This study focuses on the role of institutions and organizations in the historical development of corporate finance. The book provides an overview of the evolution of practice in this field from the Italian merchant banks of the Renaissance through the formation of conglomerates and leveraged-buy-out partnerships in contemporary Wall Street. It also puts forth a compelling argument for the closer integration of historical and quantitative research methodologies in advancing finance theory.

Additionally, the epilogue defines an original algorithm that explains the relationship between the short-term, firm-specific factors and longer-term, environmental elements that have shaped the historical development of finance.