I have just returned from the World Productivity Congress in Bahrain – a fascinating event in a fascinating country.

I am not going to report on the Congress … but the spirit of the event is summed up in the Congress Declaration reproduced here.
Congress logo

We, the members of the global productivity movement, gathered in Bahrain for the World Productivity Congress from 1st to 4th April 2017 have been informed and inspired by three days of discussion, debate and deliberation on the Congress Theme of “New Roads to Innovation and Higher Productivity”.

This theme was in part inspired by the position of Bahrain (like other nations in the Gulf region) as needing to move to become a post-oil economy and needing to identify a range of routes towards economic growth.

As a result of our deliberations, we, the members of the global productivity community affirm the following principles underlining productivity development:

  • improved productivity remains the only effective route to creating secure and sustainable solutions to the provision of energy, food and water to the growing global population;
  • productivity development must be supported by innovative thinking and technological development, which in turn need the establishment of a supportive innovation ecosystem;
  • at the national level, productivity development is supported by the creation of healthy communities (of engaged, empowered and participating citizens;
  • though the overall concepts and philosophy of productivity science remain globally applicable, specific productivity campaigns, approaches, tools and techniques must be applied in ways which are informed by local history and culture;
  • at the organisational level, productivity improvement is supported by an informed, engaged workforce, members of which have their knowledge and skills regularly reviewed and refreshed.

We pledge our individual and collective commitment to:

spreading awareness of these principles to key policy and decision-makers.

ensuring that national and regional productivity development policy and practice is informed by the above principles

We thank the country of Bahrain for creating a rich and rewarding event which led to the formation of these principles and we thank His Highness Shaikh Mohamed bi Mubarak Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister of Bahrain, for his guidance and leadership as patron of the Congress.