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Institution al integration : an approach to comparative studies of the history of large-scale business enterprise This is a paper on business history, which demonstrates that the concept of institutional agregation and integration provides a for more relevant approachto the study of the development of large-escale modem enterprisc than does that of institutional specialisation an disintegration. The focus on the division of labour was largely misleading on respect to the history of business enterprise. So many analysts failed to realize that the large scale enterpdses never went through a stage of pure competition and that the first oligopolists were also the nations first multinationals. Th evidences corne from the america's main industriel and transportation sectors with some considerations for the trading sectors. In the conclusion the author raises the hypothesis that, despite important differences, which should be studied, the same considerations would fit the west European cases or even the Japanese one.

A generalized credit multiplier: A Markovian model The coefficient referred to by the name of credit multiplier makes it possible to work ouf thé additional amount of crédit which is to appear following the additional injection of high-powered money info an economy. The way this coefficient is traditionally arrived at makes it necessary that one should accept to simplify reality in more than one point. On the one hand on considers only one category of financial intermediaries, thus deliberately ignoring the fact that every one of them does mot get equally easy terms and is not subject to the same obligations. On the other hand on does not allow for the fact that credits rotate at perceptibly varying speeds, according to the category they belong to, as some of the financial intermediaries consider keeping part of their reserves available. This paper is aimed at showing that the formula for the multiplier can be derived through the medium of a probability model. Thus proceeding, it will be possible, without any objections to be raised, to dismiss simplifying theories. Consequently formula can be worked out which makes it possible to get closer reality as well as to assess more accurately the effects of some possible injection of money in the economy.

Application of organizations theory to higher education Several ressorts make us expect that in France as well as in many other countries, the organisations theory is relevant to University analysis. The original features of higher education Systems keep universities from any tight assimilation with a corporation or a public administration. However, these features do not prevent them to adopt some sets of behaviors and procedures which are typical of " efficient " organizations. We examine on these grounds, the change in the Central State's rôle and its links with autonomous universities. The issue of promoting new criterious for a better management in universities is then scrutinized. In spite of their relative importance inside universifies, the limitations due to the fonctionnalist approach and theories do not prevent attempts to improve their development strategies.

Lifetime and replacement of capital goods This article presents the results of empirical research on the age structure of capital goods in the cotton, paper and steel industries. The findings suggest that the real lifetimes — the periods during which particular pieces of equipment are in use — are quite longer than suggested either by, the carrent fiscal and accounting practices or even by most evaluations made by other studies, but which concern rather the period of recovery of the capital engaged than the life-time of equipments. Still unknown are however the importance and the implications of partial replacement and partial modernization operations, which are made on these capital goods and effect their lifetime.

IMPORT SUBSTITUTION AND THE GROWTH OF EXPORTS AN ECONOMETRIC TEST In the traditional analysis, import substitution policies in the less developed economies are believed to be in conflict with the growth of exports. This paper argues that the presumed conflict between import substitution and export expansion avises primarily from the demand orientation of the traditional analysis. This paper examines the relationship from a supply standpoint, where the growth of domestic production capacity through an " accelerator " type of relation assumes a crucial role. It develops a testable hypothesis from a set of structural relations where import substitution is viewed as the necessary link in transforming primary producers into exporters of manufactures. The hypothesis is tested from cross-sectional data on a number of industrial sectors in the less developed countries. The results provide some measure of plausibility to the view that there need be no essential conflict between import substitution and the growth of exports when viewed from the vantage point of supply.