The division structure
was their idea and was originated, planned, and installed
from above with brutal speed. in
1916 which the divisions represent the Edison product line:
musical and business phonographs, disc and cylinder records,
numbering machines, chemicals, primary batteries, and motion
pictures. The divisional policy was first introduced to
the primary battery business, because this product was clearly
independent the others and its market was narrow.X-ll
administration gave the Division Managers "as wide latitude as
possible," setting general policy and coordinating their
efforts.^
The move toward organization made marketing
divisions had begun after the creation TAE Inc. Chart 10-1 shows the organization TAE Inc. Its work
was support the products and manufacturing activities of
each division. Some the divisions were oriented toward marketing,
. The other
products followed. Edison did not concern himself with the day-to-day
affairs his companies, for Meadowcroft wrote: "His forte
does not lie the lines routine business methods." The job
of strategic planning remained with Edison and few key
managers the upper level TAE Inc. Many the division managers were
primarily sales orientated, including William Maxwell the
Musical Phonograph Division, and Nelson Durand the Dictating
Machine Division., when each
product was controlled sales manager who ran small
marketing department. The laboratory was classed with the
centralized administration service organization
