Synopses & Reviews
Most research on institutional features of distinct varieties of capitalism in Europe has analyzed only large corporations. This volume explores the impact of the institutional and structural changes on corporate governance, management culture, and social relationships in small and medium sized enterprises in different European countries.
Synopsis
In the debate on the varieties of capitalism, most attention is given to large corporations. If listed on capital markets, they are not only a preferred target of new actors and rules, but are also perceived as a driving force for institutional change and globalization. Most, if not all, institutional features of the distinct versions of capitalism have been analyzed only with regard to this type of enterprise. This book takes the view that European capitalism cannot be understood without taking small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) into account. It argues that the neglect of size differences of firms in various literature has led to shortfalls in understanding the institutional framework and has obscured an important area of institutional and corporate change. This volume employs a comparative perspective to explore the impact of the institutional and structural changes on corporate governance, management culture, and social relationships in SMEs in different European countries.
About the Author
KATHARINA BLUHM is Assistant Professor for Sociology at the Friedrich-Schiller-University of Jena and currently fellow at the Wissenschaftszentrum in Berlin (WZB). She has been a Research Fellow at the Center for European Studies at Harvard. Her research focuses on varieties of capitalism east-central Europe, relocation of production, economic and management sociology.
RUDI SCHMIDT is Emeritus Professor of Sociology and has held university and research posts at the universities of Berlin, Erlangen and Jena. His research interests include the sociology of work and management, industrial relations, the modernization of industry and production systems and transition in east-central Europe.