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If you want to succeed in business, we have some advice: Open a book.

Business books offer unparalleled access to the insights of world-renowned experts in vital areas like marketing, strategy, ethics, and more鈥攆ields essential to MBA programs. Reading these books can expand and deepen the knowledge you gain in business school.

But with thousands of business books published every year, how do you decide which books are worth your time? How do you curate an MBA reading list that will help polish your professional skills and advance your career? Start here with our update of a list originally published in August 2020. To keep you ahead, we鈥檝e expanded our coverage for 2024 to include emerging business trends and highlighting some noteworthy books addressing them.

10 Must-Read Books for Your MBA Reading List:

We鈥檝e combed through the MBA reading lists of top business school programs to discover that many of the classic titles and newer releases on the best-seller lists are also consistently recommended by CEOs.

1. 鈥淭he Hard Thing About Hard Things鈥� by Ben Horowitz

Ben Horowitz is a rap fan and co-founder of one of Silicon Valley鈥檚 most successful venture capital firms, Andreeson Horowitz. He鈥檚 had different seats around the table鈥攆ounder, buyer, investor鈥攆or some of the tech world鈥檚 most famous success stories. was immediately hailed as a classic among business books and has stayed on MBA students' must-read lists for over a decade. In it, Horowitz asserts that there is no formula for dealing with crises and setbacks and offers lessons from his career about navigating hard situations when things don鈥檛 go as planned.

2. 鈥淪caling Up Excellence鈥� by Robert I. Sutton and Huggy Rao

In 鈥�,鈥� two Stanford Organizational Behavior professors investigate a question that repeatedly arose while researching other topics. What they learned about building a corporate culture that nourishes excellence rather than stifling it is widely applicable and well-supported with research and case studies.

3. 鈥淭he Innovator鈥檚 Dilemma鈥� by Clayton M. Christensen

The late Clayton M. Christensen was a professor of business administration at Harvard Business School and a consultant who developed the theory of disruptive innovation. He first published this book, the third entry on our MBA reading list and widely regarded as a business classic, in 1997. Most recently reprinted in 2016 and available in electronic formats, "鈥� explores why success is difficult to sustain and whether successful innovation can be systematized.

4. 鈥淭hinking Fast and Slow鈥� by Daniel Kahneman

Psychologist Daniel Kahneman won the 2002 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for his synthesis of research and theories about economics and decision-making. He went on to become a bestselling author with the publication of 鈥淭hinking Fast and Slow鈥� in 2011. This landmark book is available in over 35 languages. "" belongs on any MBA reading list for the highly readable and elegant distillation of research about human nature and thought processes relevant to any aspect of business.

5. 鈥淏lue Ocean Strategy鈥� by W. Chan Kim and Ren茅e Mauborgne

This , reissued with expanded information in 2015, has become a bestselling business classic available in 44 languages. Management experts Kim and Mauborgne provide industry-agnostic tools and frameworks for managers seeking to break free of the competition in crowded markets.

6. 鈥淗ow to Win Friends & Influence People鈥� by Dale Carnegie

First published in 1936, this has had 998 editions. Billionaire investor Warren Buffett is among the legions of fans of Carnegie鈥檚 timeless lessons for understanding human motivation. Carnegie could have had every MBA-seeking student in mind when he wrote: 鈥溾��the person who has technical knowledge plus the ability to express ideas, to assume leadership, and to arouse enthusiasm among people鈥攖hat person is headed for higher earning power.鈥�

7. 鈥淭he Lean Startup鈥� by Eric Ries

Entrepreneurs鈥攊n start-ups or established companies of all sizes鈥攃an adopt the author鈥檚 scientific approach to adapt, adjust, and innovate. Ries, an entrepreneur, uses his experiences to explain this approach. Praised by CEOs and business faculty at top business schools, "" is available in several languages worldwide and belongs on your MBA reading list.

8. 鈥淪hoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike鈥� by Phil Knight

Nike founder Phil Knight shares the inside story of his early days building a business around shoes and details Nike鈥檚 evolution into one of the world鈥檚 most powerful brands. Blurbed by marquee business leaders Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, the offers insights into entrepreneurship and leadership, offering inspiration for your MBA journey.

