┆Subjects include (transcript page numbers given in brackets; first side of recording ends on page 15): failure to give ABP a more coherent structure (3-4); dependence of the group on the profitability of Sweet and Maxwell's legal publishing (4-5) and Carswell (6-7); reluctance in ABP and publishing generally to recruit directors from other industries onto company boards (5-6); uneasy relationship between ABP UK and ABP companies in Australia and Canada and elsewhere overseas (7-9); lack of proper marketing (as opposed to sales) function (9); apparent lack of strategic objectives for ABP as a whole (9-11); ineffectiveness of UK board as an executive body (11-12); fragmented view of competitors (12-13); development of Methuen's academic publishing since the 1960s (14-16); lack of strong personnel function in ABP (19-20); recent decline in demand for academic publishing (20-21); small workforce at Methuen (21); need for closer relationship between editorial and sales and marketing functions (22-24); unsatisfactory arrangements for managing distribution and financial services at Andover (25-26); leading role of editorial function at ABP (26-27); purchase of ABP by the International Thomason Organization and general trend of takeovers in publishing (28-29); recent focus on more general books for students rather than specialist ones (30).