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The Rise of the Modern Firm
This authoritative volume focuses on the rise of modern firms, from their early history to the present day. It considers the role of laws and contracts in shaping the growth and influence of business enterprises. It presents entrepreneurs, executives and the firms they controlled as driving actors in national economies and international growth.
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Critical Acclaim
Contributors
Contents
More Information
This authoritative volume focuses on the rise of modern firms, from their early history to the present day. It considers the role of laws and contracts in shaping the growth and influence of business enterprises. It presents entrepreneurs, executives and the firms they controlled as driving actors in national economies and international growth.
Alongside an original introduction the editors have selected work by scholars who have used corporate archives to explore the fine details of how firms actually operated. It also includes work by those who have been influenced by evolutionary, transaction-cost and resource-based theories of the firm. The book will be an essential source of reference for economic historians as well as industrial economists.
Alongside an original introduction the editors have selected work by scholars who have used corporate archives to explore the fine details of how firms actually operated. It also includes work by those who have been influenced by evolutionary, transaction-cost and resource-based theories of the firm. The book will be an essential source of reference for economic historians as well as industrial economists.
Critical Acclaim
‘This timely collection by two of the world’s most eminent business historians reviews the evolution of the modern firm from a geographical and chronological perspective. It demonstrates definitively how the strategy and organisational structure of the firm, together with the legal framework in which it operates, has adapted to the challenges posed by the rise of the high-technology global economy.’
– Mark Casson, University of Reading, UK
‘The Rise of the Modern Firm is a splendid collection, combining the most illuminating of economic theory with the most solid of historical fact. From Geoffrey Jones to S.R.H. Jones, and from Pat Hudson to Naomi Lamoreaux, the book assembles the very best of business history written in the past couple of decades. It ranges from ancient Mesopotamia to modern America. No historian of the business enterprise should be without it, nor any economist with an interest in the actual facts of the matter.’
– Deirdre N McCloskey, University of Illinois at Chicago, US
– Mark Casson, University of Reading, UK
‘The Rise of the Modern Firm is a splendid collection, combining the most illuminating of economic theory with the most solid of historical fact. From Geoffrey Jones to S.R.H. Jones, and from Pat Hudson to Naomi Lamoreaux, the book assembles the very best of business history written in the past couple of decades. It ranges from ancient Mesopotamia to modern America. No historian of the business enterprise should be without it, nor any economist with an interest in the actual facts of the matter.’
– Deirdre N McCloskey, University of Illinois at Chicago, US
Contributors
27 articles, dating from 1930 to 2009
Contributors include: H. Berghoff, A. Carreras, A. Chandler, R. Freeland, W. Kirby, N. Lamoreaux, E. Penrose, M. Wilkins, R. Whittington
Contributors include: H. Berghoff, A. Carreras, A. Chandler, R. Freeland, W. Kirby, N. Lamoreaux, E. Penrose, M. Wilkins, R. Whittington
Contents
Contents:
Acknowledgements
Introduction Geoffrey Jones and Walter A. Friedman
PART I WHAT IS A FIRM?
1. Alfred D. Chandler, Jr. (1992), ‘What is a Firm? A Historical Perspective’
2. Mira Wilkins (1986), ‘Defining a Firm: History and Theory’
3. S.R.H. Jones (1997), ‘Transaction Costs and the Theory of the Firm: The Scope and Limitations of the New Institutional Approach’
PART II EARLY FIRMS
4. Karl James Moore and David Charles Lewis (2000), ‘Multinational Enterprise in Ancient Phoenicia’
5. Constance Jones Mathers (1988), ‘Family Partnerships and International Trade in Early Modern Europe: Merchants from Burgos in England and France, 1470–1570’
6. Ann M. Carlos and Stephen Nicholas (1988), ‘“Giants of an Earlier Capitalism”: The Chartered Trading Companies as Modern Multinationals’
PART III MODERN FIRMS
7. N. McKendrick (1960), ‘Josiah Wedgewood: An Eighteenth-Century Entrepreneur in Salesmanship and Marketing Techniques’
8. Pat Hudson (1994), ‘Financing Firms, 1700–1850’
9. Eric Hilt (2008), ‘When Did Ownership Separate from Control? Corporate Governance in the Early Nineteenth Century’
10. Alfred D. Chandler, Jr. (1965), ‘The Railroads: Pioneers in Modern Corporate Management’
11. Walter A. Friedman (1998), ‘John H. Patterson and the Sales Strategy of the National Cash Register Company, 1884 to 1922’
