Lost in translation? The emergence of chief philosophy officers

This work aims to investigate the role of chief philosophy officers (CPOs), which is growing albeit still emerging, and unveil the mechanisms through which they help firms in implementing a more reasoned decision‐making process. Like other humanistic disciplines, philosophy offers great help to organizations, in particular in challenging times, where the speed of technological progress may lead companies to take rushed decisions that they may not fully control. Based on the collection of documents, participation in ad hoc conferences, and interviews with managers working in the field, the study reveals how CPOs may help organizations in adopting a more thoughtful and reasoned approach to decisions and actions. We identify eight mechanisms activated by CPOs to guide thoughtful strategic change, ease human interactions, and enhance knowledge sharing and innovation processes.