I'm Stephen Dawkins, a Data Scientist based in Oxford, Mississippi. I've spent more than 20 years in analytics, with time at Amazon and in healthcare technology before coming to Ole Miss, where I work on Student Success.

When I'm not working, you'll find me watching Ole Miss sports, following Arsenal FC and Formula 1, or playing guitar.

This site is where I write about things I find worth thinking about: management, AI, books, and why organizations so often work the opposite of how they're supposed to.

Playing to Lose

How Profit-Driven Decision-Making Is Killing Creativity in the Video Game Industry The video game industry generated roughly $220 billion in global revenue in 2024,1 making it larger than the global film industry ($33 billion in box office)2 and recorded music industry ($34 billion)2 combined and closing in on the entire global streaming video market. It is not a niche hobby or a youth subculture. It is one of the dominant forms of entertainment. And yet, something is clearly

Book Review: The Culture Map

Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business When we think about communication challenges at work, we often chalk it up to personality clashes, poor leadership, or a lack of clarity. But often those frustrations can stem from cultural disconnects that are deeper and less visible: cultural disconnects. Erin Meyer's The Culture Map is an essential read for anyone navigating global teams and cross-functional projects. However, the book's underlying lessons can b

Stack Ranking is a Problem

During my time as a manager at Amazon, I witnessed firsthand the harm caused by stack ranking—an employee evaluation system that forces...