Mark Albion, born on April 3, 1951, is an American social entrepreneur, business theorist and activist, and author of values-based business literature.[1]
Biography
Albion received his post-secondary degrees from Harvard University, including a BA in Economics, a joint MA/MBA and a joint PhD/DBA in Business Economics from Harvard University and Harvard Business School.[citation needed] His undergraduate thesis was chaired by Professor Janet Yellen. His doctoral thesis received the AMA’s award for Best Doctoral Dissertation of 1981.[citation needed], chaired by Professors Walter J. Salmon and Michael E. Porter.
From 1982 to 1988, Albion served as an assistant professor and then an associate professor at Harvard Business School, where he taught MBA retail management and marketing classes, and developed a curriculum to introduce the personal computer into the MBA program. He helped create joint doctoral programs with other Harvard schools. He was featured by 60 Minutes as one of the top young (under 40) business-school professors in the country.[citation needed]
In 1986, Albion’s mother was fighting cancer and he connected with responsible business leaders who in 1987 formed the Social Venture Network (SVN).[citation needed] In the summer of 1988, Albion left Harvard Business School to develop a community of service-minded MBAs. Over the next 30 years, he made over 650 speaking trips to universities and their business schools to build a network for students interested in transforming enterprise to create a world of more social and economic justice, serving as Faculty Founder of what is today called Net Impact.[citation needed] Business Week dubbed Albion “the savior of b-school souls.”[citation needed]
From 2009 to 2010, Albion served in the Office of the President at Babson College to help integrate social values and sustainability into the college and founded the inaugural AshokaU Changemaker Campus Team.
In 2011, Albion co-founded with neuroscientist Dr. Mrim Boutla, More Than Money Careers. As of 2014, the company had 52 university clients and had won several awards for its ed-tech platform, including Ashoka’s Cordes Innovation award in 2013.[citation needed]
Albion is heavily involved in interfaith religious events, as a teacher and participant, and most significantly in adult Jewish education, earning a two-year degree from Hebrew College in 2002. Albion is a representative of the Jewish Reform Movement’s adult education Meah program 2003–2007. He retired in 2016 to spend his time as an impact philanthropist focused on supporting women and minority groups in business.
Awards and recognition
- In 2021, Albion received from St. Mark’s School (Massachusetts) the Distinguished Alumni Award in recognition of his lifetime work to promote inclusion and diversity.
- In 2010, Albion received from the Indiana University the National Entrepreneur of the Year Award in recognition for his contributions to social entrepreneurship, social innovation and sustainable business.
- Trust Across America – 2011–2013 Top 100 Thought Leaders in Trustworthy Business Behavior.[2]
- Fast Company’s Fast Pack 50.
- World Business Fellow.
- New York Times Best Selling author.
- One of the Public Faces for Reform Jewish “Meah” program, 2003–2007.
- College and High School Commencement speaker.
Work
Net Impact
In 1988, Albion began speaking at U.S. business schools about purposeful careers with social impact. In 1993, Faculty Founder Albion and a few other SVN members launched with 13 MBA students Students for Responsible Business (SRB). SRB was renamed Net Impact in 1999. With Liz Maw as CEO from 2004 to 2019, followed by Peter Lupoff, Net Impact currently supports over 450 autonomous volunteer-run chapters and a membership base of over 150,000,[3] with programs and networking events centered on topics such as corporate social responsibility, social entrepreneurship, social enterprise management, nonprofit management, social intrapreneurship, international development, and environmental sustainability, attended by millions of students and young professionals each year.[citation needed]
Speeches
Since 1986, Albion has given over 625 speeches at business schools and universities on 5 continents. His work in helping successful leaders achieve positive social and environmental change through business principles was featured in numerous publications, including BusinessWeek (where in 1997 he was dubbed ‘the savior of business school souls’),[4]“The Green MBA” for Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS),[5] “Forbes: Mark Albion on Net Impact and Its Accomplishments”, “Fast Company: Mark Albion-A Living or a Life?” and “Mark Albion-Build Brand You Columnist”. Mark has given several college commencement speeches, such as one to 4200 in Northeastern graduate schools on June 6, 2014, entitled “Live a Life, Not a Resume”. On October 3, 2015, Albion gave a TEDx Talk at the 150th anniversary of the private school he attended, St. Mark’s School in Southboro, Massachusetts. That talk was entitled “The Paradox of Achievement” with the central message that achievement should be based in love not be a vehicle to get love.
