Soaring: A Journal of Undergraduate Research
Abstract
George F. Johnson followed in his father’s footsteps as a factory worker in the 1800s. While learning all of the different processes that went into making good quality shoes, he realized the importance of having a dedicated workforce that was behind the scenes, ensuring even the most obscure details were attended to. Through hard work, Johnson rose through the ranks of a shoe manufacturing company and eventually became part of the executive leadership team. However, unlike most who rose to this position, he did not forget where he came from and how much hard work it took to produce these goods. Embracing ideas about the importance of ethical actions that emerged from The Second Great Awakening, he instilled practices in his company that put employees first. This paper will show how George F. Johnson truly embraced ideas from the Second Great Awakening, how he implemented ethical policies and a “Square Deal” for all employees, and the overall effect this had on the Endicott-Johnson Shoe Company.
Recommended Citation
Bricker, Nick
(2024)
"The “Valley of Opportunity”: Morality in a Shoe Empire,"
Soaring: A Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2024, Article 7.
Available at:
https://fisherpub.sjf.edu/soaring/vol2024/iss1/7