Shari L.S. Worthington, PhD

Understanding customer and client motivations drives all marketing and communications. How will introducing AI-generated insights into consumer polls, interviews, surveys and more change the marketing world? Worcester Polytechnic Institute's Ron Howard, class of 1977, CEO of Mercury Analytics, takes on that question in Fast Company's Marketing Innovation this week. See his take in the comments ... #artificialintelligence #wpi #marketing #analytics

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This week’s blog concludes the series on how Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education's redesign strategy came together. It goes into some detail about the strategy’s goals and priorities. More importantly it speaks to three success drivers that should be of interest to any in higher education attempting organizational transformation at this scale. • Designing strategy and execution plans that actively leverage an organization’s structural, cultural, and political realities to drive implementation success. • The emphasis on System governance as a means of channeling and focusing distributed resources and expertise.  • The role measures play in articulating vision and guiding aligned actions to advance it. The blog provides links to a handful of “assets” – materials, tools, analyses, policies and approaches – that PASSHE developed to understand its challenges, and devise and implement strategies to overcome them. A bunch more are forthcoming. To accommodate them, I created an inventory of tools and resources from which assets are available directly (yes, you can by-pass the blah blah) along with information that may help those who consider integrating them into their practice. Presently, the inventory is organized by publication date. As the number grows, I will consider more-user friendly, topically oriented, taxonomies. As ever, enjoy, and don’t hesitate to provide comment. https://bit.ly/455YORT

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Have you ever wanted to improve your skills at assessing organization improvement effectiveness and learn ways to engage senior leadership more effectively? If yes, consider attending AME's "A Pathway to Excellence: How to Lead and Assess Organizational Transformation" workshop. It will be held in Billerica, MA, on August 27 and 28. Five open slots are still available. Feedback from past participants has included: • It helped me change my perspective • I can ask more effective questions when doing an assessment • I have a better understanding of what highly effective improvement practices look like • I thought I knew this pretty well; I'm surprised by how much I learned https://lnkd.in/gaBi5ZGw Cindy Hinds Kimberlee (Kim) H. Larry Anderson Paul Waterman

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There is an asymmetry in how firms respond to demand versus cost shocks. I discuss this puzzle in my newest op-ed in the Rochester Business Journal: https://lnkd.in/eqxc8FhT

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Formalizing AI adoption at a large University can be a major lift, but it's about as effective a way to maximize these tools as any other approach. On this episode of Breaking Silos, learn how the University of Rochester is formalizing a cross-functional AI taskforce to accelerate the adoption of new and emerging technologies. I'm joined by Brian Piper, Director of Content Strategy and Assessment at UR, and Megan J. Crawford, Senior Marketing Strategist in the Center for Advanced Research Technologies at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Learn how Brian and Megan, with the support and buy-in of leadership, are spearheading an AI taskforce at UR charged with implementing AI solutions to improve marketing and communications workflows in a safe and ethical way. You won't find a better approach in all of higher ed! Listen in the comments! 👇 #AI #HigherEdMarketing

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Hi LinkedIn friends, Here's a link to my new article "Strategic Innovation Labs" about how to develop leaders of innovation and at the same time discover innovation solutions to complex business challenges https://lnkd.in/gp8gyQem Enjoy reading and have a great day, David Dr. David Weiss

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Recently, I had the opportunity to address the Rotary Club of Lancaster about the current state of higher education. This article expands on that talk, examining 5 tough challenges facing higher education; why it matters, and what we (you) can do about it. Implications for business, parents, prospective students, educators, and donors. #highereducation #educationalleadership https://lnkd.in/djhdhAh2

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Exciting news! University of Massachusetts Lowell is launching a new Digital Engineering Certificate program this Spring. The program consists of four courses designed for flexible learning, allowing you to set your own pace. From mastering the basics of model-based systems engineering to honing decision-making skills and risk management with data, each 8-week course paves the way to completing the certificate in just a year. Dive into project and team-based activities, unraveling the art of crafting insightful digital models for complex systems. https://lnkd.in/eVdbesrB Learn more and enroll at: https://lnkd.in/emhuEbkP #DigitalEngineering #CertificateProgram #UMassLowell

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My latest blog (The Political Path to Redesign) outlines how the political contours of Pennsylvania shaped the vision, goals, and priorities of the redesign of Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education, even the language with which it was communicated. It is the third in a series of blogs that emphasizes how an organization’s governance, culture, and surrounding political environment will shape any transformational effort that is attempted, determine how an organization can stretch and evolve, how constituencies will respond to a proposed change, and, interacting with one another help to advance or impede its progress. Politics influences organizational development at every university and college.  No one is free, regardless of tax status. So, while this piece may be most salient for those in the public sector, there are lessons here for all. As a historian, I’m unused to and uncomfortable making predictions about the future. Here, I’ll go out on a limb and opine that the politicization of issues in higher education will become more intense, not less, at least for a while. Enjoy, and please don’t hesitate to provide feedback. d https://bit.ly/454Hqgu

