Harvard Business School (HBS) has received a gift from Joseph L. Bower, Donald K. David Professor of Business Administration, Emeritus, to support and strengthen case writing. The Joseph Bower Family Fund will enable faculty members to produce cases with deep learning and insights about important phenomena in business. To begin, the fund will provide support for cases focused on advancing racial equity and the unique challenges facing Black managers, and with diverse protagonists.
“I am delighted to be able to support what I consider to be the lifeblood of Harvard Business School,” said Bower. “I’ve seen first-hand the power that HBS cases have to change the management practice of individuals, organizations, and even entire industries. Fundamental concepts such as informal organization, management accounting, and corporate strategy have their origins in case research. Cases also play an important role in connecting new generations of faculty to the most interesting challenges in business.”
Harvard Business School has played a leading role in the preparation, dissemination, and fullest use of business cases around the world for nearly a century. Faculty members at the School continually invest in updating and refreshing about a third of course content annually to ensure relevance to current and emerging practice. Today, the faculty produce hundreds of cases each year, and 80% of cases used at business schools worldwide are from the HBS case collection.
“Joe’s gift reflects both his commitment and his generosity — qualities that are hallmarks of his tenure at the School,” noted Dean Nitin Nohria. “He understands how cases deepen understanding for students and faculty alike. Today, developing a body of cases that address issues of racial equity and how organizations can best advance these aims is vitally important to our curriculum and to management practice.”
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