In 1914 the two largest firms in Russia were subsidiaries of American companies. Remarkably, they were almost as large as their parent companies, striking testimony to the potential of the underdeveloped Russian market. Fred Carstensen provides detailed histories of the movement of International Harvester and Singer into this new, profitable, and somewhat forbidding territory. Describing how both sales organizations evolved in Russia, Carstensen relates their development to overall company histories, worldwide growth, changing sales strategies and structures, recruitment and training of employees, and corporate leadership in America and abroad. He finds that both firms entered the Russian market because they needed new outlets to sustain high levels of production and sales. Although there are parallels in their experiences, Carstensen identifies how the responses of the two corporations differed, reflecting the varying strategies and perceptions of company management. Together the case studies provide a test for many of the supposed qualities and patterns of Russian economic history. Contrary to accounts of the experiences of other companies, these firms found the Russian market remarkably rich, developing a level of sales that might have surpassed the American market if war had not erupted. In contrast to the standard view of foreign enterprise, neither company came to Russia because of government invitation or influence but rather because of the intrinsic attractiveness of the markets, and neither firm found the government bureaucracy graft-ridden or the customers dishonest. Carstensen shows that International Harvester and Singer Sewing Machine clearly influenced Russia in a positive way. Both trained large numbers of Russians in modern industrial and marketing procedures and both provided an extraordinary volume of credit on comparatively easy terms to encourage purchase of their products. Indeed, the success of their approach suggests that Russian economic development may have been limited not by weak aggregate demand but by the relative absence of sources of credit. Originally published in 1984. A UNC Press Enduring Edition -- UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.

What does it mean to be an American? What are American ideas and values? American Enterprise, the companion book to a major exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, aims to answer these questions about the American experience through an exploration of its economic and commercial history. It argues that by looking at the intersection of capitalism and democracy, we can see where we as a nation have come from and where we might be going in the future. Richly illustrated with images of objects from the museum’s collections, American Enterprise includes a 1794 dollar coin, Alexander Graham Bell’s 1876 telephone, a brass cash register from Marshall Fields, Sam Walton’s cap, and many other goods and services that have shaped American culture. Historical and contemporary advertisements are also featured, emphasizing the evolution of the relationship between producers and consumers over time. Interspersed in the historical narrative are essays from today’s industry leaders—including Sheila Bair, Adam Davidson, Bill Ford, Sally Greenberg, Fisk Johnson, Hank Paulson, Richard Trumka, and Pat Woertz—that pose provocative questions about the state of contemporary American business and society. American Enterprise is a multi-faceted survey of the nation’s business heritage and corresponding social effects that is fundamental to an understanding of the lives of the American people, the history of the United States, and the nation’s role in global affairs.

American Enterprise in Foreign Markets: Singer and International Harvester in Imperial Russia

An informed argument for an economic policy based on bridges of preparation and adaptation rather than walls of protection and exclusion "When technological change and globalization in recent decades brought frustration over the resulting losses to jobs and communities, there were no guardrails to get these workers back on track. As this compelling book shows, our nation is going to need bridges to help people get through the unavoidable transformations."--Edmund Phelps, 2006 Nobel Laureate in Economics and author of Mass Flourishing Free-market economists often have noted that there are winners and losers in a competitive capitalist world. The question of how to deal with the difficult real-life consequences faced by the losers, however, has largely been ignored. Populist politicians have tried repeatedly to address the issue by creating walls--of both the physical and economic kinds--to insulate communities and keep competition at bay. While recognizing the broad emotional appeal of walls, economist Glenn Hubbard argues that because they delay needed adaptations to the ever-changing world, walls are essentially backward-looking and ultimately destined to fail. Taking Adam Smith's logic to Youngstown, Ohio, as a case study in economic disruption, Hubbard promotes the benefits of an open economy and creating bridges to support people in turbulent times so that they remain engaged and prepared to participate in, and reap the rewards of, a new economic landscape.