The Direct Impact of Alfred Marshall’s American Trip in 1875 on his Economic Analysis of Industrial Development

Abstract Exploring the question of how Britain could maintain its industrial leadership was one of Alfred Marshall’s research objectives. His study of American industry suggested that comprehensive economic research based on theoretical, historical and empirical analysis made it possible to analyse industrial structure dynamically. However, Marshall scholars have interpreted that Marshall’s American research trip in 1875 had an only indirect effect on his analysis of industry. This paper elucidates Marshall’s analysis of American industry that had a direct impact on the development of his industrial economics. Specifically, this paper concludes that Marshall investigated how mobility in American industry was promoted in the short period by the spread of scientific management and standardisation and in the long period by the dissemination of public education.