The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to 19th century where major changes in agriculture, transportation, and technology had a profound socioeconomic and cultural impact on Britain. These changes then spread throughout Europe, North America, and eventually the world. In Britain, businesses were free to adopt new inventions and methods of production, such as the steam engine in 1705 and the spinning thread machine in 1741. This led to the evolution of factories and the need for managing large workforces and raw materials, establishing the concept of management. Key figures like Adam Smith, Robert Owens, F.W. Taylor, and J.N. Tata contributed to the continuing evolution of organizational behavior over time.