The previous web-log
highlighted the need for social cohesion and mutuality, so as to
regrow Britain's fortunes. Done so by the identification and creation
of 'White Space Opportunities' across a myriad of commercial fields;
locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.
Yet before being able
to, recognition of a somewhat 'broken society', with many alienated
and often 'broken people' – especially in no and low income areas -
needs to be openly and honestly recognised and addressed by
policy-makers.
Where once there was periodically a disaffected youth , such as the late 1940s and late 1970s, today broad portions of Britain are disaffected to one degree or another, simply because the old social structures, familiarity, co-dependability and so general stability has for many people utterly dissappeared. Many in Britain today feel caught between the culture industry's perpetual utopian olde worlde ideal of Britishness, and modern Mosaic Britain which counters, dispenses or revises great swathes of that past, and so an unsure dislocated future in which the very substance of Britain appears wholly altered yet still masquerades under the old totems.
Where once there was periodically a disaffected youth , such as the late 1940s and late 1970s, today broad portions of Britain are disaffected to one degree or another, simply because the old social structures, familiarity, co-dependability and so general stability has for many people utterly dissappeared. Many in Britain today feel caught between the culture industry's perpetual utopian olde worlde ideal of Britishness, and modern Mosaic Britain which counters, dispenses or revises great swathes of that past, and so an unsure dislocated future in which the very substance of Britain appears wholly altered yet still masquerades under the old totems.
Part of that problem is
that all too unfortunately, much needed trust between individuals,
peoples and the many agenda driven institutions of both state and
quasi-state and corporations. Trust - not just in the UK but elsewhere as well - sits at an all time low.
Instead the 21st century banner of notional 'inclusion' seems only truly within diverse and divisive clique-centric groups of the same values (ie 'virtue-signalling') and hue, whether political, ethnic or both. Whilst it is also recognised that in actuality power-hungry interests will pose as both sides of the debate, or will shift with the altering social zeitgeist. Whilst at 'street level' the distrust eminates from blatantly transparent associative mind games; especially prevalent by those that try to falsely build trust.
Instead the 21st century banner of notional 'inclusion' seems only truly within diverse and divisive clique-centric groups of the same values (ie 'virtue-signalling') and hue, whether political, ethnic or both. Whilst it is also recognised that in actuality power-hungry interests will pose as both sides of the debate, or will shift with the altering social zeitgeist. Whilst at 'street level' the distrust eminates from blatantly transparent associative mind games; especially prevalent by those that try to falsely build trust.
[NB this the outcome of
a much increased sociological and psychological literate population;
as the individual has to perminantly cognitively deconstruct and
recognise all about him/her – a ridiculous existence for many].
Another dimension of lost trust, even within 'the group's is when one section takes advantage of the other through false promises.
An example of this is when say a trained female runs classes in basic motor mechanics, under the pretense of empowering women, against the likelihood of over-charging by men in what is historically a male dominated industry.
But the skills taught are invariably very basic. Changing a wheel or changing the oil are only the tip of the iceberg of auto-mechanics, especially on modern vehicles. A breadth of engineering knowledge required, and use of expensive plug-in diagnostic equipment, when dealing with so many of today's performance, safety and emissions issues. This 'training' then a false impression of empowerment offered and gullibly taken. The female student then knows very little more that is actually useful than before, and is still not equipped to intelligently discuss the identified or misidentified problems with her car.
Similarly, but conveniently unmentioned, is the fact that ignorant men are likewise to be taken advantage of by the male dominated garage sector. To be able to question repair or servicing costs one needs an in-depth auto-mechanical education, formal or self taught.
Thus we see that even members of the 'empowerment crowd' are seen as ripe pickings by their own false prophets seeking fat profits.
Such a socially miss-sold bill of goods and services then perpetuates the distrust even amongst the clique.
Another dimension of lost trust, even within 'the group's is when one section takes advantage of the other through false promises.
An example of this is when say a trained female runs classes in basic motor mechanics, under the pretense of empowering women, against the likelihood of over-charging by men in what is historically a male dominated industry.
