ERC held a joint workshop with Midlands Innovation for researchers with an interest in innovation systems and local policy. The 25 attendees represented all Midlands universities. Presentations covered some recent survey work on business innovation in Coventry (Stephen Roper, ERC), the work of Midlands Innovation (Sue Clayton, Nottingham), City-ERDI (Simon Collinson, Birmingham and the recent… Read more
In the aftermath of the EU referendum, there is an even greater focus on the performance of the private sector and its ability to provide jobs and wealth creating opportunities across all parts of the UK – especially at the local level – as the UK prepares for Brexit. ERC Deputy Director Mark Hart author… Read more
Innovation policy: Driving equity or driving inequality? The need to boost levels of innovation in the UK is at the heart of the recent Green Paper on Industrial Strategy, and few would argue with the general proposition that innovation is good for growth. New products, new services and new ways of doing business help firms… Read more
An eye for opportunity and an appetite for risk puts serial entrepreneurs at an advantage in new markets, what can their approach teach first-time founders? Mark Hart , Deputy Director , ERC contributed to an article published by the Guardian Online. “Serial entrepreneurs’ networks help them to sustain businesses across countries and sectors. They would… Read more
The Guardian 22/12/2016 A great black book’: how to exploit contacts for global success – The Guardian Online. MH_GEM FT 15/03/2016 North of England’s economy undermined by entrenched weaknesses – FT (Web) The Daily Telegraph 14/03/2016 Party like it’s 1999 – we could be heading for a bursting bubble again The Daily Telegraph (print) FT 19/02/2016… Read more
A new report by the World Economic Forum and the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor released today focuses on a hidden aspect of European innovation – intrapreneurship. Intrapreneurship involves workers formulating and implementing new ideas within organizations rather than starting their own businesses. The report draws upon data from the Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index and GEM’s Adult… Read more
When Philip Hammond, the Chancellor, stood up to present the Autumn Statement he had a problem and a plan. The problem combined the hit on growth from Brexit, stubbornly low productivity and stretched public finances. The plan focuses on investing to boost productivity. So where do small firms fit in? Well – unlike many recent… Read more
ERC’s State of Small Business Britain Conference 2016, co-hosted with the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Programme, welcomed over 100 delegates to the iconic London building, The Shard on 30th November. The morning session was chaired by Lucy Armstrong, Chair of the ERC’s Advisory board, and began with a welcome from ERC Director Professor Stephen… Read more
As he stood at the Dispatch Box on November 23rd, Chancellor Philip Hammond laid bare to Parliament a problem that has been vexing economists since the 2008 crash. The UK, he intoned, has a truly dreadful productivity rate. To illustrate the point, he told MPs gathered for the Autumn Statement that the average UK worker… Read more
Complex picture of firm growth and job creation across the UK highlighted in latest research. For business owners, being sent to Coventry might be just what they need to learn about creating jobs. And when it comes to growing a multimillion-pound turnover, entrepreneurs are better off basing themselves in Belfast and Aberdeen than London. The surprising… Read more
