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Book Cover
E-book
Author Walker, Paul, 1959-

Title A brief prehistory of the theory of the firm
Published London : Routledge, 2018

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Description 1 online resource
Series Routledge studies in the history of economics
Routledge studies in the history of economics.
Contents Cover; Title; Copyright; Contents; Preface and acknowledgements; 1 Background; Notes; References; 2 The division of labour and the firm; Ancient philosophers; Medieval period; Pre-classical economics period; 19th century; 20th century; Notes; References; 3 Development of a theory of production or the firm; Pre-classical economists; The classical economics period; The neoclassical era; Behavioural and managerial models; Contemporary criticisms of the neoclassical model; Coase versus Demsetz on the neoclassical model; Profit maximisation; Malmgren (1961); Notes; References
4 Possible reasons for the neglect of the firmNotes; References; Index
Summary The theory of the firm did not exist, in any serious manner, until around 1970. Only then did the current theory of the firm literature begin to emerge, based largely upon the work of Ronald Coase and to a lesser degree Frank Knight. It was work by Armen Alchian, Robert Crawford, Harold Demsetz, Michael Jensen, Benjamin Klein, William Meckling and Oliver Williamson, among others, that drove the upswing in interest in the firm among mainstream economists. This accessible book provides a valuable overview of the 'prehistory' of the firm. Spanning an impressive timeline, it delves into Antiquity, the Medieval era, the pre-classical economics period and the 19th and 20th centuries. Next, the book traces the theoretical contributions from pre-classical, classical and neoclassical economics. It will be illuminating reading for students and researchers of the history of economic thought, industrial organization, microeconomic theory and business history
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index
Notes Online resource; title from PDF title page (EBSCO, viewed May 17, 2018)
Subject Economics -- Philosophy
Industrial organization (Economic theory)
Business -- History
BUSINESS & ECONOMICS -- Business Ethics.
Business
Economics -- Philosophy
Industrial organization (Economic theory)
Genre/Form History
Form Electronic book
ISBN 9781351041362
1351041363