A History of Small Business in America (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "Writing in 1849, John Beaucamp Jones, a small-scale Missouri storekeeper, captured well the importance of merchants in mid-nineteenth-century American life: "Wherever the surges of 'manifest..." (more)
Key Phrases: king crab meat, flexible production methods, small industrial firms, United States, New York, World War (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

This readable survey goes further than any other work yet written to show the collective importance of small business in different ways at different times in the nation's economic development.
(Journal of American History)

"A cogent and readable addition to our understanding of American business, one that should be strongly considered by anyone teaching an American business history course.
(Business History Review)"

Product Description

From the colonial era to the present day, small businesses have been an integral part of American life. First published in 1991 and now thoroughly revised and updated, A History of Small Business in America explores the central but ever-changing role played by small enterprises in the nation's economic, political, and cultural development.

Examining small businesses in manufacturing, sales, services, and farming, Mansel Blackford argues that while small firms have always been important to the nation's development, their significance has varied considerably in different time periods and in different segments of our economy. Throughout, he relates small business development to changes in America's overall business and economic systems and offers comparisons between the growth of small business in the United States to its development in other countries. He places special emphasis on the importance of small business development for women and minorities. Unique in its breadth, this book provides the only comprehensive overview of these significant topics.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press; 2 edition (May 19, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807827800
• ISBN-13: 978-0807827802
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,151,665 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good for beginners of business/economic history, November 9, 2006

By	An Asian Reviewer (Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A History of Small Business in America (Paperback)

There are so many good books and articles on the rise of big business in American history, but it is difficult to find fine books on history of small business. A HISTORY OF SMALL BUSINESS IN AMERICA, written by business historian Mansel G. Blackford, is one of such books. This concise book on American history of small business is very good for beginners of this field of study. Blackford skillfully synthesizes recent studies on American small-business history, paying attention to female, immigrant and black entrepreneurs. His insight is not limited within the border of U.S. but compares American business experiences with history of other countries such as Britain, German, France or Japan. This will be a new standard textbook of American business and economic history.