ABSTRACT
From 1945 to 1990 Ford of Britain was highly distinctive in comparison with its major British competitors.1 Beyond being a subsidiary of an American multinational, it was also exceptional in its compact and rationalized model range, its centralized and professional management structures, its long-range product development, its use of day-rates rather than piece-work payment systems, and its location away from the Midlands engineering heartland. It was also the most successful British motor manufacturer in terms of profits, sales and market share.2 From the time that the other British companies began to enter crisis in the 1970s, Ford has also consistently been the template against which these companies judged themselves and were judged by others (notably the government and its agencies) and which they have sought to emulate.3
