Call for Papers

We are inviting you to submit proposals for papers or panels, which explore the complex relationship between industry and services in a business historical perspective.

We aim to critically examine the claim that business and economic development has increasingly moved from productive / manufacturing / industrial towards service activities, similar to the transition from agricultural and extractive activities towards manufacturing – the first and second industrial revolutions. Many observers have therefore already proclaimed a third, information revolution or the advent of a "new", knowledge-based economy. National statistics indeed show that in most of the developed countries the tertiary (service) sector has become much more important than the secondary (industrial) sector.

At the same time, there is a growing body of evidence from business history research that service activities have always been important, both on their own and in conjunction with manufacturing, extracting or agricultural activities. These service activities include, among many others, finance, transportation and tourism, public utilities, business services (provided by public institutions or private companies). The conference hopes to bring together much of the relevant research on these services, their development and their relation to industry.

You will find a list of some of the topics that we hope to address in the conference in Suggested Issues. Please note that we will also consider proposals, which explore other aspects related to the conference theme, as well as proposals on other topics related to business history.