United Nations
Between 1995 and 1996, Albion was tasked by the United Nations to lead a research team to uncover key success factors to develop young socially responsible global leaders. He presented the results of this research in an official speech to the United Nations in 1996, which led to his first meeting with Mother Teresa (Saint Teresa of Calcutta).
The Good Life Parable
Based on his 1997 published story and similar to a 1963 German-written story, in 2008, Mark’s created the 3-minute animated movie “The Good Life Parable” produced with Free Range Studios. Winner of four sustainability awards in 2009 (Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival,[6] Hot Springs Environmental Film Festival,[7] American Conservation Film Festival, Appalachian Summer Festival), the “Good Life Parable” was selected to be distributed through the Outside TV Outside Film Festival Program on Sunday nights between November 2010 and November 2011.
Writings
Albion is the author of several books concerning living a life of service, discussing leaving what you know to find what you love (Making a Life, Making a Living) (New York Times Best Seller), imbedding what you love into your career (More Than Money: Questions Every MBA Should Answer), and developing the skills needed to scale your passion and serve others (True to Yourself). In addition, Albion published dozens of columns in publications such as UNREASONABLE.is, Aish.com and Fast Company, as well as over 160, 4000-word monthly newsletters.[8][9] Published from 1996 to 2008, Albion’s newsletters was subscribed to by millions of readers across 87 countries. Albion lives in Dover, Massachusetts with his wife Joy. They have two daughters.[10]
Selected publications
Books, a selection:
- Albion, Mark S., and Paul W. Farris. The Advertising Controversy: Evidence on the Economic Effects of Advertising. Auburn House, 1981.
- Albion, Mark S. Advertising’s Hidden Effects: Manufacturers’ Advertising and Retail Pricing. Auburn House, 1983.
- Albion, Mark S. and Edward Hoff. Business Decision Making. Prentice-Hall, 1986.
- Albion, Mark S. Making a Life, Making a Living®: Reclaiming Your Purpose and Passion in Business and in Life. Warner Books, 2000.
- Albion, Mark S. Finding Work That Matters. Sounds True, 2002 (3-CD series).
- Kang, Lawler and Mark Albion. Passion at Work: How to Find Work You Love. FT Press, 2005.
- Albion, Mark S. True to Yourself: Leading a Values-Based Business. Berrett-Koehler, 2006.
- Albion, Mark S. More Than Money: Questions Every MBA Needs to Answer to Redefine Risk and Reward for a Life of Purpose. Berrett-Koehler, 2008.
Articles, a selection:
- Farris, Paul W., and Mark S. Albion. “The impact of advertising on the price of consumer products.” The Journal of Marketing (1980): 17–35.
- Farris, Paul W., and Mark S. Albion. “Determinants of the advertising-to-sales ratio.” Journal of Advertising Research 21.1 (1981): 19–27.
- Albion, Mark S. “In Search of True North.” Prince of Wales Publications, 1996.
- Albion, Mark S. “Build Brand You.” Sixteen Columns for Fast Company Magazine, 2001–2002.
- Albion, Mark S. “Leading a Values-Based Business.” Kellogg School of Management, Summer 2006.
- Albion, Mark S. “Turn Your Values into Value.” Journal of Values Based Leadership, Summer 2008.
- Albion, Mark S. “Monk, Architect, Diplomat: Three Types of Leadership are Necessary to Build a Successful Organization.” Stanford Social Innovation Review, Fall 2010.
- Albion, Mark S. “Clarifying Your Mission: The First Step to Making Social Impact Careers Happen.” Forbes Magazine, March 2013.