Peter Drucker
Peter Drucker, born on November 19, 1909, in Vienna, Austria, and died on November 11, 2005, in Claremont, California, was an influential writer, management consultant, and educator whose work fundamentally shaped modern management theory and practice. Drucker's career spanned several decades, during which he authored over 39 books, many of which are considered seminal in the field of management.
Early Life and Education
- Peter Drucker was educated in Austria, studying law at the University of Frankfurt but never completing his degree due to the political and economic turmoil in Europe during the 1930s.
- He moved to England in 1933 to escape the Nazis and later to the United States in 1937, where he became a naturalized citizen in 1943.
Career
- His career began as a journalist, but his interest quickly shifted to economics and management. His first major work, The End of Economic Man, published in 1939, explored the failure of liberal democracies in Europe.
- During World War II, he worked as an economic advisor to the British government and later contributed to shaping U.S. policy on post-war reconstruction.
- In 1943, Drucker joined the faculty of Bennington College, where he taught for 20 years, influencing many students with his unique approach to education and management.
- He also worked as a consultant to numerous corporations, including General Motors, which resulted in his book The Concept of the Corporation (1946), one of the first studies of large corporations from a social perspective.
Contributions to Management
- Management by Objectives (MBO): Drucker is credited with popularizing the idea that workers should be encouraged to set their own objectives and participate actively in decision-making processes.
- Knowledge Worker: He coined the term 'knowledge worker' to describe those whose primary capital is knowledge rather than physical labor.
- The Practice of Management (1954) introduced many of his core ideas, including the importance of innovation, the need for managers to lead through example, and the concept of decentralization.
- His work emphasized the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility, arguing that businesses have responsibilities beyond profit-making, including contributing to the community and the environment.
Legacy
- Drucker's influence extends into various fields like business strategy, economics, and social organization. His work has been translated into more than 30 languages.
- The Drucker Institute at Claremont Graduate University carries on his legacy by promoting his teachings and conducting research in management and leadership.
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