helsinki congress of the international economic history association 21 25 august 2006 session 93 american multinationals and innovation in british retailing 1850 1962 andrew godley business centre at reading university this text is only first draft a study which developed for conference but will be supplemented future proceedings abstract analyses foreign direct investment by up to 1960s while indeed all were unimportant overall they dominated some retail trades moreover these entrants mostly not retailers manufacturers their motives varied seemingly related need control distribution channels per se actually relatively rare with few notable exceptions unsuccessful stark contrast manufacturing therefore innovations large introduced into multinational enterprises that fdi benefits host economies has almost become truism modern economics as are seen introduce new technologies organisational countries advantage product production have typically
