. |
984 REPORT ON COOPERATION IN AMERICAN EXPORT TRADE.

of influence on or through the Government, whether of the United
Kingdom or of the country under consideration; (2) the chief shortcomings
 of British manufacturers in such connections as price, deliveries,
 design, behavior of plant, etc.; (3) the success of methods
smployed by foreign competitors, with a description of them and
recommendations flowing from such investigations. The central
office in London also acts as a clearing house for information in regard
to important tenders in the export field.
While this association does not unite the export activities of British
 electrical manufacturers as closely as similar British organizations
 in other and even in closely related lines (see pp. 86-98), or as
effectually as the German centralized organization, it does permit
joint action in many important respects and is far superior to the
anorganized condition of the American manufacturers,

COOPERATION AMONG AMERICAN MANUFACTURERS.

In the development of export trade the electrical industry, especially,
 requires high technical organization and representation. Under
the prevailing conditions it is not profitable for smaller concerns to
maintain independent selling organizations abroad, however efficient
individually that representation may be. The period that must
slapse between the initiation of such an agency and the time when
results may be expected is uncertain and discouraging. The benefits
derived from its maintenance frequently are negative and may be
disproportionate to the expense incurred. Even assuming other conditions,
 merit of the product, standard of design, price, ete., to be
equal between such an agency and a powerful competing foreign
concern, the former is at a disadvantage in bidding on contracts
calling for complete plants, installations and equipment. The individual
 or specialty manufacturer, however ably represented in his
line, obviously would hesitate, and probably would be unable, to
bid with safety on the whole contract. His better prepared foreign
competitor, with a widespread organization at his back, would not
be affected by similar limitations. Inthe cases of the General Electric
Co. and the Westinghouse Electric &amp; Manufacturing Co. there is
little, if any, inferiority, as compared with their foreign competitors
30 far as industrial combination affects their efficiency.
The organization and scientific articulation of foreign competitors
backed by related or other banks are elements too formidable for the
smaller American manufacturers to overcome by their own unassisted
and scattered efforts. So-called “general agencies” handling a wide
range of manufactures not identified with the electrical trade are
unsatisfactory in a field where foreign competitors have specialized
representation