UK productivity questions

The latest UK productivity figures for the first three months of 2018 are not good, prompting the usual recriminatory comments. However, there are basic questions which rarely seem to get asked.

• Transport costs.
• High reject rates. 
• Remedial work having to be done on finished products.
• Inefficient layout of factory premises.
• Inefficient delivery of components and sub-assemblies to workbenches.
• Works kept waiting for components to arrive.
• Products not designed for efficient production.
• Excessive down-time of plant and machinery. 
• Poor communications between management and shop-floor workers. 

It is a subject that needs to be put under the microscope if remedies are to be found. Hand-wringing achieves nothing.