March 3, 2026

Peter Drucker letter to Mel Hurni, 1958 February 08

Key Points

This letter introduces initial ideas for the theory of the business, emphasizing a foundational approach.
Drucker notes that mathematics, while vital, should serve as a support for operations research and synthesis.
The correspondence acts as a thought starter for Mel Hurni and the OR&SCS team, not a final theory.
This document follows up on an earlier report addressing typical business problems.

Abstract

This is a letter from Peter Drucker to Mel Hurni and the enclosed memorandum, also written by Drucker. It is for use by Mel Hurni and the OR it is not the actual theory. Drucker believes that although mathematics may be "Queen of the Sciences", it is no more than "Handmaiden of OR&S". For this reason, he does not make any attempt to quantify things. This is a sequel to a previous report, titled "Typical Business Problems".

Peter Drucker letter to Mel Hurni, 1958 February 08

Key Points

Abstract

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