The City in Transition

This is a study of economic change, jobs, and public policy in the Clydeside conurbation. Throughout the post-war period Clydeside has experienced more severe economic and environmental problems than any other British city. This volume examines the success or failure of the agencies and policies designed to confront these problems. The old manufacturing bases of iron and steel, heavy engineering, and shipbuilding have declined to be partially replaced by other industries, particularly in the service sector. However, a large number of people have been left unemployed. The authors show how the original policies for economic regeneration and job creation which were first developed in the 1960s, proved insufficient to alleviate the effects of recession. The new policies and agencies, which have been developed in the 1980s, and which range from the extremely powerful Scottish Development Agency to the local-scale Enterprise Trusts and Community Businesses, have been more successful in stimulating entrepreneurship and self-employment.
The authors conclude, however, that unemployment is likely to remain high and long-term unemployment to increase rapidly unless the national economy is regenerated. This is one of five local studies carried out under the Economic and Social Reseach Council's Inner Cities Research Programme, and offers a specific example of an economy in transition to set against the experience of Bristol, Newcastle, the West Midlands, and London.