ABSTRACT
This chapter delves into the decades before and after WWII and the growth of corporations’ size and influence on society. Three case examples will be presented, Olivetti (Italy), Cummins Engine (USA), and Corning Glass (USA), to illustrate the evolution of the business engagement with the arts, culture, and design. Taking their cues from modern design and institutions like the Bauhaus, corporate leaders began to experiment with European modernism in designing products, commissioning corporate campuses and civic buildings that sought to holistically to serve and inspire the larger community. The emergence of CSR is also a key element of this chapter.
