EH.N: CfP: Joint Meeting of the Business History Conference and the European Business History Association

[Roger Horowitz]

Fashions: Business Practices in Historical Perspective

11-13 June 2009, Bocconi University, Milan, Italy

Joint Meeting of the Business History Conference and the European 
Business History Association

THEMES

Fashion, as a concept, refers to much more than the way we dress. For 
this joint meeting of the Business History Conference (BHC) and the 
European Business History Association (EBHA), we define fashion in 
two ways. First, we see fashion as a set of ideas and activities 
associated with business firms and institutions that persisted over 
time. A fashion was a durable but often time-bound business practice 
or conceptual horizon in production, management, marketing, strategy, 
taste, style, politics, trade, or finance. Fashion as a concept 
describing business firms and institutions directs our attention to 
trends, habits, and rules that delineated what was done and what was 
not to be done. We particularly encourage participants to look at the 
role of firms, associations, government, consultants, media, and 
other agents in spreading "fashionable" business styles. As well, we 
seek presenters who explore fashions in entrepreneurial action, 
corporate organization and governance, in economics and business 
studies, and even in the writing of business history. For example, we 
would welcome papers that trace the flow of business history 
scholarship into cognate fields such as political science and 
sociology. Equally valuable would be presentations describing popular 
ideas about what took place in earlier periods of business. We 
approach fashion in each of these arenas not as a passing fancy, but 
instead as a fundamental influence, a horizon of the possible in 
business that was (and perhaps remains) embedded in concrete 
practices delineated by discrete turning points that made the 
previous practice or set of ideas "un-fashionable."

In keeping with the conference's location in Milan one of Europe's 
great industrial and design centers we encourage papers on the 
business of fashion itself. In this second way of understanding 
fashion, we refer to the creation of consumer goods whose appeals 
rested on values such as utility, practicality, design, aesthetics, 
style, and cultural symbolism. Whether in Renaissance Florence, 
nineteenth century Europe, or post World War II America, those 
commodities and their meanings were part of a complex interplay 
between the parties who created, purchased, and used them. 
Furthermore, while fashion-industry entrepreneurs and companies have 
recently emerged as icons of globalization, those actors were also 
deeply rooted in local contexts and enmeshed in constellations of 
relationships that included designers, manufacturers, distributors, 
advertisers, retailers, and consumers. Among many factors, we seek to 
understand how the local related to the global. Consistent with BHC 
and EBHA policy and long-time practice, the program committee also 
will be pleased to entertain submissions not directly related to the 
conference themes.

Potential presenters may submit proposals either for individual 
papers or for entire panels. Individual paper or poster proposals 
should include a one-page abstract and a one-page curriculum vitae 
(CV). The abstract should summarize the argument of the presentation, 
the sources on which it is based, and its relationship to existing 
scholarship. Each panel proposal should include a cover letter 
stating the rationale for the session, the name of the panel's 
contact person, a one-page abstract and author's CV for each proposed 
paper (up to four), and a list of preferred chairs and commentators 
with contact information.

The deadline for receipt of proposals is 15 September 2008. Please 
send all proposals to Dr. Roger Horowitz, Secretary-Treasurer, 
Business History Conference, P.O Box 3630, Wilmington, DE 19807, USA. 
Phone: (302) 658-2400; fax: (302) 655-3188; email: 
rh at udel.eduPresenters will be expected to submit paper abstracts for 
posting directly to the conference website. In addition, presenters 
are encouraged to post electronic versions of their papers prior to 
the meeting, and to submit their papers for inclusion in the BHC's 
on-line proceedings publication, Business and Economic History 
On-Line.

