Modern Chinese enterprise and the global economy: A historiographical essay

Abstract

In this introduction to the special issue 'The Global Economy and the Origins of Modern Chinese Business', we first provide a historiographical overview of the development of modern Chinese business from the early nineteenth century to the 1970s, with a special focus on the transnational linkages of Chinese enterprises. We highlight how Chinese businesses engaged and interacted with the global economy and globalisation over one and a half centuries. We then introduce the six contributions to this special issue. These contributions cover case studies ranging from Shanxi remittance firms to Mao-era economic relations between China and Latin America, showcasing how Chinese businesses navigated and interacted with changing international dynamics. Next, the article explains common themes amongst the contributions and their larger implications for understanding the historical trajectory of Chinese business in relation to the global economy. Finally, the concluding discussion highlights several avenues for future research in Chinese business history.