The Oxford History of Indian Business

The Growing importance of business in the economic and social life of the country notwithstanding, research on the formative phases of Indian business is almost non-existent. The Oxford History of Indian Business is one of the first to provide an analysis of the roots of modern business practices in India and of the forces that shaped the features and characteristics that distinguish business today. Illustrated with rare pictures, this authoritative history of Indian business in the modern period charts the course of the transition of Indian business from mercantile capitalism to industrial capitalism. Using the socio-economic and political developments in the eighteenth century–often considered the cradle of the strategies and structures which characterize Indian business today–as the backdrop, Professor Tripathi discusses the aftermath of the imperial crisis, the onslaught of the industrial revolution and its impact on India, the rise of the managing agency system, and the beginning of industrial capitalism. Subsequent chapters analyse the development of joint-stock firms, the rise of new industrial elite, promulgation of company laws, setting up on modern banking systems, and the course of Indian business during the first world war, the depression, and the second world war. Professor Tripathi goes on to discuss growth of business in free India, the emergence of the public sector, changing managerial structures, technological choices, and the development of business education. The response of Indian business to the call of globalization and liberalization, and the emerging business potential of India in the new millennium are presented, bringing the analysis up to present times. The narrative is enriched by case studies of successful business houses and personalities illustrating their role in the evolution of business in India. Thoroughly researched and engagingly written, this volume has been extensively cross referenced and the narrative complemented by additional readings and detailed indices. Scholars and students of business management and business history, management professionals, economists, business journalists, publicists, and foreign investors will all find this comprehensive volume a useful reference. General readers interested in business history and Indian business and its development will enjoy this work.