So it was news when its editors recently challenged business
historians to move beyond incremental additions to the literature and
instead return to tackling big subjects with major importance to the
future of business. "Rehashing past controversies is not a sign of a
vibrant discipline, but of one whose intellectual ambition has shrunk,"
wrote editors Walter A. Friedman and Geoffrey Jones.
For example, on the subject of environmental sustainability, the authors observed: "It is odd that business historians have not devoted more attention to sustainability, given that, arguably, the actions of companies have been the primary causes of environmental damage and climate change over the last two centuries. The time has come for mainstream business history to incorporate the environmental impact of business in its agenda."
Other research agenda topics identified by Friedman and Jones included establishing causal links between entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic growth; exploring the relationship between business and democracy; and the role entrepreneurs and firms, not governments or markets, have played in driving globalization.
"Important subjects are waiting for investigation and, above all, for debate and the development of new frameworks. Fierce argument and methodological innovation have moved academic subjects forward, not bland rejections of previous frameworks."
An excerpt from the essay, "Business History: Time for Debate," is offered below.
As if to underscore the importance of business history to the future improvement of business management, HBS on Thursday announced the creation of the Business History Initiative, a multidisciplinary research and teaching effort that will take its place alongside five other Initiatives: Social Enterprise, Global, Business and the Environment, Healthcare, and Leadership.
"The Initiative designation is meant to acknowledge a new phase of activity: one that we hope will engage the faculty, students, staff, and alumni in enhancing and extending both knowledge creation and impact," said Harvard Business School Dean Nitin Nohria, in making the announcement. Jones will serve as chair of this Initiative and Friedman will be its director.
For example, on the subject of environmental sustainability, the authors observed: "It is odd that business historians have not devoted more attention to sustainability, given that, arguably, the actions of companies have been the primary causes of environmental damage and climate change over the last two centuries. The time has come for mainstream business history to incorporate the environmental impact of business in its agenda."
Other research agenda topics identified by Friedman and Jones included establishing causal links between entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic growth; exploring the relationship between business and democracy; and the role entrepreneurs and firms, not governments or markets, have played in driving globalization.
"Important subjects are waiting for investigation and, above all, for debate and the development of new frameworks. Fierce argument and methodological innovation have moved academic subjects forward, not bland rejections of previous frameworks."
An excerpt from the essay, "Business History: Time for Debate," is offered below.
As if to underscore the importance of business history to the future improvement of business management, HBS on Thursday announced the creation of the Business History Initiative, a multidisciplinary research and teaching effort that will take its place alongside five other Initiatives: Social Enterprise, Global, Business and the Environment, Healthcare, and Leadership.
"The Initiative designation is meant to acknowledge a new phase of activity: one that we hope will engage the faculty, students, staff, and alumni in enhancing and extending both knowledge creation and impact," said Harvard Business School Dean Nitin Nohria, in making the announcement. Jones will serve as chair of this Initiative and Friedman will be its director.
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