The British motor industry

the long version

In explaining the fortunes of the British motor industry this book casts new light upon wider deep-rooted deficiencies in British manufacturing. The authors trace how the industry passed through a number of different phases, dependent upon the evolution of technology and upon the vagaries of the world economy. The story is taken back to the beginnings of the motor car so as to appraise the judgement of a number of writers that the seeds of collapse of the 1970's were planted many years earlier. Labour relations and management are analysed in detail, as is the impact of government policy. Particular attention is paid to national demand conditions and to demand shocks as formative influences.