On the basis of interviews with management and factory floor employees at 45 matched firms in Britain and West Germany, this article examines the roles of machinery and workforce skills in explaining comparative produc tivity performance. The average age of British machinery was not very...

On the basis of interviews with management and factory floor employees at 45 matched firms in Britain and West Germany, this article examines the roles of machinery and workforce skills in explaining comparative produc tivity performance. The average age of British machinery was not very...

This article examines the problems of the machine tool industry in Britain by contrasting its performance and structure with the corresponding industry in Germany and the United States. The industry is one in which Britain's productivity, export performance and technology have lagged behind...