DEC Is Dead, Long Live DEC: The Lasting Legacy of Digital Equipment Corporation

An insider account of Digital Equipment Corporation's forty-year history, from its emergence as a pioneering computer company to its eventual sale to Compaq Corporation. DEC created the minicomputer, networking, distributed computing, speech recognition, and other major innovations, becoming the number-two computer maker behind IBM. Edgar Schein, who consulted to DEC throughout its history, provides an inside perspective on the company's major events and key players. He examines how the organizational culture established by founder Ken Olsen initially gave DEC competitive advantages but later became an obstacle to adaptation. Schein and coauthors Kampas, DeLisi, and Sonduck detail how deeply embedded culture can prevent an organization from responding to changing circumstances, even when the need for change is recognized. DEC's cultural elements remain visible in many organizations today, and former employees often attempt to recreate the company's culture in their subsequent work. The rise and fall of DEC serves as a case study relevant to ongoing discussions about business strategy and organizational sustainability.