These essays explore the development of British business since the Industrial Revolution. This long-term perspective facilitates an understanding of the development of skills, work practices, social structures and attitudes, all of which have bearing on 20th century business performance and organization. Although drawing upon existing literature, the essays do give some pointers for the future development of business history. Taken together, they highlight the shift away from a Chandlerian interpretation of business, with its emphasis on vertical integration, towards one which explains why, in Britain, alternatives to the firm have often been preferred to formal internalization. The text is divided into two broadly chronological sections which deal with British business both before and after 1900. The essays, by experts in their chosen fields, provide interpretive syntheses of the principal debates in British business history. Themes include family business, organizational change, the shaping of business strategy, human capital investment, and the competitive environment.