The HCL Review Podcast

Microshifting: The Next Evolution in Work Design Beyond Remote and Hybrid Models, by Jonathan H. Westover PhD

Abstract: The traditional 9-to-5 workday is experiencing fundamental disruption as workers adopt microshifting—the practice of fragmenting work into flexible, non-contiguous blocks aligned with peak productivity, caregiving demands, and personal wellbeing. Recent data reveal that 65% of office workers seek greater schedule flexibility, while employees demonstrate willingness to sacrifice up to 9% of annual compensation for temporal autonomy (Owl Labs, 2025). This article examines the organizational and individual consequences of microshifting adoption, analyzing drivers including caregiving responsibilities (affecting 62% of employees), poly-employment trends (20% of workers), and productivity-trust dynamics. Evidence-based organizational responses are explored across communication architecture, equity frameworks, outcome-based performance systems, and enabling technologies. The analysis concludes with strategic imperatives for building sustainable flexibility ecosystems that preserve collaboration effectiveness while honoring temporal sovereignty.

From Search to Match: How AI Agents Are Reshaping Platform Economics and Organizational Strategy, by Jonathan H. Westover PhD

Abstract: Artificial intelligence agents are fundamentally transforming how platforms operate, shifting economic dynamics from search-based to matching-based systems. This transition introduces new forms of market congestion where AI agents acting on behalf of users create coordination challenges that differ markedly from traditional search costs. Drawing on recent empirical evidence and matching theory, this article examines how AI-powered agents concentrate demand, reshape competitive dynamics, and create novel organizational challenges. Organizations face pressure from algorithm-driven selection processes that prioritize top-ranked options while filtering out alternatives users might have previously discovered through search. The article presents evidence-based organizational responses across multiple industries, from e-commerce to employment platforms, and outlines strategic frameworks for building long-term capability in AI-mediated markets. By understanding these dynamics, organizational leaders can position their enterprises to thrive rather than merely survive in increasingly algorithm-dependent marketplaces.

AI-Driven Role Conflict: Navigating Capability Expansion and Territorial Tensions in the Generative AI Era, by Jonathan H. Westover PhD

Abstract: The rapid diffusion of generative artificial intelligence tools is fundamentally reshaping professional boundaries within organizations. As accessible AI systems enable individuals to perform tasks previously requiring specialized training—coding, design, content creation, data analysis—organizations face a novel form of role conflict driven not by resource scarcity but by capability abundance. This article examines AI-driven role conflict as an emergent organizational phenomenon characterized by tension between traditional role boundaries and AI-enabled capability expansion. Drawing on research from organizational behavior, human-computer interaction, and change management, we analyze how this capability democratization creates both acceleration opportunities and defensive retrenchment. Evidence from multiple industries reveals that organizations respond along a spectrum from territorial protection to deliberate role fluidity experimentation. We propose evidence-based interventions including transparent reskilling pathways, contribution-based evaluation frameworks, and collaborative workflow redesign. Long-term organizational resilience requires psychological contract recalibration, distributed expertise models, and continuous learning systems that acknowledge AI as a capability amplifier rather than role replacement. Organizations that proactively address these tensions can harness cross-functional acceleration while preserving specialized expertise depth.

Unlocking Human Potential: Motivation Theory in Organizational Settings, by Jonathan H. Westover PhD

Abstract: Motivation remains one of the most critical yet complex drivers of organizational performance and individual wellbeing. This article synthesizes contemporary motivation theory—including self-determination theory, social cognitive theory, goal-orientation frameworks, and attribution theory—to provide evidence-based guidance for practitioners navigating workforce engagement challenges. Drawing on recent empirical research and organizational case examples across healthcare, technology, and manufacturing sectors, we demonstrate how understanding the interplay between intrinsic drivers (autonomy, competence, relatedness) and extrinsic factors (incentives, recognition, structure) enables leaders to design interventions that sustain performance while fostering psychological wellbeing. The analysis reveals that organizations achieving superior outcomes integrate multiple motivational levers simultaneously, adapting approaches to individual differences and contextual demands. We propose a three-pillar framework for building long-term motivational capability: psychological contract evolution, distributed motivational leadership, and continuous learning systems.

The 17% Solution - How Dual Transformation Capability Drives Talent Retention and Financial Performance

Learn more about Dr. Westover's research, "Strategic Human Resource Management in the Dual TransformationEra: Integrating Post-Pandemic Work Redesign with Industry 4.0/5.0 Technologies."

Anchoring, Hybridizing, Pioneering - The Three Ethical Identity Strategies for Navigating Digital Gray Zones

Learn more about Dr. Westover's research, "Identity Work in Ethical Gray Zones: How Professional Identity Shapes Emotional Decision-Making in Boundary-Spanning Digital Work."

The Crucial Power Shift: Why Sustainability Goals Fail Without Collaborative Governance and Tech Transparency

Learn more about Dr. Westover's research, "Navigating Power Dynamics in Sustainability Transformation: ExtendingIntegration Mechanisms Across Organizational Boundaries."

Theory-Driven Innovation in Organizations: From Combinatorial Possibilities to Practical Breakthroughs, by Jonathan H. Westover PhD

Abstract: Organizations face astronomical numbers of potential innovation pathways, yet most successfully navigate toward useful combinations of ideas, technologies, and processes. This article examines how theory-driven experimentation generates combinatorial salience within organizational contexts, enabling practitioners to identify promising innovations among indefinite possibilities. Drawing on recent advances in combinatorial innovation theory and cognitive science, we argue that organizational innovation depends on the capacity of organizational actors to theorize, reason causally, and experiment systematically. Through examination of contemporary organizational cases spanning healthcare, manufacturing, and technology sectors, we identify evidence-based interventions for building theory-driven innovation capacity. The article contributes to practice by offering actionable strategies for cultivating organizational environments where theory-laden experimentation accelerates learning cycles and enables discovery of novel yet feasible innovations.

AI-Augmented Decision Rights: Redesigning Authority in Human-Machine Organizations, by Jonathan H. Westover PhD

Abstract: Organizations increasingly deploy artificial intelligence systems as active participants in decision-making processes, fundamentally altering traditional authority structures and accountability frameworks. This transformation requires systematic redesign of decision rights—the formal and informal protocols governing who decides what, when, and with what level of AI involvement. Drawing on organizational design theory and human-computer interaction research, this article examines how organizations are reconfiguring decision authority in human-machine systems. Evidence suggests that effective AI augmentation depends less on technical sophistication than on clarity of decision rights allocation, transparency mechanisms, and structured human-AI collaboration protocols. The analysis presents evidence-based interventions spanning governance architecture, capability development, and sociotechnical system design, offering practitioners actionable frameworks for navigating this transition while preserving human agency and organizational accountability.

Bridging the Corporate Green Gap: How Paradox Navigation and Deep Integration Drive Real Sustainability Success

Learn more about Dr. Jonathan H. Westover's research, "Navigating Paradox for Sustainable Futures: OrganizationalCapabilities and Integration Mechanisms in Sustainability Transformation."