The "globalization" of economic activities has given rise to an interest in the relations between such tendencies, the nature of societies, and the nature of various actors within and cross-cutting societies. This book serves to systematize the approach, and react to newly arising issues.

1. Preface; 2. 1. General introduction (by Maurice, Marc); 3. PART I. THEORY, METHODOLOGY AND EPISTEMOLOGY; 4. Introduction; 5. 2. The paradoxes of societal analysis. A review of the past and prospects for the future (by Maurice, Marc); 6. 3. The diabolical dialectics of societal effects (by Sorge, Arndt); 7. 4. Societal or systems effects? (by Friedberg, Erhard); 8. 5. Towards a relational approach to the study of variety in the situated creativity of economic actors (by Korsnes, Olav); 9. 6. The implications of 'societal analysis' for a programme of research (by Berthelot, Jean-Michel); 10. 7. Theoretical problems in international comparisons: Towards a reciprocal improvement of societal analysis and regulation theory by methodic structuralism (by Theret, Bruno); 11. 8. Positivist, hermeneutical and postmodern positions in the comparative management debate (by Noorderhaven, Niels G.); 12. PART II. THE ECONOMY; 13. Introduction; 14. 9. The contribution of societal analysis to the economic theory of the firm (by Sellier, Francois); 15. 10. Explaining changes in institutional frameworks: Societal patterns of business coordination (by Soskice, David); 16. PART III. THE ENTERPRISE; 17. Introduction; 18. 11. Understanding the globalization strategies of German and British multinational companies: Is a 'societal effects' approach still useful? (by Lane, Christel); 19. 12. The evolution of teamwork at Rover: Societal, sectoral and organizational explanations (by Mueller, Frank U.); 20. 13. The societal effects school and transnational transfer: The case of Japanese investment in Britain (by Smith, Chris); 21. 14. The transfer of business practices to Britain and France (by Lorenz, Edward); 22. 15. Society, organization and work in China (by Warner, Malcolm); 23. PART IV. GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC POLICY AND PUBLIC SERVICES; 24. Introduction; 25. 16. Deregulation and societal systems (by Almond, Philip); 26. 17. Do we compare societies when we compare national university systems? (by Musselin, Christine); 27. 18. Path dependencies of education systems and the division of labour within organizations: Formalizing the societal effects perspective (by Hage, Jerald); 28. 19. Reintroducing public action into societal enalysis (by Verdier, Eric); 29. PART V. GENDER, THE FAMILY AND WORK; 30. Introduction; 31. 20. Is it time to gender the societal effect? (by O'Reilly, Jacqueline); 32. 21. Societal analysis and social change in the family division of labour (by Barrere-Maurisson, Marie-Agnes); 33. 22. Male and female patterns of labour force participation: A comparison between France and Japan (by Nohara, Hiroatsu); 34. 23. Conclusions (by Maurice, Marc); 35. References; 36. Authors