This book, first published in 1985, presents a comprehensive overview of the world shipbuilding industry. It contrasts the conditions which foster its development in newly-industrialised countries such as Japan, South Korea and Brazil with the problems leading to its decline in Western Europe and North America. The book discusses the supply and demand factors peculiar to shipbuilding and notes the inherent instability of the industry due to the conditions placed upon it by the economic environment. Reactions to this instability are examined from the point of view of both shipbuilding enterprises and governments. The book concludes by assessing current trends and discussing likely future developments. It is shown that much will depend on shipping costs, industrial organisation and the level of state support.

Cover; Contents; 1. Introduction / Marcel van der Linden, Hugh Murphy, and Raquel Varela; North-western Europe; 2. Labour in the British shipbuilding and ship repairing industries in the twentieth century / Hugh Murphy; 3. Bremer Vulkan: A case study of the West German shipbuilding industry and its narratives in the second half of the twentieth century / Johanna Wolf; 4. From boom to bust: Kockums, Malmö (Sweden), 1950-1986 / Tobias Karlsson.

This book, first published in 1985, presents a comprehensive overview of the world shipbuilding industry. It contrasts the conditions which foster its development in newly-industrialised countries such as Japan, South Korea and Brazil with the problems leading to its decline in Western Europe and North America. The book discusses the supply and demand factors peculiar to shipbuilding and notes the inherent instability of the industry due to the conditions placed upon it by the economic environment. Reactions to this instability are examined from the point of view of both shipbuilding enterprises and governments. The book concludes by assessing current trends and discussing likely future developments. It is shown that much will depend on shipping costs, industrial organisation and the level of state support.