Abstract
This book is about technical innovation in industry: thedevelopment, commercialisation, adaptation and improvement of products and production processes. Its basic theme is that differences amongst firms and countries in the OECD area in their capacity for technical innovation have a significant influence on international competitiveness, economic growth and living standards. It argues that, for a long time, British industry’s performance in technical innovation has on the whole been unsatisfactory in comparison with nearly all its major competitors, and that there are few signs of improvement. For Britain’s economic performance and living standards to improve relative to those of other OECD countries will require — among other things — a deliberate policy to deal directly with British deficiencies in technical innovation.
I am indebted to William Walker for preliminary reading and analysis for this chapter.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
G. Allen, The British Disease: a Short Essay on the Nation’s Lagging Wealth, Institute of Economic Affairs (London: IEA, 1976).
T. Barna, ‘What is Wrong with Britain’s Trading Position — High Prices or Lack of Innovation?’, The Times (London: 12 Aug. 1963).
C. Barnett, The Collapse of British Power (London: Eyre Methuen, 1972).
W. Beckerman and associates, The British Economy in 1975, NIESR economic and social studies series no. 23 (London: Cambridge University Press, 1965).
F. Blackaby (ed.), De-industrialisation (London: Heinemann, in press, 1979).
A. Cairncross, ‘What is De-Industrialisation?’, in Blackaby (in press, 1979).
R. Dore, British Factory — Japanese Factory (London: Allen & Unwin, 1973).
G. Eads and R. Nelson, ‘Government Support for Advanced Civilian Technology’, Public Policy, Vol. 19, no. 3 (1971).
N. Gardner, ‘Economics of Launching Aid’, in A. Whiting (ed.), The Economics of Industrial Subsidies (London: HMSO, 1976).
J. Gershuny, After Industrial Society (London: Macmillan, 1978).
E. Hobsbawm, Industry and Empire (London: Penguin, 1968).
J. Jewkes, Government and High Technology, Institute of Economic Affairs (London: IEA, 1972).
D. Jones and S. Prais, ‘Plant Size and Productivity in the Motor Industry: Some International Comparisons’, Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, vol. 40 (1978).
D. Landes, The Unbound Prometheus (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1969).
T. Lossius, ‘ICI’s Synthetic Fibres Business: A Case Study of International Efficiency Comparisons’, in C. Bowe (ed.), Industrial Efficiency and the Role of Government (London: HMSO, 1977).
E. Maddock, ‘Science, Technology and Industry’, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London vol. 345 (London: Royal Society of London, 1975).
D. Mowery and N. Rosenberg, ‘The Influence of Market Demand upon Innovation’, Research Policy vol. 8 (in press, 1979).
R. Nelson and S. Winter, ‘Neoclassical vs. Evolutionary Theories of Economic Growth’, Economic Journal, vol. 84 (1974).
R. Nelson and S. Winter, ‘In Search of a Useful Theory of Innovation’, Research Policy, vol. 6 (1977).
M. Panic (ed.), The UK and West German Manufacturing Industry, 1954–72: A Comparison of Performance and Structure, National Economic Development Council, Monograph no. 5 (London: NEDC, 1976).
M. Peck, ‘Science and Technology’, in R. Caves (ed.), Britain’s Economic Prospects (Washington D.C.: Brookings, 1968).
M. Posner and A. Steer, ‘Price Competitiveness and Performance of Manufacturing Industry’, in Blackaby (in press, 1979).
N. Rosenberg, Perspectives on Technology (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1976).
C. Saunders, Engineering in Britain, West Germany and France Sussex European Research Centre (University of Sussex, in press, 1979).
J. Schmookler, Invention and Economic Growth (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1976).
D. Stout et al., International Price Competitiveness, Non Price Factors and Economic Performance, National Economic Development Office (London: NEDO, 1977).
D. Stout, ‘De-industrialisation and Industrial Policy’, in Blackaby (in press, 1979).
A. Thirlwall, ‘The UK’s Economic Problem: A Balance of Payments Constraint?’, National Westminster Bank Quarterly Review (Feb. 1978).
R. Vernon, ‘International Investment and International Trade in the Product Cycle’, Quarterly Journal of Economics, vol. 80 (1966).
N. Vig, Science and Technology in British Politics (Oxford: Pergamon, 1978).
W. Walker, ‘Direct Government Aid for Industrial Innovation in the UK’ (mimeo), Science Policy Research Unit (University of Sussex, 1976).
V. Walsh and J. Townsend, ‘Technological Forecasting and Trends of Innovation in the Chemical Industry’ (mimeo), Science Policy Research Unit (University of Sussex).
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 1980 Science Policy Research Unit
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Pavitt, K. (1980). Introduction and Summary. In: Pavitt, K. (eds) Technical Innovation and British Economic Performance. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-06381-9_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-06381-9_1
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-0-333-33381-5
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-06381-9
eBook Packages: Palgrave Business & Management CollectionBusiness and Management (R0)