Study Programmes 2016-2017
HIST0079-1  
History of business
Duration :
30h Th
Number of credits :
Master in history (120 ECTS)5
Master in history (60 ECTS)5
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
Learning unit 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 firms ;
  • Beyond Chandler's model (districts, flexible production, familial companies, SMEs)] ;
  • Manager's and Businessmen ;
  • Innovation and technical progress ;
  • Work Organisation: a century of Scientific Management ;
  • Human resource management and paternalism ;
  • Corporate Financing.
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 learning unit :
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.
Recommended or required readings :
Via MyULg, students will receive each week copies of Powerpoint slides shown in class, and also articles on some topics.
Assessment methods and criteria :
Oral exam.
Work placement(s) :
Organizational remarks :
Contacts :
Eric Geerkens, lecturer Histoire économique et sociale quai Roosevelt 1B (Bât. A4) 4000 Liège Belgium Tel. ULg : +32 4 3665359 Mail : e.geerkens@ulg.ac.be