At manifest Robin Hanson was like: “organizations are not run optimally you should read about how organizations and corporations were run in the late 1800s.” I am having trouble find material about organizations in the late 1800s early 1900s. Preferably books or articles preferably primary sources.
1,000
1.00The 1800s were extraordinarily dynamic, you’d probably get much different results in 1820 vs 1880.
In “Nothing Like It In The World”, Stephen Ambrose mentions that in the mid 1800s the American railroads had to pioneer new forms of organization and management techniques due to their unprecedented size.
He does not expand further. Perhaps a decent place to look would be histories of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific companies?
1. "The Robber Barons: The Great American Capitalists, 1861-1901" by Matthew Josephson: This book explores the lives and impact of influential industrialists like Rockefeller, Carnegie, and Vanderbilt during that era.
2. "Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr." by Ron Chernow: Focuses specifically on Rockefeller, detailing his rise to dominance in the oil industry and his role in shaping American business.
3. "The Myth of the Robber Barons: A New Look at the Rise of Big Business in America" by Burton W. Folsom Jr.: Offers a different perspective on the industrialists of the late 1800s, arguing that they were more entrepreneurial than commonly believed.
4. "The House of Morgan: An American Banking Dynasty and the Rise of Modern Finance" by Ron Chernow: Explores the history of the influential Morgan banking family and their impact on the financial world during that time.
These books provide varied perspectives on the rise of corporations and influential figures in the late 1800s, offering insights into their businesses, impact on society, and economic influence.
this is what I got from chat gpt
The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt
this book won a pulitzer and goes over vanderbilt's businesses