If I were to say I’m reading a book called - Whatever Happened to the British Motorcycle Industry , you’d probably all dismiss it as being some sort of historical textbook , but like all things , this gets me thinking about other things , so please bear with me :)
I reckon a nation is probably summed up by the products it manufactures -
The Germans have a reputation for producing reliability
The Italians for style and flair .
The French tend to go their own way with most things :)
The Japanese are always hi tec
American products – tradition .
China – mass production .
The Swiss – precision.
……..ok…….ok……. so I lied about the 80 products , as I didn’t want to bore you :)
This takes me back to the U.K. , and of course my “historical text book “.
This book seems to sum this country up , both then and now - brilliant designers , with excellent products which are of course - badly managed , thus it is no surprise - that today - anyone with innovative ideas usually gets out of the U.K. …post haste….
So where does that leave us as a nation……………..
Well that’d be - leaning on our laurel leaves – as usual :) , although even the laurel leaves , seem to be all owned by overseas companies - now a days :)
This is of course , the majority of items which I see as been identifiably - British .
Like for example - Rolls Royce is now in German ownership , Aston Martin in American , several top premiership football ( soccer) teams are owned by various different nationalities , and of course – Bentley who are again in German ownership.
It really gets “serious” , when that stalwart of British comfort food - Cadbury’s
( chocolate manufacturer ) is currently subject to a hostile take over bid from American food giant - Kraft ………………..shocking ……..:)
I will say , and back to the book , we do still have a motorcycle manufacturer in Triumph , who are still surprisingly - British owned and manufactured , using amid many , many other things - the finest - Japanese and Italian products in their
bikes ……………..
………………hmmmmm…… ok we’ll let ‘em off on that technicality , as they have a Union Jack on their product …:)
I know I do tend to really, really over summarise things in these pieces , as I’m not writing a thesis , thus they are designed to get my point over , with a few facts and an injection of humour ???? , whilst trying to vainly keep peoples attention.
Now with the above in mind –
Here’s a bit of a minimalists challenge for you all – sum up world history in one word ………….I’ve got mine ……what’s yours ………….:)
