INTERNATIONAL-TRADE AND EMPLOYMENT IN THE UK TEXTILES AND CLOTHING SECTOR

This paper investigates the proximate reasons for the observed decline in employment in the UK textiles and clothing sectors during the peri od 1980-89. It provides estimates of import penetration, growth in dem and and growth in labour productivity for the two industry groups. Uti lizing the statistical technique of shift share analysis the paper sug gests that growth in labour productivity rather than import penetratio n may be the principal reason for the observed loss of jobs in the two industry groups.