Drawing on findings from the Wales Business Fund evaluation, Tim Fanning and Neil Evans reflect on the lessons from attempts to address the SME finance gap in Wales and other UK regions. The SME finance gap: a key barrier to growth Gaps in access to finance for SMEs have been recognised as a market failure … Continue reading “What Can We Learn From 20 Years of EU Funding for SME Finance? Lessons From Wales and Beyond”
Category: Economics
Cheapening Tomorrow? Revisiting HM Treasury’s Discount Rate
Calvin Jones, Professor of Economics at Cardiff Business School, critiques current discounting practices used to evaluate long-term investments, arguing that they systematically undervalue future benefits. By advocating for a revised approach that considers ecological and social factors, Calvin suggests using a lower discount rate to prioritise sustainability and equity. The future… is another country? Go find a … Continue reading “Cheapening Tomorrow? Revisiting HM Treasury’s Discount Rate”
“Breathing Life Into Britain’s High Streets”: What Hope Have We Got?
In our latest blog, Hannes Read looks at the Labour Party’s short-term intervention proposals like banking hubs and addressing shoplifting alongside their long-term changes such as reforming business rates to favour high street commerce. The Labour Party are firmly on the election hunt. Quickly off the back of the announcement of Labour’s “five missions” for … Continue reading ““Breathing Life Into Britain’s High Streets”: What Hope Have We Got?”
The Spring Statement: The Impact
Alice Pugh looks at what impacts cuts to National Insurance Contributions, raising the high-income child benefit charge, and public spending will have on households in the UK. Cuts to National insurance Contributions (NICs) The NIC main rate has been cut by 2p in the pound (from 10% to 8%) for an expected 27.6m employees and … Continue reading “The Spring Statement: The Impact”
Spring Statement 2024: Key Announcements
The Spring Budget sets out government spending for the next 5 years, this budget has been anticipated as being a particularly important budget, as it is likely the last budget before the 2024 general election. Alice Pugh looks at the key announcements from this budget. Office for Budget Responsibility On the day of the … Continue reading “Spring Statement 2024: Key Announcements”
Inequality
Professor Donald Houston discusses the effects of inequality on social cohesion, wellbeing, and the economy, and how it can be reduced in the long run. This article is a chapter from the recently published UK in a Changing Europe report. Inequality – the gap between those towards the top and bottom of the income distribution … Continue reading “Inequality”
Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Cities and Regions: Emergence, Evolution and Future
Professor Fumi Kitagawa provides an overview of the edited volume published by Oxford University Press: Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Cities and Regions: Emergence, Evolution and Future, with her co-editors – Robert Huggins, Daniel Prokop (Cardiff University), Christina Theodoraki (TBS Business School) and Piers Thompson (Nottingham Trent University). Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Cities and Regions Over the last … Continue reading “Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Cities and Regions: Emergence, Evolution and Future”
Workshop Insights: International Perceptions and Megatrends of Manufacturing
Dr Chloe Billing reflects on a recent workshop she attended on International perceptions and megatrends of manufacturing. I recently attended a workshop on international perceptions and megatrends in manufacturing. Hosted by Aston Business School, it featured various experts and practitioners sharing their insights on the current manufacturing landscape and the strategies required for its positive … Continue reading “Workshop Insights: International Perceptions and Megatrends of Manufacturing”
International Students in the West Midlands: Economic Impact and the Challenges of Graduate Retention
Summer intern Dimas Almaruf presents the second part of a two-part series of blogs on the economic impact of international students in the UK. Part II discusses the challenges faced by international students upon their graduation from British universities. View part I – International Students in the West Midlands: The Costs, Benefits, and Housing Implications … Continue reading “International Students in the West Midlands: Economic Impact and the Challenges of Graduate Retention”
Forging Future Frontiers: The Power of Collaborative Clusters in the UK Space Sector
Chloe Billing discusses the Midlands Space Cluster project, which aims to propel the region’s space capabilities forward and establish a dedicated cluster in the region. The United Kingdom’s space sector is experiencing a resurgence, marked by an era of rapid growth and groundbreaking innovation. At the recent UK Space Conference, it was stressed that this … Continue reading “Forging Future Frontiers: The Power of Collaborative Clusters in the UK Space Sector”