Today, I want to ask for your help and your opinion.
The reason is that I have been invited to participate in a private roundtable discussion to inform and scope a new joint project, initiated by a leading UK think tank and a Big Four professional service firm, on 'Good Growth'. There are a set of three roundtables over the course of the next couple of weeks and I will be at one on Thursday 18 November 2010.
The aim of the roundtables is to explore, in the aftermath of the recession and recent budget cuts, how to create financially, socially and environmentally sustainable growth in the UK.
These 'scoping' roundtables, involving senior representatives from government, business and the press, are there to provide early stage input into the project and discuss key issues that need to be considered in the coming months.
The aim is to develop an understanding of what business and the public want a sustainable UK plc to look like.
Key questions that will be addressed are:
- What is the best way for the UK to 'grow' its wealth and maintain its position in the world?
- What are the gaps in current economic policy thinking? Are there macroeconomic lessons from the recent crisis? To what extent was the growth that we saw in the run up to 2009 'good'?
- What matters in economic policy: GDP? Competitiveness? Jobs? Productivity? Happiness? Wellbeing? Sustainability? Empowerment? A sense of collective endeavour? Equity?
- Do we care about the structure of the economy - state vs consumer vs business vs exports? Or manufacturing vs (financial) services?
- Should we explore whether an economy can increase its competitiveness by working 'smarter', not harder? Does it matter if a firm is good to work for?
- How do we structure the conversation with the public about the type of economy they want to see? And with business?
I have thoughts about many of these areas but wanted to ask for your help in providing some input that I can forward with me into the meeting.
What do you think is 'good' growth? What does that mean for small business, large business, for entrepreneurs, for freelancers, for home-workers, for the unemployed, for young people.....for you?
Thanks to eocs for the image.