| | |
| Summary |
| Please note: The McKinsey Quarterly has agreed to a special arrangement for CEOExpress members that allows member access to their articles. Articles must be clicked on directly through the links below to gain access to this group of articles.
|
Reviving French and German productivity
In the late 1990s—for the first time since the 1950s—Germany and France saw their productivity gap with the United States widen. Although many observers cite low investment in technology by the two European countries as the main cause of the shift, they are off target: the real problems are regulations that not only hinder the adoption and spread of innovation but also support fragmented industries, as well as differences in demand among these countries.
The take-away: Aging populations make it imperative for Germany and France to return to high productivity growth. More deregulation is needed to create competitive pressure that would make businesses adopt innovations more quickly.
Articles provided by The McKinsey Quarterly
© 1992-2003 McKinsey & Company, Inc
|
|
|
