Series 2, Episode 1 - How the Industrial Revolution sparked innovation and led to an "improvement mentality", with Dr Anton Howes

Published: Sept. 7, 2022, 4 a.m.

b'When we look back on history, the industrial revolution in Britain seems likely an historical inevitability. Following on from the Scottish Enlightenment and the growth of Britannia as a global empire and trading power, surely the industrial revolution as we now know it was uniquely and distinctly British thing. But is this really the case? To discuss this and other questions we are joined by Dr Anton Howes. Key amongst Anton\'s arguments is the belief that a unique "improvement mentality" drove the Industrial Revolution and resulted in the unique innovations of that time. We also explore the implications of this improvement mentality for businesses and organisations today.Dr Anton Howes is an innovation historian focusing on the development of innovation over the centuries and author of the Age of Invention newsletter.He is head of innovation research at The Entrepreneurs Network, a UK-based think tank focused on encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship. He is also honorary historian-in-residence at the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, having written its latest history. Anton was previously a lecturer in Economic History at King\'s College London. Anton\\u2019s forthcoming book will examine why innovation accelerated in seventeenth and eighteenth century in Britain, which in turn led to the Industrial Revolution.You can find out more about Anton\'s work at: https://www.antonhowes.com/And sign up to his newsletter: https://antonhowes.substack.com/


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'