Graphs as a Managerial Tool: A Case Study of Du Pont's Use of Graphs, 1904-1949; February 1984 (Classic Reprint) - Hardcover

Joanne Yates

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0260585149 ISBN 13: 9780260585141

Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2018

Synopsis

Graphs as a managerial tool: a case study of Du Pont's use of graphs, 1904–1949 reveals how visuals shaped leadership decisions.

This nonfiction work traces how Du Pont moved from paper reports to a bold chart-based system. It shows how a wall of large, 350 charts in a dedicated chart room helped executives see the health of the company at a glance. The study explains how the ROI formula aligned data presentation with management needs, enabling clear monitoring and analysis across divisions. It also explores how the charts were used for presentation, not persuasion, helping protect data from bias while still guiding action.

• Learn how graphs functioned as both a data compilation tool and an analytic framework.
• See how the chart room supported group decision making for a complex, multidivisional firm.
• Understand the shift from detailed reporting in 1904 to summarized, visual governance in later years.
• Discover why the charts endured for decades and how their rules shaped data integrity and usefulness.

Ideal for readers curious about the history of management accounting, data visualization in business, and how large corporations used visuals to guide strategy.

About this title

About the Author

JoAnne Yates, Deputy Dean and Distinguished Professor of Management at the MIT Sloan School of Management, is the author of Control Through Communication: The Rise of System in American Management, also available from Johns Hopkins.

Edition details

• Publisher: Forgotten Books
• Publication date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0260585149
• ISBN 13: 9780260585141
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 58