9. 鈥淩ework鈥� by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson

The co-founders of Basecamp, an intentionally small and consistently profitable software company, about building and running a healthy business. Their business history spans two recessions and myriad other disruptions. Throughout their journey, Fried and Heinemeier Hansson have rejected much of standard business wisdom, and gained many influential fans, including Jeff Bezos, who not only called their approach "as successful as it is counter-intuitive," but also invested in their company 37signals.¹

10. 鈥淢oneyball鈥� by Michael Lewis

鈥淢oneyball鈥� is a pleasantly surprising entry on MBA reading lists. It鈥檚 the story of how statistical insights helped the underfunded underdog Oakland As become one of the most successful franchises in Major League Baseball. Lewis specializes in financial journalism, and 鈥溾�� is just one of his books combining business insights and entertainment.

MBA Books From Our Previous List

Although these titles have been replaced by others on our current MBA reading list, they still offer valuable information for your leadership journey. These classic business books offer foundational strategies and timeless insights that can enrich your understanding and enhance your impact in today's complex business environment.

• 鈥淚nfluence: The Psychology of Persuasion鈥� by Robert Cialdini, Ph.D.
• 鈥淭he Intelligent Investor鈥� by Benjamin Graham
• 鈥淕rit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance鈥� by Angela Duckworth
• 鈥淭he Infinite Game鈥� by Simon Sinek
• 鈥淭he Outsiders: Eight Unconventional CEOs and Their Radically Rational Blueprint for Success鈥� by William N. Thorndike, Jr.
• 鈥淪ee Sooner, Act Faster: How Vigilant Leaders Thrive in the Era of Digital Turbulence鈥� by George S. Day and Paul J.H. Schoemaker
• 鈥淔irst Break All the Rules: What the World鈥檚 Greatest Managers Do Differently鈥� by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman

Emerging Trends in Business Literature

Three current trends in business publications can provide MBA students with valuable insights into contemporary challenges. The trends include sustainability and ESG, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and mental health and well-being in the workplace. Understanding the key concepts and staying abreast of these trends will help you rise to the challenges of the modern business world.

Sustainability and ESG

Businesses and consumers are increasingly prioritizing environmental stewardship. Understanding the relationship between sustainability and long-term profitability can give organizations significant business advantages.

"Green Giants" by E. Williams explores how sustainable practices can lead to substantial growth, demonstrating the synergy between prosperity and responsibility.

"Net Positive" by Paul Polman and Andrew Winston offers a model for building enterprises that contribute more to the world than they consume, based on Unilever's pioneering strategies and global success.

Mental Health and Well-Being

Amid growing awareness of employee well-being's business value as a driver of innovation, fostering a supportive work environment is a key management initiative. "The Fearless Organization" by Amy Edmondson emphasizes creating psychologically safe workplaces that promote learning and creativity, highlighting management techniques for supporting peak employee performance and well-being

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

In the age of digital transformation, mastering AI is vital for strategic decision-making. "Prediction Machines" by Ajay Agrawal et al. offers an economic perspective on AI as a predictive tool, essential for executives and entrepreneurs aiming to optimize strategies and operations. "AI 2041" by Kai-Fu Lee and Chen Qiufan combines science fiction and analysis to envision future scenarios shaped by AI advancements. Recommended by business titans including Marc Benioff, Mark Cuban and Satya Nadella, "AI 2041" can serve as a strategic resource for envisioning the future of business.²

How to Maximize Your MBA Reading List

While adding extracurricular reading to your business school studies can be challenging, the effort can yield rich rewards. Consider these strategies for integrating important business books that aren't part of the curriculum with your personal MBA. Select business books that align with your current coursework and professional interests, and consider using the academic breaks to dive deeper into these topics. Collaborate with classmates to apply the concepts from your reading to 魔都资源网's Leadership Challenges to synthesize your learning from business books and coursework. The Leadership Challenges are embedded throughout the curriculum and are designed to equip you with the skills needed for real-world problem-solving, effective decision-making, and business success.

Grow Your Business Knowledge with an Online MBA From 魔都资源网 U

Reading to increase your business knowledge is an indispensable part of the learning process, but it doesn鈥檛 have to end there. Earning your Online MBA from the Albers School of Business and Economics at 魔都资源网 will help you apply what you learn in books to the real world. Guided by expert faculty, students engage in real-time interaction and collaboration as they develop ethical and people-centered business skills and a problem-solving mindset. Contact an to learn how 魔都资源网 U can help you reach your career goals.