An interview with John Howard

Описание: Morris Holbrook interviewed John Howard, the George E. Warren Professor Emeritus of Business at Columbia University, about his life and significant contributions to marketing and consumer behavior theory. Howard recounted his upbringing on a farm in Illinois during the Great Depression, which sparked his early interest in economics and business. He detailed his educational path from a two-year college to the University of Illinois, followed by military service in World War II, and ultimately a PhD in Economics from Harvard. The interview traced his academic career through the University of Illinois, the University of Chicago, Carnegie Mellon, and Columbia University. Howard explained the evolution of his thinking, from a traditional economics viewpoint to a more integrated behavioral science approach, heavily influenced by his time in Pittsburgh and his collaborations with figures like Herb Simon. He discussed the development of his seminal work on consumer behavior models, the challenges of introducing these new theoretical approaches, his work with the Ford Foundation to reform business education, and his vision for marketing's role in integrating all business disciplines. He concluded by reflecting on the profound satisfaction he found in his academic career, particularly in the collaborative process of creating new ideas.