Hundreds of free online industry profiles pdf, and corporate histories pdf. Industry guides. Subject collections and suggested titles.
Free online library offering hundreds of books about companies and industries, providing insight into their histories and developments. Discover the stories behind some of the most recognized businesses, explore the development of major industries over time, or gain practical knowledge from lessons in business history.
Table of contents
Book Collections of Company and Industry Histories
Corporate Histories – General Collection – Corporate Histories PDF
About 100 books from the Internet Archive free online on the subject of Corporate and Business History – General. This collection includes some general business books, biographies of well-known business executives, and company histories pdf. Industries include the food industry, Silicon Valley, Hedge Funds, advertising, Wall Street, automobiles, Silicon Valley, pharma, cargo airlines, credit card companies, and skiing. Books about companies include IKEA, Disney, American Airlines, J. P. Morgan, Ben & Jerry’s, McDonald’s, and Proctor & Gamble. There are also books about the capitalist system.
Company History Books – Collection – PDF Corporate Histories
About 100 free online books on the Internet Archive, resulting from a search for books on “Business Enterprises history”. Includes company histories in the U.s. and worldwide, corporate histories, books about industries and industrial sectors, and many volumes of the International Directory of Company Histories pdf.
Manufacturing Industries Books – Collection – Industry Profiles PDF
About 320 books related to “Manufacturing Industries”. They include company history books pdf, industry histories pdf, and books about modern factories and trends in manufacturing. They cover U.S. manufacturing and other major manufacturing countries.
High Technology Industries Books – Collection – Industry Profiles PDF
About 320 U.S. books from the Internet Archive, on High Technology Industries. Topics of free online books include high tech careers, Silicon Valley, investing in high tech companies, Japan’s high technology industries, and management of technology companies.
Robotics Industry Books – Collection – Corporate Histories PDF
About 400 books on the Robotics industry. They include books for both generalists and specialists on robotics technology and the robotics industry. Also some books about careers in robotics, and artificial intelligence.
Insurance Industry – Collection – Industry Profiles PDF
About 2,000 insurance books at the Internet Archive. The search results include many works of fiction and marginally related books. Topics of books include the need for reform in the health insurance industry, title insurance, insurance technology, insurance handbook for medical offices, and many books on sectors of the financial industry other than insurance.
Life Insurance Industry – Collection – PDF Industry Profiles
About 200 U.S. books from the Internet Archive free online on life insurance and the insurance industry.
Department Stores Books – Collection – PDF Industry Profiles
About 190 books from the Internet Archive free online on the retail industry and Department Stores. Included are company history books for Nordstrom’s, Marshall Field’s, Filene’s, and Eaton’s. Among the nonfiction books are many works of fiction.
Construction Industry – Collection – PDF Corporate Histories
About 470 books from the Internet Archive free online on the subject of Construction Industry.
Oil and Gas Industry Books – Collection – PDF Industry Profiles
More than 500 free online books at the Internet Archive, resulting from a search for books on “Oil Industry”. Oil and gas industry books. Oil and Gas industry pdf. Oil in history.
Energy Industry Book List – Industry Profiles PDF
This is a Wikipedia list of books about the energy industry. You can use this Open Library search box to search for free online versions on the Internet Archive.
Defense Industries Books – Collection – Corporate Histories PDF
About 130 free online books at the Internet Archive, resulting from a search for books on “Defense Industries”. Defense industry books pdf, pdf books about weapons manufacturing companies.
Computer Software Industry Books – Collection – Industry Profiles PDF
About 200 books from the Internet Archive free online on the subject of Computer Software Industry. PDF books about software makers.
Pharmaceutical Industry Books – Collection – PDF Industry Profiles
About 400 free online books at the Internet Archive, resulting from a search for books on Pharmaceutical Industry. Pharmaceutical industry.
Food Industry Books – Collection – PDF Industry Profiles
About 800 free online books at the Internet Archive, resulting from a search for books on the Food business.
Airline Industry Books – Collection – PDF Corporate Histories
About 260 books from the Internet Archive free online on the subject of Airlines.
More Collections of Free Books on Business and Industry History Topics
More Free Books at Internet Archive on Business and Industry History Topics
Suggested Industry Histories
CORE BOOKS – Business Book PDF Free Download
Offshore: a North Sea Journey – PDF Industry Profiles
Alvarez, Alfred
Houghton Mifflin 1986
Explores the world of the North Sea oil installations and describes the life of the men who are engaged in this business. Oil and Gas industry pdf. Oil in history. History of oil production. Oil and gas industry history.
