Abstract: | Teece (1982) extended Coase's (1937) theory of the firm to explain firm amalgamations. This explanation is centred around three fundamental constructs: excess capacity, market imperfections and the nature of assets, together with the frequency of their exchange. This paper provides an application of Teece's work to explain recent organizational change within the stockbroking industry in Australia and concludes by developing testable explanations of why, following deregulation, stockbroking firms countenanced moves by financial institutions, particularly banks, to acquire large equity positions. |