Mathematica Inc. (1968–1986)
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Mathematica Inc. was a multi-faceted American software company and consulting group founded by
Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...
professors in 1958 and established as an independent corporation in 1968. The company had three primary divisions: Mathematica Policy Research, which did consulting work, mostly "to develop mathematical models for marketing decision making"; Mathematica Products Group, best known for developing the RAMIS programming language; and MathTech, the company's technical and economic consulting group. The company was also a leading developer of state lottery systems. In early 1982, the company's stock was split 3-for-2. Mathematica Products Group was soon spun off and purchased by
Martin Marietta Corporation The Martin Marietta Corporation was an American company founded in 1961 through the merger of Glenn L. Martin Company and American-Marietta Corporation. In 1995, it merged with Lockheed Corporation to form Lockheed Martin. History Martin Mari ...
, in May 1983. The division was then renamed Mathematica & Oxford Software. Marietta sold Mathematica & Oxford Software to On-Line Software International in 1986; On-Line was in turn sold to
Computer Associates CA Technologies, Inc., formerly Computer Associates International, Inc., and CA, Inc., was an American multinational enterprise software developer and publisher that existed from 1976 to 2018. CA grew to rank as one of the largest independent ...
, in 1991. Mathematica Policy Research and MathTech were also spun off, and in 1986 both independently became employee-owned companies. Mathematica Policy Research was eventually renamed to Mathematica Inc. and it is the only former unit still carrying the full ''Mathematica'' name.


Early day participants

*
Oskar Morgenstern Oskar Morgenstern (; January 24, 1902 – July 26, 1977) was a German-born economist. In collaboration with mathematician John von Neumann, he is credited with founding the field of game theory and its application to social sciences and strategic ...
, economist and one of the company's founders in 1958 (Chairman, 1968) * Tibor Fabian, Mathematica's Hungarian-born president (1980s) * William Baumol and William Bowen, economists and early day participants


Divisions

*
Mathematica Policy Research Mathematica, Inc., formerly Mathematica Policy Research, is an American research organization and consulting company headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey. The company provides data science, social science, and technological services for social ...
⁣ – the only former unit still carrying the ''Mathematica'' name. * Mathematica Products Group – best known for developing RAMIS * MathTech, the company's technical and economic consulting group – "research projects and computer systems other than Ramis." A quarter of a century after Mathematica's founding, it "was largely owned by a group of professors in Mathematics and Economics at Princeton University... as this group aged, they opted to cash out by selling." The result was a 3-way split: two units became
employee-owned Employee stock ownership, or employee share ownership, is where a company's employees own shares in that company (or in the parent company of a group of companies). US employees typically acquire shares through a share option plan. In the UK, Emp ...
companies and another was sold several times.


Mathematica Products Group

In 1982, Mathematica Products Group's RAMIS was described as "nonprocedural" and "bordering on artificial intelligence." This unit of Mathematica was purchased by
Martin Marietta Corporation The Martin Marietta Corporation was an American company founded in 1961 through the merger of Glenn L. Martin Company and American-Marietta Corporation. In 1995, it merged with Lockheed Corporation to form Lockheed Martin. History Martin Mari ...
in 1983 and renamed to Mathematica & Oxford Software. Marietta sold Mathematica & Oxford Software in 1986 to On-Line Software International, who merged the subsidiary into their own main operations; On-Line was in turn sold to
Computer Associates CA Technologies, Inc., formerly Computer Associates International, Inc., and CA, Inc., was an American multinational enterprise software developer and publisher that existed from 1976 to 2018. CA grew to rank as one of the largest independent ...
, in 1991. The RAMIS product sold well, initially on mainframes, subsequently on PCs.


Mathematica Policy Research

The
Mathematica Policy Research Mathematica, Inc., formerly Mathematica Policy Research, is an American research organization and consulting company headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey. The company provides data science, social science, and technological services for social ...
(MPR) unit's strength was in "social experiments and surveys." In 1983 MPR reported "a major survey assignment for the American Medical Association." In 1986, it became a separate,
employee-owned Employee stock ownership, or employee share ownership, is where a company's employees own shares in that company (or in the parent company of a group of companies). US employees typically acquire shares through a share option plan. In the UK, Emp ...
br>company


MathTech

Like MPR, in 1986 MathTech became an employee-owned company. Known today as Mathtech, Inc.,"Mathtech Inc. was originally formed as the Strategy and Consulting arm of Princeton-based professional services firm Mathematica, Inc." it was described by
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
as "a Washington-area educational consulting firm


References

{{reflist Defunct software companies of the United States Software companies established in 1968 Software companies disestablished in 1986 1983 mergers and acquisitions