This work investigates the evolution of the multi-unit enterprise by reconciling the theoretical frameworks of Joseph Schumpeter and Alfred Chandler with the realities of the modern economy. Richard N. Langlois, a professor of economics, synthesizes business history and the history of ideas to explain why large corporations rose to dominance and why they have recently undergone a process of unbundling. By examining the interplay between technological change and organizational structure, the author provides a nuanced account of how the role of the entrepreneur has shifted over the last century.

Experts recognize this text as a sophisticated bridge between historical business analysis and contemporary economic theory. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which is intended for students and scholars of institutional economics and industrial organization.