How Henry Ford's Assembly Line Changed Business Forever

Wharton professor Christian Terwiesch reflects on the origins and impact of the assembly line as part of Knowledge at Wharton's "American Business Innovation" series ahead of the USA's 250th anniversary. He explains how Henry Ford's assembly line revolutionized mass production, transformed manufacturing, and continues to shape modern business operations today.

Terwiesch is the Andrew M. Heller Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is a Professor in and the chair of Wharton’s Operations, Information, and Decisions department, co-director of Penn’s Mack Institute for Innovation Management, and also holds a faculty appointment In Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine.

His research on Operations Management and on Innovation Management appears in many of the leading academic journals ranging from Management Science to The New England Journal of Medicine. He is an award winning teacher with extensive experience in MBA teaching and executive education.

ABOUT THE SERIES As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, hear from Wharton faculty experts as they explore the American business innovations that transformed industries, reshaped markets, and changed the way the world works. From the assembly line and modern branding to the internet and artificial intelligence, this series examines the ideas and institutions that helped define American enterprise and continue to influence business today.

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