# "Strategic" industries and buying of UK companies

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strategic-industries-and-buying-of-uk-companies/334156>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [December 5, 2005, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strategic-industries-and-buying-of-uk-companies/334156 "2005-12-05T10:53:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\
**Post date:** [December 5, 2005, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strategic-industries-and-buying-of-uk-companies/334156/1 "2005-12-05T10:53:00Z")

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There was an article in last week’s Economist about the buying of P&O by a Dubai based concern. It was mentioned that it is a lot easier to buy a UK company compared to a company in France or Germany who are more protective.

Question, is it good, bad or indifferent for me in particular (a UK citizen) and the UK in general for companies to be bought up so easily? And is it similarly good, bad or indifferent for France or Germany to hold onto strategic interests? (How the yoghurt making concern Danone is of strategic importance to the French is beyond me 😉 )

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**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strategic-industries-and-buying-of-uk-companies/334156/2 "2005-12-06T09:45:00Z")

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One bump for luck and to ask, out of interest, what large strategic industries are kept by the US or any other Western nations?

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strategic-industries-and-buying-of-uk-companies/334156/3 "2005-12-06T12:10:20Z")

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This one might do better in Great Debates as there is probably no single factual answer to your question.

Moved. **samclem** GQ moderator

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**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\
**Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strategic-industries-and-buying-of-uk-companies/334156/4 "2005-12-06T14:52:18Z")

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> [@Pushkin](#):
>
> (How the yoghurt making concern Danone is of strategic importance to the French is beyond me 😉 )

It might not be that important in itself, but it’s a slippery slope. If you allow it, next thing you know, a foreign company will buy cheese-makers.