Networks of people in specialty production: family firms in the iron and steel Wire industries in Spain (1870-2000)

Abstract

Capital intensive industries in specialized niches of production have constituted solid ground for family firms in Spain , as evidenced by the experience of the iron and steel wire industries between 1870 and 2000. The embeddedness of these firms in their local and regional environments have allowed the creation of networks that, together with favourable institutional conditions, significantly explain the dominance of family entrepreneurship in iron and steel wire manufacturing in Spain, until the end of the 20 th century. Dominance of family firms at the regional level has not been not an obstacle for innovation in wire manufacturing in Spain, which has taken place even when institutional conditions blocked innovation and traditional networking. Therefore, economic theories about the difficulties dynastic family firms may have to perform appropriately in science-based industries must be questioned

- Les empreses familiars han estat a l'Estat espanyol protagonistes de nínxols d'especialització en indústries capital intensives com les indústries del metall que fabriquen productes llargs, i així ho demostra el cas de les indústries del filferro entre 1870 i 2000. La integració de les empreses familiars en els seus entorns locals i regionals, la creació de xarxes personals i condicions institucionals favorables, expliquen el predomini del "capitalisme familiar" en el filferro a Espanya. Les evidències per aquest subsector qüestionen la validesa d'algunes teories econòmiques que argumenten les dificultats que les empreses familiars tenen per aconseguir ser centenàries en indústries d'alt contingut científic i tecnològic.