'Networks and industrial structuring. The Widnes district and the formation of the United Alkali Co, 1890' in J Wilson & A Popp (eds), Industrial Clusters and Regional Business Networks

Topics:

  • Name Business & related networks, exc mercantile networks
  • Name Acquisition, takeover, merger, etc, activity exc competition issues
  • Name Corporate governance
  • Name Holding company structures

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Deals with the case study of the United Alkali Co and the effectiveness of the process of 'networking' within a holding company structure. Compares the Widnes chemical industry's successful networking by the 1870s with the generally unsuccessful networking of firms within the UAC, a loosely governed holding company formed out of a very large number of Widnes chemical businesses, thereby gaining insight into networks and clusters at times of restructuring. 'We may ask a simple question: if networks are almost always good then why is a similarly loosely structured holding company almost wholly bad?'