2500 FIRMS LAY PROBLEMS BEFORE HARVARD BUREAU

More than 2500 firms and corporations in the United States have made confidential reports to the Harvard Business School so far this year, according to an announcement made yesterday by Dr. M. T. Copeland G. '09, Director of the Bureau of Business Research in the University.

These reports give the confidential details of business amounting to more than one billion dollars. Statisticians at the Bureau study the figures and methods of the various concerns, and return to them statements showing the percentages of the different items of expense in comparison to net sales. The results of these studies for the year 1923 will shortly be published and given to all firms who are cooperating with the Bureau. Thus an individual firm is able to compare its items of cost with those of the trade as a whole, with the result that its weaknesses will be pointed out and more intelligent management will result.

Grocery Houses Head List

Wholesale grocery houses lead the list in the number of reports received, their total being 540. Reports also have been made by 501 retail grocers, 490 department stores, 476 retail shoe dealers, and 66 wholesale drug firms. More than 271 retail jewelers reported. Wholesale dry goods firms in the South made 66 reports. The rest of the reports came from 125 dealers in wholesale automotive equipment, and from 125 retail tire dealers.

A comparison of the number of reports received by the Business School this year with the reports received in the same months last year, shows a substantial increase. This cannot be traced directly to any change in business, but is due to the increasing response to the School's efforts to extend its service to the business of the country.