ABSTRACT
In the 1930s, William Foote Whyte conducted a study of the North End neighborhoods of Boston, Massachusetts that was largely populated by Italian immigrants along with first and second-generation Italian Americans. This chapter analyzes the work of William H. Whyte with reference to his theories regarding mid-20th-century transformations in American civilization and concomitant changes in business. In his early years at Fortune, Whyte noticed that within American business original and individualist thinking was falling out of favor. Whyte maintains that coming to grips with the full implications of the transition includes and requires a consideration of the psychological strains and tensions that were taking place in post-World War 2 America. Whyte, however, also observes that over time the clout of strong individualists began to lose ground to those with stronger social skills and a collective orientation. Creating an environment that is conducive to creative entrepreneurial and/or intrapreneurial creation is emerging as a significant industry.
