Since 2007, the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto has provided thought leadership and management insight in the form of the Rotman Management magazine. Now, with its thirtieth issue out this spring, the magazine is celebrating ten years of bringing readers insightful articles and topics from experts in the areas of business, economics, psychology, design thinking and more.
About Rotman Management
The magazine began selling subscriptions in 2009, and as of today has paid subscribers in more than 47 countries. It’s sold on Canadian newsstands nationwide and, starting next year, will be featured in twelve Air Canada Maple Leaf lounges around the world in cities including New York, Los Angeles, London, Frankfurt and Paris.
Karen Christensen, Editor and Chief of Rotman Management, spoke about the path of the magazine over the last ten years. “The magazine started out as a traditional alumni publication, filled with school news, alumni profiles and class notes. But as the Rotman School grew its reputation as a global ‘hub’ for thought leadership, over the years, it morphed into more of a Harvard Business Review-style content-based magazine,” she said.
Over the years, the publication has accrued many positive reviews and awards:
- McKinsey & Co, the BBC and Steelcase. Management guru Tom Peters, author of In Search of Excellence, have praised the magazine, with Peters tweeting: “Read [the fall 2016 issue] cover to cover: Superb. Put aside a day!”
- Global media giants such as Forbes India, The Australian and The Globe & Mail have featured articles from the magazine.
- The National Magazine Awards in Canada have nominated the magazine for five awards, of which it won two: Silver in 2009 for Art Direction and Silver in 2014 for Best Single Issue
Unique Features of Rotman Management
One of the reasons behind the magazine’s success is that its content is “evergreen.” Articles aren’t just based on current business news, but offer a “new way to think” about leadership and management. For this reason, the content of years-old issues is still relevant. “In each case, you can learn from the world’s foremost authorities on that topic,” said Christensen.
Back issues are available for purchase in print or digital versions, so potential readers interested in The Leading Edge issue from fall 2015, which featured Bill Gates and The Power of Optimism, can purchase and read it at any time. Individual articles are also available for purchase from the Harvard Business Review website.
Each issue of the magazine has a theme with matching topics. Past themes have included Thinking About Thinking, Accountability, Disruption and Smart Power. Each magazine also features a Thought Leader who can speak to the theme and is interviewed by the magazine.
Rotman Management 10th Anniversary Issue
The latest issue, which celebrates the 10th anniversary of the magazine, is all about Behavior, covering topics from Behavioral Economics and How Behavioural Biases Affect Finance Professionals. Christenson explained it this way in her From the Editor letter.
“At its core, every organization is in the same business: changing behavior,” she wrote. “For-profit companies try to sway consumers to buy their products; governments try to convince citizens to pay their taxes on time; and an NGO might want to encourage families to sign up for tuition support for their children … Understanding these dynamics can help to explain current behaviors and influence future ones. In this issue of Rotman Management, we seek to expand your understanding of behavioral insights and how they can be applied to achieve your organization’s goals.”
Within the issue, readers can find an article by Nudge co-author Richard Thaler, who is featured in the magazine’s Thought Leader Interview. Thaler is the Charles R. Walgreen Distinguished Service Professor of Behavioral Science and Economics at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, and one of the world’s leading behavioral economists. His work describes the origins of the field, the psychology of decision making and the efficiency of financial markets.
Other articles that can be found in the latest issue, include:
- The University of Pennsylvania’s Angela Duckworth looks at how ‘grit’ relates to success within “Idea Exchange.”
- Rotman faculty Lisa Kramer, Bing Han and Avni Shah discuss their research findings.
- George Loewenstein’s “Behavioural Economics 101: Judgment, Choice, and Time” discusses how behavioral economics increases the explanatory power of economics by providing realistic psychological foundations.
For a preview of the magazine, watch the YouTube video provided by the Rotman School of Management.
