Performance and attitude of firms in relation to a major expansion of their potential market; The case of British manufacting industries and the UK accession to the EEC.

Abstract

The study stands in two volumes: Volume 1, being the thesis, consists of eight chapters. In the first chapter we discussed the aims and origin of the research. We traced the motivation in undertaking it, to an early work, which we previously conducted for a related study; together with the work done by similar studies or surveys. In the meantime we revealed the impact of such a custom union and a free trade area on the economic performance of the member countries and their industries. In Chapter Two, we indicated the method we proposed for the study. However, in so doing, we reviewed the methods of similar studies and the limitations attached to them. Chapter Three was devoted to a review of the literature related to the study. In Chapter Four, we discussed the preliminary survey; the questionnaire. As it was the first stage in the investigation, the questions answered, the responses and analysis of the replies were indicated. This was followed by the main survey, for which we chose as case studies, a representative sample of firms; British based manufacturing industries. In Chapters Five and Six we indicated the base on which those firms were selected, the way the collected data was presented, the approaches to the analysis; then we proceeded with the analysis. We conducted a supporting study, which dealt with the overseas trade, in a selected manufactured commodities in specific industrial groups ''section". The purpose was to relate the trade trend in each industry to those performed by the studied firms, and to relate both to the UK overall overseas trade performance. This is the subject of Chapter Seven. The results were obtained and the study was concluded in Chapter Eight. Volume 2 includes twenty-one case studies; as indicated above; that were the subject of the main survey.

Date of Award	1978
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bath