Early in the company’s history, the two founders endorsed formal management procedures, and Hewlett-Packard was one of the first corporations to use the “management by objectives” approach.
They also created an informal workplace, encouraging the use of first names among employees, including themselves. Packard and Hewlett were also known for “walking management,” visiting as many departments as possible without scheduled appointments or meetings and talking to line workers as often as to managers to understand how the company was operating.
Hewlett-Packard became one of the first companies in the United States to endorse the idea that employees, customers, and the community have as much a stake in the company’s performance as do shareholders.
As a result, it was consistently ranked among the best places to work for women and minorities. He also became a top contributor to charities, donating as much as 4.4 per cent of its earnings before taxes.
The following are some of the highlights in the history of HP
It all started in the late 30s
1938: Stanford University graduates Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard collaborates on the company’s first product, an audio oscillator, in a Palo Alto garage.
1938: One of HP’s first customers, Walt Disney, ordered eight oscillators to test recording equipment and speaker systems in 12 specially equipped theatres that will be used to show the Disney film “Fantasia,” to be released in 1940.
1939: Hewlett and Packard formalize their partnership on January 1, 1939, deciding the company name with a coin toss.
In the 40
1940: HP moves from the garage behind the Hewlett and Packard home to the rented buildings in Palo Alto. The start of WWII increases US government orders for electronic instruments. Revenues at the end of the year totalled $ 34,396.
1942: Construction begins on the first HP-owned building in Palo Alto. Income comes to $ 522,803.
1947: HP joins. Packard is named president and Hewlett is vice president.
1948: Revenues totalled $ 2.2 million and employees number 128.
In the 50s
1955: The 1950s were a time of remarkable growth for both HP and the City of Palo Alto. The city’s population more than doubled over the decade, and the fruit orchards that characterized the city in the past were cleared to make way for roads, businesses, and schools. Palo Alto was on its way to becoming the high-tech hub that it is today.
1958: FL Moseley Co. acquired
HP’s first acquisition, the FL Moseley Company, a producer of high-quality graphics recorders, lays the foundation for HP’s printing business.
1959 - HP Goes Global
HP goes global, establishing a marketing organization in Geneva and a manufacturing facility in Boeblingen, Germany.
1957: HP goes public on November 6 for $ 16 a share.
In the 60s
1962: For the first time, HP is listed in Fortune magazine’s 500 Best Companies in the United States, ranking 460.
1964: Packard is elected CEO and chairman of the board. Hewlett is named president.
1966: HP develops its first computer, the HP 2116A, making its entry into that business.
In the 70s and 80s
1972: HP introduces the HP-35, the first handheld scientific calculator.
1977: Hewlett retires as president but remains CEO. Packard remains president. HP engineer John Young is named president.
1978: Hewlett retires as CEO, and the company appoints Young to succeed him. Young served until 1992.
1980: HP introduces its first personal computer, the HP-85, and a steady stream of PCs.
1984: The HP LaserJet Pinter line debuts and becomes the single most successful product ever.
In the 90s
1992: John Young retires, Lew Platt, an engineer, is elected president and CEO and a board member.
1993: Packard retires as president, succeeded by Platt. HP ships its 10 million HP LaserJet printers.
1996: Packard dies on March 26.
1999 - HP exits Agilent Technologies, which consists of HP’s former measurement and medical business. Agilent’s initial public offering will take place on November 18, 1999, and HP will retain an 84 per cent stake.
1999: Platt retires; HP appoints Carly Fiorina as president and CEO. Fiorina has nearly 20 years of experience at AT&T and Lucent Technologies.
2000 – 2010
2000: Fiorina is appointed president.
2001: Bill Hewlett died on January 12. On September 4, HP and Compaq announced a controversial merger agreement to create an $ 87 billion company, facing fierce opposition from Walter Hewlett, HP founder William Hewlett, and an HP director.
2002: HP completed Compaq’s merger on May 3 after an eight-month vicarious fight that extended to the courts. After taking over Compaq, HP begins laying off thousands of workers to cut costs.
2005:HP’s board, unhappy with the company’s uneven performance and the merger’s failure to deliver the results Fiorina promised, is considering a management shakeup. Fiorina resigned on February 9. HP appoints CFO Robert Wayman as interim CEO.
2005 - HP acquires Scitex Vision, a market leader in wide and super-wide format printers for industrial and signage applications such as billboards, banners, street advertising, and packaging.
2006: HP ships its 100 millionth LaserJet printer. HP shipped its first LaserJet printer in 1984.
You might also find it interesting. HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF THE PRINTERS
2006:HP acquired Mercury Interactive Corp. in November, HP’s largest software acquisition to date, to create a new Business Technology Optimization (BTO) organization.
2008: On August 26, HP acquired Electronic Data Systems Corporation (EDS), a multi-million dollar technology services company.
With this acquisition, initially announced on May 13, HP has one of the broadest portfolios of end-to-end products, services and solutions in the technology industry. The purchase is, by value, the largest in the IT services sector and the second largest in the technology industry, following HP’s acquisition of Compaq in 2002.
2009: HP acquires 3Com Corporation, a leading provider of network switching, routing and security solutions. HP’s strategy is based on the convergence of servers, storage, networks, management, facilities and services.
2010: HP acquires ArcSight, a security and compliance management company.
HP acquires 3PAR, a leading storage provider.
HP agrees to acquire Fortify Software, a software security company.
2011 – 2015
2011: On August 18, HP announced the acquisition of Autonomy Corporation plc, a global infrastructure software company for the enterprise.
On September 22, HP’s board of directors appointed Meg Whitman as president and CEO.
2014: Hewlett-Packard Company, the original garage startup, celebrates its 75th anniversary.
Hewlett-Packard Company announces plans to separate into two new, publicly-traded Fortune 50 companies.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise will comprise HP’s business technology infrastructure, software, and services, while HP Inc. will contain HP’s personal systems and printing and retain the current logo.
2015: HP acquires Aruba Networks, a leading WLAN hardware and mobility software provider, to achieve leadership in the growing campus network market.
At launch, Hewlett Packard Enterprise is an industry leader in software, infrastructure, services, and the cloud.
Looks ahead as a technology leader delivering IT solutions to our customers across four critical areas: transformation to a hybrid infrastructure, protecting the digital enterprise, productivity in the workplace, and empowering a data-driven organization.
HP is one of the brands with more history, along with IBM, DELL, and Apple, which have contributed their gram of sand to global technological development.
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