This article, by Dr Max Nathan, was first featured on Medium: The growth of shared, flexible urban workspaces for startups and SMEs is now a striking and very visible feature of British cities. Over the past decade or so, startups and small firms in retail, manufacturing, arts, the cultural industries and the digital economy have been … Continue reading “Urban incubators, innovation and inequality”
Category: Cities
City-REDI feature in “Data as Infrastructure” report
Professor Simon Collinson and Dr Amir Qamar were recently featured in a report on data by Prospect magazine. The report, called “Data as Infrastructure” puts together a series of articles and essays on “Smart cities” and how local authorities are beginning to see data as another form of infrastructure. Simon and Amir’s chapter titled “Smart … Continue reading “City-REDI feature in “Data as Infrastructure” report”
Inclusive Growth Principles for Cities
‘Inclusive growth’ is increasingly invoked at international, national and city levels as offering prospects for more equitable social outcomes. Yet the concept of inclusive growth is open to a number of different interpretations. This has not stopped interest in developing inclusive growth indicators. In the USA the Brookings Institution has developed and combined indicators measuring … Continue reading “Inclusive Growth Principles for Cities”
Smart Cities
Given that by 2050 approximately two thirds of the world’s total population will be living in cities, we have to make cities creative, innovative and sustainable places to do business. This emphasises the importance of ‘smart cities’, and we recommend the following: Developing the right kinds of skills and expertise is central to unlocking opportunities … Continue reading “Smart Cities”
Birmingham: a city of visible negatives and hidden positives
This blog was first posted on the Urban Living Birmingham Blog. Below are contributions in response to a request for the best and worst of Birmingham. They formed part of an impromptu exhibition held at the March 2017 Urban Living Birmingham Touchstone Group Meeting. From the author, David Thew, Secretary to the Futures Network West … Continue reading “Birmingham: a city of visible negatives and hidden positives”
Birmingham 2040: The Ban on New Petrol and Diesel Engines, Electric Vehicles and Robotics
This blog was written by Professor John Bryson and first posted on the Urban Living Birmingham Blog. In 1971 Sir Peter Hall speculated about London and the year 2000. Forecasting futures will always result in failure, but perhaps there are some ‘knowns’ about what Birmingham will look like in 2040 and many unknowns. One ‘known’ is that … Continue reading “Birmingham 2040: The Ban on New Petrol and Diesel Engines, Electric Vehicles and Robotics”
The West Midlands is in a strong position to tackle the challenges of Brexit
City-REDI’s John Bryson, Professor of Enterprise and Competitiveness at Birmingham Business School, spoke on BBC West Midlands last week. He was asked to respond to recent figures released by Centre for Cities that suggest that cities in the West Midlands are in a stronger position to tackle the challenges of Brexit that those in the south … Continue reading “The West Midlands is in a strong position to tackle the challenges of Brexit”
The disintegration of planning policy
The following piece written by Professor Alister Scott was originally posted by Urban Living Birmingham: I recently wrote about the disintegration of the housing debate where I argued that there are no ‘magic bullet’ solutions as the housing question is complex, demanding much more cross-sector thinking. But this type of approach is something conspicuously absent in contemporary … Continue reading “The disintegration of planning policy”
Fuelling City-Regions, why skills matter
Introduction from Professor Anne Green: Issues relating to skills are at the forefront of topical debates about economic prosperity, productivity and inclusive growth. While policy makers at national and sub-national levels have long been concerned with skills levels, skills shortage and skills gaps, devolution and the development of an Industrial Strategy recognising the importance of … Continue reading “Fuelling City-Regions, why skills matter”
The City of Birmingham – Missed and Missing Opportunities
The following piece was originally posted by Urban Living Birmingham. Below are two poems in response to a request for the best and worst of Birmingham. The poems formed part of an impromptu exhibition held at one of Urban Living Birmingham’s Touchstone Meetings. From the author, Jonathan Ward: These poems were off the cuff reflections … Continue reading “The City of Birmingham – Missed and Missing Opportunities”