Why do Policymakers Need a Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics (PSED) in the West Midlands?

Meng Song and Mark Hart discuss the need to examine the demographic characteristics and motivation of entrepreneurs to increase our understanding of people who create new businesses and to track them throughout their start-up journey to improve our support for them.  This blog highlights the work of a new project “Lifting the Lid on Enterprise … Continue reading “Why do Policymakers Need a Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics (PSED) in the West Midlands?”

A Spotlight on the Øresund Bridge, Denmark and Sweden

Gina Coe looks at the experiences of investing in infrastructure, specifically the Øresund Bridge situated in the Øresund Region, to address regional inequality.  Infrastructure investment can boost a region’s economic growth in the short-, medium-, and long-term, as well as working to address regional inequalities and disparities in outcomes. The blog shines a brief spotlight … Continue reading “A Spotlight on the Øresund Bridge, Denmark and Sweden”

HS2: A Vital Catalyst for Growth

Mark Thurston highlights the importance of the HS2 rail line for Birmingham and the West Midlands.  This blog post was produced for inclusion in the Birmingham Economic Review for 2021. The annual Birmingham Economic Review is produced by City-REDI, University of Birmingham and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. It is an in-depth exploration of … Continue reading “HS2: A Vital Catalyst for Growth”

The Future Business District

Kevin Johnson from Urban Communications discusses the future business district study and how this research can benefit city centres.  This blog post was produced for inclusion in the Birmingham Economic Review for 2021. The annual Birmingham Economic Review is produced by City-REDI, University of Birmingham and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. It is an … Continue reading “The Future Business District”

Rapid Review of Evaluations and Evaluative Studies of Cultural and Heritage Sector Activity in the West Midlands

Jo Mills discusses a new report from WMREDI reviewing evaluations and evaluative studies of the cultural and heritage sector activity in the West Midlands.  As part of my secondment to the WMREDI consortium Evaluation Lab,  I undertook a rapid review of evaluations and evaluative studies of cultural and heritage sector activity in the West Midlands published … Continue reading “Rapid Review of Evaluations and Evaluative Studies of Cultural and Heritage Sector Activity in the West Midlands”

How You Can Ensure Talented Individuals With Disabilities Are Able to Thrive in Your Business

Shani Handa discusses the barriers disabled people face when looking for employment, why businesses should employ more disabled people and how they can go about it.  This blog post was produced for inclusion in the Birmingham Economic Review for 2021. The annual Birmingham Economic Review is produced by City-REDI, University of Birmingham and the Greater … Continue reading “How You Can Ensure Talented Individuals With Disabilities Are Able to Thrive in Your Business”

Policy Briefing – STEM Assets in the West Midlands: The Warwick Manufacturing Group

In this policy briefing, Robert Lynam, Dr Chloe Billing and Professor Simon Collinson outline the publicly available information about Warwick Manufacturing Group’s (WMG) capabilities and impact, as well as identifying any gaps. This basic scoping work was conducted via internet searches and has a particular focus on what is known about WMG’s governance structure, size, … Continue reading “Policy Briefing – STEM Assets in the West Midlands: The Warwick Manufacturing Group”

Rethinking Public Procurement for Post-COVID Recovery

Malcolm Harbour CBE from Connected Places Catapult examines how the public sector can use procurement to drive innovation in Birmingham and the West Midlands. This blog post was produced for inclusion in the Birmingham Economic Review for 2021. The annual Birmingham Economic Review is produced by City-REDI, University of Birmingham and the Greater Birmingham Chambers … Continue reading “Rethinking Public Procurement for Post-COVID Recovery”

Brexit and COVID-19 in the Midlands

Will Rossiter, Associate Professor of Regional Policy & Development at Nottingham Trent University, reflects on the impact of Brexit and the pandemic in the Midlands over the last two years. Reflecting on Brexit and the pandemic A year-on from the end of the transition period covering the UK’s exit from the EU and roughly two … Continue reading “Brexit and COVID-19 in the Midlands”

The Effect of Furlough and Mortgage Holidays on Household Finances in the West Midlands During the Covid-19 Crisis

Dr Christoph Görtz and Professor Danny McGowen look at the impact of financial support schemes in helping households during Covid-19. This blog post was produced for inclusion in the Birmingham Economic Review for 2021. The annual Birmingham Economic Review is produced by City-REDI, University of Birmingham and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. It is … Continue reading “The Effect of Furlough and Mortgage Holidays on Household Finances in the West Midlands During the Covid-19 Crisis”