``A More Definite System''

Abstract

Examinations of the rise of modern retail activities traditionally have emphasized developments in the United States, where firms could exploit strong economies of scale and scope and could service transcontinental markets. In middle-sized economies such as Canada, the opportunities for expansion were more limited and firms often were slower to adopt new modes of marketing organization. This study reappraises the rise of large retailers in the Canadian grocery industry during the interwar era. It provides an overview of the issues that propelled the formation of the firms, their organizational traits, and the factors that slowed the ability of the firms to achieve market dominance.