Business History Seminar: Daniel Raff (Wharton Busniess School). The transformation of book retailing in America, 1970–95

Daniel Raff (The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) will talk about the transformation of book retailing in America ca. 1970–95. The major transition was less modal sales venues shifting from Central Business Districts to suburban locations than the rise of extremely broadly merchandised ‘superstores’ and their supporting infrastructure. Complementarities and the persistence of core capabilities are striking features of the organizational histories, but so is—over a fairly extended period—evolutionary change.