![Sample our Humanities journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5939/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Humanities.jpg"})
Abstract
Globalisation in the late--nineteenth century was driven by expansion of global commodity trades. These processes are predominantly explained as the result of changes in technology and policy. Less attention is paid to the trading companies undertaking these activities. To understand their importance in global trade this article examines their role in the significant Anglo-Indian indigo trade. It reveals they innovated their organisation and structure of the trade to lower a range of transaction costs and improve market coordination, leading to an expansion in the trade. Explanations of globalisation can be improved by accounting for the evolving role of trading companies.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Notes
1. At auction indigo was sold in units known as maunds. A maund was a unit of weight that had various definitions around India. In this paper the ‘bazaar maund’ has been used which equated to around 83 lbs or 37.6 kg.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Michael Aldous
Michael Aldous is a Lecturer in Management at Queens University Belfast. His work examines the Long-run evolution of business ownership and organization. His recent work has focused on the organization of Anglo-Indian trade in the 19th and 20th centuries.