Biography

Hopf, who was born in London of naturalised British parents, was penniless when he emigrated to America in1898; once there, he worked during the day and studied at night.

He attended the business schools of the Universities of New York, where he gained a Bachelor of Commercial Science in 1906 and a Masters in 1914, before obtaining an MBA from Columbia in 1922.

During his first four years in America he worked in minor clerical positions, but from 1902 his career started to take shape with senior management roles in life insurance companies. By 1915 he had begun to publish management papers, which had an impact not only in life insurance, but also on management.

Hopf is credited with applying Taylor's scientific management to the office and management in general. Urwick credits him with many of the advances in managerial ideas from 1918-48.

Read More