'Cultural historians have long debated the social consequences of the speeding up of transport and communication, while geographers have analyzed the associated 'shrinkage' of space. Economists, political scientists and organization theorists, meanwhile, have analyzed the implications for the coordination and governance of the economy. No-one has yet pulled all the threads together, however, so well as Luchien Karsten. This book is unique in its breadth of coverage, in terms of time, space and the issues addressed. It demonstrates the great value of a multi-disciplinary approach to the analysis of long-term global change in business and the economy.'

Mark Casson, University of Reading, UK

'Karsten's book provides an excellent explanation of how the control of time and the overcoming of distances over the last centuries provided the foundations for today's globalized world. With its straight forward style and easy language the book will help management students to understand the underlying historical forces of the globalization process while allowing history students to appreciate its economic driving forces.'

Armin Grunbacher, University of Birmingham, UK

'This is valuable reading, necessary for understanding the historical dynamics of the international economy during the last millennium, in order to achieve a more realistic view of the present globalization.'

Andrea Colli, Bocconi University, Italy