Last week marked the launch of Wharton School Publishing, a joint venture of the Wharton School and Pearson Education, an international media company.
The firm will publish and market books, audiobooks, e-documents, CD-ROMs and videos.
According to Wharton Vice Dean David Schmittlein, who serves as the chairman of the editorial board, both Pearson and Wharton saw advantages in the partnership.
"There is a uniqueness to each partner," Schmittlein said. "Wharton can provide a continuous stream of material, while Pearson provides an unparalleled stream of distribution."
The company was created to provide the business community with new concepts and messages in management that demonstrate thought leadership.
"We are meeting the needs of the marketplace," Wharton Publishing Editor Jerry Wind said. "We are coming up with a new [publishing] imprint that has the Wharton seal of approval."
The intended audience is not only professors or students, but also business managers and public policy-makers.
The hope, according to Schmittlein, is "not just publishing thoughtful and timely publications but to actually change organizations."
Every book published will include an audio summary as well as an interview with the author.
Although most of the writers will be from the Wharton faculty, the company is actively pursuing other big-name writers to sign.
"Wharton is a great name, Pearson is a great name," Schmittlein said. "Authors are very motivated to get their work published."
"We have some of the best authors in the world lined up and under contract," Wind added.
According to Schmittlein, both authors and faculty are extremely receptive to the new firm.
The prospective books are chosen by an editorial board made up of senior faculty members of the Wharton School.
The company "affects the Wharton School because Wharton does well when it is perceived as a thought leader on a global level," Wind said.
"This will help attract the best faculty and energize the students when they see vibrant alumni and a business community who cares for them," he continued.
The company is very optimistic about its future.
"We have major authors, major topics, and with the Wharton seal of approval, we are expecting major success," Wind said.
The firm plans to publish 12 to 15 books a year. The first book is planned for release in July.
