Western Electric

An appeal on behalf of the NSPCC.

This short, produced by Western Electric, shows various stages of the construction of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. Highlighted are workers doing the actual construction of the buildings, as well as other workers setting up the telephone and electrical systems, laying the foundations for the buildings, etc. Also shown are panoramic views of the New York City harbor, including the Statue of Liberty and several large ocean liners either docked or being berthed.

In the 1920s, Western Electric Company ordered a series of studies to be conducted at their plant in Cicero, Illinois. At first they wanted to see how lighting affected productivity on the factory floor. Researchers also interviewed employees to hear their ideas and opinions about company policies, management, and other subjects. These were the Hawthorne studies, landmark research in industrial and organizational psychology. In the early 1970s, some of the participants of this study—researchers and workers alike--reunited and reminisced about their involvement.