The economic crisis that began in 2008 has underscored the impact not only of embedded and assumed ways of managing the economy, but also that present circumstances are the product of a long period of experimentation and bounded diversity; it is understanding the nature of both that forms a central concern of this collection. This book redefines, develops and extends the emerging literature on internal diversity within varieties of capitalism, and the extent to which such internal systemic diversity goes beyond mere diffuseness to represent the coexistence of different logics of action within both liberal market and more cooperative varieties of capitalism.

The collection is based on new, fresh material, from leading scholars in the field. The contributors come from a variety of perspectives within the broad socio-economic literature on institutions, and yet they all focus on the limitations of current institutional fixes, and the protracted and durable nature of the current crisis, which, the editors suggest, reflect profound changes in input costs and the utilization of technology. What characterizes this common ground is an inherent pragmatism, combined with an increasing sophistication in the usage of analytical concepts; illustrating the progression since the early work on comparative capitalism in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

This book should be an invaluable resource for students and researchers of economic theory and philosophy as well as political economics and socio-economics.

The economic crisis that began in 2008 has underscored the impact not only of embedded and assumed ways of managing the economy, but also that present circumstances are the product of a long period of experimentation and bounded diversity; it is understanding the nature of both that forms a central concern of this collection. This book redefines, develops and extends the emerging literature on internal diversity within varieties of capitalism, and the extent to which such internal systemic diversity goes beyond mere diffuseness to represent the coexistence of different logics of action within both liberal market and more cooperative varieties of capitalism. The collection is based on new, fresh material, from leading scholars in the field. The contributors come from a variety of perspectives within the broad socio-economic literature on institutions, and yet they all focus on the limitations of current institutional fixes, and the protracted and durable nature of the current crisis, which, the editors suggest, reflect profound changes in input costs and the utilization of technology. What characterizes this common ground is an inherent pragmatism, combined with an increasing sophistication in the usage of analytical concepts; illustrating the progression since the early work on comparative capitalism in the late 1990s and early 2000s. This book should be an invaluable resource for students and researchers of economic theory and philosophy as well as political economics and socio-economics.

Firms in the clothing industry engage in global sourcing and operate in global markets. Their global production networks have often been subject to scrutiny as the power relationships between buyer firms in developed countries and supplier firms in developing countries raise issues concerned with "fast fashion," the role of brands, labor standards in developing countries, job losses among the most vulnerable workers in Europe and the US, and the growing differentiation within the bloc of developing countries between the least developed and fast developers, such as China and India.
This book analyses the way British, American and German firms in the clothing industry (manufacturing and retail) co-ordinate and govern their global production networks/value chains. It offers a multi-level study, concerned with processes of economic interaction between international, regional, and national economic institutions and actors. This combines an analysis of international/regional regulatory systems, global markets and conditions in the developing countries where suppliers are found, with a focus on the recent development of the clothing industry in three western countries. The analysis of firms' global networks focuses on the power relationships between western producers and retailers on the one hand and between buyer firms in developed and supplier firms in developing countries on the other, as well as their impact on labour.
Utilising over one hundred interviews in six countries on three continents, it follows the value chain from developed to developing countries and studies the many issues which confront students of globalization at the current time. The study combines theoretical perspectives from economic sociology, political economy and management and seeks to utilise the complementary strengths of the Varieties of Capitalism approach and that of Global Production Networks/Value Chains. It will appeal to advanced students and academics interested in processes of economic globalization and the way firms manage them, as well as to those looking for a study of the clothing industry which combines theoretical depth with broad empirical coverage.

Although considerable attention has been paid to those cultural revolutions which result in fundamental social upheavals, the less spectacular silent cultural revolutions which leave the existing social structure intact, focusing instead on the behavioural dimension of ideology, have been neglected. In this book, which was originally published in 1981, Christel Lane examines such a silent revolution, exploring the ways in which it was achieved in the Soviet society of the time through the instrument of ritual. Dr Lane argues that ritual in the Soviet Union serves as a means of rendering sacred the existing social and political order; and her comparison of Soviet ritual with the rituals of other societies highlights the way in which ritual mirrors both the problematic social relations of society and political leaders' major concerns. This book will interest sociologists of religion, anthropologists, political sociologists, and Soviet studies.

Industry and Society in Europe examines changes in industrial organization in Britain, Germany and France from the perspectives of economic sociology and political economy. This important new textbook presents a systematic, comparative analysis of recent processes of industrial and social change in these societies and assesses the contribution each country will make to the emerging European social and economic entity. Written in an accessible, jargon-free style, the book covers a wide range of highly topical themes, including the finance-industry nexus, corporate restructuring, the impact of globalization, the role of small and medium-sized firms, state - industry relations and new developments in work organization and industrial relations. Introducing a sociological perspective to the study of business and economic life, Christel Lane critically engages with some of the main theories in the field including flexible specialization, regulation theory and the new institutionalism in sociology.

