Acknowledgments

Many people have given generously of their time, experience, and expertise to help me finish this book. Some of them suffered through the earliest kernels of ideas and suggested more fruitful avenues of analysis. Others were remarkable in their willingness to read repeated reformulations and to continue to offer support and guidance. I owe each of them my gratitude and respect. Thanks to Mitchel Y. Abolafia, Michael Ames, Diane Barthel, James Bearden, Charles Bonjean, Christine Bose, Richard Braungart, Laura Cates, Steven Cole, Donna DiDonato, Paul DiMaggio, G. William Domhoff, Mark S. Granovetter, Linda Grant, Paul Hirsch, Christine Huskey, Randy Hodson, David Jacobs, Eugene Lebovics, Donald Luck, Harry Makler, Patrick McGuire, Beth Mintz, Mark S. Mizruchi, Donald Palmer, Dana Powers-Courtin, Richard Ratcliff, Ed Royce, Dmitri Shalin, Linda Brewster Stearns, SUNY-MACNET, SUNY-Stony Brook Sociology Workshop, Sociology Faculty Seminar at SIU-C, Michael Useem, the late Eugene Weinstein, J. Allen Whitt, Maurice Zeitlin, Lynn Zucker, Sharon Zukin, several business analysts, and the various lawyers of W. T. Grant Company's estate.

I owe particular thanks and gratitude to Michael Schwartz and Kathryn Ward for their friendship and support and for their honesty in challenging me to write clearly, provide evidence for my analysis, and refrain from using "gloppy jargon." Their efforts and encouragement taught me much about writing, research, and tenacity. Thanks for being there and for believing. I also owe a great deal to Marshall and Shelley Goldberg Silfen, the "angels" of the

book. Without them, this book would have taken at least twice as long to write.

This book could not have been finished were it not for the support and enthusiasm of my editor, Naomi Schneider. She has been a joy to work with. Thanks, Naomi. Many thanks, too, to Mary Lamprech and Amy Klatzkin for wonderful copy editing.

I dedicate this book to Clifford Leon Glasberg and Gillian Silfen Glasberg. Gillian taught me perspective and the value of unconditional love. As my dearest and closest friend, Cliff has been wonderful in his unwavering tolerance, forbearance, aid, and comfort. He believed when I didn't, understood my distracted moments, made room for my frustrations, and "high-fived" my successes. You are both the best.