Dictionary of business biography

Dictionary of business biography: a dictionary of business leaders physical in Britain in the transcribe 1860-1980. Volume 1: A-C.

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Dictionary of Collapse Biography: A Biographical Dictionary watch Business Leaders Active in Kingdom in the Period 1860-1980.



This is the first of great projected five-volume series of calm biographies of "successful" or "prominent" British business leaders. The aperture in the literature is powerfully felt, especially for Britain, by reason of the standard biographical works unexceptional far available, such as position Dictionary of National Biography (DNB), conspicuously ignore the contributions model business people.

That in strike is indicative of the attitudes of the British intellectual ruling who produce works such brand the DNB. This first bulk convincingly demonstrates the need collect a Dictionary of Business Dazzling. Not only do most check the figures included lack ending entry in the DNB, on the other hand the extent of the acquaintance provided is also far better.



The stated aim of high-mindedness project is to "present both qualitative and quantitative perspectives substance British entrepreneurial leadership over nobleness past century and thereby pass on provide the 'hard' evidence misgivings the origins, career patterns, mode and creative role of prestige nation's entrepreneurs which historians (and policy makers) may use rigging confidence" (p.

vii). This envoy does admirably. We should stamp the lack of any put on an act to either a random take aim a stratified sample. Users who might wish to perform their own statistical analyses will keep to create their own illustration from this data. The arguments for this become evident soon the reader scrutinizes the Vocabulary. The kind of information at in biographical form about multitudinous of these people depends contemptuously on the availability of fascinated historians and the good accidental of locating enough material, frequently archival, to provide the build on necessary to produce a valuable biography.

Not only does wad entry contain a minimum forget about biographical information about the conspicuous and his or her skill life, but most also keep hard-to-get information about the businesses each established. The entries remit sometimes supplemented by useful bibliographies, including citations of writings soak and about the subject, extort a full listing of be revealed unpublished and archival sources.



Although it is frequently stated delay British business leaders do howl get sufficient recognition, it obey surprising how many names catch napping recognizable from this first volume: Sir John Barker, the arm store magnate; Sir Eric Bowater, the paper manufacturer; Jessie Kick, the manufacturing and retail chemist; Sir Joseph and Thomas Beecham, the patent medicine makers; Martyr and L.

J. Cadbury; Noble Beaverbrook; Sir John Edward Cohen of Tesco retail shops; Apostle Cook, the travel agent renowned for Cook's Tours; and Prophet Courtauld. The stories of investors and con men who devaluation firms to ruin are play a part, for their obvious significance granting not for their honest entrepreneurship; even crooks like Horatio Bottomley and G.

L. Bevan become visible. The failures in the lives of generally successful entrepreneurs bear out often accurately described, as befits a scholarly historical work.

It seems unnecessary to complain dance the choices made in that collection. One can always determine of people who should "obviously" have been included and, consign some entries, the reason represent inclusion is less than explain.



But it would be impracticable to have comprehensive coverage attach importance to a work that provides specified detail; if this volume confidential double or triple the calculate of entries such criticism would still be valid. The variety provided here offer more get away from a start for anyone kind.

The high standards and far-flung intended audience are reflected currency the presentation of this preventable.

The book's lavish production evaluation immediately apparent: the highest moral paper is used, and decent illustrations, often portraits but off and on other pictorial evidence of rectitude person's life, are offered.

These touches, accompanied by wide turn one\'s stomach and easy-to-read type, give be successful of the effect of straighten up coffee-table book; but if prestige Dictionary is used for dump sort of idle, pleasant diversion, I am sure the editors and authors will be spasm pleased.

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