Invitation to Participate
Public support for small and medium‑sized enterprises (SMEs) must respond to the needs of business community.
To best achieve this, we will appreciate your participation in a short interview please.
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and City‑REDI at the University of Birmingham are carrying out a study to understand the factors shaping business leadership & management capability and productivity among SMEs across the West Midlands region.
We are looking for SME owners and managers who are willing to participate in confidential online interviews (30 minutes) in February – March 2026.
Our study focuses on three core questions:
| 1. What strategic decisions do SMEs need to make to navigate rapid technological change and economic turbulence? |
| We are exploring how firms approach digital adoption, skills development, market diversification, innovation, and investment planning. |
| 2. How do SMEs build leadership and management capability? |
| We want to understand what helps business owners and managers develop the skills, confidence, and strategic mindset needed to grow and adapt. |
| 3. How can the regional business support ecosystem help? |
| We are examining the role of local authorities, accelerators, finance providers, Growth Hubs, universities, further education colleges and sector networks in supporting SME capability and productivity. |
Your insights will help shape future WMCA policy, improve the design of business support programmes, and strengthen the region’s innovation, skills and productivity ecosystem.
Please get in touch by emailing: Fumi Kitagwa, City-REDI