Short-term thinking will not make us great again
08 March 2011
Following on from last week’s blog, (Why can’t we Brits see our own success?) the debate continues with a broadside at the British ‘establishment’.
One of the joys of running this newsletter is getting the feedback. Last week in this column Adrian Jones launched a debate about some of the problems faced by the electronics industry in the UK. Many people responded, either to welcome the debate or to agree with Adrian’s thoughts. One particularly full and impassioned response came from Andy Burnett, who is the Proprietor of TeslaTest Systems. Here is Andy’s reply:
“I read your articles with interest each week as I supply equipment to the engineering/manufacturing sectors, and what an excellent article this week on this problem we all face.
Of course the politicians are not interested as they are after PR events that will make them famous – and they are not interested in the real world anyway. They need to be forced into supporting British business and manufacturing as over the years their indifference has destroyed British industry. We make and design many, many items that are high-tech and innovative but without support from Government/Banks/Investors we have to sell the ideas to foreign companies as they have the foresight to invest in development and production. We need to get a can do/will do attitude for British business and support all the companies that are doing well, employing many people and making money for the economy. We must stop this attitude that everybody else knows best and can do it better than we can - they can’t! If you look at, say, the automotive industry all the senior guys and chief designers, senior designers are all British, but they have to move abroad as the country/Government/banks do not support British manufacturing.
All this is a terribly short-sighted view. I have inquired for funding from my local council/government/European funding group and the first question is what is the exit strategy in 3-5 years time? What is the point of this as I am trying to build a business that will operate successfully for 15/20/30+ years and grow and build - not some quick fix money making scheme. My German colleagues are investing thousands/millions of Euros in their business as they are investing for LONG TERM profit/development/employment. We need to do this and stop looking at short term quick profit. This is why British Leyland, British Steel, British Coal, Rolls Royce Cars, Bentley Cars, Cadbury’s Chocolate and all our great British brands have failed and been sold into foreign owned companies.
We have got to get out there and make the country listen and get the politicians, bankers, investors, schools/universities and the general public to listen and understand that we have a GREAT country and GREAT companies designing and manufacturing GREAT products. Products that the world wants and needs, instead of the weak depressing attitude that everybody else can do it better and cheaper - THEY CANNOT. If you go abroad to exhibitions or visiting businesses, they tell me that they need the British to design and innovate products and ideas and also to manage projects as they do not have the skills and mind set to achieve this. They tell me Britain is Great, even the Germans, SO WHY DO WE NOT BELEIVE THIS?! We are GREAT we are brilliant. We DO have the skills, all we need is for the politicians, Government, bankers, investors and, of course, the general public to believe it and stop being terminally depressive.
As for the so-called Media, national and regional, all they are interested in is depressing doom and gloom stories. They have no interest in good news stories. Somehow we need to change this and get the media on ‘ourside’. Let’s get back to ‘Great Britain’ and act and behave ‘great’ instead of all this mediocrity, wallowing in self-pity and self-destructive behaviour and attitude.”
Listening to people like Andy and Adrian and talking to many people in the electronics industry, I increasingly feel that there is a genuine will and confidence within the UK that it can compete on a global level. However, we continue to be hamstrung by those pulling the purse strings and those in power. Perhaps all that is needed is an inspiring individual with a passion for British industry that is given a key cabinet role. Most politicians are, or course, career politicians and that is why such an individual, with true understanding of British industry, could be hard to find!
What are your thoughts on this debate? Let me know by sending an email to: tim.fryer@imlgroup.co.uk.
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