The Global Chemical Industry in the Age of the Petrochemical Revolution

This book, first published in 2007, offers a comparative analysis of the performance of the chemical industry in the age of the petrochemical revolution.

Louis Galambos (Author), Takashi Hikino (Author), Vera Zamagni (Author)

9780521871051, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 20 November 2006

540 pages
23.5 x 15.8 x 3.6 cm, 0.856 kg

This book, first published in 2007, presents research by leading scholars to an international audience of academics, business executives, and policy makers. This research is presented in two clusters. The first cluster of studies explores four cross-cutting topics, including surveys of the changes in industry structure, corporate strategies, plant technologies, governmental policies, finance, and corporate governance. The second cluster of studies comprises nine country surveys that examine the experiences of representative nations in chemical production and foreign trade. By combining the similar historical cases of a few nations (such as Sweden, Norway, and Finland), the authors are able to deal with eleven chemical-producing nations, including all of the leaders in this area as well as some of the important followers.

Introduction Takashi Hikino, Vera Zamagni and Louis Galambros
Part I. Cross Cutting Ideas: 1. The evolution of networks in the chemical industry Alfonso Gambardella, Fabrizio Cesaroni and Myriam Mariani
2. Competitive strategies of the world's largest chemical companies Harm Schröter
3. Financial systems and corporate strategy in the chemical industry Marco Da Rin
4. Government environmental policies and the chemical industry Wyn Grant
Part II. World Players: Leaders: 5. The German chemical industry after World War II Ulrich Wengenroth
6. The American chemical industry since the petrochemical evolution John Kenly Smith
Part III. Competitors: 7. The export-dependence of the Swiss chemical industry and the internationalization of Swiss chemical firms (1950–2000) Margrit Müller
8. The petrochemical industry in the Nordic countries, 1960–2000: some development patterns Gunnar Nerheim
9. Repositioning of European chemical groups and changes in innovation management: the case of the French Chemical Industry Florence Charue Duboc
10. The resilience of the British Chemical Industry Wyn Grant
11. The development and struggle of the Japanese chemical enterprises since the petrochemical revolution Takashi Hikino
Part IV. European Followers: 12. The rise and fall of the Italian petrochemical industry (1950s–1990s) Vera Zamagni
13. The global accommodation of a latecomer: the Spanish chemical industry since the petrochemical revolution
Conclusion: some final observances Vera Zamagni and Louis Galambros
Appendix I. The chemical industry in the post Second World War period: a quantitative assessment Renato Giannetti
Appendix II. Selected bibliography.

Subject Areas: General & world history [HBG]