In this fascinating and well-researched book, Timothy Whisler considers why there are now no major car manufacturers in Britain and makes valuable comparisons with overseas manufacturers operating both in the UK and abroad. This book covers the issues of product development, quality, design, and range and is destined to make a distinctive contribution to our understanding of the performance of UK manufacturers.
Introduction 1. Reconversion: confirming the inter-war course 2. Corporate Structure and Management Strategy: decision making and path dependence, 1945-68 3. British Leyland and Chrysler UK: lock-in, path overlap, and dysfunction 4. The Final Stage in the Indigenous Path: British Leyland under Edwardes, 1977-9 5. Design and Development: the practical man and the myth of engineering excellence 6. British Production Methods: the evolution of flexibility and failure of Fordism 7. Distribution Structures: dealers, agents, and self-interest 8. Domestic and Export Markets: demand, differentiation, and product characteristics 9. Product Quality and Reliability: the silver British lemon 10. U-Turn, New Path, or Market Failure? 1979-94 Conclusion Introduction 1. Reconversion: confirming the inter-war course 2. Corporate Structure and Management Strategy: decision making and path dependence, 1945-68 3. British Leyland and Chrysler UK: lock-in, path overlap, and dysfunction 4. The Final Stage in the Indigenous Path: British Leyland under Edwardes, 1977-9 5. Design and Development: the practical man and the myth of engineering excellence 6. British Production Methods: the evolution of flexibility and failure of Fordism 7. Distribution Structures: dealers, agents, and self-interest 8. Domestic and Export Markets: demand, differentiation, and product characteristics 9. Product Quality and Reliability: the silver British lemon 10. U-Turn, New Path, or Market Failure? 1979-94 Conclusion