The economic and cultural roots of contemporary American business can be traced directly to developments in the era between the Civil War and World War I. The physical expansion of the country combined with development of transportation and communication infrastructures to create a free market of vast proportion and businesses capable of capitalizing on the accompanying "economies of scale," through higher productivity, lower costs, and broader distribution. The Birth of Big Business in the United States illuminates the conditions that changed the face of American business and the national economy, giving rise to such titans as Standard Oil, United States Steel, American Tobacco, and Sears, Roebuck, as well as institutions such as the United States Post Office. During this period, commercial banking and law also evolved, and, as the authors argue, business and government were not antagonists but partners in creating mass consumer markets, process innovations, and regulatory frameworks to support economic growth. The Birth of Big Business in the United States is not only an incisive account of modern business development but a fascinating glimpse into a dynamic period of American history.

As leading enterprises increasingly recognize the need for global strategy in the face of a continually competitive business environment, they also need to assess a greater heterogeneous range of possible paths to growth. This accomplished book offers an empirical analysis of some of these possibilities.Drawing on a large database of multinational firms, it investigates, for the first time, a series of important issues within an internally consistent ideological framework. It tests the determinants of the internationalization of sales by analysing overseas production ratio, parent export ratio, overseas sales ratio and sourcing ratio. It also analyses industrial diversification as an alternative route to growth. The Growth and Evolution of Multinational Enterprise will be of great interest to researchers and professional economists specializing in multinational companies, industrial economics and international business.

This important book presents an authoritative, up-to-date examination of a number of major industries in Europe. It offers valuable insights into the nature of industrial activity in Europe, as well as providing comprehensive introductions to a series of key industries, such as defence, construction, tourism and biotechnology. Under the guidance of editor Peter Johnson, a team of specialist contributors presents authoritative case study material on aspects of industrial structure, behaviour and performance in Europe. The primary, secondary and tertiary sectors are all represented as are industries, with special characteristics such as those with a long history of public sector ownership. The selection of industries is designed to show the variety of ways in which the European 'dimension' is reflected in industrial activities and awareness. In addition, the book analyses the development, operation and effectiveness of EC policy and the way that policy interacts with the policies of individual countries. European Industries will rapidly become established as an important source of reference which will be of value to students, researchers and all those concerned with the economic future of an integrated Europe.

This important book presents theoretical and empirical studies of the current reorganization of economic, political and social relations in Britain, West Germany and Scandinavia. An international list of distinguished contributors provide critical and well-informed commentaries on issues such as the transition from 'Fordism' to 'Post-Fordism', discourses and strategies of flexibility, the recomposition of labour markets and labour processes, the changing functions of the welfare state, and the transformation of the state. The arguments are illustrated using cases drawn equally from these three significant and distinct patterns of political economy. In particular, the book assesses how the need for increased 'flexibility' influenced the intellectual and organizational responses of these countries to the crises of the late 1970s.

Originally published in1877, this is a detailed study of Machinery, The contents are extensively illustrated with full page and text drawings and photos. chapters include; Cranes, Bottle Jacks, Derricks and Engines plus many more. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

In this book Nicholas A. Ashford and Ralph P. Hall offer a unified, transdisciplinary approach for achieving sustainable development in industrialized nations. They present an insightful analysis of the ways in which industrial states are currently unsustainable and how economic and social welfare are related to the environment, to public health and safety, and to earning capacity and meaningful and rewarding employment. The authors argue for the design of multipurpose solutions to the sustainability challenge that integrate economics, employment, technology, environment, industrial development, national and international law, trade, finance, and public and worker health and safety. This book is essential reading for anyone with a policy or scholarly interest in sustainable development and the critical roles of the economy, employment, and the environment.

The popular view is that information technology will change the world by boosting productivity and economic growth. But while IT has many visible effects on the modern economy, studies have found little correlation between IT investment and overall productivity.

By presenting new micro- and macroeconomic evidence, this volume shows that in recent years IT investment has exerted a strong influence on productivity and economic growth in many industrial and newly industrialized countries. It also identifies national IT strategies to promote participation in the information economy.

The proliferation of entrepreneurship, technological and business innovations, emerging social trends and lifestyles, employment patterns, and other developments in the global context involve creative destruction that transcends geographic and political boundaries and economic sectors and industries. This creates a need for an interdisciplinary exploration of disruptive technologies, their impacts, and their implications for various stakeholders widely ranging from government agencies to major corporations to consumer groups and individuals. Disruptive Technologies for Business Development and Strategic Advantage is a critical scholarly resource that explores innovation, imitation, and creative destruction as critical factors and agents of socio-economic growth and progress in the context of emerging challenges and opportunities for business development and strategic advantage. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as predictive value, business strategy, and sustainability, this book is geared towards entrepreneurs, business executives, business professionals, academicians, and researchers interested in strategic decision making using innovations and competitiveness.