Bibliogr. en fin de chapitres. Index

P. 1 Part I, Relevant issues P. 3 1, Introduction P. 10 2, Business history and theories of the firm P. 20 3, Entrepreneurship P. 29 Part II, The company between the preindustrial era and the first industrial revolution P. 31 4, Preindustrial manufacturing P. 40 5, Enterprises and entrepreneurs of the first industrial revolution P. 51 6, Technology, society and the factory system P. 59 Part III, The birth and consolidation of big business P. 61 7, Infrastructures P. 71 8, Technology and organization P. 83 9, National patterns P. 99 Part IV, State and market in the period between the two world wars P. 101 10, THe multidivisional corporation and managerial capitalism P. 112 11, Europe between the two wars : convergence and divergence with the United States P. 123 12, At the origins of the Japanese miracle : entrepreneurship, the State and business groups P. 133 Part V, From the postwar years to the fall of the Wall : the age of "shrinking space" P. 135 13, From world war II to the third industrial revolution P. 148 14, American hegemony and its aftermath P. 161 15, The Soviet Union : the antagonist P. 171 16, Japan : the challenger P. 183 17, Hybrid Europe P. 196 18, Different strategies for "catching up" : South Korea and Argentine P. 207 Part VI, The globalization of today P. 209 19, Multinationals : quid novi ? P. 217 20, New forms of enterprise P. 224 21, The "roaring 1990s" : America is back P. 234 22, Slowing down : Europe and Japan P. 243 23, New protagonists : China and India P. 252 24, A last look