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Purpose and benefits

The seeds of John Patterson’s (1844–1922) rise to fame were sown on his family’s farm. If his father hadn’t constantly asked him how much he charged customers for the farm produce, he might not have been interested in the invention of a local trader. Patterson took that invention, the automatic cash register, and turned it into a multimillion-dollar business, National Cash Register. On his way to a personal fortune, Patterson redefined the art of salesmanship, introduced the idea of the corporate classroom, and saved a town from drowning. He was a pioneer in linking productivity to better working conditions.