City-REDI has prepared this brief to inform the debate on economic resilience. It draws on resilience research at the Institute and elsewhere and is prepared under funding provided by the Economic and Social Research Council (ES/S011226/1). It discusses the concept of resilience in political discourse at the national level and then considers the importance of … Continue reading “Economic Resilience: The Role of Industrial Structure”
Category: Regions
Understanding Productivity and Prosperity: Regional Skills Mismatches and Inclusive Growth for the West Midlands
Chloe Billing reflects on this year’s Regional Studies Association’s annual conference in Santiago de Compostela. On the 6th June, I had the opportunity to present the findings from the first phase of City REDI’s project on ‘Productivity and Prosperity’ at the RSA conference in Santiago. Details of the ESRC funded project and the wider team … Continue reading “Understanding Productivity and Prosperity: Regional Skills Mismatches and Inclusive Growth for the West Midlands”
West Midlands Economic Monitor: June 2019
June’s edition of the West Midlands Economic Monitor is now available for you to keep up to date with recent developments in the region. This month’s monitor looks at hydrogen trains, the UK 2070 Commission, homelessness and fuel poverty, modular homes, and as always features analysis of the latest data about the region’s economic performance. … Continue reading “West Midlands Economic Monitor: June 2019”
David Ricardo is very much alive (and kicking)
The economist David Ricardo (18 April 1772 – 11 September 1823) formulated the famous theory of comparative advantage, which soon became one of the most influential pieces in the field of international trade and industrial specialization. His theory of value (prices and rents mechanism) however is generally less known, but it also led to very … Continue reading “David Ricardo is very much alive (and kicking)”
The End of the British Automotive Industry as We Know It: The Closure of the Ford Bridgend Factory and the Shift Towards the Electric Revolution
Last week, Ford announced the closure of its Bridgend engine plant with the loss of 1,700 jobs. For some, this was a surprise. Perhaps, the only surprise is that policy-makers and politicians have not been working to overcome the impacts of this closure for the last 12 months. This closure was predictable and it is … Continue reading “The End of the British Automotive Industry as We Know It: The Closure of the Ford Bridgend Factory and the Shift Towards the Electric Revolution”
Resilience, Politics and Awards: Reflections from Regional Studies Association’s Conference in Santiago de Compostela
Tasos Kitsos reflects on this year’s Regional Studies Association’s annual conference in Santiago de Compostela. Every RSA conference is a great opportunity to meet old friends, make new, discuss research and engage in new collaborations. This one was particularly excting since it was the first time I was involved in organising a special session. Together … Continue reading “Resilience, Politics and Awards: Reflections from Regional Studies Association’s Conference in Santiago de Compostela”
How to USE-IT!
USE-IT! is a three-year European Union funded programme which aims to pioneer innovative approaches to inclusive urban development in an area of persistent poverty and deprivation in inner city Birmingham. The programme is framed around urban poverty and urban transformations and is led by Centre for Urban and Regional Studies (CURS) at the University of … Continue reading “How to USE-IT!”
New Policy Institute: The State of Economic Justice in Birmingham and the Black Country
NPI’s recent report on behalf of the Barrow Cadbury Trust depicts a shocking, if not surprising, picture of economic injustice in England’s second city and the surrounding Black Country. The report combines the traditional economic barometers like productivity with the ideas of social justice and how the economy spreads well-being. The first of its kind … Continue reading “New Policy Institute: The State of Economic Justice in Birmingham and the Black Country”
West Midlands Economic Monitor: May 2019
May’s edition of the West Midlands Economic Monitor is now available for download. This month’s installment looks at the debate around HS2, how much money you need to earn to be happy, inequality in the region, ongoing protests against LGBT-inclusive education, a range of regeneration projects planned for Birmingham, and the latest statistics around employment, … Continue reading “West Midlands Economic Monitor: May 2019”
The Realities, Challenges and Strengths of the External Funding Environment at LEP Level
When I joined City-REDI in October, I was seconded 50% of my time to the Smart Specialisation Hub in Islington for six months. The Hub provided analysis to improve local and national understanding of innovation capabilities, benchmarking innovation activity across Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs). Established in 2010 by the then Department for Business, Innovation and … Continue reading “The Realities, Challenges and Strengths of the External Funding Environment at LEP Level”