DEC Is Dead, Long Live DEC summarizes the 40 year story of the creation, demise, and enduring legacy of Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). Led by Ken Olsen, its founder and CEO, DEC pioneered many innovations in computers and organization. DEC was enormously successful and Olsen was named Entrepreneur of the Century. Yet the company ultimately failed as a business and Olsen was forced to step down. How does one understand the success and failure of an organization and a leader?