Purposive Strategy or Serendipity? Development and Diversification in Three Consumer Product Companies, 1918-39: J. & J. Colman, Reckitt & Sons, and Lever Bros./Unilever

@article{Church2003PurposiveSO,
  title={Purposive Strategy or Serendipity? Development and Diversification in Three Consumer Product Companies, 1918-39: J. \& J. Colman, Reckitt \& Sons, and Lever Bros./Unilever},
  author={Roy A. Church and Christine Clark},
  journal={Business History},
  year={2003},
  volume={45},
  pages={23 - 59}
}
Combining the neo-classical model of imperfect competition approximating to the markets in which the three firms competed with the resource-oriented and agency concepts of Edith Penrose, this essay describes, analyses and compares the evolution of the product development policies of three leading British consumer goods companies between the world wars. Historical profiles of the size, structural, and organisational features, and of the managerial resources within each firm are compared, as is… 
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