Harvard Business Review
Dean Wallace Donham stood before the Harvard Business School faculty in 1922 and declared that a new publication was needed. He wrote that the paper must be the highest type of business journal possible, intended for both students and practicing businessmen. This was not to be a typical school paper but a bridge between academic theory and real-world application. The magazine launched with a specific focus on macroeconomic trends and important developments within individual industries. Donham envisioned a tool that would help decision-makers navigate the shifting economic landscape of the early twentieth century.
Following World War II, the editorial team turned its attention to cutting-edge management techniques developed inside large corporations like General Motors. The magazine began billing itself as the "magazine for decision makers" during these three decades of refinement. Theodore Levitt published his influential piece "Marketing Myopia" while Carl R. Rogers and Fritz J. Roethlisberger explored communication barriers in their article "Barriers and Gateways to Communication." These works helped define the scope of general management issues affecting business leaders throughout the mid-century era.
On the 8th of March 2002, editor-in-chief Suzy Wetlaufer resigned after an affair with former General Electric CEO Jack Welch became public knowledge. The two had met when Wetlaufer interviewed Welch while researching an article for the magazine. Two senior editors left immediately, citing an unfair office climate and claiming the relationship broke ethical standards. Three months later, publisher Penelope Muse Abernathy was also forced out following the staff upheaval. This event triggered a significant shakeup within the publication's management and editorial ranks that year.
Adi Ignatius joined Harvard Business Review in 2009 as editor-in-chief during a period when the United States faced a severe economic recession. He recalled that the world was desperate for new approaches because business-as-usual was not a credible response at that time. Ignatius changed the frequency of HBR from ten times per year down to six times per year to improve quality. He realigned the magazine's focus to deliver information matching the zeitgeist readers were living through during those difficult years.
Since 1959, the annual McKinsey Award has recognized the two most significant articles published each year by independent judges. Peter F. Drucker received this honor seven times throughout his career with the magazine. Other past winners include Clayton M. Christensen, Theodore Levitt, Michael Porter, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, John Hagel III, and C. K. Prahalad. These awards highlight recurring influential authors who have contributed major concepts and terms to the field of management over decades.
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Common questions
When was Harvard Business Review founded and by whom?
Harvard Business Review was founded in 1922 by Dean Wallace Donham. He declared the need for a new publication to serve as a bridge between academic theory and real-world application.
What topics did Harvard Business Review cover after World War II?
Following World War II, Harvard Business Review focused on cutting-edge management techniques developed inside large corporations like General Motors. The magazine billed itself as the magazine for decision makers during these three decades of refinement.
Why did Suzy Wetlaufer resign from Harvard Business Review on the 8th of March 2002?
Suzy Wetlaufer resigned from Harvard Business Review on the 8th of March 2002 after an affair with former General Electric CEO Jack Welch became public knowledge. Two senior editors left immediately citing an unfair office climate and claiming the relationship broke ethical standards.
How did Adi Ignatius change the frequency of Harvard Business Review when he joined in 2009?
Adi Ignatius changed the frequency of Harvard Business Review from ten times per year down to six times per year to improve quality upon joining in 2009. He realigned the magazine's focus to deliver information matching the zeitgeist readers were living through during those difficult years.
Who has won the annual McKinsey Award seven times since 1959?
Peter F. Drucker received the annual McKinsey Award seven times throughout his career with Harvard Business Review. Other past winners include Clayton M. Christensen, Theodore Levitt, Michael Porter, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, John Hagel III, and C. K. Prahalad.