Review : Dust down

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.