Wharton School Press (WSP), the book publishing arm of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, has become an imprint of the University of Pennsylvania Press (Penn Press). The move comes after WSP had contracted for Penn Press to handle licensing and distribution services for the past two years, with sales rising to record levels.
Founded in 2011, WSP publishes books on a variety of topics, including leadership, management, strategy, innovation, entrepreneurship, finance, marketing, social impact, and public policy. A recent bestseller was The Prepared Leader: Emerge from Any Crisis More Resilient than Before by Wharton School Dean Erika H. James and Simmons University President Lynn Perry Wooten.
Penn Press is taking on operational and financial responsibility for the WSP imprint, including but not limited to sales, licensing, marketing, distribution, warehousing, fulfillment, metadata management, accounting, and royalties management.
"It is a tremendous opportunity to expand on our partnership with Penn Press," said WSP publisher Shannon Berning. "Penn Press's deep knowledge of book publishing and the strategic mission alignment between our organizations will enable Wharton School Press to grow its publishing list and expand the reach of its books as well as Wharton faculty research."
The WSP imprint will be led by Berning and retain its editorial autonomy. A Wharton School Press Faculty Editorial Board has been established to ensure all acquisitions are worthy of the WSP imprint. The chair of the board will be Mauro Guillén, professor of management at Wharton and Vice Dean of Wharton's MBA Program for Executives.