Harvard Business Review
Chapter 8
- Harvard Business Review Description of publication
- Harvard Business Review TOC
- Harvard Business Review: Will She Fit In? Sample page
- California Management Review Recommended supplement
From this chapter:
Despite its academic roots, Harvard Business Review (HBR) has matured into an excellent market magazine (i.e., it has colorful articles in both senses of the word, editorials, advertisements, book reviews, etc.). It is very useful for perusing erudite topics and issues of recent interest in the business environment. Its layout, language, and format are done in a user-friendly and pleasing manner.
If the $13.50 per copy (as of this date) at the newsstand puts you off, you should know that it costs just about double overseas, where you obviously get some very serious readers. The bottom line, of course, is whether you should spend the money in any case (you get two months' worth...since it comes out once every two months). You can find HBR in practically every library in the developed world-the rest is up to you.
Today HBR has a very nice layout compared to the old stodgy times. One particularly useful attribute is the comprehensive table of contents. Each article, department, and special piece in the magazine is annotated to brief the reader on what may be interesting and what is not. Besides the articles, there are four "departments": (1) "HBR Case Study," which creates a fictitious company and its problems, and then solicits some reactions by experts offering solutions; (2) "Thinking About..." identifies a business issue and analyzes it; (3) "Ideas at Work," discusses the practical applications of concepts (e.g., getting the most out of your product development process); and (4) "Books in Review," which reviews a couple of recent books relating to business or economics. One unique section, not listed as one of the departments, is called "Executive Summaries" and provides a brief overview of each article in that particular issue of HBR, as well as information on ordering reprints and what to expect in the next issue. There are also special topics, for example, information on the McKinsey awards or something called, "Strategic Humor." Throw in the letters to the editor and you have it!