New Research Methods of Business History

Abstract

Business history is an open discipline that can include, in addition to the issues related to the evolution of economy, enterprises, market and business world, other institutional, cultural and social areas related to contemporary events resulting from the long process of industrialization. The first industrial revolution started at the end of the 18th century, followed by a profound industrial transformation that took place in the second half of the 19th century, the mass industrialization of the 20th century and the new post-Fordist scenario of the 21st century are the historical milestones of a phenomenon that has accompanied the various stages of development and the world economy over the period characterized by the supremacy of capitalist production. In short, Business History is an essential element in terms of quality for understanding the economic structure of a country from a dynamic and comparative point of view.Not surprisingly, early in the 20th century Business History sprang out from the United States in relation to the 'big business' model, as an analysis and in-depth examination activity, even of a critical aspect, addressed to some kinds of development and business strategies. As written by Alfred D. Chandler: 'Business History appeared first as a distinguishable sub-field of economic history in the late 1920s and the 1930s. Its parent, economic history, became an identifiable discipline only a few years earlier'. The first Chair of Business History was activated in 1927 at the Harvard Business School, and was covered until the middle of last century by Norman S. B. Gras, who used to divide Business History in six different periods: 'pre-business capitalism', 'petty capitalism', 'mercantile capitalism', 'industrial capitalism', 'financial capitalism', 'national capitalism'. After World War II, Joseph Schumpeter and Arthur H. Cole founded the Center for Research in Entrepreneurial History where scholars like Alfred D. Chandler, Thomas Cochran and David Landes were trained. They were involved in the analysis of entrepreneurship, the relationship between business and society, the role of innovation, the relationship between strategy and structure, and the training for the organizations. Therefore, the American experience served as a pacesetter in many other countries, where Business History had known a large diffusion from the second half of last century.The possibility to use corporate archives in a systematic way has started to become effective in Germany as from 1907, when the Rheinisch-Westphalisch Archiv was established. This has become a point of reference for the opening of similar institutions in many countries. In general terms, sources for Business History can be divided in four different types: those generated by the company itself – classified into primary and secondary –, those originated outside the enterprise – for example, public institutions, trade unions and associations – and oral sources. The traditional methodology of research in Business History focuses on the use of major sources, represented, above all, from business archives. The advent of “information society”, not only focused on changing traditional economic paradigms, but also a profound rethinking of scientific, manufacturing and distribution of knowledge. The introduction and use of electronic sources is not a mere effect replacement of old tools, but an extraordinary help for further advancing a discipline such as Business History. These innovative techniques and technologies are a completion and improvement of traditional sources, in addition, they favor, of course, openness to new and wider experience of study and research, especially on the side comparative and global scale, offering a set of tools, textures and materials of great significance for the discipline.Referring to the opportunities provided by these innovative guidelines, there is the possibility of identifying a route entirely new, very useful for Business History. The diffusion model of the so-called 'long tail', i.e., a tool that can provide a new interpretative key for understanding the transition from Fordist society to the 'post-industrial', represents a significant opportunity to examine the phenomenon of evolution of companies, using the latest sources, such as electronic. In any case, the path is traced, opening new perspectives of study for many different themes of Business History, a discipline game from afar, but very current and intended to draw a not short future.