How America Tried (and Failed) to Solve Its “Servant Problem”
In the early part of the twentieth century, most middle-class American homes had at least one servant. Then the "servant problem" arose.
Automation in the 1940s Cotton Fields
Automation is a bit of a Rorschach test for anyone interested in workers’ rights. In the 1940s, the mechanization of cotton farming changed the US economy.
The Rise and Fall of the Shopping Mall
Is the shopping mall a thing of the past? A look at how the suburbs helped to create the mall--and what is now killing those same shopping centers.
The Candid Appeal of the Advertising Show Card
A hand-painted show card evokes a certain nostalgia and humanity that machine-made signs can never arouse: It suggests honesty.
How Tech Companies Got In the White House
What role will technology companies—and tech CEOS—play in Donald Trump's White House?
How Car Ads Started Selling Sizzle
In the 1920s car ads began changing. Specialists began to craft auto manufacturer's images solely to please their customers.
The QWERTY Truth
How did the QWERTY keyboard became the gold standard? The answer is probably not what you'd think. Welcome to the economic concept of "path dependence."
The Ethical Case for Profits
The frequency of ethical lapses among executives suggests that there exists an alternate moral framework in corporate culture.
How Mr. Coffee Made Coffee Manly
Mr. Coffee, the first electric-drip coffee machine for home use, debuted in 1972, forever changing the way Americans made coffee.
Why Do Financial Traders Get Those Huge Bonuses?
Highly placed traders win their big money by essentially taking their firms hostage.