The End of the Experiment?: From Competition to the Foundational Economy (Manchester Capitalism) - Softcover

Bowman, Andrew; Froud, Julie; Johal, Sukhdev; Law, John; Leaver, Adam; Moran, Mick; Williams, Karel

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0719096332 ISBN 13: 9780719096334

Publisher: Manchester University Press, 2014

Synopsis

For thirty years, the British economy has repeated the same old experiment of subjecting everything to competition and market because that is what works in the imagination of central government. This book demonstrates the repeated failure of that experiment by detailed examination of three sectors: broadband, food supply and retail banking.

The book argues for a new experiment in social licensing whereby the right to trade in foundational activities would be dependent on the discharge of social obligations in the form of sourcing, training and living wages.

Written by a team of researchers and policy advocates based at the Centre for Research on Socio Cultural Change, this book combines rigour and readability, and will be relevant to practitioners, policy makers, academics and engaged citizens.

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About this title

About the Authors

Julie Froud is Professor of Financial Innovation at Manchester Business School and a member of CRESC

Sukhdev Johal is Chair in Accounting & Strategy at Queen Mary University of London

John Law is Professor of Sociology at the Open University and a Director of the Centre for Research on Socio Cultural Change

Adam Leaver is Senior Lecturer in Business Analysis at Manchester Business School and a member of CRESC

Andrew Bowman is a member of the Centre for Research on Socio Cultural Change

From the Back Cover

This book describes the failure of a 30 year old policy experiment with competition and markets and proposes a new experiment in social licensing of foundational activities. The repeated failure of that old experiment in subjecting the basics of everyday life to competition is conclusively demonstrated by detailed case studies of three sectors - broadband, food supply and retail banking - where private sector business models realise point value for corporations at the expense of underinvestment, damaged supply chains and gouged customers.

The radical move is then to change the frame and envisage a new experiment. The three sectors are only part of a much larger foundational economy, producing mundane goods and services which form the basis of civilised life. In this sheltered zone, firms and sectors enjoy privileges which bring profit. The book argues for a new experiment in social licensing whereby the right to trade in foundational activities would be dependent on the discharge of social obligations in the form of sourcing, training and living wages.

This argument for reframing economic policy choices comes from a team of researchers and policy advocates based at the Centre for Research on Socio Cultural Change who blog as Manchester Capitalism. Their book combines rigour and readability so that it is relevant to all those - practitioners, policy makers, academics and engaged citizens - who are looking for new possibilities of action which can start a process of learning about a better way of organising the fundamentals of economic life. It offers a way out of the current impasse.

From the Inside Flap

This book describes the failure of a 30 year old policy experiment with competition and markets and proposes a new experiment in social licensing of foundational activities. The repeated failure of that old experiment in subjecting the basics of everyday life to competition is conclusively demonstrated by detailed case studies of three sectors broadband, food supply and retail banking where private sector business models realise point value for corporations at the expense of underinvestment, damaged supply chains and gouged customers. The radical move is then to change the frame and envisage a new experiment. The three sectors are only part of a much larger foundational economy, producing mundane goods and services which form the basis of civilised life. In this sheltered zone, firms and sectors enjoy privileges which bring profit. The book argues for a new experiment in social licensing whereby the right to trade in foundational activities would be dependent on the discharge of social obligations in the form of sourcing, training and living wages.This argument for reframing economic policy choices comes from a team of researchers and policy advocates based at the Centre for Research on Socio Cultural Change who blog as Manchester Capitalism. Their book combines rigour and readability so that it is relevant to all those practitioners, policy makers, academics and engaged citizens who are looking for new possibilities of action which can start a process of learning about a better way of organising the fundamentals of economic life. It offers a way out of the current impasse.

Edition details

• Publisher: Manchester University Press
• Publication date: 2014
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0719096332
• ISBN 13: 9780719096334
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 180