See the Menu at the top of every page for Directories of Free Online Fiction and NonFiction Books, Magazines, and more, on 400 pages like this at Century Past
Weaving the Web: The Original Design and Ultimate Destiny of the World Wide Web by Its Inventor – Industry Profiles PDF
Berners-Lee, Tim
Paw Prints 1999
Tim Berners-Lee is responsible for one of that century’s most important advancements: the world wide web. Now, this low-profile genius-who never personally profited from his invention -offers a compelling portrait of his invention. He reveals the Web’s origins and the creation of the now ubiquitous http and www acronyms and shares his views on such critical issues as censorship, privacy, the increasing power of software companies, and the need to find the ideal balance between commercial and social forces.
Bond’s Franchise Guide – PDF Industry Profiles
Bond, Robert E.
Source Book 2004
This guide to over 1000 franchise opportunities in 45 categories gives background, capital requirements, support and training information as well as specifics on expansion in the U.S and Canada.
The Pharmaceutical Industry – Industry Profiles PDF
Carroll, Jamuna
Greenhaven 2009
A volume in the “Opposing Viewpoints” series, with several contributed essays in each chapter representing various points of view.
Contents: Is Pharmaceutical Research Safe and Unbiased? – Are Prescription Drugs Appropriately Regulated? – Are Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices Ethical? – Is the Cost of Prescription Drugs in America Appropriate? Pharmaceutical industry book PDF.
Dot.Con: How America Lost its Mind and Money in the Internet Era – PDF Industry Profiles
Cassidy, John
Perennial 2003
The Internet stock bubble … was also about an America that believed it had discovered the secret of eternal prosperity. Moving from the Cold War Pentagon to Silicon Valley to Wall Street and into the homes of millions of Americans, Cassidy tells the story of the great boom and bust in an authoritative and entertaining narrative.
Oil – Industry Profiles PDF
Chapman, Garry
Smart Apple Media 2011
What is a world commodity? — Oil is a commodity — Where is oil found and where it is used? — Timeline: the history of oil — How is oil drilled? — Refining oil — The oil trade — Supply and demand — Codes of practice — International politics and oil — Environmental issues and oil — — Social issues and oil — Is the oil industry sustainable? — The future of the oil industry. Oil and gas industry book.
The Politics of the Global Oil Industry: an introduction – PDF Industry Profiles
Falola, Toyin and Genova, Ann
Praeger 2005
The petroleum industry is among the most lucrative and most important in the world, and its impact within the realm of international politics is tremendous. Falola and Genova introduce the most salient aspects in clear language, offering cogent and up-to-date information about the countries, companies, international organizations, and people who shape the contemporary history of the black gold.
Mauve: How One Man Invented a Color that Changed the World – PDF Industry Profiles
Garfield, Simon
Norton 2001
1856. Eighteen-year-old chemistry student William Perkin’s experiment has gone horribly wrong. But the deep brown sludge his botched project has produced has an unexpected power: the power to dye everything it touches a brilliant purple. Perkin has discovered mauve, the world’s first synthetic dye, bridging a gap between pure chemistry and industry which will change the world forever. Simon Garfield tells the story of how the colour purple became a sensation.
The Directory of Business Information Resources (19th edition, 2012) – Industry Profiles PDF
Gottlieb, Richard, ed.
Millerton, NY: Grey House 2011
Reference work. Chapters: Business — Periodicals — Directories, Industries — Periodicals — Directories, Exhibitions — United States — Directories, Exhibitions — Canada — Directories, Trade associations — Directories, Professional associations — United States — Directories, Business information services — Directories, Reference books — Bibliography, Business information services, Business — Periodicals, Exhibitions, Industries, Professional associations, Reference books, Trade associations, Canada, United States. Books about companies.
Encyclopedia of Global Industries – PDF Industry Profiles
Gottlieb, Richard, ed.
Millerton, NY: Grey House 2007
Covers the history, development, and current status of more than 120 international industries. Each article organizes information under standard headings – for example, “Industry Snapshot,” “Background and Development,” “Industry Leaders,” and “Major Countries in the Industry.” Each also includes Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) and North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes and descriptions. Entries conclude with lists of print and electronic resources, usually from 2004 and 2005.