But the skills taught are invariably very basic. Changing a wheel or changing the oil are only the tip of the iceberg of auto-mechanics, especially on modern vehicles. A breadth of engineering knowledge required, and use of expensive plug-in diagnostic equipment, when dealing with so many of today's performance, safety and emissions issues. This 'training' then a false impression of empowerment offered and gullibly taken. The female student then knows very little more that is actually useful than before, and is still not equipped to intelligently discuss the identified or misidentified problems with her car.
Similarly, but conveniently unmentioned, is the fact that ignorant men are likewise to be taken advantage of by the male dominated garage sector. To be able to question repair or servicing costs one needs an in-depth auto-mechanical education, formal or self taught.
Thus we see that even members of the 'empowerment crowd' are seen as ripe pickings by their own false prophets seeking fat profits.
Such a socially miss-sold bill of goods and services then perpetuates the distrust even amongst the clique.
A true socio-economic
mess, from which to try and rebuild a nation.
The danger is that a
contracted low growth economy, together much increased immorality
(seen well into the notional middle-classes with the falsities of
'social acting') inevitably prohibits the Enlightenment Ideal of
agenda-free, truth and value-seeking interaction. The plainly
transparent 'social acting' amongst many (from notional professionals
to public-service administrators and beyond) inevitably destabalises
what should be an advanced society with bright future.
Presently, easily plied
high-rhetoric of an emotionally charged politics, and media focus on
political trivialities, appears to supersede any meaningful debate
regards economic rationality. The big debate should not be about
Labour, Conservatives (or the new SDP in the form of the Independent
Group), but that which is actually required upon a philosophically
practical level to get Britain far beyond the (for many long ongoing
and deepening) socio-economic malaise.
'Brexit' was seen by
just over half the voting populace as the easy-fix. Since the
Referendum, the complexities and machinations of EU-Exit politics,
and increasingly clarified dangers – by way of constrained and
retracted FDI – of an unprepared eventual outcome have become all too clear.
But there is hope....
Thankfully, behind the
scenes there are far more pragmatic British business leaders and
Opinion Formers who recognise the need to sit above such political
pettiness. And though presently embroiled in the very negative consequences of Brexit, are seeking, to create a Re-Vitalised Britain.
Drawn gradually
together in a prescient effort since 2012 or so, and formulating the
frameworks for the previous Catapult Initiatives in STEM fields and
far beyond, these people range across a myriad of large, medium and
small firms and from other quarters of Academia and Policy. Whether
previously Whitehall connected or distant – various talking heads
have been sought to capture the broader voices from their respective
arenas, to help devise a new Industrial and Services Framework for
the country.
From the country's
basically interpreted symptoms within a global context, a very
general diagnosis has been formed, with presently a very loose
prescription rightly simply called the Industrial Strategy.
[NB If only such plain
use of language could be applied at its lower levels, rather than
pseudo-trendy management speak].
An initial Green Paper
apparently involved over 2000 organisations and various cross the
broad stake-holders. Theresa May and Gregg Clark put their names to
it when presenting the 'Industrial Route-Map' to Westminster,
Business and the country at large.
However, this was a
very broad-brush explanation of the present circumstances facing the
nation's productivity concerns and the outlined remedies required.
From the heights of
general ambition, it spoke of problems (Challenges), recognised and
unrecognised opportunities and allotted assistance funds. As such,
without an exacting route-map to industrial nirvana, it should be
seen as a National Prospective as opposed to absolute National
Panacea.
[NB the fact is that
truly meaningful commercial innovation in products and services
requires a well formally educated – and often self educated -
labour force, managerial class and executive tier. The past 30 years
has hollowed-out much of that previous social strata, as the
humanities and media-led social menus seized and moulded the public
consciousness and the typically very narrowly trained lower and
middling workforce of the Public Sector swelled on the back of
National Debt, to keep a retail led and housing-boom led consumer society
economically expanding...until 2008/9].
The Presentation
document of the White Paper is deliberately simplistic and repetitive to convey central messages.
