After the Second World War, US economic and political influence in Europe was considerable. This influence is probably best exemplified by the Marshall Plan. This volume analyses how, and to what extent, the American example shaped the way in which European business was organised and managed. It contains a number of in-depth case studies and also assesses how management knowledge is transferred between countries.
The book examines the mechanisms and channels through which American managerial know-how and US management models were transferred to Europe after 1945, as well as the actual influence on European industries, companies and regions in the 1950s an 1960s. It explores the role of the European Productivity Agency, business leaders, US multinationals, regional networks and institutions, as well as the actual transfer process and potential political, cultural and institutional barriers. The final section contains the cases of three European companies which adopted American Management methods to a considerable extent during the 1950s and 1960s.
This book features contributions from an international selection of experts and will be of great interest to business and economic historians as well as management scholars.