Diagnosis looks simple

I read a lot of papers and articles about productivity - or more usually, about the lack of productivity.  Most Western nations have had little productivity growth over the last few years.

Many of these articles will make some kind of diagnosis - what has gone wrong or what needs putting right.   Occasionally I think that some of these diagnoses are correct - or is that just because the views coincide with my own.

However, the people making these diagnoses are generally academics, economists or consultants.  They are not people with the responsibility to take action to solve the problem - they make the diagnosis but have no responsibility for carrying out the cure.

Those who do have that responsibility perhaps get overwhelmed and confused by the number of, and variety of, the various diagnoses.  They tend to fall back on ‘standard’ cause and effect scenarios - so we get no innovative treatments or courses of action.

Now if those responsible were to ask me …….