First published in 1981, this edited collection reviews the operations of state-owned enterprises, examining the actual performance of such organisations in the advanced industrialised countries. The authors consider the regularities and characteristics of state-owned enterprises, in particular the persistent efforts of managers to increase their autonomy and escape from the oversight of government agencies and the public. Chapters consider principles of finance and decision-making in these organisations and provide a truly international perspective with case studies in Italy, France and Britain. This is a timely reissue in context of the current economic climate, which will be of great value to students and academics with an interest in the nationalisation of companies, international business and the relationship between governments and managers.

First published in 1981, this edited collection reviews the operations of state-owned enterprises, examining the actual performance of such organisations in the advanced industrialised countries. The authors consider the regularities and characteristics of state-owned enterprises, in particular the persistent efforts of managers to increase their autonomy and escape from the oversight of government agencies and the public. Chapters consider principles of finance and decision-making in these organisations and provide a truly international perspective with case studies in Italy, France and Britain. This is a timely reissue in context of the current economic climate, which will be of great value to students and academics with an interest in the nationalisation of companies, international business and the relationship between governments and managers.

First published in 1991, during a significant stagnation in the Israeli economy, this title discusses the causes of the economic downturn, and assesses the country’s prospects. Throughout, Aharoni measures the economic problems Israel has endured against the social and economic successes it has been able to achieve. He highlights the incongruities of the aspirations of Israel’s founders and supporters and the reality, as well as the interplay of economic and political forces that have shaped this. With a detailed introduction to the ideology and development of the state of Israel, and a history of the Israeli economy and its institutional structure, this title will be of significant value to any student studying the economic history of Israel and the Middle East.

Corporate governance is an area of key importance for students of comparative management and international business. This is particularly relevant in analyses of the post-socialist economies of the East, where both governments and enterprises have undergone major structural transformation. This title was first published in 1994, following the Centre for Organisational Studies’ (COS) third Round Table, which discussed East-West business collaboration in relation to the management of organizations. As a result, the edited collection is designed to provide guidance for managers, in the East and West, to the kind of governance issues they might face when working together in the post-Soviet business world. Utilizing a series of case studies, the chapters represent a genuine dialogue between managers, consultants and academics who have worked on both sides of the former ideological divide.

State-owned enterprises make up roughly 10 percent of the world economy, yet they are woefully understudied. This handbook offers the first synthesis of the topic since the 1980s and offers a comprehensive reference for a generation. The authors provide a detailed explanation of the theory that underpins the expansion of state-owned enterprises in the 21st century. Each chapter delivers an overview of current knowledge, as well as identifying issues and relevant debates for future research. The authors explain how state-owned enterprises are used in both developed and developing countries and offer an insight into complex and fascinating organizations such as the German municipal conglomerates or the multinational companies owned by states. New modes of governance and regulation have been invented to make sure they act in the public interest. This handbook brings together a wealth of international scholars, offering multiple theoretical perspectives to help shape a brave new world. It will be of interest to teachers and students of Economics, Public Administration and Business, academics, established researchers and PhD students seeking rigorous literature reviews on specific aspects of SOEs, as well as practitioners and decision makers in international organizations.

This book examines the rise and fall in the twentieth-century Western world of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), a chief instrument of state economic intervention. The authors offer historical perspectives on the origins and purpose of SOEs, their performance, and the reasons for their precipitate decline. The volume explores the theory of state business as well as the permutations and future prospects of the institution in practice. The contributors present studies of the development of state-owned enterprises in seven Western European countries and the United States.