It identifies the 4
Grand Challenges
- Artificial Intelligence and Data Economy
- Clean Growth
- Aging Society
- Future of Mobility
Those Challenges to be
met by 5 Foundations for tomorrow's 'Transformed Economy':
- Ideas
- People
- Infrastructure
- Business Environment
- Places
And upon those
foundations, 10 Pillars are formed
- Investing in Science, Research and Innovation
- Developing Skills
- Upgrading Infrastructure
- Supporting Businesses to Start and Grow
- Encouraging Trade and Inward Investment
- Improving Procurement
- Delivering Affordable Energy and Clean Growth
- Cultivating World Leading Sectors
- Driving Growth Across the Whole Country
- Creating the Right Local Institutions
The following web-log
delves deeper into the detail of that November 2017 presentation from the
Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
How convincing was the paper set-out 14 months ago? And what details supported or undermined the all too easily formulated presentation headlines? (Themselves designed to strike a chord with business, the populace and critically national and foreign private investment).
Many from diverse backgrounds will be watching this eventual national revitalisation process unfold.
From the long defunct ex-steelmen of South Wales who hope to see an Advanced Materials Production and AI Coding future for their grand-kids, to the C-Suite of Japanese, German, French and Indian auto-makers seeking retained EU trade deals and new exploratory design possibilities under vehicle type regulatory change. From a 'Renewables' future for America's GE (to counter China's 'new Nuclear' offerings) so critical to its Turnaround, to a proper foothold for the reduced carbon 'circular' bio-economy, with broadened palette of services for waste -recycling firms like Biffa or Veolia.
A future wherein everyone to some degree becomes a Tom or a Barbara per the '1970s sit-com 'The Good Life, and where the once belittled Refuse Collector goes from zero to hero within society.
A future wherein everyone to some degree becomes a Tom or a Barbara per the '1970s sit-com 'The Good Life, and where the once belittled Refuse Collector goes from zero to hero within society.
Creating a successful future is never as simple as portrayed, and so the economic transformation will be lengthy and problematic.
Re-shaping much of Britain over previous decades has shown itself a far harder task than over-optimistic, previous UK-EU regional planning initiatives could have foreseen. A series of short lived high cost 'Culture' or likewise projects that provides little or no lasting commercial legacy.
Creation of Industry 4.0 to meet the Grand Challenges and more, will take real aforethought, insights and monumental levels of grand planning and critically creative and realistic socio-economic connected thinking.
The very recent recaptured essence of Hornby models and toys - once again operating from its historic Margate HQ - fulfils an almost spiritual serendipitous parallel to the future re-energisation of a Digitally enhanced Eco-Industrial Britain.
From Margate in Kent, to Lima Peru - via Paddington of course - if well considered, planned and detailed, Britain could have a very bright future within the international geographic layout that is the global scheme of things.
Re-shaping much of Britain over previous decades has shown itself a far harder task than over-optimistic, previous UK-EU regional planning initiatives could have foreseen. A series of short lived high cost 'Culture' or likewise projects that provides little or no lasting commercial legacy.
Creation of Industry 4.0 to meet the Grand Challenges and more, will take real aforethought, insights and monumental levels of grand planning and critically creative and realistic socio-economic connected thinking.
The very recent recaptured essence of Hornby models and toys - once again operating from its historic Margate HQ - fulfils an almost spiritual serendipitous parallel to the future re-energisation of a Digitally enhanced Eco-Industrial Britain.
From Margate in Kent, to Lima Peru - via Paddington of course - if well considered, planned and detailed, Britain could have a very bright future within the international geographic layout that is the global scheme of things.
03.03.2019
PS.
Saddened to read of the passing of Prof. (Lord) Bhattacharyya.
Spoke only momentarily at (then Rover Group's) Gaydon Eng HQ in the mid 1990s. Besides previous Japanese and then German execs periodically swarming around, he was one of the very few with much needed mu!ti-dimensional and 'internationalist' perspectives of that period.
The 'English Patient' was even at the time in obvious disarry well before the BMW break-up and divestments... scuppered by it's own internal factions, historical / cultural inadequacies - seeking to do too much (in brands, model lines and research) with too little resource and increasing FX headwinds undermining export earnings.
Though Bhattacharyya's own remit within the WMG was to promote the adoption of innovation, he also well recognised the dangers of poorly planned Eng integration (between Concept, Dev and Prod), misappropriated innovation, the plethora of programmes and so needless financial waste and operational over-stretch that spread efforts too thinly.
The loss of a visionary pragmatist.
