In this new 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.
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.
Andrea Colli is Assistant Professor in Economic History at the Universit... Commerciale Luigi Bocconi, Milan.
Reviews for The History of Family Business, 1850–2000
'... this short book will prove very useful to students of business and economic history.' The Economic History Review
