Joe Sagrilla

For decades, large organizations have been trapped in a destructive antipattern: swelling staff during economic upswings only to resort to mass layoffs—sometimes in the thousands—when downturns hit. This boom-and-bust cycle is not merely a symptom of economic volatility but a consequence of outdated organizational design. Static roles, rigid hierarchies, and a lack of visibility into workforce capacity create inefficiencies that harm companies, shareholders, and employees alike.

The AI frenzy is creating pressure to label every new tech project 'AI.' To extract real business value, leaders must establish clear definitions and focus on disciplined execution. Joe Sagrilla, Faculty, McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin Artificial intelligence has become the centerpiece of nearly every business strategy, policy discussion and product roadmap.