Describing key political and economic decisions or events, this book discusses Britain's economic decline in the post war period. It offers an alternative approach to improving its performance, known as the strategic alignment of national and corporate competitiveness.

A new edition of the leading textbook on the economic history of Britain since industrialization. Combining the expertise of more than thirty leading historians and economists, Volume 2 tracks the development of the British economy from late nineteenth-century global dominance to its early twenty-first century position as a mid-sized player in an integrated European economy. Each chapter provides a clear guide to the major controversies in the field and students are shown how to connect historical evidence with economic theory and how to apply quantitative methods. The chapters re-examine issues of Britain's relative economic growth and decline over the 'long' twentieth century, setting the British experience within an international context, and benchmark its performance against that of its European and global competitors. Suggestions for further reading are also provided in each chapter, to help students engage thoroughly with the topics being discussed.

A new edition of the leading textbook on the economic history of Britain since industrialization. Combining the expertise of more than thirty leading historians and economists, Volume 1 tracks Britain's economic history in the period ranging from 1700 to 1870 from industrialisation to global trade and empire. Each chapter provides a clear guide to the major controversies in the field and students are shown how to connect historical evidence with economic theory and apply quantitative methods. New approaches are proposed to classic issues such as the causes and consequences of industrialisation, the role of institutions and the state, and the transition from an organic to an inorganic economy, as well as introducing new issues such as globalisation, convergence and divergence, the role of science, technology and invention, and the growth of consumerism. Throughout the volume, British experience is set within an international context and its performance benchmarked against its global competitors.

Examining the ideas of British business leaders on political, economic and ethical issues since 1960, this book draws on hitherto unexplored records, wide-ranging interviews, and biographical, narrative and conceptual approaches, and aims to shed new light on: the Wilson, Heath and Thatcher periods; the mixed economy and the New Right; the peak representative organisations of business, and business relationships with government. The authors intend to show how three main tendencies of business thinking have struggled for influence, with radically differing visions of the role of business in society. They argue that although elite business ideas were often obscured, they did make a distinctive contribution to public policy, business thinking, and the development of capitalism in Britain.

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Modern Britain focuses on two major periods of British history; the interwar period, and postwar Britain. The authors compare and contrast developments in the two periods, dealing with the themes of: * growth and welfare * industry * labour * social policy * the economy Combining a narrative with a conceptual and analytic approach,Modern Britain provides an end-of-century review of progress and decline and an essential background to current polemics and major issues of concern. Clearly structured and written, this is an invaluable textbook for students of twentieth century British history.