Barriers to 'industrialisation' for interwar British retailing? The case of Marks & Spencer Ltd. Issue 2 (17th February 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Scott, Peter; Walker, James T.
• Is Part Of: Business history. Volume 59:Issue 2(2017)
• Page Start: 179
• Page End: 201
• Publication Date: 2017-02-17
• Subjects: Retailing -- services -- productivity -- innovation -- inventory management -- value chains; Business -- Periodicals; Industries -- History -- Periodicals; Commerce -- History -- Periodicals; 330.09
• DOI: 10.1080/00076791.2016.1156088
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0007-6791

Abstract

Abstract: Research on international differences in retail productivity has highlighted formidable environmental barriers to the 'industrialisation' of mass retailing as a driver of declining British interwar productivity growth in this sector (and in services more generally). We examine evidence for such barriers, using a case study of a firm that built its interwar expansion strategy on 'American' retail methods – Marks & Spencer (M&S). We find that, rather than facing barriers to the adoption of American mass retail practices, M&S reaped major productivity gains from this process. This adds further evidence to an emerging literature rejecting the barriers to industrialisation thesis for retailing.