Has the consolidation of shipyards reduced design choice and creativity?
Short answerYes. Consolidation encourages more groupthink by reducing the number of independent design organizations.
NotesGroupthink is the danger of shipyard consolidation. Britain's numerous competing yards had produced independent Fairmile and Vosper proposals before the Admiralty committed to them. Consolidation removes some of those parallel routes for testing a requirement. Industrial structure therefore affects the variety of warship ideas available to a navy.