
Angle of Insight
Business history has taught me that context matters.

Discovery Process
My time at HBS made me more interested in how history can reshape the way business people think about their roles and responsibilities.

History's Guiding Light
The HBS Business History Initiative taught me to take history not as a static repository of information, but rather as a fluid set of perspectives that may enrich understanding of phenomena of today.
“The Business History Initiative encourages transformational research and course development on the history of capitalism that is impactful and relevant to scholars, educators, and practitioners worldwide. History provides rich and nuanced evidence on many key debates in the world today.”
Professor of Business History
Faculty Chair
Faculty Chair

“The Business History Initiative encourages transformational research and course development on the history of capitalism that is impactful and relevant to scholars, educators, and practitioners worldwide. History provides rich and nuanced evidence on many key debates in the world today.”
Professor of Business History
Faculty Chair
Faculty Chair

Nestlé’s KitKat Diplomacy: Neutrality vs. Shared Value
Re: Geoffrey G. Jones
- 17 Jan 2023
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- Working Knowledge

Racism, Colonialism, and Britain's Legacy of Violence
by Avery Forman
- 12 Apr 2022
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- Working Knowledge

Beyond the Cold War: Reinventing Socialism in 5 Countries
by Dina Gerdeman
- 04 Feb 2022
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- Working Knowledge
Historians at Harvard Business School engage in a number of multi-year projects that promote the research and teaching of history, that create new resources for future research, that reexamine the evolution of capitalism, and that bring case method teaching in the field of history to new audiences.
Since 1927, Harvard Business School has been a pioneer in teaching business history. The Business History Initiative continues this tradition and seeks to facilitate and promote course development in business history globally.
The business history group awards four different fellowships and grants.
See our latest and past conferences, seminars, and workshops.