Inputs – Capital

The UK currently invests a smaller percentage of its GDP than any of its main competitors except the USA yet investment is said to be ‘the lifeblood of economic growth’

The more you invest, the more national productivity should rise, unit costs fall, competitiveness rise, sales rise and wealth, jobs and tax-take increase

But the amount of investment a nation needs depends on where it’s starting from:
- If capital assets are worn out or in old smoke-stack industries, more will be needed than if they were relatively new, as in China
- The UK has most of the infrastructure it needs in place already – it just needs to be maintained – high speed rail links, more London airport capacity and two more motorways may be all the new investment needed

And there are quite different categories of investment hidden within the above figures so it’s not clear where any nation should invest more, or less, for most impact

An aide memoire for busy businessmen, mostly land bound, who yearn ‘to go down to the seas again’

‘Productivity Knowhow’ – the basic knowhow managers need for big productivity improvements

‘Productivity Postbag’ – a selection of views on productivity matters from business heavyweights

‘Productivity Quotes’ – over 1,000 quotes from the ‘great and good’, some amusing, some controversial