In their study they explain the historical emergence of the corporate form in the 17th century in the Dutch Republic and contrast it with similar developments in England. The winning article is:
Dari-Mattiacci, Giuseppe, Gelderblom, Oscar, Jonker, Joost, and Perotti, Enrico (2017), ‘The Emergence of the Corporate Form,’ 33(2) Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, 193-236.
Available at academic.oup.com/jleo/article/33/2/193/3089484