Computers and Commerce: A Study of Technology and Management at Eckert-Mauchly Computer Company, Engineering Research Associates, and Remington Rand, 1946-1957 (review)

same time, as business history, it is focused on the functional aspects of business and ignores more cultural aspects, such as labor history. In fact, there is only scant mention of the consumers of the goods and services of the industries described here, as if innovation was primarily about the supply side only. The volume also suffers from its own incredible breadth. Although some case studies are fascinating, others seem missing. We learn about ATMs, online banking, and so forth but see nothing of spreadsheets, which surely must have revolutionized the day-to-day manner of doing business for most inhabitants of the banking world. All in all, however, the importance and the strengths of this volume outweigh the weaknesses. Too often historians of business do not pay close enough attention to technology, whereas historians of technology ignore the business context. The relevance and breadth of this volume will draw the attention of both and help to begin a longneeded dialogue. At the same time, owing to Cortada’s record, one hopes that managers involved in technology-based industries, who seldom seem to pay attention to history, will pick up this volume and learn something. I, for one, will be looking forward to the third volume.