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nydus/The Theory of Business EnterprisePublic

Thorstein Veblen examines the modern industrial system as a structure defined by the machine process and investment for profit. He analyzes how business enterprise and the pursuit of financial gain serve as the primary forces directing contemporary economic organization.

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Table of Contents

The Machine Process

industry has little use for, and can make little use of, what does not conform to the standard. What ia not competently standardized calls for too much of craftsmanlike skill, reflection, and individual elaboration, and is therefore not available for economical use in the processes. Irregularity, departure from standard measurements in any of the measurable facts, is of itself a fault in any item that is to find a use in the industrial process, for it brings delay, it detracts from its ready usability in the nicely adjusted process into which it ia to go ; and a delay at any point means a more or leas far-reaching and intolerable retardation of the comprehensive industrial process at large. Irregularity in products intended for industrial use carries a penalty to the nonconforming producer which urges him to fall into line and submit to the required standardization.

The materials and moving forces of industry are undergoing a like reduction to staple kinds, styles, grades, and gauge.' Even such forces as would

1 S.g. lumber, coal, aUel, paper, wool and cotton, grain, le&ther, cattle tor the packing bousee. All these and many others are to so iDcreaciDg extent iipoken for, delivered, and disposed of under welldeBned staple grades u to qualit]' and dlmenalona, weight and efficiency.

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