Oil on the Brain: Adventures from the Pump to the Pipeline – PDF Industry Profiles
Margonelli, Lisa
Doubleday 2007
Americans buy ten thousand gallons of gasoline a second, without giving it much of a thought. Where does all this gas come from? In search of the truth behind the myths, the author wriggled her way into some of the most off-limits places on earth: the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the New York Mercantile Exchange’s crude oil market, oil fields from Venezuela, to Texas, to Chad, and even an Iranian oil platform where the United States fought a forgotten one-day battle. Deftly piecing together the mammoth economy of oil, Margonelli finds a series of stark warning signs for American drivers.
Big-box Swindle: The True Cost of Mega-Retailers and the Fight for America’s Independent Businesses – Industry Profiles PDF
Mitchell, Stacy
Beacon 2006
An expert’s in-depth exploration of the enormous impact of mega-retailers—and what communities and independent businesses can do. Stacy Mitchell illustrates how mega-retailers are fueling many of our most pressing problems, from the shrinking middle class to rising water pollution and diminished civic engagement. She uncovers the shocking role government policy has played in the expansion of mega-retailers and builds a compelling case that communities composed of many small businesses are healthier and more prosperous than those dominated by large chains.
International Directory of Company Histories Vols 1-97 (Incomplete) – PDF Industry Profiles
Volume 97 – PDF Corporate Histories
Pederson, Jay P., ed.
Gale Cengage Learning 1988 – 2009
A multi-volume major reference work bringing together histories of companies that are a leading influence in a particular industry or geographic location. Each successive volume contains three cumulative indexes of all the companies profiled up to that point. Use the second link to open Volume 97 and find the last indexes: Cumulative Index to Companies page 489, Index to Industries p. 571, and Geographic Index p. 635. Some volumes are missing from this collection. Also, the volumes are not all in order; you will need to scroll down to find some early volumes.
Lost Mountain: A Year in the Vanishing Wilderness Radical Strip Mining and the Devastation of Appalachia – Industry Profiles PDF
Reece, Eric
Riverhead 2006
A new form of strip mining has caused a state of emergency for the Appalachian wilderness and the communities that depend on it-a crisis compounded by issues of government neglect, corporate hubris, and class conflict. In this powerful call to arms, Erik Reece chronicles the year he spent witnessing the systematic decimation of a single mountain and offers a landmark defense of a national treasure threatened with extinction.
Fugitive Denim: A Moving Story of People and Pants in the Borderless World of Global Trade – Industry Profiles PDF
Snyder, Rachel Louise
Norton 2008
Rachel Louise Snyder reports from the far reaches of the multi-billion-dollar denim industry in search of the people who make your clothes. From a cotton picker in Azerbaijan to a Cambodian seamstress, a denim maker in Italy to a fashion designer in New York, Snyder captures the human, environmental, and political forces at work in a complex and often absurd world. Neither polemic nor prescription, Fugitive Denim captures what it means to work in the twenty-first century.
The Mom & Pop Store: True Stories from the Heart of America – PDF Industry Profiles
Spector, Robert
Walker 2010
Mom & pop stores have always brought people together, fostering a sense of neighborhood identity and camaraderie, and are the glue that connects people in big cities and small towns alike. Spector set out to discover the state, and the state of mind, of independent retailing in America. Owners shared their stories with him, revealing the spirit and tenacity of the small business owner. Spector also interweaves the history of independent retailing.
Killer Stuff and Tons of Money: Seeking History and Hidden Gems in Flea-Market America – Industry Profiles PDF
Stanton, Maureen
Thorndike 2011
One dealer’s journey from the populist mayhem of flea markets to the rarefied realm of auctions reveals the rich, often outrageous subculture of antiques and collectibles. Week in, week out, Avery trawls the flea and antiques circuit-buying, selling, and advising other dealers in his many areas of expertise, from furniture to glass to stoneware, and more. This is an insider’s look at a subculture replete with arcane traditions and high drama, an inspiring account of a self-made man making his way in a cutthroat field, a treasure trove of tips for those who seek out old things themselves, and a thoroughly fresh, vibrant view of history as blood sport.
The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power – PDF Industry Profiles
Yergin, Daniel
Simon & Schuster 1992
“A history of the oil industry, from the first oil well ever drilled (near Titusville, PA in 1859) to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. It recalls advances in technology, innovations in salesmanship, and wars and truces among corporations and nations.” -New Yorker.
Suggested Company Histories
CORE BOOKS – Company History Examples
Googled: The End of the World As We Know It – PDF Corporate Histories
Auletta, Ken
Penguin 2009
Author Ken Auletta takes readers for a ride on the Google wave, telling the story of how it formed and crashed into traditional media businesses, from newspapers to books, to television, to movies, to telephones, to advertising, to Microsoft. With unprecedented access to Google’s founders and executives, as well as to those in media who are struggling to keep their heads above water, Auletta reveals how the industry is being disrupted and redefined.
