TELECOM Digest OnLine - Sorted: Western Electric and Al Capone


Western Electric and Al Capone


Jim Haynes (haynes@alumni.uark.edu)
Tue, 07 Dec 2004 17:36:33 GMT

I'm currently reading a book, "Manufacturing the Future - a History of
Western Electric" by Stephen B. Adams and Orville R. Butler.

Al Capone had a couple of casinos across Cicero Avenue from the
Western Electric Hawthorne Works. Joseph Juran was a statistics
expert in quality control at Western. After spending some time in
Capone's establishment after hours, Juran noticed that one roulette
wheel operator worked "like a robot", making the operation of his
wheel amenable to statistical analysis and prediction. His expertise
enabled him to win $100, which at the time was several weeks' pay.

(Compare with the much later activities of some college students
documented in the book, "Eudaemonic Pie". They used computers in
briefcases and radios in their shoes in a successful scheme to predict
the behavior of a roulette wheel.)

jhhaynes at earthlink dot net

Post Followup Article Use your browser's quoting feature to quote article into reply
Go to Next message: goykhmanster@gmail.com: "Free Month of Vonage + Gmail Invite"
Go to Previous message: Telecom dailyLead from USTA: "DirecTV Group Sells Half Stake in New Satellite Unit to SkyTerra"
Next in thread: Ernie B.: "Re: Western Electric and Al Capone"
May be reply: Ernie B.: "Re: Western Electric and Al Capone"
May be reply: Arthur Kamlet: "Re: Western Electric and Al Capone"
May be reply: Peter Brooks: "Re: Western Electric and Al Capone"
May be reply: Jim Haynes: "Re: Western Electric and Al Capone"
TELECOM Digest: Home Page