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BETA was founded in May 1920 as the Office Appliance Trades Association of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (OATA), and was registered under the Companies Acts in May 1927. In July 1951 OATA merged with the Association of British Business Equipment Manufacturers (ABBEM), to form the Office Appliance and Business Equipment Trades Association (OABETA). The company name was changed to BETA in October 1961, and continued as such until 1986 when it became the Business Equipment and Information Technology Association (BEITA). The association went into liquidation in August 1989, and was taken over by the Electronic Engineering Association (EEA) at Leicester House, 8 Leicester Street, London WC2H 7BN, with whom BETA had enjoyed a close relationship for some years.
Aims and structure of the association: BETA was formed "... to promote, encourage, develop and enhance the interests of the business equipment industry ...." (BETA Forward Plan, Aug 1969). Manufacturers and suppliers of, and traders in business equipment (office machines, computers, office furniture for example) became members of BETA for an annual subscription, and could submit products to the association for registration and inclusion in the Business Efficiency Exhibitions, held annually at Olympia and in the regions. As well as public relations exercises such as the above, BETA's role included the dissemination of information amongst its members, arbitration in disputes over trading ethics, and representing the interests of the industry by lobbying parliament on relevant issues, amongst other activities.
The association was governed by an elected council of 14 members, which met monthly, and administered by a staff of 17. Its membership (over 150 companies in 1977) was divided into sections, reflecting the interests of individual companies, including data-processing, microfilm and office furniture divisions for example.