The Brown Bureau of Business Research was formed in 1921 by the Providence Chamber of Commerce and the Brown Department of Economics for the purpose of effecting a close business contact between Rhode Island business and the Department. This came about largely through the initiative of Professor Ralph E. Badger of the Economics Department, who interested several prominent business men in the project. Its articles of agreement defined its primary purpose as the maintenance and operation of a research laboratory to study problems relating to commerce and industry in metropolitan Providence. In 1924 the Bureau inaugurated its official publication, Brown Business Service, subtitled "Analyses of Economic Conditions in Southeastern New England," for distribution of timely information to the business community monthly from September to July. In 1927-28 the Bureau cooperated with the Division of Industrial and Municipal Research at M.I.T. in the industrial survey of metropolitan Providence. The Bureau continued as an agency of the University until 1939. In 1932 a grant was received from the Rockefeller Foundation for a study of the international gold standard under the direction of William Adams Brown and Carel J. Smit, who came to Brown from Amsterdam in 1932.
The Bureau of Business Research records have been organized in two series:
There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.
Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Bureau of Business Research records, OF-1ZBR-1, Brown University Archives.
The Bureau of Business Research records contains reports and correspondence related to its mission of developing a close relationship between the Department of Economics at Brown University and the Rhode Island business and manufacturing community. The records have been organized into two series: Series I. Reports is dated from 1919 to 1939. It includes reports regarding labor turnover in manufacturing, recent tendencies in the jewelry inductry, and employment and unemployment in Rhode Island. Series II. Correspondence is dated from 1925 to 1927 and is arranged alphabetically. It contains correspondence with businesses in the northeastern United States, including such well known Rhode Island firms such as the Brown and Sharpe Manufacturing Company, the Davol Rubber Company and the Gorham Manufacturing Company.