TsT28. 2015.

Articles

♦ Tomás Martínez Vara, Miguel Muñoz Rubio, Pedro Pablo Ortúñez Goicolea
Eduardo Maristany Gibert (1855–1941). Director General of MZA
Abstract:
This paper aims to introduce the reader to—and highlight for historiography—the figure of a civil engineer who, for many years, served as general director of one of Spain’s largest railway companies: the Madrid-Zaragoza-Alicante Railway Company (MZA). His multifaceted career is of great interest to historical research.
He was a leading figure in the railway industry, particularly from his promotion in 1908 to the helm of MZA until 1934, when he voluntarily retired. He distinguished himself as a builder with the Argentera Tunnel. He wrote numerous articles and books. He also stood out for his vision of labor relations, characteristic of a true liberal. He had a decisive influence on railway policy during his time, leaving a profound legacy in management and work procedures that endured well beyond nationalization.

♦ Joaquín Ocampo Suárez-Valdés
From Mule Caravans to Buses: Cosmen/ALSA, from Family Business to International Firm
Abstract:
Drawing on the Cosmen family archives, this article analyzes the trajectory of a century-old business dynasty whose activities were linked to the mule-driven transport trade since the 11th century. Economic rents derived from the company’s location and “political rents” associated with the recognition of its strategic economic role granted the Cosmen family competitive advantages upon which to build a unique path to growth. From animal-drawn transport to mechanized transport, the company’s specialization in transportation transformed this family business into a renowned multinational firm, a common case study in business schools. This study has three objectives: to illustrate “path-dependent” business development, to confirm Krugman’s thesis on the relationship between territory and the economy, and to provide arguments regarding the effectiveness of the family business as a tool for internationalization.

♦ Luis Miguel Pereira Farinha
Evolution of the International Road Sign System
Abstract:
The traffic signage system currently in use in many countries around the world—the result of more than a century of work carried out at international conferences and meetings—arose from the need to create traffic regulations adapted to the automobile, a need that became apparent in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These efforts led to the conclusion of international treaties that consolidated standards agreed upon by various states, to which other states have subsequently acceded.
The analysis conducted leads to the conclusion that, in every treaty they have concluded regarding traffic and signage, states have made an effort to reach increasingly detailed and comprehensive agreements to regulate new situations, always with a focus on road safety and the facilitation of international road traffic.
This article aims to provide an overview of the evolution of the road signage system, based on an analysis of its most important instruments, showing how the standards adopted at each stage contributed to the structuring and consolidation of the system itself.

♦ Marcelo Ernesto Basualdo
Beef Management in Argentina and Government Policies Implemented Between 1930 and 1990
Abstract:
Following the international crisis of the 1930s, the government began to intervene in the beef market, and over the next fifty years, representatives of the livestock industry participated in shaping sectoral policies through the National Beef Board and the Argentine Beef Producers’ Corporation, both established in the 1930s. After a few initial years of clear leadership and autonomy, these institutions were forced to submit to the economic policies of successive governments due to the fundamental importance of beef to the country’s economy.
Rural interest groups had to respond—in one way or another—to economic policy through the leadership of these entities. In this regard, the archives of the CAP’s boards of directors—primarily held at the National Archives (AI)—reflect this interaction between the sector (livestock producers and meat-processing plants) and the state, as well as the most critical problems affecting it. This assessment of policies by the sector itself—which offers a partial perspective—is contrasted with analytical studies on the problems raised, as well as the diagnostic analyses and the corporate, sectoral, and government policies designed to address them.

Reviews

♦ Carlos Larrinaga
Xabier García Barber, Beer in Spain: Origins and Development of the Brewing Industry
♦ Rafael Barquín
Albert Broder, The Spanish Railroads (1854–1913): The French Big Business
♦ Begoña Villanueva
A. Novo López and Arantza Pareja Alonso (Editors), Railroads and Urban Society in the Basque Country
♦ Beatriz Correyero Ruiz
Carlos Larrinaga, Health Resorts in Gipuzkoa, 1776–1901: Health Tourism and Capital Investment in Mineral Waters