The ideal financial
basis for research, envisaged Edison, was profitable
manufacturing operation. His normal practice was form a
manufacturing organization soon experimental project
had proved its commercial viability, and then bill development
work the new company.II- 6
companies set Edison manufacture his inventions.
Research and development electricity naturally
promised major occupation the West Orange
laboratory. The company provided
the money support research and pay for the construction of
manufacturing facilities.
Edison usually formed separate company absorb the
costs developing each one his innovations, such the
Edison-Sims Torpedo Company the Edison Ore Milling Company. this way continuous research could
be included the costs production. other cases the company was
partially owned Edison was the major shareholder. The physical layout the laboratory— with
Buildings and heavily involved electricity— reflects an
emphasis electrical work.
Supporting research from the profits manufacturing had been
a basic strategy for financing his work.
Edison was sometimes the sole owner the company and
therefore the financing R&D was simply matter of
transfering his funds assets. The rapid growth the electrical
. Edison was the majority
stockholder, ran the Works, and decided its R&D needs. The
means financing the Edison Phonograph Works, for example,
was the sale shares investors
