Business in Britain in the Twentieth Century: Decline and Renaissance?

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. Contributors to this volume - Michael Anson, Historical Researcher, Bank of England, Youssef Cassis, Professor of Economic History, University of Geneva, Switzerland, Richard Coopey, Senior Lecturer, Department of History and Welsh History, Aberystwyth University, Gerald Crompton, Reader in Economic History, Canterbury Business School, University of Kent, Robert Fitzgerald, Readerin Business History, Royal Holloway, University of London, Leslie Hannah, visiting professor, Faculty of Economics, University of Tokyo, Katrina Honeyman, Reader in Social and Economic History, School of History, University of Leeds, Sally Horrocks, Lecturer in the School of Historical Studies, University of Leicester, David Jeremy, Emeritus Professor of Business History, the Business School, Manchester Metropolitan University, Geoffrey Jones, Joseph C. Wilson Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School, Peter Lyth, Research Fellow, University of Nottingham International Business History Unit, Carlo Morelli, Lecturer, Department of Economic Studies, University of Dundee, Geoffrey Owen, Senior Fellow, Institute of Management, London School of Economics and Political Science, Andrew Popp, Senior Lecturer, School of Management, Royal Holloway, University of London, Dilwyn Porter, Senior Research Fellow, International Centre for Sport History and Culture, De Montfort University, Leicester, Nick Tiratsoo, Senior Research Fellow, Nottingham University, Jim Tomlinson, Bonar Professor of Modern History, University of Dundee, John F. Wilson, Director, Institute of International Business, Lancashire Business School, University of Central Lancashire,