Abstract

"Helping Firms Use History, Promote Historical Research and Manage Archives: The Experience and Practices of the Centre for Business History in Stockholm"

Benito Peix Geldart, Centre for Business History in Stockholm (benito.peixgeldart@naringslivshistoria.se)

The aim of this paper is to present and discuss the experiences, practices and implications of a specific model of connecting Archives, Corporations, and Scholars developed at the Centre for
Business History in Stockholm, Sweden.

The Centre for Business History in Stockholm, established 1974, is a Swedish non-profit association managing the historical archives of its owners, approximately 350 Swedish corporations. The aim of the Centre is the preservation, research and presentation of corporate history. And in doing so, it also preserves Sweden’s business history.

In my paper, the implications, challenges and potential for business history research of joint research projects involving archivists, media experts and scholars are discussed. I argue for the benefits of a model where the preservation and narrative of an organization's history come together under the same roof, especially the synergy effect that can be achieved when experts in different fields work closely together with historical records and collections. I illustrate this with some recent, specific examples, such as the contribution of the Centre for Business History to the Centenary of the Electrolux company, and the interdisciplinary research project entitled “Gendered spaces. Multi-dimensional walks in urban history”, in which the Centre for Business History collaborates with universities and several heritage institutions.

The paper also discusses the use of history as a strategic resource for companies, the strategic value of business archives and the importance of fostering the historical awareness of business executives.