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The dominance of multinational firms with developed global scanning capacities for sourcing and marketing in the early 1970s has led people to consider if the product life cycle approach to international manufacturing and marketing is still valid. The usefulness of this approach is examined by fitting a logistic growth curve on the 1970–1979 trade data of the UK electronics industry. It is shown that although still valid, the international product life cycle model should combine with the theory of comparative costs to provide a more satisfactory explanation of the pattern of trade, as it is only applicable to manufactured goods.

This paper describes preliminary research into the effect of different approaches to supply chain management on manufacturing company performance. Three generic models were developed to describe the ways in which manufacturers manage relationships with their major suppliers and major customers. A set of financial and non‐financial practice and performance measures was selected. Practice and performance data were collected from 74 U.K. manufacturers from the clothing and electronics industries. Data supplied by participating companies were used to test the appropriateness of the three generic models, and to investigate the ways in which their supplier‐customer relationships impact upon their performance.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic examination of the importance of trust‐developing constructs and the impact of trust on long‐term orientation within the small and medium‐sized enterprises (SME) domain.

A theoretically grounded model has been developed that comprises three cognitive (reputation, skill and transaction specific investments) and three behavioural (information exchange, coercive power and flexibility) antecedents of trust, which in turn is posted to be a determinant of long‐term orientation. The model has been tested using 229 responses obtained through a postal survey carried out in the UK electrical and electronic industry.

With the exception of the skill to trust, all other hypothesised relationships have been supported. In relative terms, reputation followed by flexibility have been found to be the most important determinants of trust.

The moderating impact of company size and length of relationships have not been examined. The potential for differential behaviour of upstream and downstream business relationships also merits examination.

The results indicate that development of trust can best be affected by a balanced and coordinated set of activities designed to enhance both cognitive and behavioural aspects of trust. Advice as to how this can be achieved is offered.

Despite the extensive study of trust between large organisations there is a general lack of corresponding research with the SME domain. The results reported here provide support for the claim that related findings based on large organisations can be extended to apply to SMEs.

In order to succeed in an action under the Equal Pay Act 1970, should the woman and the man be employed by the same employer on like work at the same time or would the woman still be covered by the Act if she were employed on like work in succession to the man? This is the question which had to be solved in Macarthys Ltd v. Smith. Unfortunately it was not. Their Lordships interpreted the relevant section in different ways and since Article 119 of the Treaty of Rome was also subject to different interpretations, the case has been referred to the European Court of Justice.

Suggests that the restructuring of the European‐owned consumer electronics industry, and the relocation of manufacturing plants within Europe, will inevitably affect the distribution of their products. Considers that the centralization of production capacity, and a move away from country‐by‐country operations, will require major adjustments to transport systems and that incomers may also need to establish new systems of delivery from their new manufacturing points. Examines the current logistics practices and future expectations of major consumer electronics manufacturers operating in Europe, in the context of intense competitive rivalry and changing market structures, using empirical data gathered from companies operating in France, the United Kingdom and West Germany. While there are national differences, the results indicate growing involvement of multiple retailers in the distribution of consumer electronic products, further contracting out of manufacturers′ logistical operations, and growing demands on all logistics systems as order lead‐times continue to shorten.

The paper provides an overview of research published in the innovation and operations management (IOM) literature on 15 methods for cost management in new product development, and it provides a comparison to an earlier review of the management accounting (MA) literature (Wouters & Morales, 2014).

This structured literature search covers papers published in 23 journals in IOM in the period 1990–2014.

The search yielded a sample of 208 unique papers with 275 results (one paper could refer to multiple cost management methods). The top 3 methods are modular design, component commonality, and product platforms, with 115 results (42%) together. In the MA literature, these three methods accounted for 29%, but target costing was the most researched cost management method by far (26%). Simulation is the most frequently used research method in the IOM literature, whereas this was averagely used in the MA literature; qualitative studies were the most frequently used research method in the MA literature, whereas this was averagely used in the IOM literature. We found a lot of papers presenting practical approaches or decision models as a further development of a particular cost management method, which is a clear difference from the MA literature.

This review focused on the same cost management methods, and future research could also consider other cost management methods which are likely to be more important in the IOM literature compared to the MA literature. Future research could also investigate innovative cost management practices in more detail through longitudinal case studies.

This review of research on methods for cost management published outside the MA literature provides an overview for MA researchers. It highlights key differences between both literatures in their research of the same cost management methods.

The following extracts from the Plowden Committee's report on the aircraft industry cover the conclusions and summary of recommendations made by the Committee, and includes the reservation by Mr Aubrey Jones. Excerpts from some of the earlier chapters, discussing the environment in which the industry operates and its history, are also given, together with the first three chapters of Section 4] on ‘The Case for an Aircraft Industry’. The text is slightly abridged in some places. The full report, Command 2853, is obtainable at 10s. from Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

Briefly reviews previous literature by the author before presenting an original 12 step system integration protocol designed to ensure the success of companies or countries in their efforts to develop and market new products. Looks at the issues from different strategic levels such as corporate, international, military and economic. Presents 31 case studies, including the success of Japan in microchips to the failure of Xerox to sell its invention of the Alto personal computer 3 years before Apple: from the success in DNA and Superconductor research to the success of Sunbeam in inventing and marketing food processors: and from the daring invention and production of atomic energy for survival to the successes of sewing machine inventor Howe in co‐operating on patents to compete in markets. Includes 306 questions and answers in order to qualify concepts introduced.