Innovation key to Scottish Government's plan

The Scottish Government has launched its latest economic plan. This is the vision thing for raising economic productivity alongside improving social inclusion. This policy document outlines an agenda that includes nurturing a culture of innovation, entrepreneurial ambition and a greater international outlook. According to the plan technological change is one of the key drivers of productivity and growth.

Improving Scotland's innovation performance is listed as top priority of the plan. Whilst academic research in Scotland is world class, business expenditure on research and development is significantly lower than the rest of the UK, the USA and most of Europe. The strategy will include exploring new approaches to business practices, workplace development, and the application of new technologies. The plan also points to evidence that the organisation of the workplace as one of the determinants of productivity through skills utilisation. The plan also wants to see Scotland businesses adopt a more international and outward looking focus that will further benefit from new ideas and new ways of working.

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While Scotland is a comparatively wealthy nation by international standards it still lags behind many similar sized European economies. And the message is that there is more work to do. This includes narrowing the gap between rich and poor which benefits not just society but also overall economic growth. The plan is aligned to social justice to build this inclusive growth by developing the productivity of all Scotland's potential workers. To do this the aim is to invest in a flexible and resilient workforce that can adapt to new technologies

As far as the UK as whole is concerned The UK is improving its economic performance, according to an assessment by the world economic forum. Against 12 factors, including infrastructure, education and training, labour market efficiency, technological readiness and innovation the UK has moved up one place to ninth place in the Global Competitiveness Report Credit is given to the UK for adopting technology to enhance productivity. However we remain behind Switzerland, Finland, The Netherlands and Germany as well as the USA and Japan.

There is no sensible way of putting exact figures on the economic impact of greater adoption of IT, However one assessment* suggested that if Scotland had the same level of investment as in the US the effect could amount to an additional £5 billion in the economy over a 5 to 7 year period.


* "Technology insights 2011 (Scotland)" e-Skill UK Sector skills Council 2010

http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0047/00472389.pdf http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-31700448 http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GlobalCompetitivenessReport_2014-15.pdf

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