Suchergebnisse

The growth and development of the Scottish printed circuits industry is examined in this paper. It is an unusual case of strong indigenous growth with limited foreign ownership. The sector produces a quarter of all UK sales of open-market printed circuit boards (PCBs) and employs 1800 people, 50% more than a decade ago. Its growth is explained in terms of four key interrelated factors: the special nature of PCB production, local demand conditions, the sector's organisational structure, and government support. The sector is best conceptualised as part of a wider division of labour within the regional electronics industry rather than as a distinct, closely connected cluster. Contemporary pressures promoting the sector's restructuring are discussed in the conclusion. A more active policy response may be required to secure the sector's future. Closer cooperation between the firms may also be important in overcoming present fragmentation.

New towns are often considered to be among the best examples of urban planning in Britain. In this paper their financial implications are assessed, drawing on the example of Bracknell. The financial costs and consequences of the new towns were initially very unclear, but the government took a long-term and fairly generous attitude towards investment because of the wider economic and social benefits that were anticipated. Expenditure controls tightened as the costs of development increased and the political and economic climate changed. Within the last decade government policy has been to sell off the publicly-owned assets created over the previous three decades. Bracknell ultimately achieved a reasonably favourable financial outcome. How and why this occurred are examined. Also, some of the effects of privatisation are explored and lessons are drawn for urban policy more generally.