BHC and EBHA colloquia for Graduate students The BHC's Fifth 
Dissertation Colloquium will be held in conjunction with the 2009 
annual meeting. This intensive workshop, sponsored by the BHC and 
funded by its Alfred D. Chandler, Jr. Fund, will take place at the 
conference venue Tuesday, 9 June, and Wednesday, 10 June. 
Participants will work closely with a small, distinguished group of 
BHC-affiliated scholars, including at least two of its officers. The 
assembled scholars and students will review dissertation proposals, 
consider relevant literatures and research strategies, and discuss 
the business history profession. Limited to ten students, it is 
intended for doctoral candidates in the early stages of their 
dissertation projects. Those interested in participating should 
submit to Roger Horowitz, BHC Secretary-Treasurer (rh at udel.edu), a 
statement of interest, a preliminary or final dissertation 
prospectus, and a CV. Please make clear that you are interested in 
the Dissertation Colloquium. One recommendation from the dissertation 
supervisor (or prospective supervisor) should also be faxed 
(302-655-3188) or emailed to Roger Horowitz by 15 December 2008. The 
review committee will notify all applicants of its decisions after 15 
February. Each student participant will receive an honorarium to 
assist with travel expenses.

The EBHA's Fifth Biannual Summer School in Business History will be 
held in Italy in September 2009. Those interested in participating in 
this residential, one-week course should write to the school's 
organizer, Francesca Polese (francesca.polese at unibocconi.it). The 
official call for applications will be issued at the end of 2008, and 
the application deadline is 15 May 2009. Summer school organizers 
will pay all local costs (accommodation and food), but participants 
will be expected to pay their travel expenses.

BHC and EBHA Prizes
Proposals are invited for the BHC's Herman E. Krooss Prize, which is 
awarded for the best dissertation in business history in the English 
language. The Krooss Prize Committee welcomes submissions from recent 
Ph.D.s (2006-2008) in history, economics, business administration, 
history of science and technology, law, and related fields. To 
participate in this competition, please indicate so in a cover 
letter, and include a one-page CV and one-page dissertation abstract. 
Semi-finalists will be asked to submit copies of their dissertation. 
Finalists will present summaries of their dissertations at the Milan 
meeting. The BHC also awards the K. Austin Kerr Prize for the best 
first paper by a Ph.D. candidate or recent Ph.D. (2006-08). If you 
wish to participate in this competition at the Milan meeting, please 
indicate so in your cover letter. Proposals accepted for the Krooss 
Prize panel are not eligible for the Kerr Prize. Members and 
non-members are eligible for these prizes.

The EBHA Dissertation Competition takes place every second year. The 
next are scheduled for the EBHA's annual meeting in Bergen, 2008, and 
then for Glasgow in 2010. For additional information on this 
competition, see the EBHA website on the Bergen conference. Beginning 
at the Milan meeting, the EBHA will offer a prize for the Best Paper 
on European business history.

Grants for travel to the Milan meeting
In addition to travel grants to participate in the graduate student 
colloquium, the BHC also offers grants to graduate students who are 
presenting papers to offset some of the costs of attending the 
conference. Applicants for a BHC travel grant should so indicate in 
their cover letter. The EBHA offers travel grants for scholars 
residing in Eastern Europe who are presenting papers at the 
conference. Applicants seeking these grants should so indicate in 
their cover letter.

Poster session
We encourage presentations at our poster session. Poster sessions are 
especially appropriate and engaging for scholars at work on a new 
project, for graduate students developing a thesis, for scholars at 
every level whose work emphasizes audio/visual materials, and for 
persons who simply wish to talk with colleagues at greater length 
than provided in the usual format of a 90 minute session. Applicants 
for the poster session should so indicate in a cover letter.

Program committee
Francesca Polese (Chair), Bocconi University: Regina Lee Blaszczyk 
(Co-chair), University of Pennsylvania & Hagley Museum and Library; 
Franco Amatori, Bocconi University; Per Boje (EBHA President, 
2008-2009), University of Southern Denmark; Albert Carreras, 
Universitat Pompeu Fabra; Jeff Fear, University of Redlands; Ellen 
Hartigan-O'Connor, University of California, Davis; Elisabetta Merlo, 
Bocconi University; Mark Rose (BHC President, 2008-2009), Florida 
Atlantic University.



Dr. Roger Horowitz
Associate Director
Center for the History of Business, Technology, and Society
Hagley Museum and Library
PO Box 3630
Wilmington DE 19807
rh at udel.edu
302-658-2400, ext. 244
302-655-3188 (fax)