In October 1922, the very first essay in volume 1, number 1 of Harvard Business Review laid out the purpose of the brand-new journal. “It is pertinent to inquire how the representative practises [sic] of business men generally may be made available…and how a proper theory of business is to be obtained,” wrote Harvard Business School dean Wallace B. Donham. Without such a theory, “business will continue unsystematic, haphazard, and for many men a pathetic gamble.” To remedy that situation, HBR would seek to provide “a better theoretical basis for executive action.”
Mario De Meyer
Improving the Practice of Management — Then and Now
As HBR turns 100, we look back on our original mission, how we’ve changed, and what the future holds.
September 19, 2022
· Long read
Summary.
It’s been a full century since the first issue of Harvard Business Review was released. What can we learn from the most pressing issues facing leaders then — and what’s changed? In this essay, two HBR editors outline the original purpose of the magazine and explore how “a proper theory of business” has evolved to include a broader definition of management — and of who a leader can be. They also introduce components of the Big Idea series that this piece is part of, including articles on what makes great leaders, organizations, and jobs.
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