ABSTRACT
The General Electric Company (GEC) was formed by the merging together in the late 1960s of the three leading British electrical engineering firms, Associated Electrical Industries, English Electric, and GEC. There is widespread agreement that the GEC has been one of the most, perhaps the most, and consistently successful major British manufacturing company over the last two decades. The high market valuation given to GEC because of its success in the 1960s and the market's faith that Arnold Weinstock could continue the trend meant that the nominal increase in GEC's equity was modest in relation to the assets acquired. The creation of GEC by takeover and merger in 1967 and 1968 had a solid base for success. GEC is a substantial financial success and this, sustained through the usually unfavourable climate of the post-1970 British economy, represents a major achievement. The chapter focuses on GEC's financial success some assessment of its performance in terms of the additional criteria.
