European Business Systems: Firms and Markets in Their National Contexts

As Europe moves towards greater integration, there is increasing recognition of national differences in European business - because of significant diversity in national cultures and social institutions affecting business systems.

This book explores key characteristics of firms and markets in eight European countries - Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Germany compared with Britain, Sweden, Italy and France.

Central to the analysis is an examination of the impact of broader national cultural, political and economic contexts. The contributors show how such factors as the role of the state and financial sectors, systems of education and training, and employment expectations and labour relations are crucial to differences in management structures, styles and decision-making processes, to firms' growth and diversification strategies and to inter-company market relationships and market development.

Thus, for example, major differences between business practices and evolution in Germany and the UK can be seen to stem from different approaches to the involvement of the state and financial institutions in business. In the Netherlands the collegial nature of business decision-making processes can be related to a long tradition of compromise and consensus in the political system and in national cultural norms. In Denmark the strength of the small and medium sized enterprise sector can be linked to particular features of the political, labour and education systems - and so on.

Some contributions focus on overall business patterns in the countries concerned. Others examine particular industries and sectors to consider the relationship between national influences and cross-national sector developments. To provide a European//East Asian comparison one contribution looks at firms and strategies in Japan and Hong Kong.

A major contribution to international business analysis, European Business Systems will be indispensible reading for all those engaged in, or studying, European business, international business, comparative management and the sociology of organizations.