Technical Gases in Historical Perspective: Enterprise,

Economy, and Society (19th-20th Century)

Company: SIAD S.P.A.

Tutor: Stefania Licini

SIAD is one of the most important chemical groups in Italy and is interested in research aimed at studying technical and industrial gases from a historical perspective.

The inquiry, possibly drawing also on coeval literature and archival sources, should outline the evolution over time of gas applications in manufacturing processes, taking into careful consideration the changing economic, socialcultural and technological context.

The time frame of the enquire ranges from the dawn of the industrialization process to the beginning of the new millennium; the setting is the Western world, with a particular focus on Italy and the distinctive experience of the Orobic area evaluating possible comparisons with the evolution in areas of the world.

In the scientific perspective, the research is expected to contribute to the literature in the field of Business History, by improving our knowledge on the interrelationships between technological innovation and form of business organization.

From the Company’s point of view, it is anticipated that collecting and digitalizing historical documentation able to shed light on the social impact of industrial gas production will improve corporate communication activity.