Russell L. Ackoff

Russell Lincoln Ackoff
Russell Ackoff at Washington University in St. Louis, May 1993
Born	(1919-02-12)February 12, 1919 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died	October 29, 2009(2009-10-29) (aged 90) Paoli, Pennsylvania
Nationality	American
Fields	systems sciences management science
Institutions	Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
Alma mater	University of Pennsylvania BA 1941 University of Pennsylvania PhD 1947
Doctoral advisor	C. West Churchman
Other academic advisors	Edgar A. Singer, Jr.
Doctoral students	Peter C. Fishburn
Known for	organizational theory, general systems theory, operations research
Influenced	Peter Drucker

Russell Lincoln Ackoff (12 February 1919 – 29 October 2009) was an American organizational theorist, consultant, and Anheuser-Busch Professor Emeritus of Management Science at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Ackoff was a pioneer in the field of operations research, systems thinking and management science.

Russell L. Ackoff was born on February 12, 1919 in Philadelphia to Jack and Fannie (Weitz) Ackoff. He received his bachelor degree in architecture at the University of Pennsylvania in 1941. After graduation, he taught at Penn for one year as an assistant instructor in philosophy. From 1942 to 1946, he served in the U.S. Army. He returned to study at the University of Pennsylvania, where he received his doctorate in philosophy of science in 1947 as C. West Churchman’s first doctoral student. He also received a number of honorary doctorates, from 1967 and onward.

From 1947 to 1951 Ackoff was assistant professor in philosophy and mathematics at the Wayne State University. He was associate professor and professor of operations research at Case Institute of Technology from 1951 to 1964. In 1961 and 1962 he was also visiting professor of operational research at the University of Birmingham. From 1964 to 1986 he was professor of systems sciences and professor of management science at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.