Wheels for the World: Henry Ford, His Company, and a Century of Progress 1903-2003 – Corporate Histories PDF
Brinkley, Douglas
Viking 2003
Reveals the riveting details of Ford Motor Company’s epic achievements, chronicling the success of the Tin Lizzie to the beloved Model A through the glory days of the Thunderbird, Mustang, and Taurus, as well as the revolutionary plants where they were built. Brinkley tells of the amazing acquisitions of Volvo, Land Rover, Jaguar, and Mazda in the 1990s. His narrative also explores Ford Motor Company’s darker aspects, from its founder’s anti-Semitism, ill-considered wartime pacifism, and disloyalty.
Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power – Corporate Histories PDF
Coll, Steve
Penguin 2012
The author investigates the largest and most powerful private corporation in the United States, revealing the true extent of its power. Despite its outsized global influence, the true nature of the company is not widely known by the general public. This book pulls back the curtain, tracking the corporation’s recent history and its central role on the world stage.
Tupperware, Unsealed: Brownie Wise, Earl Tupper, and the Home Party Pioneers – PDF Corporate Histories
Kealing, Bob
University of Florida 2008
Brownie Wise, the first woman to appear on the cover of Business Week, was the driving force behind making Tupperware a household name. Fired under mysterious circumstances, she was written out of Tupperware history and died in obscurity. A trailblazing businesswoman decades ahead of her time, Wise created the Tupperware “home party” phenomenon in the 1950s. Wise’s idea to market Tupperware exclusively through in-home sales sparked a cultural revolution in post World War II America. Wise’s rise and fall, and her relationship with the eccentric Tupper, is the stuff of legend; a story told finally, and fully, in Tupperware Unsealed. Company history examples.
The Facebook Effect: The Inside Story of the Company That is Connecting the World – Corporate Histories PDF
Kirkpatrick, David
Simon & Schuster 2010
It is one of the fastest growing companies in history, an essential part of the social life not only of teenagers but hundreds of millions of adults worldwide. Veteran technology reporter David Kirkpatrick had the full cooperation of Facebook’s key executives in researching this fascinating history of the company and its impact on our lives.
Wal-Mart: The Face of Twenty-First-Century Capitalism – PDF Corporate Histories
Lichtenstein, Nelson
New Press 2006
This book marks an ambitious effort to dissect the full extent of Wal-Mart’s business operations, its social effects, and its role in the United States and world economy. The book is based on a spring 2004 conference of leading historians, business analysts, sociologists, and labor leaders. It examines such topics as the giant retailer’s managerial culture, revolutionary use of technological innovation, and controversial pay and promotional practices to provide the most complete guide yet available to one of America’s largest companies.
Dethroning the King: The Hostile Takeover of Anheuser-Busch, an American Icon – Corporate Histories PDF
MacIntosh, Julie
Wiley 2010
The takeover of one of the most well-known and beloved American brands, second only to Disney in popularity, by a Belgian company actually controlled by Brazilians is a fascinating drama that went largely unreported in 2008. From the very local heart of the heartland to the European continent to Brazil, the story of the takeover of Anheuser-Busch by InBev, a Belgian company actually controlled by Brazilians, is fascinating, wide-reaching, and profound. It presaged America’s dwindling political and financial dominance, coming just before the economic crisis of 2008 exploded.
Poisoned Legacy: The Human Cost of BP’s Rise to Power – Corporate Histories PDF
Magner, Mike
St Martin’s 2011
On April 20, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded, killing eleven workers and creating the largest oil spill in the history of U.S. offshore drilling. But, this wasn’t the first time British Petroleum and its cost-cutting practices destroyed parts of the natural world. It also was not the first time that BP’s negligence resulted in the loss of human life, ruined family businesses or shattered dreams. From Alaska to Kansas to the Gulf, journalist Mike Magner has talked to people whose lives have been destroyed by BP’s almost unparalleled corporate greed.
Amazonia: Five Years at the Epicenter of the Dot.Com Juggernaut – PDF Corporate Histories
Marcus, James
New Press 2004
James Marcus, hired by Amazon.com in 1996— when the company was so small his e-mail address could be james@amazon.com—looks back a decade later at the ecstatic rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable comeback of the consummate symbol of late 1990s America. Marcus offers a ringside seat on everything from his first interview with Jeff Bezos to the company’s bizarre, Nordic-style retreats.
