Abstract
This article explains how the Bell System succeeded during the presidency of Theodore N. Vail (1907-1919) in reversing a declining business trend by laying the foundations for sustained technological achievement through the development of an operating model that satisfied corporate imperatives related to finance, regulation, and research. By exploiting the potentials of rate-base regulation, Bell was able to create strong scientific capabilities that supported the growth of what became arguably the world's premier telecommunications system. The legacy of these efforts includes the winning of seven Nobel Prizes by Bell scientists, an achievement unequaled by any other industrial laboratory.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 277-299 |
| Number of pages | 23 |
| Journal | Business History Review |
| Volume | 90 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2016 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Business and International Management
- Business, Management and Accounting (miscellaneous)
- History