Organizational Design in AI Adoption: How B2B Companies Organize for Agile AI Adoption?
(A2025-125690)

AUTHORS

Mikko Vesterinen, Jyväskylä University School of Business and Economics; Joel Mero, University of Jyväskylä; Mika Skippari, Jyvaskyla University School of Business; Heikki Karjaluoto, University of Jyväskylä, School of Business and Economics; DANDISON Ukpabi, University of Jyväskylä; Oliver Ahti, University of Jyväskylä, Faculty of Information Technology

ABSTRACT

Organizational design plays a crucial role in the successful adoption of advanced technologies. Recently, firms have been compelled to rapidly adopt AI to gain competitive advantages. This research explores how B2B companies utilize organizational design to adopt AI. The study is based on semi-structured interviews with AI and digital managers in large B2B organizations and AI vendors. Our initial findings indicate that successful companies make decisions that enhance organizational agility, enabling them to adopt AI more swiftly than others. These decisions include decentralizing structures and competencies and developing dedicated strategies and processes for AI. This research initiates a discussion on the relationship between organizational design and AI adoption. It proposes several strategies for increasing organizational agility and outlines how B2B companies progressively adopt AI. Additionally, we offer practical insights for managers aiming to advance their companies’ AI adoption.