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Me again. UPCEA is releasing some new research at the conference and I am providing some insight/extrapolation! We, as marketers and enrollment managers, are in challenging times, but I am optimistic! #upcea #enrollmentmanagement #highereducationmarketing #mems24 #onlinelearning #onlineeducation #microcredentials

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Thanks Mark Schaefer for an excellent keynote on AI at the first annual AMA Central PA Marketing Conference. I took lots of notes! In case you can’t read my handwriting some highlights that stood out to me include: - AI is like a new puppy that just wants to please you, but this puppy has memorized the Internet. This was a good reminder to me of the importance of discipline knowledge. Sometimes AI isn’t right - it just wants to please you. Or it gives you a lot (as many as you want) of options. Your experience is needed to know what is best or even to know the right question to ask. - AI gives you the best average of the past which can lead to a pandemic of dull. This a good reminder to keep the human in the loop. Experiment with AI. Give it the hard, time intensive and dull tasks, but don’t give it everything. It’s not good at everything and it takes humans to create some new, to see into the future and to connect with other humans. - What’s still scarce is time, trust, truth and insight. AI can do a lot of amazing things, but having just attended an in-person conference really reminded me of what it can’t do. Spending time with colleagues in my field facing similar challenges gives you a connection you can’t get through broadband and AI chips. Setting aside time to educate and help others forms trust and new insights together that forms a bond that’s anything but artificial.

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The University of Vermont and GlobalFoundries announce a new scholarship program expanding a comprehensive strategic partnership which focuses on innovation, work force development and student opportunities. #UVM Foundation #Vermont economic development https://lnkd.in/ewyrtcDK

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It's almost Here!! counting down the days to PDMA - Product Development and Management Association Innovation Conference in our wonderful City of St. Louis! Support our St. Louis PDMA - Product Development and Management Association chapter members as several will be speaking on relevant topics on product innovation. Don't Miss this event! it's not too late to register! #pdmastl #productmanagement #productinnovation #innovation #pdma

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Tomorrow is the day one session of the three virtual and one on campus conferences of the NERCOMP (Northeast Regional Computing Program) and Nichols College Thought Partner Program. Bryant Richards, Julia Fearing and I have created cool AI Use Cases for this first one. #AI #student-researchers #AIrepositories https://lnkd.in/e8SZHA67 on AI in Higher Education

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Organizations are seeing technology changes at a rapid pace. Having a clear Digital Transformation Plan in place is key to success. Let Harrisburg University Professional Development help you create that plan with insight from industry and government experts.

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Started reading the new book "The Insanity Trap" by our colleague Jerry Wright, PE, MBA. It's ostensibly about using MRP systems only for planning, and consumption-based Kanban for execution. I think what Jerry is actually tapping into here is the never-ending human attempt to bridge gaps between prediction and responsiveness, between ideas and actual operational context. Today the question of how to successfully navigate unpredictable, diverse, dynamic contexts seems more salient to humans flourishing than ever before. Glad you are adding your voice to the conversation Jerry! 👉 https://lnkd.in/g5Fksjcz

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AI Horizons: Embracing the Future of Technology in Pittsburgh This week, Pittsburgh becomes the epicenter of innovation as leaders from business, government, and academia gather for the AI Horizons Summit. This sold-out event promises to drive valuable discussions on advancing artificial intelligence and its profound impacts across various sectors. Attendees will explore cutting-edge trends, innovative applications, and ethical considerations shaping the future of AI technology. As AI continues to revolutionize industries globally, the summit positions Pittsburgh as a hub of AI excellence, leveraging the expertise of notable institutions like Carnegie Mellon University. With prominent figures and experts from prominent organizations like NVIDIA participating, the event aims to foster collaboration, exchange insights, and inspire new ideas to harness AI's potential responsibly and sustainably. In times of rapid technological advancement, it's crucial to steer AI developments wisely. How do you see AI transforming your industry, and what do you believe are the biggest opportunities and challenges it presents? #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #Technology #PittsburghEvents #FutureOfWork For more insights on the summit, visit [NVIDIA's website](https://www.nvidia.com) and [Carnegie Mellon University's website](https://www.cmu.edu).

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My episode of Building PA Podcast is out! Click the link below to listen - you don't want to miss this conversation. https://hubs.la/Q02GpqVl0 Please share with friends and colleagues and let me know what you think of the episode in the comments below. Thanks again to Building PA Podcast for having me as a guest! #buildingpapodcast #podcastguest

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Check out this insightful interview with Marc Nantel, VP of Research, Innovation & Strategic Enterprises at Niagara College, on the impactful role of college-led applied research in driving innovation and community economic development: https://lnkd.in/ezzkNgXF . . . #research #appliedresearch #CdnPSE #cdnresearch

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