ABSTRACT
There is a basic continuity in the evolution of the Southeast Asian corporate economy from the middle of the nineteenth century through to the present. Important, here, is the dominance throughout this period of the family, of ethnic groups and of the state in the structure of ownership and in corporate activities. This does not mean that significant changes did not occur. However, the comparative explorations within the region undertaken so far – Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand – have demonstrated the limited variety of corporate structures, each with a concentration of family and kin group ownership, and with strong links to the state and the military, and with an important role for foreign capital. This chapter will examine the distinctive features of Philippine corporate growth. Those distinctive features might be characterized as follows.
