Skip to content
Product cover

Automation, Labor, and the Future Workplace

August 15, 2019 | MIT Sloan Management Review | Data, AI, & Machine Learning

The continual worry of “robots coming for your job” has sharpened in the era of AI and robotics. Will automation replace human workers — or will it support them, helping to expand their capabilities and productivity? This collection of articles from MIT Sloan Management Review explores how automation and smart machines are changing the way companies work.

Articles included with this collection:

A New Approach to Automating Services
By Mary C. Lacity and Leslie P. Willcocks

The Shifts — Great and Small — in Workplace Automation
By David H. Autor

Four Ways Jobs Will Respond to Automation
By Scott Latham and Beth Humberd

Five Robotic Process Automation Risks to Avoid
By Chris DeBrusk

People and Machines: Partners in Innovation
By Senén Barro and Thomas H. Davenport

Using AI to Enhance Business Operations
By Monideepa Tarafdar, Cynthia M. Beath, and Jeanne W. Ross

Digital Collection $24.95

Educator and Student Discounts Available. Learn more »

  BENCHMARKS  
Loading Time: Base Classes  0.0035
My Controller Construct  0.0008
Build Nav  0.0006
Controller Execution Time ( Products / Route )  0.0800
Total Execution Time  0.0836
  GET DATA  
No GET data exists
  MEMORY USAGE  
1.5623 MB
  POST DATA  
No POST data exists
  URI STRING  
store/automation-labor-and-the-future-workplace
  CLASS/METHOD  
products/route
  DATABASE:  MITSLOAN_DEV   QUERIES: 71  (Hide)
0.0014  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0005  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0013  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0006  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0027  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0019  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0009  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0003  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`carts`)
WHERE `cart_id` =  '2712ae97e78ecd2ccef8f61c1f85099f'
ORDER BY `created_at` DESC 
0.0003  

SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS cat_id
FROM (`product_categories`)
WHERE `status_id` =  'A'
AND `url_friendly` =  'automation-labor-and-the-future-workplace'
AND `parent_id` =  1 
0.0140  

SELECT c.parent_id, c.format_id
                    FROM products AS p, products AS c
                    WHERE p.prod_id = c.parent_id AND
                        c.avail_id IN ('A','B','D') AND
                        c.type_id = 'V' AND
                        (
                            c.sku = 'automation-labor-and-the-future-workplace' OR
                            if(c.format_id = 'Certificate', '', p.url_friendly) = 'automation-labor-and-the-future-workplace'
                        )
                    LIMIT 1 
0.0002  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  4085 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '4085' 
0.0003  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '4085'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0001  

SELECT `cat_id`
FROM (`product_categories__products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '4085' 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`product_flags__products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '4085' 
0.0002  

SELECT `sku`
FROM (`products__xsell`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '4085'
ORDER BY IF(position = 0, 1, 0) ASC , `position` 
0.0236  

SELECT `products`.`parent_id`
FROM (`transaction_lines`)
JOIN `products` ON `products`.`sku` = `transaction_lines`.`sku`
JOIN `product_categories__products` ON `products`.`parent_id` = `product_categories__products`.`prod_id`
WHERE `products`.`avail_id` =  'A'
AND TO_DAYS(transaction_lines.updated_at) < (TO_DAYS(NOW()) - 90)
AND `product_categories__products`.`cat_id` IN ('276') 
GROUP BY `products`.`parent_id`
ORDER BY COUNT(*) DESC
LIMIT 6 
0.0002  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '701' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '701' 
0.0003  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '701'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0001  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '3943' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '3943' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '3943'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0001  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '3049' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '3049' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '3049'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0001  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '3433' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '3433' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '3433'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0001  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '3497' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '3497' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '3497'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0001  

SELECT `parent_id`
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `prod_id` =  '4191' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `products`.`prod_id` =  '4191' 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`authors`)
JOIN `products__authors` ON `authors`.`author_id` = `products__authors`.`author_id`
WHERE `products__authors`.`prod_id` =  '4191'
ORDER BY `sort` ASC 
0.0003  

SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS media_id, position
FROM (`media`)
WHERE `foreign_key_table` =  'products'
AND `foreign_key_column` =  'prod_id'
AND `foreign_key_value` =  '4085'
AND `kind` =  'image_600x600'
ORDER BY IF(position = 0, 1, 0) ASC , `position` 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`media`)
WHERE `media`.`media_id` =  '1911' 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`mime_types`)
WHERE `mime_types`.`extension` =  'jpg' 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`media_metadata`)
WHERE `media_id` =  '1911' 
0.0003  

SELECT *
FROM (`media`)
WHERE `media`.`media_id` =  '1912' 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`mime_types`)
WHERE `mime_types`.`extension` =  'jpg' 
0.0001  

SELECT *
FROM (`media_metadata`)
WHERE `media_id` =  '1912' 
0.0002  

SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS media_id, position
FROM (`media`)
WHERE `foreign_key_table` =  'products'
AND `foreign_key_column` =  'prod_id'
AND `foreign_key_value` =  '4085'
AND `kind` =  'gallery_image'
ORDER BY IF(position = 0, 1, 0) ASC , `position` 
0.0003  

SELECT *
FROM (`products`)
WHERE `avail_id` IN ('A', 'B', 'C', 'H') 
AND `parent_id` =  '4085'
AND `type_id` =  'V'
ORDER BY IF(position = 0, 1, 0) ASC , `position`, `title` 
0.0001  

SELECT `c`.`format_id`, `c`.`price`, `c`.`sale_price`
FROM (`products` AS c)
WHERE `c`.`prod_id` =  '4086'
LIMIT 1 
0.0002  

SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS media_id, position
FROM (`media`)
WHERE `foreign_key_table` =  'products'
AND `foreign_key_column` =  'prod_id'
AND `foreign_key_value` =  '4086'
AND `kind` =  'thumbnail'
ORDER BY IF(position = 0, 1, 0) ASC , `position` 
0.0002  

SELECT `product_categories__products`.`cat_id`
FROM (`product_categories__products`)
JOIN `product_categories` ON `product_categories__products`.`cat_id` = `product_categories`.`cat_id`
WHERE `product_categories__products`.`prod_id` =  '4085'
AND `product_categories`.`parent_id` =  1
AND `product_categories__products`.`cat_id` NOT IN (1, 261)  
0.0005  

SELECT `cat_id` AS id, `parent_id` AS parent, `status_id`, `name`, `description`, `url_friendly`, `page_title`, `meta_keywords`, `meta_description`, `position`, `updated_at`
FROM (`product_categories`)
WHERE `cat_id` != 1
ORDER BY `parent_id`, IF(position = 0, 1, 0) ASC , `position`, `name` 
0.0003  

SELECT *
FROM (`product_categories`)
WHERE `status_id` =  'A'
AND `parent_id` =  1
AND `cat_id` NOT IN (1, 261) 
ORDER BY `name` 
0.0002  

SELECT *
FROM (`site_settings`)
WHERE `option_key` =  'announcement' 
  HTTP HEADERS  (Show)
  SESSION DATA  (Show)
  CONFIG VARIABLES  (Show)