Bill and Dave by Michael S. Malone

Bill & Dave: How Hewlett and Packard Built the World’s Greatest Company, by Michael S. Malone, reviewed by Tom Birch, Zauel Memorial Library
(Portfolio, 2007, 438 pages, $26.95)
Successful entrepreneurs often fail to become successful business people. This is the story of how two remarkable people defied the odds. Beginning in a small garage in Palo Alto, California in 1938, they built a legendary company, Hewlett-Packard, which led the way in the development of Silicon Valley and the modern digital age.
Much of HP’s success was the result of their innovative management style, which put a strong emphasis on developing timely and competitive products, and especially employee loyalty. They established a unique corporate culture by introducing such revolutionary concepts as profit sharing, employee stock plans, company picnics, and community involvement.