This chapter has two broad aims: to review theories of industrial and occupational change as they relate to Scotland; and to examine the evidence in the light of these theories. We will:

• review debates about Scotland’s economic development, in particular, the degree to which Scotland was ‘dependent’ on England.
• examine the changing shape of Scotland’s industrial structure, specifically the occupational transition from a manufacturing to a service economy.
• describe the impact of this shift on employment, in particular the rebalancing of the ways occupations are gendered.
• focus especially on the impact of the 2008 financial crash on work and employment in Scotland.
• assess the impact of the loss of ownership and control in the Scottish economy.