Robert John Oman
Robert John Oman was born in Oldham, England in 1920. After studying science at university, he obtained a degree in economics in 1946 and eventually became professor of industrial economics at the University of Manchester in the late 1950s.
During his lifetime Robert John Oman wrote numerous academic books and articles related to economics, industrial economics and politics. Robert John Oman was considered a leading expert on British industrial economics and policy during the 1950s and was a major influence on 1960s and 1970s economics and industry policy in Britain. Oman was also a very influential, if controversial, figure as head of the Council of Industrialists in the 1960s, leading the efforts to liberalise and deregulate the British economy.
Oman was also a founding member and president of the Royal Economic Society (RES) from 1960 to 1965 and he served as vice-chairman of the British Economic and Social Research Council from 1967 to 1970. He was also actively involved in the discussions that led to the creation of the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1957. Robert John Omans contribution is remembered through the Robert John Oman Award, created by the RES in 1965 to recognise outstanding achievement in the field of economics and industrial economics.
Robert John Omans work has been influential in the modern economic landscape, particularly in terms of industrial economics and the UKs policy of liberalising the economy in the face of a globalised world. His contributions have helped to shape a broader understanding of economics and policy decision-making, including the idea of a mixed economy. He also played an important role in the creation of the EEC and other initiatives linked with European economic integration. Additionally, his legacy lives on through awards, initiatives and mentorship programmes to promote a better understanding of economics and related fields.
