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James P. Baughman collection on strategy and structure at the General Electric Company

Creation: 1952-1984
 Collection
Accession: 1888

Abstract

James Porter Baughman (1936-) was a professor of business history at the Harvard Business School and later served as director of Crotonville, The General Electric Company's management development institute in Ossining, New York. His academic research was in the study of management strategy and structure, and following his tenure at Harvard, his position at General Electric gave him the opportunity to implement various business management concepts that he developed during his teaching years. The collection consists of news clippings and original documents amassed by Baughman for his studies of strategic planning and management structure at General Electric.

Dates

  • Creation: 1952-1984

Creator

Extent

8 Linear Feet

Biographical Note

James Porter Baughman (1936-) was a professor of business history at the Harvard Business School and later served as director of Crotonville, The General Electric Company's management development institute in Ossining, New York. Baughman was born August 8, 1936 in Houston, Texas, and earned his undergraduate degree at Rice University in 1957. After graduating from Rice, Baughman attended Tulane University in New Orleans, where he earned his Master of Arts and PhD in history and economics. He became an instructor at Tulane University from 1958 to 1961, and briefly taught at the University of Houston before receiving a teaching position at Harvard University in 1962, where he remained until 1980. During his tenure there, Baughman worked as a consultant for a vast array of public and private firms, including IBM, AT+T, and J. P. Morgan. Baughman was invited to become President of the Iranian Center for Management Studies and lectured at major universities throughout the United States. He also authored several books and articles on the subject of current and future business management.

Following his tenure at Harvard, Baughman was named director of Crotonville, General Electric’s management development institute in Ossining, New York. According to GE CEO John Welch, Crotonville was the “most successful educational management program ever seen.” "The Pit" at Crotonville, an amphitheater seating one hundred business managers, became a highly praised program in which future leaders of major companies participated. Crotonville was one of the most successful inventions produced by General Electric. Accordingly, Baughman traveled worldwide to lecture and teach business management. Following his years at General Electric, Baughman was named Corporate Head of Leadership and Organizational Development at J. P. Morgan + Co.

Scope and Content

The collection consists of newspaper clippings and original documents amassed by Baughman for his studies of strategic planning and management structure at General Electric. The newspaper clippings are arranged according to such topics as organizational structure, business and product lines, external relationships, and competitors.

Access to Collection

This collection is open for research.

Related Materials

James P. Baughman papers (Accession 2483), Manuscripts and Archives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

James P. Baughman papers (Accession 2708), Manuscripts and Archives Department, Hagley Museum and Library.

Language of Materials

English

Related Names

Subject

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title:
James P. Baughman collection on strategy and structure at the General Electric Company
Description rules:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description:
English
Script of description:
Latin

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository

Contact:
PO Box 3630
Wilmington Delaware 19807 USA
302-658-2400