GE's Immelt says to get harder to achieve growth

General Electric Co's growth will be harder to come by in coming years given the prospect that the global economy may grow at a slower pace once it emerges from recession, the company's chief executive said.

As consumers around the world get more conservative, we think that overall economic growth -- not just for a year or two but even post the recession -- overall economic growth may be slower, Jeff Immelt said at a briefing in Tokyo.

Our focus on research and development, our focus on globalization, our focus on customer service and customers has to be increased... in an even more substantial way because growth will be harder to come by and we are going to have to work harder to get it.

(Reporting by Nathan Layne and Mayumi Negishi)