ABSTRACT
Institute for Management Development (IMD) is an independent academic institution—a not-for-profit, standalone business school operated as a foundation with the status of a Swiss University Institute. IMD was created in 1990 from a merger between the International Management Institute, founded by Alcan in 1946, and the Institut pour l’étude des méthodes de direction de l’entreprise, founded by Nestlé in 1957. This is our origin statement and is very consequential to our identity as an unusual academic institution: ‘Founded by business executives for business executives, we are an independent academic institution with Swiss roots and global reach. We strive to be the trusted learning partner of choice for ambitious individuals and organisations worldwide.’ IMD possesses distinct characteristics that set it apart as an unusual business school. At IMD, organisations that serve as our learning partners have always played a central role in faculty members’ thought leadership activities.
