This book records the uncertain fortunes of the factory since the 1960s as it passed through the hands of the British Motor Corporation and British Leyland before becoming part of the Rover group.
Contrary to the negative assessments of the social order that have become prevalent in the media since 9/11, this collection of essays focuses on the enormous social creativity being invested as collective identities are reconfigured. It emphasizes on the reformulation of ethnic and gender relationships and identities in public life.
This book, first published in 1983, offers a new explanation for the poor performance of British manufacturing since 1950. Rather than invoke orthodox economic theory or general social factors, the book analyses four national conditions – enterprise control over the labour process; market structure and the composition of demand; the relation of manufacturing enterprise to financial institutions like banks and stock exchanges; and the relation of manufacturing enterprise to government.
Containing unique images from the official company archive, this book charts almost one hundred years of car-making at Longbridge near Birmingham. The Austin Motor Company was founded here by Herbert Austin in 1905 and it has since been home to the British Motor Corporation, British Leyland, Rover Group and latterly MG Rover. Its products include some of the most famous British models ever produced: the pioneering Austin Seven of the 1920s; the classic Mini, introduced to the world in 1959 with in astonishing production run of 41 years and a final tally of over 5 million; the Austin Metro, trumpeted as the 'British Car to Beat the World'; and in later years the best-selling MG TF and elegant Rover 75. The factory has been a major employer and an integral part of the local community since its foundation. The sad events of April 2005, when MG Rover went into administration, will radically change the landscape. But the area is now looking to the future, never fogetting its long and proud tradition of manufacturing. Colin Corke in a lifelong car enthusiast, Vicar of Longbridge and a former chaplain to the factory. Gillian Bardsley is Archivist to the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust as Gaydon, which is custodian of the extensive Longbridge archive and much more. She is also biographer of Sir Alec Issigonis who designed some of the factory's best loved products.
In British political discourse the idea that in the 1970s trade unions 'ran the country' has become a truism, a folk mythology invoked against the twin perils of socialism and strikes. But who exactly wielded power in Britain’s workplaces and on what terms? Assembling cultures takes a fine-grained look at factory activism in the motor industry between 1945 and 1982, using car manufacturing as a key case for unpicking important narratives around affluence, declinism and class. It traces the development of the militant car worker stereotype and looks at the real social relations that lay behind car manufacturing’s reputation for conflict. In doing so, this book reveals a changing, complex world of social practices, cultural norms and shared values and expectations. From relatively meagre interwar trade union traditions, during the post-war period car workers developed shop-floor organisations of considerable authority, enabling some to make new demands of their working lives, but constraining others in their more radical political aims. Assembling cultures documents in detail a historic process where, from the 1950s, groups and individuals set about creating and reproducing collective power and asks what that meant for their lives. This is a story of workers and their place in the power relations of post-war Britain. This book will be invaluable to lecturers and students studying the history, sociology and politics of post-war Britain, particularly those with an interest in power, rationality, class, labour, gender and race. The detailed analysis of just how solidarity, organisation and collective action were generated will also prove useful to trade union activists.
Hofstede introduced a culture paradigm that has been widely influential in international business. However, its relevance in light of culture's increasing complexity due to globalization has been questioned. Alternative culture frameworks and perspectives are offered by leading scholars in global marketing and management.
MG V8 tells in unprecedented detail the stories of some of the most powerful and exciting cars ever to wear the evocative MG octagon badge. Topics covered include: The story of each MG V8 model, from concept to development and production; Detailed information tables of notable cars and their chassis numbers for each model, plus special editions and colour charts; Interviews with the original MG V8 design and engineering teams; Background on development and testing work on each model; Rare input and insight from many of the outside suppliers and specialists who helped develop the cars; Information on sales and servicing literature, production changes, product placement, celebrity stories and much more. Illustrated with 400 pictures, including concept cars, design sketches and specially commissioned photography. For the first time, a complete and in-depth history of each of these remarkable MG V8 models. Covers concept through to development and production. Will be of great interest to all MG and motoring enthusiasts. Superbly illustrated with 400 colour photographs, many specially commissioned. David Knowles is one of the foremost MG historians of his generation.
The MGA truly marked a revolution in MG sports car design, with its appearance quite unlike any previous production car from the celebrated British marque. Entering production in the summer of 1955, it broke with the time-honoured tradition of narrow-gutted, flat-sides, upright styling, with the distinctive large grille, exposed headlamps, separate wings and sharply cut-off tail that had serviced the majority of MG sports cars for well over thirty years. Many die-hard MG enthusiasts of the time were understandably outraged, but the decision to break with tradition proved to be a good one: over 100,000 cars were produced over the model's seven-year lifetime. This book, from celebrated author David Knowles covers: the circumstances that led to the momentous decision to make such a fundamental design change; the production, publicity and evolution of each and every MGA variant from launch in 1955 to the end of production in 1962, with specification tables for each model; profiles of the people who had crucial roles in the development of the MGA and finally, the largely untold story of overseas assembly in Australia, Ireland, Mexico and South Africa. It offers comprehensive coverage of racing and rallying in Europe, including the MGA entries at Sebring Twelve Hour race and where many of the cars ended up, and will be of great interest to all motoring enthusiasts and those particularly interested in MG. It is extensively illustrated with 200 colour and 300 black & white photographs, much of it drawn from archives and family collections, as well as photoshoots specially commissioned for this book. David Knowles has been researching and writing about British cars for over twenty-five years.
Who made up the working class in Britain, who were the ordinary men and women and what were their aspirations? The first generation of postwar British labour historians tended to be preoccupied with working class activism. This texts attempts to chart not only this struggle, but to describe and analyse the rich and varied tapestry of working-class history as a whole. It demonstrates that "class" both existed and mattered although ordinary men and women had diverse lives and lifestyles. Professor Benson examines work, wages, incomes and the cost of living, family, kinship and community relations and the individual in the context of nation and class.
Concerning itself with the relationship between corporate planning and local communities who must live with the consequences of corporate decisions, this book is based on a case study of the partial closure of the Rover Group's plant at Cowley in Oxford (part of whose work is to be transferred to Honda's new, non-union plant on a green-field site at Swindon). The authors show how corporations take decisions based on private profitability which override the interests of workers and communities.