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EHS Abstract Submission
(c) 1999 EH.Net
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Name: Oliver Grant
Email: avner.offer@nuffield.ox.ac.uk
Institution: St John's College, Oxford
Co-author:
Title: The Diffusion of the Herringbone Parlour: A Case Study in the
History of Agricultural Technology
Internet Address of abstracted work:
http://www.nuff.ox.ac.uk/economics/history/paper27/27grant.pdf
By mail:
Avner Offer
Nuffield College
Oxford, OX1 1 NF
Language: English
Abstract:
The herringbone parlour, a mechanical milking technology, was invented
in 1908, but took over 70 years to be adopted by the majority of British
farmers. Among the reasons were the need to improve original designs,
the need for complementary institutional changes such as management
systems, new labour contracts and suitable herd sizes. These determinants
are analysed by means comparison of regions in Britain, which also
brings out roles for farmer age, capital constraints, resistance to
change, and path dependence. A critical factor was the ability of
regions which were late adopters to avoid investment in intermediate
systems and to leap-frog the leaders. The paper concludes with a
theoretical model of the innovation process.
Bibliography: Grant, Oliver. "The Diffusion of the Herringbone
Parlour: A Case Study in the History of Agricultural Technology."
University of Oxford, Discussion Papers in Economic and Social
History, No. 27, Dec. 1998
Subject: M
Geographical Area: 4
Country/Region: Britain
Time Period: 8
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at: http://www.eh.net/AEH
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