10 Companies that Changed the World
3. General Electric
General Electric (GE) is an American multinational conglomerate corporation, incorporated in New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut. The company was the pioneer in electric lamp manufacturing, dynamo machines, electric motors and lighting fixtures, sockets, and other electrical devices.
GE founded the Radio Corporation of America in 1919, and was behind the formation of international radio, both in terms of radio broadcasts and radio set manufacturing. In 1927, GE made the first demonstration of television broadcasts. GE’s know-how in the power generation field led them to the invention of the aircraft turbo-supercharges, and the development of the jet engine in 1941. The company was also one of the pioneers in the computing world, creating general and special purpose computers and operating systems in the 1950’s and ‘60’s. GE was the first business in the world to own a computer.
The world before GE and Thomas Edison was literally living in the dark using the ineffective, smelly, and fire hazardous kerosene lamps. The world after GE became electrified, brightly lit, and modern. The spread of radio and television, powered by GE, brought about a revolution in the entertainment industry. Thanks to GE such items as lightbulbs, radio and TV sets, as well as refrigerators and computers had entered almost every household not only in the developed but even in the developing world.
