ABSTRACT
International trade has always been deeply rooted in British culture, but the rapid technological development of the Industrial Revolution created a new class of economic migrant. Distinct from the merchants and colonialists who traded internationally for the profit of British-based businesses, an increasing group of practically trained independent working men sought their fortunes abroad. This chapter will examine the roots of this trade in skill, its gradual development from espionage into legitimacy and its role in the worldwide diffusion of industrial technology. It is evident that the strict adherence of this émigré group to their national cultural traditions contrasted strongly with the assimilation tactics of their cosmopolitan employers. The reasons for this characteristic behaviour and its socio-political implication in Russian Poland will be considered. By the early twentieth century, despite almost universal dissemination of technology, high-quality foreign education and an increasingly cost-conscious commercial climate, this chapter will offer some explanations for enduring British domination of key technical and managerial roles in industries worldwide.
