History

We see our history as a challenge—a legacy of energy and innovation we strive to equal every day as we redefine the nature of management education and invent the future of business.


Baker Library north entrance during construction

Key Start Dates

1908

Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration established (the world's first MBA program) with a faculty of 15, 33 regular students, and 47 special students.

1922

The Doctoral Program was established.

1922

The Harvard Business Review was founded.

1924

The case method was established as the primary method of instruction.

1927

Business School campus constructed.

1945

First executive education program (Advanced Management Program) held — a group of sixty executives and recently demobilized veterans.

1959

Women graduates of the Harvard-Radcliffe Program in Business Administration were admitted to the second year of the MBA program.

1993

Harvard Business Publishing was formed as a wholly owned subsidiary of Harvard University.

1997
to 2017

Global Research Centers opened in Silicon Valley; other regional research centers were opened in Asia-Pacific (1999), Latin America (2000), Japan (2002), Europe (2003), India (2006), Istanbul (2013), and Johannesburg (2017).

Deans

2021
to Present

2010
to 2020

2005
to 2010

Jay O. Light, PhD 1970, Dean, 2005–2010

Jay O. Light

PhD 1970

1995
to 2005

Kim B. Clark, PhD 1978, Dean, 1995–2005

Kim B. Clark

PhD 1978

1980
to 1995

John H. McArthur, Dean, 1980-1995

John H. McArthur

MBA 1959, DBA 1963

1970
to 1980

Lawrence E. Fouraker, Dean, 1970–1980

Lawrence E. Fouraker

1962
to 1970

George Pierce Baker, Dean, 1962–1970

George Pierce Baker

1955
to 1962

Stanley F. Teele, MBA 1930, Dean, 1955–1962

Stanley F. Teele

MBA 1930

1942
to 1955

Donald K. David, MBA 1919, Dean, 1942–1955

Donald K. David

MBA 1919

1919
to 1942

Wallace Brett Donham, Dean, 1919-1942

Wallace Brett Donham

1908
to 1919

Edwin Francis Gay, Dean, 1908–1919

Edwin Francis Gay