ABSTRACT
At the time of the publication of Alfred Eichner's Megacorp and Oligopoly, the theory of the firm was grappling with the problem of the large corporation. The economic dominance of this firm had brought into question the relevance of the theory, and while the debate over its relevance focused on the profit maximization assumption, more was at stake in the debate than just this assumption. The assumption reflected the traditional identification of the firm with its owners, and it was the validity of this conception, and especially its personification of the firm's actions, that was at issue in the controversy.
