Business in Britain in the Twentieth Century Decline and Renaissance?

by Coopey, Richard; Lyth, Peter

• ISBN13: 9780199226009
• ISBN10: 0199226008
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-10-18
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

This collection of fresh, incisive scholarship, by some of the leading business historians, critically examines the nature of economic recovery in Britain in recent years. Covering the key issues for business history in this period, the book confronts the traditional literature on conclusions of relative decline, and monocausal, simplistic explanations. It provides an impressive range of studies forming a platform for a new debate on the nature of British business in the 20th century. Themes include productivity, management, research and development, marketing, regional clusters and networks, industrial policy, the use of technology, and gender. Sector studies include newer, post-war hopefuls and successes including: * aerospace, * IT, * retail, * banking, * overseas investment, * the creative industries. The book demonstrates that our understanding of the historic strengths and weaknesses of business in Britain, and the shifting balance between sectors of the economy, has until now been poorly understood, and that British business history needs a fundamental reappraisal.

Author Biography

Richard Coopey teaches history across a range of economic, social, technological and political areas. His current research interests include the history of the popular music industry, and the economic history of water resources.
Peter Lyth has taught economic and transport history in Britain, Israel and the United States. His research interests are chiefly in transport and airline history, as well as aircraft and aero engine manufacturing.

Table of Contents

List of Figures	p. IX
List of Tables	p. XI
Terry Gourvish: An Appreciation	p. IX
Introduction. British Business in the Twentieth Century: Decline and Renaissance?	p. 1
	p. 15
Industrial Policy in Twentieth Century Britain	p. 48
Business in the Regions: From 'Old' Districts to 'New' Clu	p. 356sters?
Elites, Entrepreneurs, and British Business in the Twentieth Century	p. 82
Invisible Entrepreneurs? Women and Business in Twentieth Century Britain	p. 97
From a Solution to a Problem? Overseas Multinationals in Britain during Economic Decline and Renaissance	p. 116
British Management since 1945: 'Renaissance' and Inertia, Illusions and Realities	p. 137
Not 'Decline and Revival': An Alternative Narrative on British Post-War Productivity	p. 153
Marketing Management in Britain: What is the Evidence for 'Failure'?	p. 168
British Retail Banking in the Twentieth Century: Decline and Renaissance in Industrial Lending	p. 189
The Decline and Renewal of British Multinational Banking	p. 207
Back to the Future: The Aircraft and IT Industries in Britain since 1945	p. 225
Industrial Research and the Employment of Scientists in British Industry before the 1970s	p. 252
Increasing Value? Modern British Retailing in the Late Twentieth Century	p. 271
Predicting, Providing, Sustaining, Integrating? British Transport Policy since	p. 1945
The Film Industry in Twentieth Century Britain: Consumption Patterns, Government Regulation, and Firm Strategy	p. 306
British Sport Transformed: Sport, Business, and the Media since 1960	p. 330
Ethics, Religion, and Business in Twentieth Century Britain	p. 356
Index	p. 385
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