Innovation is the easy bit... [performance of British manufacturing industry]

We are frequently exhorted to innovate but many great British innovations have lost money. Perhaps it is easier to invent than to get the job right. Even if the invention is a good one, poor engineering discipline in design, development, proving, manufacture and product support will kill it. Learning-making small improvements during the life of a new product or service-often has a better pay-off and less risk than taking great innovative leaps.