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Jones (1997)Management > Comparative Management > Lectures > Independent Research > Jones > Culture > Improvements?
Improvements?In the 1980s, Britain seemed to be catching up with the US, but this was mainly due to the sharp increase in unemployment during the Thatcher era, where 2.1 million manufacturing workers found themselves out of work. Industries were improving also because of the influx of foreign nationals and foreign takeovers. The automobile industry in particular was hit - today there are no British car makers. Indeed, in the 1980s, the productivity increases were very strong in the foreign-owned sector. The US M-form was adopted in the UK more than anywhere in Europe, particularly in national industries, such as railways and electricity. However, unlike America, there was no emphasis on hiring specially trained graduates and universities in turn did not introduce many management courses, preferring more "academic" subjects. A 1987 survey reported that only 24% of top British management had a degree, which was low compared to Germany and France. Instead, many managers were uneducated, with less technical skill than those they commanded. The majority of British MBAs since the 1960s have gone into financial services and management consulting, rather than manufacturing.
Why it still wasn't working out
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