> Large capitalist firms have sometimes been characterized as islands of
> planning in a sea of competition. I think Marx can be read as making
> this point when he celebrates the socialization (albeit limited,
> partial) that flows from concentration and centralization. I wonder if
> anyone has studied corporate planning practices through these lenses.
> In what senses do these practices pre-figure socialist planning? What
> lessons for socialist planning might we learn from them?
Hi Paul A:
Well, I don't think Marx anticipated industrial pricing schemes by large
firms in oligopolistic markets. And, I'm not sure what aspect of "planning" by these corporations you are referring to? "Scientific management" (Taylorism)? (Lenin and Trotsky referred to this under the NEP.) Operations research and linear programming? Well, that was
also developed in a different context by planners in the USSR. Automated production systems which incorporate (no pun intended) planning functions (e.g. computer-aided manufacturing - CAM - and CAD/CAM)? Systems of inventory management and control (e.g. those associated with "lean production" systems? Etc? Etc?
In solidarity, Jerry _______________________________________________
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Received on Thu Mar 11 16:15:10 2010
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