image: INSEAD new book explores how organizations can stay human-centric in the age of algorithms
Credit: INSEAD
As digitalization accelerates, organizations are struggling to maintain their human-centric essence amidst the rising tide of algorithms and automation. The question looms large: Can organizations thrive in this age of algorithms without losing their humanity?
With organizations across the globe facing the dual challenge of digital transformation and human-centricity, the need for a roadmap has never been more urgent.
In his groundbreaking new book, RE-HUMANIZE: How to Build Human-Centric Organizations in the Age of Algorithms, INSEAD Professor of Strategy Phanish Puranam offers a compelling guide to designing organizations that harmonize digital efficiency with human-centric values, ensuring that both productivity and meaningful work coexist.
Drawing on extensive research and real-world examples, Puranam provides actionable frameworks to help business leaders, policymakers, and academics navigate the evolving landscape of digital work.
The book explores pressing topics such as:
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The paradox of digitalization: how it can both enhance and erode human-centricity.
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Strategies for a digital division of labor that respects human dignity.
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The potential for digital tools to democratize organization design.
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Digital algorithms could reinforce or dismantle hierarchies: what do we want?
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Practical frameworks for integrating algorithms into organizational life without compromising on humanity.
“Organizations are more than just systems for achieving goals—they are communities where people find meaning, connection, and purpose,” says Puranam. “In the rush toward digital efficiency, companies that fail to preserve these human elements risk disengagement, high turnover, and ultimately, poor performance.”
Through Puranam’s expert lens, readers will discover how thoughtful design can prevent the dehumanization of the workplace, and instead, unlock a future where digital tools serve to amplify human potential, rather than replace it.
RE-HUMANIZE is not just a guide for navigating digital transformation but a manifesto for preserving what makes organizations truly human in an increasingly algorithm-driven world.
About the Author
Phanish Puranam is the Roland Berger Chaired Professor of Strategy & Organization Design at INSEAD and the Academic Director of the INSEAD-Wharton Alliance. A globally recognized expert on corporate strategy and organization design, Puranam has published extensively in leading academic journals and has received multiple international research awards. His current work focuses on how organizations are being shaped by algorithmic technologies.