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Preface
The Cranfield Management Development Programme is an intensive
ten week course for middle management aged 28 - 38. The courses
which are held twice yearly started in 1964; the fifth of these,
MDP 5, was held from October - December, 1966. The members of the
course are drawn from a variety of businesses and have previous
experience in one or more of the main fields of business activity,
e.g. general management, marketing, production, finance.
As part of the course two weeks are devoted to studying business
conditions in Europe. For this tour the members are formed into small
groups who study particular projects. Throughout the visits the
emphasis is on discussion with Senior Executives.
The specific objectives of the European Tour are:-
1. To expose members to business problems in different European
environments and to provide an opportunity to discuss business
problems with European managers.
2. To study the problems that confront British companies who do
business in or with European countries.
3 To use this exposure to a new environment to effect some measure
of re-evaluation of their past business experience in the United
Kingdom.
MDP 5 were in Europe from 20th November to 2nd December 1966,
during which period the following cities were visited; Paris, Milan,
Zurich, Frankfurt and Brussels. In each city discussions were
arranged with a representative cross-section of the business community.
These included British Embassy Staff, British Chambers of Commerce,
Local Bankers, Industrial Companies, Advertising Agents, Trade Union
Officials, Management Consultants, British Subsidiaries and the E.E.C.
Commission.
This report is split into four parts representing the work of the
four project groups.
The time available was not sufficient for a study in depth of any
of the chosen subjects. Nevertheless the large number of interviews
and frank discussions with British and foreign businessmen enabled the
writers to gain an insight into many aspects of European business.
The report must necessarily concern itself largely with opinions -
those of the writers and the persons interviewed. These 'opinionst
maybe challenged by some readers of this report who may not agree,
for example, with the statements regarding British design and exports.
Perhaps the views expressed are not always in accord with the facts;
indeed we would hope not. But it cannot be ignored that many of these strictures were repeated frequently in several countries. True or
not, these opinions are widely held both by British and European
businessmen who live on the continent. As such we make no apologies
for reporting them. |
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