Business structure, business culture, and the industrial district : The Potteries, c.1850-1900
This study examines the growth and development of the North Staffordshire pottery industry in the second half of the nineteenth century. The pottery industry of the late nineteenth century has been little studied by business historians and this thesis makes a valuable contribution to our empirical knowledge of the industry. Response to change and competitive challenge is examined at the level of the firm and of the industry as a whole, with careful attention paid to the evolution and operation of localized business networks. A framework within which to explore these issues is developed by, firstly, considering how theories of business strategy, business culture, and the industrial district may be used to inform one another. Secondly, the business structure of the pottery industry in North Staffordshire is reconstructed for the period c. 1860-1900. The structural characteristics thus revealed are related to the organizational structures of firms in the Potteries. The industry was characterized by many competing small and medium-sized units and personal capitalism throughout the period. Strategic responses to increased competition and falling prices evolved very gradually and remained incomplete at the close
Popp, Andrew Derek
History
Business structure, business culture, and the industrial district : The Potteries, c.1850-1900. This study examines the growth and development of the North Staffordshire pottery industry in the second half of the nineteenth century. The pottery industry of the late nineteenth century has been little studied by business historians and this thesis makes a valuable contribution to our empirical knowledge of the industry. Response to change and competitive challenge is examined at the level of the firm and of the industry as a whole, with careful attention paid to the evolution and operation of localized business networks. A framework within which to explore these issues is developed by, firstly, considering how theories of business strategy, business culture, and the industrial district may be used to inform one another. Secondly, the business structure of the pottery industry in North Staffordshire is reconstructed for the period c. 1860-1900. The structural characteristics thus revealed are related to the organizational structures of firms in the Potteries. The industry was characterized by many competing small and medium-sized units and personal capitalism throughout the period. Strategic responses to increased competition and falling prices evolved very gradually and remained incomplete at the close
business structure business culture industrial district study_examines growth_development north staffordshire pottery_industry pottery_industry little_studied business historian make valuable empirical_knowledge industry response change competitive challenge examine level firm industry whole careful attention_pay evolution operation localize business network framework_within explore issue develop firstly consider theory business strategy business culture industrial district may_use inform one_another secondly business structure pottery_industry north staffordshire reconstruct period structural characteristic thus reveal related organizational structure firm industry characterize many compete small medium_sized unit personal capitalism throughout_period strategic response increase competition fall price evolve gradually remain incomplete close