This book compares and analyzes the development of business and business institutions in Great Britain, the United States, Japan and, to a lesser extent, Germany from the preindustrial era to the present, with emphasis on the 20th century. Because the evolution of business has been profoundly influenced by its environment, this study pays close attention to connections between business development and political, social and cultural changes. It also offers an insightful argument on similarities and differences in global business development: the similarities result from the technological and economic imperatives of industrialization, and the differences result from the decisive influence of the national environments - laws, politics, social norms, and culture - within which businesses operate. This edition of "The Rise of Modern Business" further highlights the diversity and complexity of business developments by examining both manufacturing and nonmanufacturing firms, exploring the development of small firms in addition to big businesses, and weighing the importance of labour and government for business development in all four nations discussed.
