In 1941, Anne Hood Harken took over as director; during her tenure, the program underwent significant changes, partly prompted by the exigencies of World War II and the increased opportunities for women to hold personnel jobs in industry and government.

The program expanded to offer courses on administrative problems in industry; these classes, taught by the faculty of the Harvard Business School, had earlier only been given to men.

Harvard Business School agreed to take over the educational portion of the program as well as the financial responsibilities, with Radcliffe providing housing and classrooms and handling administrative functions.

Dudley Meek served as director from 1955 to 1958 and oversaw a revision of the curriculum, which was redesigned to be broader in scope.

In 1962, a committee appointed by the Dean of the Business School recommended that the Harvard-Radcliffe program be discontinued.