Large and entangled

Italian business groups in the long run

Bibliographic Data

ID8420638
AuthorsAndrea Colli (0000-0001-5273-7416, Bocconi University, corresponding author), Michelangelo Vasta (0000-0002-8683-8095, University of Siena)
Year2015
Volume57
Issue1
Pages64-96
Publication date2015-01-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueBusiness History (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0007-6791 • E-ISSN: 1743-7938
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00076791.2014.977872
OpenAlexW2038957789
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited20

This article, by using both a qualitative and quantitative approach, focuses on large business groups (BGs) in Italy. It provides a methodology of analysis which aims at re-constructing the boundaries and the relevance of BGs in a national economy in the long-run, identifying a country-specific taxonomy of both their forms and the rationales (logics) for their existence. By adopting an original methodology, that is the network analysis, and by using a large and comprehensive dataset (Imita.db), this article also provides some proxy measures of the relevance of the largest BGs in the Italian economy, something which has never been done before in Italian business history research. The analysis clearly shows the persistence of large and entangled BGs in the Italian economy. It confirms that this particular form of business organisation is neither limited to the less developed countries, nor is simply a second best functional substitute of the multi-divisional form diffused in the liberal market economies. Finally, this article also suggests a research itinerary which can also be fruitfully applied in business history to other specific cases

Business · Business history · Economics · Economy · Management · Political science · Proxy (statistics · Relevance (law · Taxonomy (biology · Computer Science · Corporate Finance and Governance · Firm Innovation and Growth · Italy: Economic History and Contemporary Issues · Marketing