Merchants to Multinationals. British trading companies in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries

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Winner of the Wadsworth Prize for Business History, 2000. Scholarly account of the evolution, strategies and competences of British based multinational trading companies, with three objectives, viz: 1] to establish the dimensions, functions and rationale of these companies over time, from the 18th century but focusing on 20th and showing how they evolved; 2] to examine their business strategy over time, notably their vertical integration and diversification, and the consequences of this strategy; 3] to identify the nature of the distinctive competences or capabilities from which they derived competitive advantages that enabled them to survive in an environment that underwent massive changes and shocks. The chapters are: 'Trading companies in theory and history'; 'Foundations'; 'From trade to investment'; 'Trading in crisis'; 'Concentration and diversification'; 'Business groups'; 'Governance and human resources'; 'External relationships'; 'Natural responses'; 'Traders as manufacturers'; 'End game'. Appendices provide details re capital employed by selected but many trading companies - post tax 1895-98, pre tax, 1948-98. The volume contains much business -specific information for, inter alia, Anglo Thai Corp; Balfour Williamson; Binny & Co; Booker Brothers McConnell; Borneo Co; Dodwell & Co; James Finlay & Co; Antony Gibbs & Sons; Guthrie & Co; Harrisons & Crosfield; John Holt & Co; Inchcape & Co; Jardine Matheson & Co; Lonrho; John Swire & Co; United Africa Co; Wallace Brothers; Wilson Son & Co