Browsing by Subject "Corporation for Economic and Industrial Research"

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    Oral history interview with Herbert W. Robinson
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 1988-07-13) Robinson, Herbert W. (Herbert William)
    The Council for Economic and Industry Research, Inc. was formed in 1952 to perform operations research and model building for the U. S. Air Force. In 1953 Robinson took over the project, which was designed to identify strategic bomb targets in the Soviet Union based on potential economic damage. In 1954 a public company renamed C-E-I-R, Inc. was formed with Robinson as its president. Orchard Hayes was in charge of computer operations for the nascent software development and programming business. Robinson discusses C-E-I-R acquisitions Automation Institute, General Analysis Corporation, Data Tech, ARB (a television rating company), and C-E-I-R de Mexico. He talks about the establishment of C-E-I-R operations in London and the Netherlands and the subsequent takeover of these by British Petroleum. Robinson discusses the difficulties in managing an industry that had no history. He discusses the involvement of Robert Holland and George Dick from IBM, their attempts to direct sales of C-E-I-R products, and the loss of technical personnel. He discusses the early lack of competition and the later entrance of IBM into competition with C-E-I-R. He talks of William Norris' interest and the acquisition of C-E-I-R by Control Data Corporation.
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    Oral history interview with Paul A. Strassmann
    (Charles Babbage Institute, 1987-05-15) Strassman, Paul A.
    After briefly describing his early life, Strassmann focuses on his application of electronic data processing technology to statistical business problems. He discusses his engineering education at Cooper Union, and his work with Howard, Needles, Tamman & Bergendoff in turnpike construction. Strassmann highlights his work on the New Jersey Turnpike and his traffic flow analysis of the turnpike in his Sloan School thesis, "Forecasting of Turnpike Traffic and Scheduling of Toll Collection Personnel." He then describes his work in cost analysis and profit accounting with Burns and Roe. Strassmann concludes the interview with a description of his work in plant and inventory control management for General Foods including his decision to contract the firm's computing work to C-E-I-R rather than purchase computers from International Business Machines.