History of business

Duration

30h Th

Number of credits

Lecturer

Eric Geerkens

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Schedule

Schedule online

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.

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, professor Histoire économique et sociale quai Roosevelt 1B (Bât. A4) 4000 Liège Belgium
Tel. ULg : +32 4 366 53 59 Mail : e.geerkens@uliege.be