Former House Master Dead at 89

Former Leverett House Master and Donald K. David Professor of Business Administration Kenneth R. Andrews died on Sunday, September 4, at his home in Durham, N. H. He was 89.

In addition to being an authority on Mark Twain, Andrews was known as the father of “corporate strategy,” the pattern of decisions that determines the manner in which a company competes and invests.

Corporate strategy would become a cornerstone of both the management consulting industry and the Harvard Business School (HBS) curriculum.

In 1971, Harvard president Nathan M. Pusey appointed Andrews and his wife, Carolyn, as the masters of Leverett House, then the largest undergraduate house on campus. He was among the first House Masters to come from outside the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and the first to insist that his wife be co-master, not the “master’s wife.”

During their time as co-masters, Andrews and his wife bore witness to the student unrest surrounding Vietnam, racial tension on campus, and the school’s transition to coeducation during the 1970s.

“The social cohesion of the college was falling apart,” said Andrews’ successor as House Master, David Professor of Business Administration Joseph L. Bower, who had also lived in Leverett House. “He brought unity and stability to the [Leverett] House.”

“For their first open house, Ken and his wife dressed-up for the occasion, in stark contrast to the sloppily dressed students. The couple was very elegant and cultivated, but without snobbery. They were a very powerful civilizing instrument,” Bower recalled.

Nancy Sinsabaugh ’76 remembered Andrews’ dedication to making Leverett’s transition to co-ed housing as smooth as possible.

“Even though Harvard professors often seemed cold and indifferent, Ken Andrews was nothing but warm, generous, and thoughtful,” Sinsabaugh observed.

“Friday afternoon teas, hosted by Ken and Carolyn, were among my most memorable experiences at Harvard,” she said.

Under Andrews and his wife, Leverett House was constantly bustling with activity—the House hosted dances, movie nights, and performances by professional jazz musicians. “Their generous personalities made everyone feel welcome,” said Joseph D. Downing ’78, who lived in Leverett at the time.

But Andrews’ career at Harvard began long before he was appointed Master of Leverett House. After being drafted to serve in World War II, Andrews discovered Harvard while studying at the Army Air Force’s Statistical Control School, which was held at HBS and taught by HBS faculty.

Having completed his Air Force service in 1946, Andrews joined a multidisciplinary teaching group at HBS to develop a new course called Administrative Practices.

In 1948, Andrews joined a committee of HBS faculty members to review the Business School’s required course in Business Policy. The group spent over two years developing the concept of corporate strategy, which would become a cornerstone of both the management consulting industry and the HBS curriculum.

In addition to his business studies, Andrews also completed a dissertation on Mark Twain, which was published to critical acclaim in 1950.

From 1972 to 1979, he served as Chairman of the Harvard Business Review’s editorial board and later became its editor from 1979 to 1985.

“He did remarkable, groundbreaking work with the Harvard Business Review as well as lead our advanced management program,” said Gordon Professor of Business F. Warren McFarlan.

According to Downing, Andrews “made the other side of the river accessible to undergraduates.”

Current Currier House Master and Shad Professor of Business Ethics at HBS Joseph L. Badaracco praised Andrews for his intellect and his kindness. “Ken was a kind, wise, tough-minded, witty man, with a gift for words and a talent for getting right to the heart of an issue. It is no surprise he was welcomed and admired on both sides of the river,” he said.

Andrews is survived by his two children, three stepchildren, six grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.