The first business computer: a case study in user-driven innovation

In 1949, the world's first business computer application was rolled out. The host for the application was a British catering and food-manufacturing company, which had developed and built its own computer, designed for business data processing. The author traces the endeavour's history and presents an analysis of how and why the company-J. Lyons & Co.-was in a natural position to take on the challenge, the precursor of the information revolution we see today.