HIST0079-1 : History of business

Study Programmes 2015-2016

HIST0079-1

History of business

Duration :

30h Th

Number of credits :

Master in history (120 ECTS)		5
Master in history (120 ECTS)		5
Master in history (120 ECTS)		5
Master in history (60 ECTS)		5
Master in psychology : general (120 ECTS)		6
Master in psychology : general (120 ECTS)		6
Master in psychology : general (120 ECTS)		6
Master in psychology : general (120 ECTS)		6
Master in psychology : general (120 ECTS)		6

Lecturer :

Eric Geerkens

Language(s) of instruction :

French language

Organisation and examination :

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite :

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Course contents :

Business history is one of discipline which contributed in a decisive way to the revival of the economic history. In an attempt to give an up-to-date overview of this discipline, the course is structured as follows : Historiographic overview (the history of business history, its subjects and methods). Strategy and structures [initially: Chandler's model, dominant management models, multinational studies; secondly: going beyond Chandler's model (districts, flexible production, familial companies, SMEs)]. Manager's history (recruitment, training, employers' organisations). The various aspects of company management :

The dynamics of technical progress (organisation of R&D, international spread of innovation etc.) ;
Work Organisation: a century of Scientific Management ;
Human resource management (selecting and managing labour, industrial relations, paternalism, corporate culture, the question of authority) ;
Management tools (accounting, budget, audit and consultancy checks.)

Commercialisation and distribution State-owned companies Companies and the environment (industrial space and industrial archaeology; environmental conflicts). As far as possible, themes will be illustrated with local examples, but the course does not pretend to be a course in the industrial history of Liège district.

Learning outcomes of the course :

By the end of the course, students will be more aware of the interdependence between the economic, technical, social and political dimensions of the life of the micro-societies which form a company.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills :

Planned learning activities and teaching methods :

Critical discussion of papers.

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :

Face-to-face.