Academic leader Glen Urban, previously serving as the dean of MIT Sloan, steps down to concentrate exclusively on academic research; departure comes accompanied by a generous donation of $1 million.
Glen Urban, a retired professor of marketing at the MIT Sloan School of Management, is renowned for his significant contributions to marketing and innovation. Urban's work integrates marketing science with new product development, emphasizing how companies can create and manage successful innovations.
Urban's research often focuses on consumer behavior, product management, and marketing strategy, influencing both academic thought and practical business applications. He has been affiliated with MIT's Initiative on the Digital Economy, contributing to cutting-edge research published in leading academic publications. His collaboration with prominent scholars and participation in interdisciplinary projects at MIT highlight his role in advancing understanding of how digital technologies impact marketing and management practices.
Urban arrived at MIT Sloan in 1966, at the age of 26, and is described by friends and colleagues as an energetic and optimistic researcher with an uncanny ability to deliver productive research and marketing tools. During his tenure, he formed several companies, including Management Decision Systems Inc., which later merged with Information Resources Inc., and co-founded Management Science for Health Inc., Marketing Technology Interface Inc., and InSite Marketing Technology Inc., among others.
Urban's research team includes MIT Sloan PhD students, MIT Sloan MBA candidates, and other students and faculty from across MIT. After a sabbatical, he returned to research and teaching, focusing on the Internet and its role in marketing. One of his notable contributions is the development of ASSESSOR, a predictive model for packaged goods, which has been used in over 3,000 new product launches by companies.
Urban's art is primarily abstract, and he sees parallels between his artistic pursuits and his academic work, describing marketing science as a lot like art. In 2002, he published a personal essay in the Journal of Marketing predicting that the Internet would be a major additional channel for marketers in the future.
Urban won the William F. O'Dell Award for ASSESSOR and another award for a study comparing ASSESSOR predictions with actual results. He published seven papers while he was dean, which is unusual for academic administrators at a deanship level.
Urban served as the dean of MIT Sloan School of Management from 1993 to 1998. Under his leadership, the school grew its faculty, scaled up its MBA program, and established partnerships with Tsinghua University and Fudan University in China.
Urban will turn full time to research and is working on a project with General Motors to quantify the value of new media advertising in relation to old media advertising. He is also an artist who works primarily in large form, using metal, stone, marble, and wood.
Urban has built a reputation as a mentor and has mentored several students, including Fareena Sultan, a professor at the College of Business Administration at Northeastern University. David Schmittlein, John C. Head III Dean of MIT Sloan, stated that Urban has supported MIT Sloan's students throughout his career with guidance, mentorship, and offering spots on world-class research teams.
Recently, Urban and his wife, Andrea, announced a $1 million gift to establish the Glen L. and Andrea W. Urban Unitrust, which will support a PhD fellowship at MIT Sloan in the area of marketing. Urban's status as a retired professor from a top business school and his ongoing engagement with the MIT community reflect his enduring influence in marketing research and education.
- Glen Urban, a retired professor, integrates marketing science with new product development, specifically focusing on consumer behavior, product management, and marketing strategy.
- Urban's research, published in leading academic publications, significantly influences both academic thought and practical business applications.
- Urban has formed several companies within and beyond MIT, such as Management Decision Systems Inc., which later merged with Information Resources Inc.
- Urban's MIT Sloan research team consists of MIT Sloan PhD students, MBA candidates, and faculty from across MIT.
- Urban's art, primarily abstract, mirrors his perception of marketing science as an artistic endeavor.
- Urban's development of ASSESSOR, a predictive model for packaged goods, has been utilized in over 3,000 new product launches by companies.
- Urban won the William F. O'Dell Award for ASSESSOR and another award for a study comparing its predictions with actual results.
- Urban served as the dean of MIT Sloan School of Management, growing the faculty, scaling up the MBA program, and establishing partnerships with Tsinghua University and Fudan University in China.
- Urban collaborates with prominent scholars, contributes to the Initiative on the Digital Economy, and engages in interdisciplinary projects at MIT, furthering understanding of digital technology's impact on marketing and management practices.
- The Glen L. and Andrea W. Urban Unitrust, established by Urban and his wife, supports a PhD fellowship at MIT Sloan in the area of marketing, reflecting Urban's ongoing influence in research and education.