The Secret of Chanel No. 5: The Intimate History of the World’s Most Famous Perfume – Corporate Histories PDF
Mazzeo, Tilar J.
Harper 2010
Mazzeo’s sweeping story of the iconic scent (known as “le monstre” in the fragrance industry) stretches from Coco Chanel’s early success to the rise of the seminal fragrance during the 1950s to the confirmation of its bestseller status in today’s crowded perfume market.
The Company: A Short History of a Revolutionary Idea
Micklethwait, John and Wooldridge, Adrian
Modern Library 2003
The Company fills a hole we didn’t know existed, revealing that we cannot make sense of the past four hundred years until we place that seemingly humble Victorian innovation, the joint-stock company, in the center of the frame. Economist editors John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge reveal the company to be one of history’s great catalysts, for good and for ill, a mighty engine for sucking in, recombining, and pumping out money, goods, people, and culture to every corner of the globe.
The Game Makers: The Story of Parker Brothers from Tiddledy Winks to Trivial Pursuit – PDF Corporate Histories
Orbanes, Philip
Harvard Business School 2004
Orbanes, a game historian and former executive at Parker Brothers, tells a story rich in examples of business acumen that spans world wars, family tragedy, the Great Depression, and global competition. Pairing Parker’s enduring business lessons with little-known historical anecdotes, Orbanes reveals the often whimsical origin of classic games-Tiddledy Winks, Monopoly, Nerf, Sorry!, the modern jigsaw puzzle, and more-and how Parker Brothers turned them into cultural icons.
Planet Google: One Company’s Audacious Plan to Organize Everything We Know – Corporate Histories PDF
Stross, Randall
Free Press 2008
Planet Google goes deep inside the company to unveil the extraordinary scope and scale of its ambition to become the master gate-keeper of “all the world’s information,” including its users’ most personal information. New York Times columnist Randall Stross provides a lively tour through Google’s flurry of new information gathering initiatives.
The Googlization of Everything (And Why We Should Worry) – PDF Corporate Histories
Vaidhyanathan, Siva
University of California 2011
“This is a critically important book because it’s really about the Googlization of All of Us. This is a brilliant meditation on technology, information, and consumer inertia, as well as an ambitious challenge to change how, where, why, and what we Google. Vaidhyanathan forces us to think long and hard about taking responsibility for what we all know and how we know it.”—Dahlia Lithwick, senior editor of Slate Magazine.
Vintage Books about Industries
VINTAGE BOOKS – Companies, Industries
The Romance of Modern Manufacture; a Popular Account of the Marvels of Manufacturing – Industry Profiles PDF
Gibson, Charles R.
Lippincott 1910
“Describes in popular manner the evolution and modern methods of many important industries. Useful for material not to be found elsewhere.” – A.L.A.Catalog 1904 – 1911.
A Year in a Coal-Mine – Industry Profiles PDF
Husband, Joseph
Houghton 1911
Experiences of a Harvard graduate while learning by actual work the “operating end” of coalmining in an Illinois mine. – A.L.A. Catalog 1904-1911.
Manufacture of Paper – PDF Corporate Histories
Sindall, R. W.
Van Nostrand 1909
“Semi-technical work, outlining the history and processes of paper manufacture and indicating recent improvements. Usefully supplemented by Andes’ Treatment of paper for special purposes.” – A.L.A.Catalog 1904 – 1911.
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Household Manufactures in the United States, 1640-1860: A Study in Industrial History – Corporate Histories PDF
Tryon, Rolla Milton
Chicago: University of Chicago 1917
Chapter headings are: -Factors affecting Household Manufactures in the Colonies, -The Status of Household Manufactures in the Colonies, -A Quarter-Century of Developments, 1784-1809, -A Year’s Output of the Family Factory (includes household manufactures in every state and territory, and household textile manufactures), -The Products of the Family Factory (wearing apparel, textile supplies, household implements, utensils, furniture, farming implements, building materials, general supplies), -The Transition from Family- to Shop- and Factory-Made Goods, -The Passing of the Family Factory, -Bibliography
Chapter 6, “The Products of the Family Factory”, contains a section entitled “Wearing Apparel and Household Textile Supplies” on pages 190-216. Included here are explanations of all the processes involved in home production of linen, woolen and cotton textiles. There is also a discussion of other products used in wearing apparel on the frontier, such as leather and other animal skins, cattle and buffalo hair, and lint from nettles.
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