gain traction. And even though AI is poised to transform how analytics is conducted, it cannot solve the challenge of integrating data-based insights with effective organizational change. Integrating analytical practices with organization development and change practices can help each of these HR specialties be stronger, driving better overall outcomes for the organization, and make the best use of what AI has to offer.

Using Analytics and AI to Drive Org Change

Sep 2, 2025 | AI (Artificial Intelligence), Organizational Change

As some astute commentators have noted, many features of what we today call “artificial intelligence” have been around in a number of forms for many years. Prior to the launch of ChatGPT and the global explosion of people using generative AI models, we had machine learning and other forms of highly sophisticated computer-based modelling that provided many of the features of genAI behind the scenes, invisible to us end users. So in one sense, the current genAI models are like a coming out – or coming of age – party for a technology that now is clear to everyone.

AI’s Impact on Analytics, OD and Strategic HR

Sep 2, 2025 | AI (Artificial Intelligence), Organization Design, Strategic HR, Transformation

AI is going – and has already started – to transform how work is done within organizations. Anywhere people are asked to weigh in on decisions has the potential to be disrupted by AI. And in these early days, it’s really hard to say for certain what the limitations of AI will be in most cases.

Podcast: Workforce Analytics: A Global Perspective

Jun 14, 2025 | Employee Engagement, HR Analytics, People Analytics, Strategic HR

Dr. Mark Huselid and Dr. Alec Levenson join the Directionally Correct podcast to discuss their book Workforce Analytics: A Global Perspective, diving into the value of measuring employee variance, the impact of High Performance Work Systems on firm performance, the importance of systems thinking in people analytics-all in one engaging episode.

Tariffs, inflation and compensation

May 6, 2025 | HR Analytics, Strategic HR

The global economy is suffering through a particularly difficult time right now. The recent onslaught of sharply-changing tariffs, and uncertainty about the future of international trade and supply chains, has leaders turning to time-honored strategies for keeping costs down. And since labor costs often are the largest on a company’s balance sheet, cutting headcount, salaries and hourly compensation usually are at the top of the list. But should they be?

Strategic Leadership is at a Crossroads

Feb 14, 2025 | AI (Artificial Intelligence), Digital Transformation, Innovation, Leadership

Today’s generation of senior executives developed their expertise, and advanced in their careers, in a world that looks very different from where we stand today. This article addresses how things have changed, where they stand today, and what leaders now need to do to enable successful strategy execution in 2025 and beyond.

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Diagnosing and adjusting transformations to ensure success

Sep 11, 2024 | Organization Capability, Organization Design, Organizational Change, Organizational Effectiveness, Transformation

This article is the third in a three-part series on applying systems diagnostics to understand the sources of organizational underperformance (Using systems diagnostics to drive process improvement and change), why transformations often fail to deliver (Designing transformations to avoid failure), and how to keep transformations from going off course (this one). It is based in part on my Strategic Analytics book. The issues addressed in the series will be covered in depth in the upcoming workshop Driving Organizational Change with Data.

Designing transformations to avoid failure

Sep 11, 2024 | Organization Design, Organizational Change, Organizational Effectiveness, Transformation

This article is the second in a three-part series on applying systems diagnostics to understand the sources of organizational underperformance (Using systems diagnostics to drive process improvement and change), why transformations often fail to deliver (this one), and how to keep transformations from going off course (Diagnosing and adjusting transformations to ensure success)). It is based in part on my Strategic Analytics book. The issues addressed in the series will be covered in depth in the upcoming virtual workshop Driving Organizational Change with Data.

Using systems diagnostics to drive process improvement and change

Aug 30, 2024 | HR Analytics, Operating Model, Organization Capability, Organization Design, Organizational Effectiveness, People Analytics, Strategic HR, Strategy Execution, Transformation

This article is the first in a two-part series on applying systems diagnostics to understand the sources of organizational underperformance (this article) and why transformations often fail to deliver (next article). It is based in part on Alec Levenson’s Strategic Analytics book. The issues addressed in the series will be covered in depth in the upcoming virtual workshop Driving Organizational Change with Data.

Millennials change jobs more than any other generation, study says

Aug 12, 2024 | Agility, Leadership

Alec Levenson, Senior Research Scientist at the Center for Effective Organizations, was featured on Spectrum News 1 suggesting that short-term millennial high performers can significantly contribute to an organization, even if their eventual replacements are less...

Webinar: Driving Change with Data and Diagnostics

Jun 25, 2024 | Change Management, Digital Transformation, HR Analytics, People Analytics, Transformation

Join us to learn how data and diagnostics can be leveraged to facilitate strategic change across all layers of your organization, ensuring a cohesive and scalable transformation.

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Building capabilities and changing the organization

Jun 20, 2024 | HR Analytics, Leadership, Organization Capability, Organization Design, Organizational Effectiveness, People Analytics, Transformation

Executing a (new) strategy means two things. You have to build new capability required for the strategy. And the organization has to change from the old capability to the new. Capability building and change. Simple enough, and easy to say. So why do most strategy executions fail?

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Available Content

USC CEO Webinar: Driving Organizational Change with Data – in the Age of AI

Using Analytics and AI to Drive Org Change

AI’s Impact on Analytics, OD and Strategic HR

Podcast: Workforce Analytics: A Global Perspective

Tariffs, inflation and compensation

Strategic Leadership is at a Crossroads

Please Sign In

Register For Complimentary Premium Access

Diagnosing and adjusting transformations to ensure success

Designing transformations to avoid failure

Using systems diagnostics to drive process improvement and change

Millennials change jobs more than any other generation, study says

Webinar: Driving Change with Data and Diagnostics

Please Sign In

Register For Complimentary Premium Access

Building capabilities and changing the organization

Center for Effective Organizations – CEO