📚 Topic Summary
The telephone, invented by Alexander Graham Bell, emerged as a game-changer during the Second Industrial Revolution (roughly 1870-1914). It drastically altered business practices by enabling near-instantaneous communication across distances. This was a significant departure from relying on mail, telegrams, or messengers. The telephone facilitated quicker decision-making, improved coordination between departments and branches, and fostered stronger relationships with suppliers and customers. Ultimately, it helped businesses become more efficient, responsive, and competitive.
🗣️ Part A: Vocabulary
Match the term to its correct definition:
| Term |
Definition |
| 1. Economies of scale |
a. A message transmitted by telegraph. |
| 2. Alexander Graham Bell |
b. The cost advantages that enterprises obtain due to size, output, or scale of operation. |
| 3. Real-time communication |
c. Inventor of the telephone. |
| 4. Telegraph |
d. Communication that occurs without delay. |
| 5. Efficiency |
e. Achieving maximum productivity with minimum wasted effort or expense. |
✍️ Part B: Fill in the Blanks
The advent of the telephone significantly improved business _________. It allowed for more __________ communication between different departments and facilitated quicker __________-making. Companies could now respond more rapidly to market _________ and coordinate their activities with greater _________.
(Words to choose from: practices, real-time, decision, demands, efficiency)
🤔 Part C: Critical Thinking
How do you think the telephone contributed to the growth of multinational corporations during the Second Industrial Revolution? Give specific examples.