Industry and Society in Europe: Stability and Change in Britain, Germany and France

by Christel Lane

Overview

Industry and Society in Europe examines changes in industrial organization in Britain, Germany and France from the perspectives of economic sociology and political economy.

This important new textbook presents a systematic, comparative analysis of recent processes of industrial and social change in these societies and assesses the contribution each country will make to the emerging European social and economic entity. Written in an accessible, jargon-free style, the book covers a wide range of highly topical themes, including the finance-industry nexus, corporate restructuring, the impact of globalization, the role of small and medium-sized firms, state - industry relations and new developments in work organization and industrial relations.

Introducing a sociological perspective to the study of business and economic life, Christel Lane critically engages with some of the main theories in the field including flexible specialization, regulation theory and the new institutionalism in sociology.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781858982748
Publisher:	Edward Elgar Publishing
Publication date:	03/01/1996
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Christel Lane, Lecturer in Sociology, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Cambridge and Fellow, St John’s College, Cambridge, UK

Table of Contents

Contents: Introduction 1. Theories of Industrial Organization and Change 2. Industrial Development in Historical Perspective 3. The Relations Between Financial and Industrial Capital 4. The Restructuring of Large Firms: Towards neo- or Post-Fordism? 5. Internationalization or Globalization of Large Firms? 6. The Small Business Sector: Source of Economic Generation or Victim of Economic Transformation 7. The Transformation of Industrial Relations 8. Changing Patterns of Production Organization: Towards Neo-or Post-Fordism? 9. Industrial Change and the State: Dis-Engagement of Re-Engagement? Conclusion

Editorial Reviews

Lane (sociology, U. of Cambridge) examines recent changes in industrial organization in Europe's three largest economies from the perspectives of economic sociology and political economy. His jargon-free discussion considers a wide range of topics, including corporate restructuring, the impact of globalization, the role of small and medium-sized firms, relations between states and industries, work organization, and industrial relations. He also assesses what each country will contribute to the emerging European social and economic entity. Distributed in the US by Ashgate. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

'This book makes an excellent contribution to the growing body of institutional theory in contemporary organizational analysis which is continuing to exert such a powerful intellectual influence within the field.'

From the Publisher