Networks throughout an institutional transition: the case of the former Meliá touristic group (1932-1978)

ABSTRACT

This study explores how networks for entrepreneurial activities evolve and change during an institutional transition at the macro level. For this purpose, we present the historical case study of Meliá, a pioneering company in the development of the Spanish tourism industry during Franco´s Regime (1939–1975), when the country evolved from interventionism and isolation toward an increasingly market-oriented economy. Our study shows how Meliá’s networks co-evolved with their institutional framework, resulting in a transformation in their composition, purpose, and outcomes. Through historical contextualization, our paper allows us to capture the nuances of an institutional transition as well as to better understand the change processes of networks, the significance of strong and weak ties as the firm matures, and the dynamics of network brokerage over time. Therefore, our research contributes to the literature on networks and institutional transitions showing the value of a history-in theory perspective.

KEYWORDS:

• Networks
• institutional transition
• brokerage
• Spain
• tourism
• Francoism

Acknowledgments

We thank the Meliá family, especially José and Francisco Meliá Goicoechea for their support and for giving us access to data and testimonies. We also appreciate the insightful feedback from the reviewers and the editor.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Teresa Mateo López-Mora

Teresa Mateo López-Mora is a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain), where she is a PhD candidate. She studied Law and Business Administration at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (Spain). During 2013 she was a Research Assistant at IESE Business School (Madrid). Her research interests include business history, tourism, entrepreneurship, and family business. Email: [email protected]

Águeda Gil-López

Águeda Gil-López is an Assistant Professor of Economic History at Complutense University of Madrid (Spain), where she obtained her PhD degree in Economics with a European mention. In 2018 she was awarded with the Complutense Extraordinary PhD Prize of Economics. Her research interests include business history, entrepreneurship, and family business. Email: [email protected]

Elena San Román López

Elena San Román is a Full Professor of History at Complutense University of Madrid (Spain) and an Associate Member of the Royal Academy of History (Spain). Her research interests are focused on business history, entrepreneurship, and family business. She is currently leading the Spanish team of a project funded by the EU. Email: [email protected]

Alicia Sierra Gómez

Alicia Sierra Gómez is a controlling operator at Siemens Renting. She studied her career and master´s degree in Economics at the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain). Email: [email protected]