Famous Business Writers & Theorists

A list of famous business writers and theorists who have written important books about the world of business. All types of business writers and theorists have been listed, including those who have written about marketing, productivity, management, operations, and quality control.

With the introduction of the Nook, Kindle, and iPad with iBooks, reading is hot again. Such devices make it as convenient as ever for businessmen to catch up on their reading. This list of famous business writers and business theorists is intended to help long-time readers, as well as newcomers, to discover (and rediscover) some of the best business writers of all time, from celebrity business writers to business theorists to management authors.
Ranked by
  • Adam Smith
    Dec. at 67 (1723-1790)
    • Works Written: The Wealth of Nations, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, Lectures on Jurisprudence, Essays on Philosophical Subjects, The Essential Adam Smith
    • Birthplace: Eurasia, United Kingdom, Kirkcaldy, Fife, United Kingdom
    • Birthdate: 1723
    Subject matter: Economics, Capitalism, Free Trade
    Adam Smith (16 June [O.S. 5 June] 1723 – 17 July 1790) was a Scottish economist, philosopher and author as well as a moral philosopher, a pioneer of political economy and a key figure during the ...more
    • Works Written: How Digital Is Your Business?, Profit patterns, La zona de beneficios/ The Profit Zone, La Migracion Del Valor De La Empresa
    • Birthplace: New York City, New York
    • Birthdate: 1951
    Adrian J. Slywotzky (born in 1951 in New York City) is an American consultant of Ukrainian origin and the author of several books on economic theory and management.
  • Subject matter: Strategic Planning, SWOT Analysis
  • Alfred D. Chandler, Jr.
    Dec. at 88 (1918-2007)
    • Works Written: The Visible Hand: The Managerial Revolution in American Business, Nation Transformed by Information, Express trusts under the common law, Precursors of Modern Management, The changing economic order
    • Birthplace: Guyencourt, Delaware
    • Birthdate: 1918
    Subject matter: Management
    Alfred DuPont Chandler Jr. (September 15, 1918 – May 9, 2007) was a professor of business history at Harvard Business School and Johns Hopkins University, who wrote extensively about the scale and ...more
    • Works Written: Total quality control, The power of management capital
    • Birthdate: 1922
    Subject matter: Quality Control
    Armand Vallin Feigenbaum (April 6, 1920 – November 13, 2014) was an American quality control expert and businessman. He devised the concept of Total Quality Control which inspired Total Quality ...more
  • C. K. Prahalad
    Dec. at 68 (1941-2010)
    • Works Written: The New Age of Innovation, The multinational mission, The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid, Compitiendo Por El Futuro, Competing for the future
    • Birthplace: Eurasia, Coimbatore, India, Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu
    • Birthdate: 1941
    Subject matter: Core Competency
    Coimbatore Krishnarao Prahalad (8 August 1941 – 16 April 2010) was the Paul and Ruth McCracken Distinguished University Professor of Corporate Strategy at University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross ...more