criticized the directors the Edison Electric
Light Company for their unwillingness use the competitive
tool had constructed for them West Orange, and blamed
32
them for the gains the competition.
The managers criticized Edison had easy task.
Competition the electrical industry was ferocious and
getting worse." Edison
maintained that had fight the battles the lighting
companies with money from his own pocket, telling Villard that
half the cost meeting the technologial challenge the
competition could not billed the Edison lighting
companies. What Edison saw lack vision and courage,
they saw rational decisions about available resources.
Managers had weigh the cost R&D against the immediate
demands keeping the system running. The Edison
.."
He came believe that the companies had reneged his
initial plan make the West Orange laboratory the spearhead
of electrical development the 1880s. Edison complained Villard that
"with the leadened collar the Edison Electric Light Company
31
around me, have never been able show what can done.V-18
"leadened collar" that prevented him from quickly developing
new electrical technology. told Villard that
"the Genl were morally bound take advantage the costly
facilities erected primarily for the purpose (of R&D into the
Edison lighting system).they did not so. They were the ones who
had integrate the work engineering into their broad
strategies overcoming the competing companies.
