Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dzt6s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T08:06:04.866Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Borden at the Century Mark: Case Study of a Centennial Observance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 July 2012

Joe B. Frantz
Joe B. Frantz
Affiliation:
Professor of History atUniversity of Texas
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

How should a company observe the venerable occasion of a Centennial birthday? Many businessmen question the dollars-and-cents wisdom of elaborate ceremonies; others have made corporate birthdays a fetish. The Borden Company formulated the unconventional answer that its Centennial should serve as a springboard for increased sales and profits.

Type
Research Article
Information
Business History Review , Volume 33 , Issue 4 , Winter 1959 , pp. 469 - 494
Copyright
Copyright © The President and Fellows of Harvard College 1959

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 Actually, Theodore C. Montague, president until 1956 and chairman of the board since, had conditioned Borden executives in both New York and the branches to a Centennial outlook in managers' meetings, press interviews, and other such public appearances. A terse man, Montague has a reputation for never dodging questions or engaging in executive doubletalk — or platitudinous circumlocutions, if you prefer. This directness has undoubtedly encouraged other Borden executives to be more forthright in their relations with the public than would be their wont.

2 Centennial Keynote, Sept.—Oct., 1956, p. 2.Google Scholar

3 Ibid., pp. 3–4; June, 1956, p. 2.

4 S. L. Pitts, Burlington, Vt., to author, Feb. 26, 1958.

5 Centennial Keynote, April—May, 1957, p. 1; Summer, 1957, p. 1.

6 Interview, Gurley with author, New York, Dec. 30, 1957.

7 Interview, Wooster with author, High Point, North Carolina, Jan. 6, 1958.

8 Interview, Brennan with author, New York, Dec. 31, 1957.

9 Interview, Luker with author, Houston, Texas, Nov. 7, 1957.

10 Interview, Putnam with author, Houston, Texas, Nov. 7, 1957.

11 Interview, R. D. Wooster, Jr., with author, High Point, North Carolina, Jan. 6, 1958.

12 Interview, Maurice Stuart with author, High Point, North Carolina, Jan. 6, 1958.

13 Interview, James H. Warwick with author, Troy, New York, Jan. 2, 1958.

14 Interview, Fred E. Wilson with author, Houston, Texas, Nov. 7, 1957.

15 Interview, Edward J. Brennan with author, New York, Dec. 31, 1957.

16 Interview, Rossignol with author, High Point, North Carolina, Jan. 6, 1958.

17 Interview, Hall with author, Tampa, Florida, Jan. 7, 1958.

18 Interview, Brennan with author, New York, Deo. 31, 1957.

19 Interview, Eckburg with author, New York, Sept. 12, 1957.

20 Interview, Brennan with author, New York, Dec. 31, 1957.

21 Interview, Barritt with author, Tampa, Florida, Jan. 7, 1958.

22 Interview, Brennan with author, New York, Dec. 31, 1957.

23 Interview, Dirkes with author, New York, Dee. 31, 1957.

24 Interview, Post with author, New York, Dec. 31, 1957.

25 Interview, Dirkes with author, New York, Dec. 31, 1957.

26 Milton Fairman, New York, to author, April 3, 1958.

27 Interview, Eckburg with author, New York, Sept. 12, 1957.

28 Arnold Ducklin, Toronto, to author, April 2, 1958.

29 Interview, Gurley with author, New York, Dec. 30, 1957.

30 Interview, Wooster with author, Dec. 30, 1957.

31 Interview, Kunz with author, New York, Sept. 13, 1957.

32 Interview, Herbert H. Clarke, Jr., with author, New York, Sept. 12, 1957.

33 Lyle W. Smith, New York, to author, Feb. 14, 1958.

34 Interview, Comfort with author, New York, Dec. 30, 1957.

35 The experts were right.

36 Letter to author, June 9, 1959.