Dr. Austin holds the Eliot I. Snider and Family Professor of Business Administration, Emeritus at the Harvard Business School. Previously he held the John G. McLean Professorship and the Richard Chapman Professorship. He has been a member of the Harvard University faculty since 1972. He was the Co-Founder and Chair of the HBS Social Enterprise Initiative.
Educational Background: Doctor of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration from Harvard University with Distinction; Bachelor of Business Administration from The University of Michigan with High Distinction, elected to Beta Gamma Sigma.
Research Publications: He has been the author or editor of 16 books, dozens of articles, and over a hundred case studies on business and nonprofit organizations. His most recent book is Social Partnering in Latin America published in 2004 (Harvard University Press), a collaborative research publication of the Social Enterprise Knowledge Network (SEKN). In 2000 he authored The Collaboration Challenge: How Nonprofits and Businesses Succeed Through Strategic Alliances (Jossey-Bass Publishers)which was selected to be part of the Drucker Foundation Leader Book series and received one of the Independent Sector's research publication awards. His current research deals with social enterprises with emphasis on the creation, management, and governance of nonprofit organizations, and on the role of business leaders and corporations in the social sector. His prior research focused primarily on management problems in developing countries, agribusiness, and nutrition policy. His previous books include Managing in Developing Countries (The Free Press), Strategic Management in Developing Countries (The Free Press), and Agroindustrial Project Analysis (World Bank/Johns Hopkins Press).
Teaching Experience: Prof. Austin has taught courses in the following areas: Entrepreneurship in the Social Sector, Governance of Nonprofit Organizations, Management in Developing Countries, Agribusiness, Business Ethics, International Business, Business-Government Relations, Marketing, Nutrition Policy, and Case Method Teaching. In addition to Harvard, Dr. Austin has given seminars to managers, government officials, and graduate students in various institutions throughout the world.
Advisory Services: Dr. Austin has provided advisory services to private companies, governments, international development agencies, educational institutions, and nongovernmental organizations. He served as a Special Advisor to the White House.