PART IV MATURE FIRMS
12. Edith T. Penrose (1960), ‘The Growth of the Firm – A Case Study: The Hercules Powder Company’
13. Alfred D. Chandler, Jr. (1976), ‘The Development of Modern Management Structure in the US and UK’
14. Richard Whittington, Michael Mayer and Francesco Curto (1999), ‘Chandlerism in Post-War Europe: Strategic and Structural Change in France, Germany, and the UK, 1950–1993’
15. Robert F. Freeland (1996), ‘The Myth of the M-Form? Governance, Consent, and Organizational Change’
16. Geoffrey Jones and Peter Miskell (2007), ‘Acquisitions and Firm Growth: Creating Unilever’s Ice Cream and Tea Business’
PART V VARIETIES OF FIRM
17. Madeleine Zelin (2009), ‘The Firm in Early Modern China’
18. W. Mark Fruin (1980), ‘The Family as a Firm and the Firm as a Family in Japan: The Case of Kikkoman Shõyu Company Limited’
19. Albert Carreras and Xavier Tafunell (1997), ‘Spain: Big Manufacturing Firms between State and Market, 1917–1990’
20. Hartmut Berghoff (2006), ‘The End of Family Business? The Mittelstand and German Capitalism in Transition, 1949–2000’
PART VI LAW AND REGULATION
21. Peter L. Payne (1980), ‘Fields of Enterprise’
22. Naomi R. Lamoreaux (1998), ‘Partnerships, Corporations, and the Theory of the Firm’
23. William C. Kirby (1995), ‘China, Unincorporated: Company Law and Business Enterprise in Twentieth Century China’
24. Aldo Musacchio (2008), ‘Can Civil Law Countries Get Good Institutions? Lessons from the History of Creditor Rights and Bond Markets in Brazil’
PART VII GLOBAL FIRMS
25. Mira Wilkins (1975), ‘Epilogue’
26. Geoffrey Jones and Judith Wale (1998), ‘Merchants as Business Groups: British Trading Companies in Asia before 1945’
27. Chiara Betta (2005), ‘The Trade Diaspora of Baghdadi Jews: From India to China’s Treaty Ports, 1842–1937’
Acknowledgements
Introduction Geoffrey Jones and Walter A. Friedman
PART I WHAT IS A FIRM?
1. Alfred D. Chandler, Jr. (1992), ‘What is a Firm? A Historical Perspective’
2. Mira Wilkins (1986), ‘Defining a Firm: History and Theory’
3. S.R.H. Jones (1997), ‘Transaction Costs and the Theory of the Firm: The Scope and Limitations of the New Institutional Approach’
PART II EARLY FIRMS
4. Karl James Moore and David Charles Lewis (2000), ‘Multinational Enterprise in Ancient Phoenicia’
5. Constance Jones Mathers (1988), ‘Family Partnerships and International Trade in Early Modern Europe: Merchants from Burgos in England and France, 1470–1570’
6. Ann M. Carlos and Stephen Nicholas (1988), ‘“Giants of an Earlier Capitalism”: The Chartered Trading Companies as Modern Multinationals’
PART III MODERN FIRMS
7. N. McKendrick (1960), ‘Josiah Wedgewood: An Eighteenth-Century Entrepreneur in Salesmanship and Marketing Techniques’
8. Pat Hudson (1994), ‘Financing Firms, 1700–1850’
9. Eric Hilt (2008), ‘When Did Ownership Separate from Control? Corporate Governance in the Early Nineteenth Century’
10. Alfred D. Chandler, Jr. (1965), ‘The Railroads: Pioneers in Modern Corporate Management’
11. Walter A. Friedman (1998), ‘John H. Patterson and the Sales Strategy of the National Cash Register Company, 1884 to 1922’
PART IV MATURE FIRMS
12. Edith T. Penrose (1960), ‘The Growth of the Firm – A Case Study: The Hercules Powder Company’
13. Alfred D. Chandler, Jr. (1976), ‘The Development of Modern Management Structure in the US and UK’
14. Richard Whittington, Michael Mayer and Francesco Curto (1999), ‘Chandlerism in Post-War Europe: Strategic and Structural Change in France, Germany, and the UK, 1950–1993’
15. Robert F. Freeland (1996), ‘The Myth of the M-Form? Governance, Consent, and Organizational Change’
16. Geoffrey Jones and Peter Miskell (2007), ‘Acquisitions and Firm Growth: Creating Unilever’s Ice Cream and Tea Business’
PART V VARIETIES OF FIRM
17. Madeleine Zelin (2009), ‘The Firm in Early Modern China’
18. W. Mark Fruin (1980), ‘The Family as a Firm and the Firm as a Family in Japan: The Case of Kikkoman Shõyu Company Limited’
19. Albert Carreras and Xavier Tafunell (1997), ‘Spain: Big Manufacturing Firms between State and Market, 1917–1990’
20. Hartmut Berghoff (2006), ‘The End of Family Business? The Mittelstand and German Capitalism in Transition, 1949–2000’
PART VI LAW AND REGULATION
21. Peter L. Payne (1980), ‘Fields of Enterprise’
22. Naomi R. Lamoreaux (1998), ‘Partnerships, Corporations, and the Theory of the Firm’
23. William C. Kirby (1995), ‘China, Unincorporated: Company Law and Business Enterprise in Twentieth Century China’
24. Aldo Musacchio (2008), ‘Can Civil Law Countries Get Good Institutions? Lessons from the History of Creditor Rights and Bond Markets in Brazil’
PART VII GLOBAL FIRMS
25. Mira Wilkins (1975), ‘Epilogue’
26. Geoffrey Jones and Judith Wale (1998), ‘Merchants as Business Groups: British Trading Companies in Asia before 1945’
27. Chiara Betta (2005), ‘The Trade Diaspora of Baghdadi Jews: From India to China’s Treaty Ports, 1842–1937’
