Essential yet evasive: Theoretical and methodological insights into business power and influence

Maiju Wuokko and Susanna Fellman

Business History, 2025, vol. 67, issue 6, 1445-1467

Abstract: This introduction sets the stage for a collection of articles that explore business power and influence through a historical lens, presenting case studies from various regions and time periods. The introductory article argues for the relevance of the theme, discusses key concepts, addresses theories on business power, and introduces various methods for uncovering business power and influence. It also synthesises the contributions of earlier scholarship and the articles in this Special Issue, and proposes fruitful avenues for future research. As professional navigators of temporal change and varying contexts, historians are well-positioned to analyse the evolving dynamics of business power and influence. While traditional historical research methods have the potential to contribute to discussions on power, we argue that business historians could be bolder in experimenting with methods from neighbouring fields and in explicitly engaging with theoretical discussions on business power.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/00076791.2024.2426570

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