出版社：European Commission Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs
摘要：On an output per worker basis, the level of UK productivity in 2003 was lower than
all but two of the EU-15 Member States. In recent years, productivity growth has
shown more promise, growing faster than in France and Germany, but not matching
the impressive growth in some other Member States. The UK’s problems in this area
are due largely to historical underinvestment in physical capital, a shortfall in
intermediate skills among its workforce and, on average, a poor record of industrial
management – while some UK firms are as productive as global leaders, many have
failed to adopt and implement best-practice techniques.
In recent years, UK industry has invested heavily in ICT, leading many to ask if a
US-style ICT-led spurt in productivity growth is imminent. Notwithstanding significant
measurement problems associated with identifying the impact of ICT capital
investment, there is some evidence to suggest that the UK has not yet realised the
full benefit of this investment. Ultimately, however, the same factors which have
contributed to the UK’s historically poor level of productivity are the key to improved
performance – ICT, by itself, is unlikely to be the answer.
