Graphs as a Managerial Tool: A Case Study of Du Pont's Use of Graphs in the Early Twentieth Century

Abstract

This article examines the development of graphs and charts as managerial tools at the beginning of the twentieth century, using Du Pont as a case study The evolution of graphic business tools was a result of two things. I) business's need for methods of analyzing and communicating data rapidly in the years of business growth and development at the beginning of the century, and 2) a growing general understanding of the capabilities of graphs Du Pont's chart room, developed less than twenty years after graphs were first introduced into the company, succeeded spectacularly in suiting the graphic medium to the company's executive needs as it developed from one organizational structure to another. This case study provides some lessons for managers and teachers of business communication today.