Tuesday, March 12, 2019
When the marketing of Wales goes wrong
The BBC reports on a tweet by Trade and Invest Wales, a Welsh Government marketing initiative, which sought to attract foreign investment to Wales by saying wages are lower than in other parts of the UK. The body told potential investors that Wales' workforce often has "up to 30% lower salary costs".
The problem with this approach is manifest. Not only are we effectively seeking to sell the country to investors on the basis that we are poorer than everybody else, and that as a result wage rates are lower, but we are also seeking to compete with other low wage economies, who are less developed and can undercut us easily in this regard.
We should be building up the skills of our workforce so that they can command premium wages, not trying to sell Wales as an under-developed country. This approach is insulting and needs to be stamped out.
The problem with this approach is manifest. Not only are we effectively seeking to sell the country to investors on the basis that we are poorer than everybody else, and that as a result wage rates are lower, but we are also seeking to compete with other low wage economies, who are less developed and can undercut us easily in this regard.
We should be building up the skills of our workforce so that they can command premium wages, not trying to sell Wales as an under-developed country. This approach is insulting and needs to be stamped out.
