BOSTON—Harvard Business Review announced today the commemoration of its 100th anniversary with the publication of the centennial issue of the magazine, a book titled HBR at 100, special digital content, events last week in London and at the Global Peter Drucker Forum in Vienna, Austria, and a gala celebration in New York City in early 2023.
HBR is also offering a free download of its first issue published in 1922 to mark the occasion.
Since its founding in 1922 by Harvard Business School dean Wallace B. Donham, HBR has published some of the most influential ideas in the history of modern business – from scientific management to disruptive innovation to emotional intelligence – and transformed how companies are run.
With its focus on actionable business ideas for leaders, HBR occupies a unique position in business media, blending research and insights written by academics, thought leaders, and practitioners.
Looking back at the magazine’s pages since its first issue offers a window into the evolving nature of business and the challenges faced by leaders and organizations. Many of HBR’s earliest articles focused on improving operational
efficiency and other tangible aspects of management. Over time, HBR would move, along with society, to new areas of focus—including strategy, innovation, marketing, customer experience, and the human dimensions of leadership and management. Today, it’s guiding readers through urgent business issues such as the changing nature of capitalism, globalization, diversity and equity, political polarization, climate change, and the future of work.
HBR’s initial print run in 1922 was 5,000 and today it has a paid circulation of nearly 350,000.
Over the last decade, the brand has continued to grow and increase in relevance, courting a new generation of readers with the Webby-award winning HBR.org, top-ranked podcasts, its Ascend brand for younger readers, and a loyal social media following of over 28M+ across platforms including LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. It’s also a leading business book publisher, with classics such as The Innovator’s Dilemma and Blue Ocean Strategy along with recent bestsellers like Love + Work and Invent and Wander.
“The future of business has reached an inflection point that will dramatically change everything from its role in society to how companies operate. As Harvard Business Review enters its second century, one thing will remain steadfast: our commitment to helping leaders solve the world’s toughest management challenges,” said HBR Editor in Chief Adi Ignatius.
