Richard S. Tedlow

From Competitor to Consumer: The Changing Focus of Federal Regulation of Advertising, 1914–1938

It is a truism that government regulation of business, like all institutions of the political economy, has been evolutionary in nature. Yet few regulatory programs have metamorphosed quite so completely as that of the Federal Trade Commission, which converted itself in the period covered by this article from a watchdog of “competitive practices” that might militate against preservation of atomistic industrial organization, to an agency bent on protecting the interests of consumers. Professor Tedlow shows how this process worked itself out in the important case of truth in advertising.

Statistical portraits of American business elites: a review essay

Since the early twentieth century, scholars have conducted statistical studies of groups of business leaders. These have often been extensive undertakings, calling for the collection of large quantities of information about business executives through the use of surveys, personal interviews, dictionaries, obituaries and biographies. The scholars who have carried out these studies have come from a range of disciplines, including sociology, history and economics. The questions they have asked have varied over time. Some have sought to uncover common characteristics among the executives themselves. Others have studied groups of businessmen in order to learn about society (especially the extent of social mobility), or about particular industries and the people who ran them. While the variety of approaches has led some to conclude that these studies present no coherent picture, this article shows an underlying pattern in these efforts and suggests a framework for future study.

The National Association of Manufacturers and Public Relations during the New Deal

The National Association of Manufacturers was influential in establishing public relations as a permanent fixture in American corporate life. The Association took up the use of public relations in the depths of the depression, promoted its use strongly, and increased its stature.

The Beginning of Mass Marketing in America: George Eastman and Photography as a Case Study

This article offers an interpretation of the birth of mass marketing through an intensive study of one case: George Eastman and the photographic industry. Eastman transformed picture-taking from an expensive, technologically complex craft into a very simple process, making it accessible to a mass market. He was both a leader in his field and an example of what was happening as mass marketing swept through numerous U.S. industries late in the nineteenth century.

New and Improved: The Story of Mass Marketing in America

The all-consuming century - the making of the American emporium the great Coca Cola wars - Coke versus Pepsi putting American on wheels - Ford versus General Motors stocking American pantries - the rise and fall of A bringing the mass market home - Sears, Montgomery Ward and their newer rivals secrets of success - modern marketing in historical perspective. Appendices: a comparison of chain and independent grocery operations excerpts from Michael J. Cullens letter to the President of Kroger.