The Rise and Decline of the British Motor Industry

by Roy A. Church

Overview

This book is a concise and lucid review of the strengths and weaknesses of the British motor industry during the one hundred years since its foundation. Placing the industry firmly in a European context, the author first assesses its achievements before 1960, and then tests the various explanations that have been offered to explain its decline in the past thirty years. He examines the role of government, of the trade unions, of management and of the multinationals, all of which have been seen as major players in the industry's demise.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521552837
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	09/14/1995
Series:	New Studies in Economic and Social History , #24
Edition description:	Revised ed.
Pages:	156
Product dimensions:	5.51(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.51(d)

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements; Themes; Part I. The Origins of British Pre-eminence in Europe: 1. The rise of the British motor industry before 1914; 2. War and its aftermath: gains and losses; 3. The framework of protection: demand at home and overseas; 4. Fordism and the British system; 5. The dynamics and limitations of 'personal capitalism'; 6. Fordism and the British approach to markets and marketing; 7. Debilitating environment: structures and strategies; Part II. The Roots of Decline: 8. Postwar pre-eminence: attainment and erosion; 9. Private investment and public policies: government and industry; 10. Manufacturing systems: management and labour; 11. The role of organised labour: strikes and productivity; 12. Industrial relations: Fordism and post-Fordism; 13. Fordist structure and strategy: the managerial organisation; 14. Industrial structure, organisation and corporate culture: the origins and performance of BMC; Part III. The Vicissitudes and Collapse of a 'National Champion': 15. Anatomy of a merger: the rise of British Leyland; 16. The effects of merger; 17. British Leyland's productivity dilemma: markets and productivity; 18. The nationalised champion: policies and personalities; 19. From nationalisation to privatisation; 20. Globalisation and the role of multinationals; 21. Explaining decline; Bibliography; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"Church's book, like others in this series, is aimed primarily at students and secondarily at their teachers. ...anyone seeking an introduction to the British motor industry and a guide to further reading will find Church's book an excellent place to start." Robert Casey, Technology and Culture

From the Publisher