Smart manufacturers, however, saw that one of the great advantages of electric power is that it is easily distributable-that it can be brought directly to workstations. When electric generators first became available, many manufacturers simply adopted them as a replacement single-point source, using them to power the existing system of pulleys and gears. Power in those days came from a single, fixed source-a waterwheel at the side of a mill, for instance-and required an elaborate system of pulleys and gears to distribute it to individual workstations throughout the plant. Until the end of the nineteenth century, most manufacturers relied on water pressure or steam to operate their machinery. The introduction of electric power again provides a good example. Companies can also steal a march on their competitors by having superior insight into the use of a new technology.
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