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The History of Family Business, 1850–2000

The History of Family Business, 1850–2000

The History of Family Business, 1850–2000

Andrea Colli, Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi, Milan
December 2002
Available
Paperback
9780521804721

    In this 2002 textbook, Andrea Colli gives a historical and comparative perspective on family business, examining through time the different relationships within family businesses and among family enterprises, inside different political and institutional contexts. He compares the performance of family businesses with that of other economic organizations, and looks at how these enterprises have contributed to the evolution of contemporary industrial capitalism. Central to his discussion are the reasons for both the decline and persistence of family business, how it evolved historically, the different forms it has taken over time, and how it has contributed to the growth of single economies. The book summarises previous research into family business, and situates many aspects of family business - such as their strategies, contribution, failure and decline - in an economic, social, political and institutional context. It will be of key interest to students of economic history and business studies.

    • Provides an up-to-date insight into the international literature on family firms
    • Provides a discussion of the traditional view on family firms' backwardness
    • Emphasizes the role of culture and institution in explaining the persistence of family firms

    Reviews & endorsements

    '… this short book will prove very useful to students of business and economic history.' The Economic History Review

    See more reviews

    Product details

    December 2002
    Paperback
    9780521804721
    116 pages
    216 × 140 × 7 mm
    0.16kg
    Available

    Table of Contents

    • Introduction
    • Part I. Family Business: Nature and Structure:
    • 1. In search of a definition: quality and quantity
    • 2. Changing perspectives on family firms
    • Part II. Geographical, Sectoral and Dimensional Distribution of Family Firms:
    • 3. Stages of the industrialization process
    • 4. Industry typology
    • 5. Financial systems
    • 6. Institutional framework
    • 7. Culture
    • 8. Families, firms and ideologies
    • Part III. Family Firms in the Era of Managerial Enterprise:
    • 9. Which role for family firms? The traditional view
    • 10. Which role for the family firm? Toward a new perspective
    • 11. Old problems, open questions: leadership succession, corporate governance, and path dependence
    • 12. Conclusions
    • 13. Bibliographical essay
    • 14. Bibliography.
      Author
    • Andrea Colli , Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi, Milan

      Andrea Colli is Assistant Professor in Economic History at the Università Commerciale Luigi Bocconi, Milan.