The Evolution of International Business


Book Description

Attempts to convey some of the complexities and dynamism of international business by examining its history, from the nineteenth century origins of internaional trade to the present day.




The Impact of the First World War on International Business


Book Description

People throughout the world are now commemorating the centenary of the start of the First World War. For historians of international business and finance, it is an opportunity to reflect on the impact of the war on global business activity. The world economy was highly integrated in the early twentieth century thanks to nearly a century of globalisation. In 1913, the economies of the countries that were about to go war seemed inextricably linked. The Impact of the First World War on International Business explores what happened to international business organisations when this integrated global economy was shattered by the outbreak of a major war. Studying how companies responded to the economic catastrophe of the First World War offers important lessons to policymakers and businesspeople in the present, concerning for instance the impact of great power politics on international business or the thesis that globalization reduces the likelihood of inter-state warfare. This is the first book to focus on the impact of the First World War on international business. It explores the experiences of firms in Britain, France, Germany, Japan, China, and the United States as well as those in neutral countries such as the Netherlands, Sweden, and Argentina, covering a wide range of industries including financial services, mining, manufacturing, foodstuffs, and shipping. Studying how firms responded to sudden and dramatic change in the geopolitical environment in 1914 offers lessons to the managers of today’s MNEs, since the world economy on the eve of the First World War has many striking parallels with the present. Aimed at researchers, academics and advanced students in the fields of Business History, International Management and Accounting History; this book goes beyond the extant literature on this topic namely due to the broad range of industries and countries covered. The Impact of the First World War on International Business covers a broad range of geographical areas and topics examining how private firms responded to government policy and have based their contributions mainly on primary sources created by business people.




Business History around the World


Book Description

This 2003 book offered the first in-depth international survey of contemporary research and debates in business history. Over the two decades leading to its publication, enormous advances had been made in writing the history of business enterprise and business systems. Historians are documenting and analyzing the evolution of a wide range of important companies and systems, their patterns of innovation, production, and distribution, their financial affairs, their political activities, and their social impact. Each essay is written by a prominent authority who provides an assessment of the state and significance of research in his or her area. This volume is a reference work that will be of immense value to historians, economists, management researchers, and others concerned to access the latest insights on the evolution of business throughout the world.




International Business History


Book Description

This text presents for the first time the history of international business, using both a case and contextual approach. Case studies from around the world are analyzed in both their internal and external contexts. Divided into five geographical sections--Europe, North America, Central America/South America/the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia/the Western Pacific--the text features case studies of particular businesses of various periods, as well as essays on international business and economic integration in the particular regions. Introductions to each section define main themes and relate the case studies to those themes; commentaries introduce each case study and summarize key issues. This pioneering text is suitable for upper-division courses in international business history. It can also serve as a supplementary text in courses in international economic history, international economic relations, economic development, and comparative management




Readings in International Business


Book Description

This collection of readings provides a solid grounding in the major practical business decisions that students and managers face in a global setting. The organization of the reader emphasizes general patterns of trade and investment flows, while examining in depth - the reasons for the internationalization of firms and the international dimension of various functional areas, including finance, accounting, marketing, and production.In six sections the readings take up changes in international ownership patterns, corporate strategy, international marketing issues, the basic financial decisions and taxation issues for a multinational firm, and political risk. Each section includes an introduction that outlines the basic ideas to be discussed, as well as questions, key terms, and suggestions for further reading.Robert Z. Aliber is Professor of International Economics and Finance at the Graduate School of Business at the University of Chicago. Reid W. Click is Assistant Professor of Economics in the Lemberg Program in International Economics and Finance at Brandeis University.




Dynamics of International Business


Book Description

The Dynamics of International Business offers a comparative, chronological overview of the strategic and structural evolution of international firms. Organized around eras of global economic development, the text synthesizes research on the internationalization of firms, highlighting crucial turning points in the evolution of the international economy. A particular emphasis is placed on the relationship between historical evidence and the theoretical frameworks available for its interpretation. Each period is illustrated by a selection of short case studies from a variety of industry sectors, including the Levant Company, Nestlé, Singer, Saint Gobain and NEC. An essential textbook for courses in business and economic history, this book will also be a valuable resource for scholars and students of international business more generally.




The Oxford Handbook of Business History


Book Description

This Handbook provides a state-of-the-art survey of research in business history. Business historians study the historical evolution of business systems, entrepreneurs and firms, as well as their interaction with their political, economic, and social environment. They address issues of central concern to researchers in management studies and business administration, as well as economics, sociology and political science, and to historians. They employ a range of qualitative and quantitative methodologies, but all share a belief in the importance of understanding change over time. The Oxford Handbook of Business History has brought together leading scholars to provide a comprehensive, critical, and interdisciplinary examination of business history, organized into four parts: Approaches and Debates; Forms of Business Organization; Functions of Enterprise; and Enterprise and Society. The Handbook shows that business history is a wide-ranging and dynamic area of study, generating compelling empirical data, which has sometimes confirmed and sometimes contested widely-held views in management and the social sciences. The Oxford Handbook of Business History is a key reference work for scholars and advanced students of Business History, and a fascinating resource for social scientists in general.




International Business


Book Description

This fully revised and updated fourth edition of International Business offers an action- focused, practical approach to the topic, helping students understand the global business environment and its repercussions for executives. The book provides thorough coverage, delving into fundamental concepts and theory; the cultural, political, and economic environment; international business strategies; and even functional management areas. More comprehensive than competing books, this new edition of International Business includes: A new chapter on the digitalization of the global economy and its implications for firm strategy and organizations. New examinations of the forces of de- globalization, implications of rising trade protectionism, challenges of geopolitical conflicts, and a friction framework for understanding the effects of cultural differences. Enriched and expanded discussions about potential reconfigurations of global value chains following the COVID- 19 pandemic, changing perspectives on the role of the government with renewed attention to industrial policy, shifts in regional integration with the emergence of such new trade blocks as CPTPP and RCEP, and fresh insights on factors influencing a country’s balance of payments. Strengthened, expanded global cases, examples, and “industry” and “country” mini- cases that give students practical insight into the ways companies actually behave within a competitive, global environment. Also featuring a companion website with a test bank, PowerPoint slides, and instructor’s manual, this book is ideal for students and instructors of any international business course at undergraduate or postgraduate level.




International Bibliography of Business History


Book Description

The field of business history has changed and grown dramatically over the last few years. There is less interest in the traditional `company-centred' approach and more concern about the wider business context. With the growth of multi-national corporations in the 1980s, international and inter-firm comparisons have gained in importance. In addition, there has been a move towards improving links with mainstream economic, financial and social history through techniques and outlook. The International Bibliography of Business History brings all of the strands together and provides the user with a comprehensive guide to the literature in the field. The Bibliography is a unique volume which covers the depth and breadth of research in business history. This exhaustive volume has been compiled by a team of subject specialists from around the world under the editorship of three prestigious business historians.




The International Business Archives Handbook


Book Description

The International Business Archives Handbook provides up-to-date information and guidance on key issues relating to the understanding and management of the historical records of businesses. Key features include: • Chapter contributions from a range of experts in their respective fields. • Content covering business archive and business history initiatives around the world. • Practical advice combined with thought-provoking discussion on issues hitherto little addressed. • Useful quick-reference tables, global case study examples and further reading suggestions. The handbook is an invaluable guide for students, archive professionals and business historians alike. It is also an important reference tool for business professionals involved in information management more generally.