8/17/2019 Caribbean Studies Answer 2004 #4
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2004 #4Examine four ways in which Caribbean countries canachieve
high levels of productivity
Productivity relates to eciency and cost eectiveness inthe
production of good and services! "t is hinged on linearlogical
thining in developing the cheapest and leasttimely route from raw
materials to $nished products!Essentially productivity is a ratio
to measure how well anorgani%ation or individual or industry or
country convertsinput resources &labor' materials and etc( into
goods andservices! )his is usually expressed in ratios of inputs
tooutputs!
)o raise productivity domestic savings and foreign
$nancemust be mobili%ed to generate new investments inphysical'
capital goods and build up the stoc in humancapital through
investment in education and training!"nstitutional changes are also
necessary to maximi%e thepotential of this new physical and human
investment!
)hese changes might include diverse activities' such
asreform of land tenor' corporate tax' credit and baning
structures' the creation or strengthening of anindependent'
honest and ecient administrative serviceand the restructing of
educational training programs tomae them more appropriate to the
needs of the society!
)he level of productivity is attributed to the *uality
ofhuman resources' the organi%ation of the productionsystem and the
institutional arrangements taen toaccelerate their productive
growth! Evident of rise inproduction can be measured by the amount
of industrialaction &stries' sic outs( taen by worers'
absenteeismthrough sic leaves and etc! +ost if not all countries
try toincrease their employment level also increase theirexports
hence to increase foreign exchange earnings'increased pace of
industriali%ation to ensure a favorablebalance of payments are all
signs of productivity!
"ncrease in modern nowledge refers to the in,uence
of-moderni%ing. institutions such as schools and factories'which
are taught to promote urban industriali%ed societies!
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/uch nowledge emphasi%es eciency' cost eectiveness'logical'
planning' rationality' technological now how andorgani%ational
sills! )he greater level there is in modernnowledge the more liely
development is taing place
and therefore the greater the *uality of life! "mprovednowledge
leads to increase productivity!
Productivity refers to more than an economicunderstanding of
growth! "t is based $rst of all on e*uity!
)he understanding is if people have e*ual access
toeducational ad ob opportunities then it is *uite liely thattheir
productivity will be high! )his is based on the notionthat if one
taes advantage of opportunities there is and
become *uali$ed so that one can access obs based on*uali$cations
then there is a certain level of commitmentto that ob! )his is to
address the problem of people in ahost of dead end obs where there
are bored and see noopportunities for advancement where the ob
involvesroutine tass that do not challenge them!
POINTS:
•
Productivity can be expanded to the lowering ofproduction costs'
improved training and theapplication of science and technology!
• Productivity can be addressed as not constitution a
solely economic issue! Productivity can also beaddressed as a
human development issue forexample' the broadening of people.s
choices andincreasing e*uity
• 1ood economic management of resources especially
a drive to sustainable development practices can alsoincrease
productivity
• /table and ust social relations social ustice' good
worer and manager relations' stable relationsbetween trade
unions and government goes a longway towards increasing levels of
productivity
• )he education system can be targeted as perhaps
providing curricular that may be to speciali%e whereas
productivity in the 23st century may rely on good
inter personal sills and a good foundation in literacy'numeracy'
and critical sills and thining!
