ВЫСТАВОЧНАЯ ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТЬ ОПТИЧЕСКИХ ФИРМ РОССИИ В XIX В.

Abstract

The relevance of the presented topic is due to the presence of analogies between the heyday of the exhibition movement in the 19th century and the rise of the movement of exhibitions, expositions, forums in the early 2000s. Many modern processes of marketing communication have a prehistory in the exhibition movement of the 19th century. The authors relied on the modernization theory. The exhibitions were considered not from a narrow economic point of view, but in a broader socio-cultural context. Their influence on the development of Russia’s optical industry is analyzed. The following research methods are applied: historical-genetic, comparative, narrative, sociohistorical. One of the most important factors in the development of Russia’s optical industry was the participation of optical workshops in Russian and international industrial, artistic and scientific exhibitions. Russian and international exhibitions became a platform for the exchange of information between the bourgeoisie, scientists, representatives of zemstvos and city selfgovernment, scientific and educational institutions. Exhibitions performed an educational function, increased the social activity of merchants, entrepreneurs, public structures, and ensured live communication between different strata of the population. Optical workshops became participants of industrial exhibitions from the very beginning of the exhibition movement. Participation in exhibitions stimulated inter-industry cooperation, trade in optical products, expanded the target audience, accelerated marketing communication. In a broad socio-cultural context, the exhibitions contributed to the development of trade, the spread of new technologies, and the enrichment of business practices of the bourgeoisie.