Rethinking the Firm

• Examines the dominant economic theories of the firm, and how a broader historical, legal, and political context is needed to understand the business firm today
• Engages with current arguments about the regulation of business activity, and the social purpose of business
• Written in a clear, jargon-free style
• Presents a new social theory of the business enterprise

Readership: Academics, researchers, and students of Law, Management Studies, Political Science, Economics, and History; Policy makers and regulators; Management professionals.

Eric W. Orts, Guardsmark Professor, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

Introduction: The Business Enterprise as a Social Institution
A Short History of the Business Enterprise
The Legal Definition and Boundaries of the Business Enterprise
The Wealth and Poverty of Economic Theories of the Firm
Enterprise and Politics: The Separation of Business and State
Business Theory: Law, Economics, Politics, Ethics, and Beyond