Big business and the wealth of nations : [the essays in this volume are the fruits of a project ... for the Eleventh International Economic History Congress at Milan in 1994

Written in non-technical terms, this book explains how the dynamics of big business have influenced national and international economies. A path-breaking study, it provides the first systematic treatment of big business in advanced, emerging, and centrally-planned economies from the late nineteenth century, when big businesses first appeared in American and West European manufacturing, to the present. Large industrial enterprises play a vital role in developing new technologies and commercializing new products in all of the major countries. How such firms emerged and evolved in different economic, political, and social settings constitutes a significant part of twentieth-century world history. This historical review of big business is particularly valuable today, when the viability of large enterprises is being challenged by small firms, networks, and alliances. These essays, written by internationally-known historians and economists, help one understand the essential role and functions of big business. Written In Nontechnical Terms, Big Business And The Wealth Of Nations Explains How The Dynamics Of Big Business Have Influenced National And International Economies In The Twentieth Century. A Path-breaking Study, It Provides The First Systematic Treatment Of Big Business In Advanced, Emerging, And Centrally Planned Economies From The Late Nineteenth Century, When Big Businesses First Appeared In American And West European Manufacturing, To The Present. These Essays, Written By Internationally Known Historians And Economists, Help One To Understand The Essential Role And Functions Of Big Businesses, Past And Present. Historical And Comparative Contours Of Big Business / Alfred D. Chandler, Jr, Franco Amatori, And Takashi Hikino -- The Large Industrial Enterprise And The Dynamics Of Modern Economic Growth / Alfred D. Chandler, Jr. And Takashi Hikino -- The United States: Engines Of Economic Growth In The Capital-intensive And Knowledge-intensive Industries / Alfred D. Chandler, Jr. -- Great Britain: Big Business, Management, And Competitiveness In Twentieth- Century Britain / Geoffrey Jones -- Germany: Competition Abroad - Cooperation At Home, 1870-1900 / Ulrich Wengenroth -- Small European Nations: Cooperative Capitalism In The Twentieth Century / Harm G. Schroter. (cont.) France: The Relatively Slow Development Of Big Business In The Twentieth Century / Patrick Fridenson -- Italy: The Tormented Rise Of Organizational Capabilities Between Government And Families / Franco Amatori -- Spain: Big Manufacturing Firms Between State And Market, 1917-1990 / Albert Carreras And Xavier Tafunell -- Japan: Increasing Organizational Capabilities Of Large Industrial Enterprises, 1880s-1980s / Hidemasa Morikawa -- South Korea: Enterprising Groups And Entrepreneurial Government / Alice H. Amsden -- Agentina: Industrial Growth And Enterprise Organization, 1880s-1980s / Maria Ines Barbero -- Ussr: Large Enterprises In The Ussr - The Functional Disorder / Andrei Yu. Yudanov -- Czechoslovakia: The Halting Pace To Scope And Scale / Alice Teichova. (cont.) Organizational Competences, Firm Size, And The Wealth Of Nations: Some Comments From A Comparative Perspective / Giovanni Dosi -- Managerial Control, Capital Markets, And The Wealth Of Nations / Takashi Hikino -- Big Business And Skill Formation In The Wealthiest Nations: The Organizational Revolution In The Twentieth Century / William Lazonick And Mary O'sullivan -- Government, Big Business, And The Wealth Of Nations / Thomas K. Mccraw -- Constructing Big Business: The Cultural Concept Of The Firm / Jeffrey R. Fear. Edited By Alfred D. Chandler, Jr., Franco Amatori, Takashi Hikino. Slightly Rev. Ed. Of: Global Enterprise. 1997. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. Cover......Page 1 Frontmatter......Page 2 Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgments......Page 8 List of tables and figures......Page 9 List of contributors......Page 12 Part I - Overview......Page 14 1 - Historical and comparative contours of big business......Page 16 2 - The large industrial enterprise and the dynamics of modern economic growth......Page 37 Part II - National experiences of big business......Page 70 3 - The United States: Engines of economic growth in the capital-intensive and knowledge-intensive industries......Page 72 4 - Great Britain: Big business, management, and competitiveness in twentieth-century Britain......Page 113 5 - Germany: Competition abroad -- cooperation at home, 1870--1990......Page 150 6 - Small European nations: Cooperative capitalism in the twentieth century......Page 187 7 - France: The relatively slow development of big business in the twentieth century......Page 216 8 - Italy: The tormented rise of organizational capabilities between government and families......Page 257 9 - Spain: Big manufacturing firms between state and market, 1917--1990......Page 288 10 - Japan: Increasing organizational capabilities of large industrial enterprises, 1880s--1980s......Page 316 11 - South Korea: Enterprising groups and entrepreneurial government......Page 347 12 - Argentina: Industrial growth and enterprise organization, 1880s--1980s......Page 379 13 - USSR: Large enterprises in the USSR -- the functional disorder......Page 406 14 - Czechoslovakia: The halting pace to scope and scale......Page 444 Part III - Economic and institutional environment of big business......Page 474 15 - Organizational competences, firm size, and the wealth of nations: Some comments from a comparative perspective......Page 476 16 - Managerial control, capital markets, and the wealth of nations......Page 491 17 - Big business and skill formation in the wealthiest nations: The organizational revolution in the twentieth century......Page 508 18 - Government, big business, and the wealth of nations......Page 533 19 - Constructing big business: The cultural concept of the firm......Page 557 Index of company names......Page 586 General index......Page 591 Written in nontechnical terms, this book explains how the dynamics of big business have influenced national and international economies. A path-breaking study, it provides the first systematic treatment of big business in advanced, emerging, and centrally-planned economies from the late nineteenth century, when big businesses first appeared, to the present. Large industrial enterprises play a vital role in developing new technologies and commercializing new products in all of the major countries. How such firms emerged and evolved in different economic, political, and social settings constitutes a significant part of twentieth century world history. These essays, written by internationally-known historians and economists, help one understand the essential role and functions of big business. Written in non-technical terms, this book explains how big businesses have influenced advanced, emerging, and centrally-planned economies, and the international economy. Particularly valuable today, when the viability of large enterprises is being challenged by small firms, networks, and alliances.

Written in non-technical terms, this book explains how the dynamics of big business have influenced national and international economies.

This book aims to understand how "The Wealth of Nations" during the past century has been influenced by the dynamics of big business.