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The repeal of prohibition and the resurgence of the national breweries Productive efficiency or path creation?

The repeal of prohibition and the resurgence of the national breweries Productive efficiency or... Purpose – This paper, applies the concept of path creation to a historical case. Path creation arose in part as a response to perceived weaknesses regarding the limited role of firm agency in the path dependency literature. Design/methodology/approach – This essay uses the path creation methodology to explain why and how specific features of the American brewing industry's regulatory framework were devised during prohibition (1920‐1933) and implemented upon the repeal of prohibition in 1933. The study draws upon a series of primary sources, including firm publications and government reports. Findings – It shows that path creation is a useful way to examine the design and implementation of industry‐level regulatory systems. It argues that rather than passively waiting and hoping for a beneficial set of rules, the largest national breweries in America actively set about to shape the regulatory environment in which they and their competitors operated. Originality/value – The study is valuable on two levels. First, it helps explicate how and why the brewing industry's current regulatory system emerged. Second, and more broadly, it shows how the path creation thesis can be usefully adopted to interpret firm and managerial actions across time periods and industries. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Management Decision Emerald Publishing

The repeal of prohibition and the resurgence of the national breweries Productive efficiency or path creation?

Martin Stack; Myles Gartland
Management Decision , Volume 43 (3): 13 – Mar 1, 2005
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References (35)

Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © 2005 Emerald Group Publishing Limited. All rights reserved.
ISSN
0025-1747
DOI
10.1108/00251740510589797
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Purpose – This paper, applies the concept of path creation to a historical case. Path creation arose in part as a response to perceived weaknesses regarding the limited role of firm agency in the path dependency literature. Design/methodology/approach – This essay uses the path creation methodology to explain why and how specific features of the American brewing industry's regulatory framework were devised during prohibition (1920‐1933) and implemented upon the repeal of prohibition in 1933. The study draws upon a series of primary sources, including firm publications and government reports. Findings – It shows that path creation is a useful way to examine the design and implementation of industry‐level regulatory systems. It argues that rather than passively waiting and hoping for a beneficial set of rules, the largest national breweries in America actively set about to shape the regulatory environment in which they and their competitors operated. Originality/value – The study is valuable on two levels. First, it helps explicate how and why the brewing industry's current regulatory system emerged. Second, and more broadly, it shows how the path creation thesis can be usefully adopted to interpret firm and managerial actions across time periods and industries.

Journal

Management Decision – Emerald Publishing

Published: Mar 1, 2005

Keywords: Brewing; Management history; Critical path analysis

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