‘American Management’ vs ‘Swiss Labour Peace’. The closure of the Swiss Firestone factory in 1978

Abstract

This article focusses on the closure of the Firestone’s Swiss subsidiary in 1978. It contributes to the existing literature dealing with the ‘nationality’ of multinational companies and the impact of US management style on local capitalist systems. Drawing on a narrative perspective and relying on rich sources from government, labour and trade associations’ archives, the article demonstrates how the ‘nationality’ was subjected to actors’ perceptions and constructed through their discourses. It studies how labour representatives and politicians used the ‘nationality of the company’ as a rhetorical tool to legitimise political actions and institutional change. The analysis also shows Swiss trade associations’ efforts to counteract such narratives and their ability to largely limit state interventionism thanks to their traditionally dominant position.