The business that became the Bata Shoe Organization was established on August 24, 1894 in Zlin, Czechoslovakia by Tomas Bata, and included his brother Antonin and sister Anna. Although this business was new, the Bata name had been part of a tradition of shoemaking for eight generations, spanning three hundred years. It was one of the first modern-day shoe 'manufacturers', a team of stitchers and shoemakers creating footwear not just for the local town, but also for distant retail merchants. This departure from the centuries-old tradition of the one-man cobbler's workshop was a brand new concept, creating an entirely new industry. Tomas consistently maintained a human focus, creating opportunities for development and advancement, and added compensation for employees based on achievement. As the enterprise prospered, so did the communities where it operated. Bata companies later provided rail services, construction, insurance, publishing and a tannery in Zlin."The Bata System" devised by the Zlin team, and later applied in other Bata Shoe Organization companies, organized operations into autonomous workshops and departments ("profit centre"), allowing employees to contribute ideas and stimulate production, and contributed significant breakthroughs in footwear technology. By 1938 Bata Shoe Organization had established a unique and widespread presence, designing, producing and marketing footwear in more than 30 countries. The Bata Shoe Organization regarded itself as a 'Multi-Domestic' rather than multinational enterprise, making it a priority to contribute to the economy in any new markets it entered.
During the 50s, 60s and 70s the Organization redoubled its focus on retailing excellence, international footwear branding, advanced manufacturing techniques and extensive employee training, another Bata tradition that dated back to the Organization's earliest years. At present, Bata is one of the world’s widest reaching companies, with