Harvard Business Review South Asia edition launched in India

Mumbai: The inaugural issue of Harvard Business Review's South Asia edition was launched in New Delhi today. This edition is the 12th edition of, what is considered by many, as the world's most influential management magazine. The publication was released by union finance minister P Chidambaram, India Today Group's editor-in-chief Aroon Purie, and editor and managing director, Harvard Business Review Thomas A. Stewart.

Harvard Business Review South Asia will be sold and distributed across India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan. The magazine will run the same editorial content as the flagship US edition and will include regional advertising.

It will be priced at Rs750 in India - a reduction of over 30 per cent over the current import price. Collectively, HBR's English-language and translated editions reach nearly half a million readers worldwide.

In his keynote address, Chidambaram, an alumnus of the Harvard Business School, reminisced on the two of his best years as a student where he learnt to question conventional wisdom. He said "Harvard Business Review is the best research-based magazine for the business practitioner."

Chidambaram urged corporate India to tap international private capital to help drive India's economic growth. He said "India is a good borrower from World Bank and ADB, however we need to become good recipients of international private capital too. For this we need to change our way of thinking and attract this private capital." He also called for harnessing the entrepreneurial talent in tier II cities of India to become the fastest growing economy in the world.

Emphasising the relevance of HBR for Indian business leaders, Aroon Purie said, "India is well on the way to becoming one of the world's biggest economies and already Indian businesses across a welter of industries are making their mark in global markets where they are either acquiring companies or emerging as major players. There is probably no better time than this to launch the world's most influential business management magazine in India."

"HBR's mission is to improve the practice of management in a changing world, and no part of the world is as changing as dramatically as India," said Thomas A. Stewart. "It is the second fastest growing economy and home to some of the world's most dynamic companies. It is important for HBR to be on the ground in India as her contributions to world business and management thinking increase."

Raymond Carvey, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Harvard Business School Publishing, said, "Reaching the business leaders of India and greater South Asia is an important objective for Harvard Business School Publishing as we strive to bring our content to new markets and audiences around the world. We also look forward to working with our partners at the India Today Group to better understand and serve the needs and interests of those who are driving the rapid growth of this vital economy."

The launch event also featured a panel discussion on 'Building Emerging Giants' moderated by Thomas Stewart. Adi Godrej, Chairman, Godrej Group; Aditya Puri, Managing Director, HDFC Bank; Malvinder Singh, CEO and Managing Director, Ranbaxy; Naina Lal Kidwai, CEO, HSBC India; Ravi Kant, CEO & Managing Director, TATA Motors; and Nirmalya Kumar, professor at the London Business School and frequent Harvard Business Review contributor shared their views on how companies in emerging markets should strategise to compete successfully, both at home and abroad.

The inaugural issue of HBR South Asia will lead with an article by acclaimed Harvard Business School professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter. Her article, "Innovation: The Classic Traps," will examine the classic mistakes companies make when they innovate. The issue will also include contributions by Wharton School professor and leadership expert Michael Useem ("How Well-Run Boards Make Decisions") and HBS professor Andrew MacAfee ("Mastering the Three Worlds of Information Technology").