4/18/2000
At a time when globalization is seen by the popular press and scholars alike as transforming business and the economy, Moore and Lewis uncover antecedents of today's multinational enterprises (MNEs) in the most ancient of civilizations. Looking back at the four great empires of the ancient world — the Assyrians, Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans — they find parallels to such modern aspects of the global economy as global branding, virtual corporations, foreign direct investment, industry clusters and the knowledge-based economy. They note major differences, as well, of course, but the work of these two authors, one a historian and other a management theorist, sheds light on the past and offers lessons for the global economy of today.