Secretary
of Trade and Industry Patricia Hewitt has announced a major study into the
effect poor management performance has on the UK’s productivity and
competitiveness.
Leading
US management expert Michael Porter has been invited to lead the study.
Recent
reports, including the DTI UK Productivity and Competitiveness Indicators,
suggest that weak management skills partly contribute to the UK’s poor
productivity performance.
The
study will review and collate existing studies of UK management practices and
analyse the effect management practices have on productivity.
Hewitt
said: "UK managers are among the best in the world and can be found at the
helm of first class companies in Britain and overseas.
"But
leading UK managers would agree with the growing body of evidence that suggests
we could benefit from sharpening up our management skills so that we can reach
our full potential in terms of wealth creation and prosperity.
"Good
managers want their companies to operate more successfully and this involves getting
the most out of people, processes and equipment."
The
Porter study project is due to finish at the end of January 2003. Professor
Porter will present the results of the research in early 2003.
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The
latest set of DTI Productivity and Competitiveness Indicators are available at
www.dti.gov.uk/competitveness/indicators2002
