The decline in industrial production has resulted in an overall decline in employment of industrial workers, who have not been aided by a failing system to transition to other work.
Some would say that the changes occurring in the UK, at this time with the increased importance of service industry work and intelligence rather than physical labor employment is a natural byproduct of globalization and an evolutionary product of the next phase as a "developed" nation.
They evidence this by observing that all developed nations are leaning in this direction. Yet, the transition has not and will not be easy, whether it is normal or not, a point which remains to be proven.
Kocherlakota)
With the education system in the UK in serious need of reform to reflect the changing needs of the country, and her people there is little hope for this generation. Though some would say that education is a social issue the connection between education and industry has been highly honed throughout history in the western world. Compulsory education is a way not only to create better civic citizens but it is a way to bridge the gap between childhood and adulthood industry. Yet, the higher education system and the poor apprenticeship programs in the UK are not conforming as quickly as the industry is changing.
Leathwood and Hayton) Which will in turn increase the unemployment rates, illicit behaviors and general unrest in the nation. There are several bullet points in the basis of this work that have been outlined below and they are:
Poor general education Standards, poor apprenticeship System
Manufacturing now only a small and decreasing part of GDP, with productivity below that of France, Germany,
Scandinavia despite longer working hours in UK
Lower Standards of worker protection and lower labour costs in UK are NOT leading to lower prices for British goods
Balance of payments - massive deficit and rising
North Sea oil production peaking
Poor infrastructure - railways, roads etc.
Poor long-term Investment over many years
The decline of the productivity of the UK is probably of the greatest concern after education and economic transition, as the attempted observation of many humanitarian labor goals have attempted to be met by the UK. Standards for employment that ar enot seen in other places and a huge part of the foundational ideals of a nation built, sadly upon the backs of very low paid, and under served masses of individuals all over the Empire, as it where, as is also commonly known a major player in the slave trade and use. The mid twentieth century, with its many independence-seeking nations, who were still under the infrastructural and nominal control of the UK, led to a greater awareness of the historical significance of unfair labor practices among the UK's people not to mention the immigrants from these very nations achieving freedom.
In the mid-nineteenth century, the United Kingdom I boasted the highest economic output per capita of any nation in the world, and its material standards of living were without equal. Ever since then, it has gradually lost ground. It now ranks bottom of the league of G7 countries, trailing the leader, the United States, by 30%
Lovegrove et al. 44)
With that in mind the UK has also seen a steady decline in productivity that many would place squarely on the back of fair labor practices, yet is this a fair assumption?
A significant study on the subject says that no, this is not the root of the problem, rather the root of the problem is lack of exposure ot best practices and a low competitive intensity.
The reasons often cited for poor performance, such as low capital investment and poor skills, are consequences of these factors. Lack of exposure to global best practices and low competitive intensity are often the result of product market barriers such as trade restrictions, price constraints, and land use regulations. In some cases, these barriers constrain competition and so limit the pressure on management to adopt global best practices. In others, they prevent the implementation of best practices or render it uneconomic.
Lovegrove et al. 44)
What is true is that many developed economically sound nations have adapted their restrictions on social and labor issues to better meet the need of the market economy. Now this is not to say that we should abandon the laws that govern the legitimate social objectives of the nation but that we...
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