Archivist’s Pick: “My Most Important Contributions”

Here’s this month’s piece from the Drucker Institute’s archivist, Bridget Lawlor. By drawing lessons from the vast treasure trove of papers and other objects that are collected in Peter Drucker’s archives, Bridget is giving new life to decades-old material.

While he was generally known for his humble and self-deprecating manner, Peter Drucker was certainly aware of the unique significance of his body of work.

In this personal memo from 1999, Drucker narrowed down a list of what he considered to be his four most significant contributions.

Most notable is the recurring emphasis he placed on the concept that management is not limited to “business management,” but rather that it is a requisite element for the functioning of all types of organizations and, ultimately, of society.

It is this broader, more global view that today drives the work of the archives, and the Drucker Institute as a whole, and the reason we’ve continued to refine our mission: Strengthening organizations to strengthen society.