Your guide to doing historical research in management and organisations: archival research, oral history, process approaches, and digital methods for management scholars
I think they usually selectevely disclose because the strategic, political, financial, legal, or symbolic benefits outweigh the risks. Building identities is valuable.
Hi Corioborius. Silvia is right though there is a lot of variation. In Europe a lot of business archives allow verified researchers and depending on the company there can be very few restrictions (there are exceptions). They disclose to demonstrate that they don’t have skeletons in the closet. Many do their own research. But they are more sceptical towards journalists. In the US it’s more mixed. Coca-Cola for examples lets hardly anyone in. Other companies have donated archives to public libraries and archives (Kaisers for example). In Germany chambers of commerce store and make available archives of regional SMEs. Some UK archives like Unilever even collaborate to run archival hackathons.
Why would corporations open up their records to public scrutiny (even academic) given the potential legal risks?
I think they usually selectevely disclose because the strategic, political, financial, legal, or symbolic benefits outweigh the risks. Building identities is valuable.
Thank you.
You're very welcome! I am just learning, too :)
Hi Corioborius. Silvia is right though there is a lot of variation. In Europe a lot of business archives allow verified researchers and depending on the company there can be very few restrictions (there are exceptions). They disclose to demonstrate that they don’t have skeletons in the closet. Many do their own research. But they are more sceptical towards journalists. In the US it’s more mixed. Coca-Cola for examples lets hardly anyone in. Other companies have donated archives to public libraries and archives (Kaisers for example). In Germany chambers of commerce store and make available archives of regional SMEs. Some UK archives like Unilever even collaborate to run archival hackathons.