After many decades, if not centuries, of neglect of fine food and high-level restaurants in Britain, we are seeing a massive explosion of interest in food, cooking, and dining out. Christel Lane's book charts the process of this transformation and examines top contemporary restaurants and their chefs. The Cultivation of Taste presents a comparative study of Michelin-starred restaurants in Britain and Germany, focusing on two countries without an indigenous haute cuisine but which nevertheless have developed internationally reputed fine-dining sectors, and comparing their development to the fine-dining culture in France. Written from a sociological perspective, chefs are portrayed as part of a complex network, in their relationships with their employees, their customers, gastronomic critics, suppliers of food, and even their financiers. It will appeal to academics in the areas of economic and cultural sociology, and those with an interest in small entrepreneurial firms and their work relations, but also to all those who have an interest in fine-dining restaurants and the chef patrons at the centre of them. The book draws on a large number of interviews with renowned chefs, diners, and Michelin inspectors to provide an unprecedented insight into what goes on in Michelin-starred restaurants-what makes their chefs tick, intrigues their critics, and beguiles or annoys their customers. Restaurants are viewed not simply as businesses but as cultural enterprises that shape our taste in food, ambience, and sociality.

Industry and Society in Europe examines changes in industrial organization in Britain, Germany and France from the perspectives of economic sociology and political economy. This important new textbook presents a systematic, comparative analysis of recent processes of industrial and social change in these societies and assesses the contribution each country will make to the emerging European social and economic entity. Written in an accessible, jargon-free style, the book covers a wide range of highly topical themes, including the finance-industry nexus, corporate restructuring, the impact of globalization, the role of small and medium-sized firms, state - industry relations and new developments in work organization and industrial relations. Introducing a sociological perspective to the study of business and economic life, Christel Lane critically engages with some of the main theories in the field including flexible specialization, regulation theory and the new institutionalism in sociology.

After many decades, if not centuries, of neglect of fine food and high-level restaurants in Britain, we are seeing a massive explosion of interest in food, cooking, and dining out. Christel Lane's book charts the process of this transformation and examines top contemporary restaurants and their chefs. The Cultivation of Taste presents a comparative study of Michelin-starred restaurants in Britain and Germany, focusing on two countries without an indigenous haute cuisine but which nevertheless have developed internationally reputed fine-dining sectors. It compares their development to the fine-dining culture in France, as well as offering contrasts with that of the US, Spain, and the Nordic Countries. Written from a sociological perspective, chefs are portrayed as part of a complex network, in their relationships with their employees, their customers, gastronomic critics, suppliers of food, and even their financiers. It will appeal to academics in the areas of economic and cultural sociology, and those with an interest in small entrepreneurial firms and their work relations, but also to all those who have an interest in fine-dining restaurants and the chef patrons at the centre of them. The book draws on a large number of interviews with renowned chefs, diners, and Michelin inspectors to provide an unprecedented insight into what goes on in Michelin-starred restaurants-what makes their chefs tick, intrigues their critics, and beguiles or annoys their customers. Restaurants are viewed not simply as businesses but as cultural enterprises that shape our taste in food, ambience, and sociality.

The pub is a prominent social institution integral to British identity. From Taverns of Gastropubs: Food, Drink, and Sociality in England charts the historical development of the English public house from the Restoration period to the twenty-first century, culminating in the contemporary gastropub. It explores issues of class, gender, and national identification to understand the social identity of patrons and how publicans conceive of their establishments' organizational identity. In the context of large-scale pub closures since the 1990s the gastropub is viewed as both a reaction to the traditional drinking pub and as a promising alternative. From Taverns to Gastropubs uses historical diaries, industry reports, and a wealth of in-depth interviews in order to understand the rise of the gastropub and how food, drink, and sociality has changed through time.

In the current turbulent business environment, there is a premium on trust. It has become a much desired resource in business organizations, but at the same time it has remained a very elusive idea. How to build and preserve trust, how to cope with opportunism and distrust, and how they affect organizational performance are crucial problems. This original book is the first to offer a wide-ranging study of trust within and between organizations from the perspective of several social and management sciences. The specially commissioned contributionsmany from well-known expertscombine theoretical analysis of problems around trust with empirical study in a range of different organizations in contexts such as China, Japan, India, the US, as well as several European countries. The many issues covered by the book include the relationship between trust and power, trust and law, how to build trust where there was previously none, the impact of trust on performance, and the fragility of trust in different societal contexts. The wide theoretical scope, together with the range of organizational settings and the rich empirical detail of behaviour around trust and opportunism, make this an important and instructive volume.

In the current turbulent business environment, there is a premium on trust. It has become a much desired resource in business organizations, but at the same time it has remained a very elusive idea. How to build and preserve trust, how to cope with opportunism and distrust, and how they affect organizational performance are crucial problems. This original book is the first to offer a wide-ranging study of trust within and between organizations from the perspective of several social and management sciences. The specially commissioned contributionsmany from well-known expertscombine theoretical analysis of problems around trust with empirical study in a range of different organizations in contexts such as China, Japan, India, the US, as well as several European countries. The many issues covered by the book include the relationship between trust and power, trust and law, how to build trust where there was previously none, the impact of trust on performance, and the fragility of trust in different societal contexts. The wide theoretical scope, together with the range of organizational settings and the rich empirical detail of behaviour around trust and opportunism, make this an important and instructive volume.