Two case histories, the Workmate DIY bench and the clockwork radio, are
usually trotted out to support the theory that big business snubs new ideas. You
can now add a third—in Against The Odds, James Dyson complains about his
difficulties in selling his idea for a Dual Cyclone vacuum cleaner. It is now
the bestseller in Britain, despite costing more than most competing makes.
Earlier Dyson had invented the Ballbarrow, a wheelbarrow without a wheel to sink
in the mud. He profited “not a bean”, but the vacuum cleaners already earn
£300 million a year. Published by Orion Business, £18.99, ISBN
0752809814.
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