The ‘2020 Shock’ on the Midlands Automotive Sector

Matt Lyons and Raquel Ortega-Argiles provide an analysis of the economic impact of Brexit and Covid-19 on the automotive sector in the Midlands during 2020. View our Midlands Engine Observatory project page The automotive industry remains an integral part of the national economy. The automotive industry is one of the UK’s major employers, supporting over … Continue reading “The ‘2020 Shock’ on the Midlands Automotive Sector”

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”

West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 18 February 2022

This week commentary has focused on the Levelling Up White Paper, and the WMCA forecast provider Oxford Economics’ latest summary looks at the impact on UK cities and regions. Their assessment is: “The Levelling Up White Paper contains nothing to cause us to revise our forecasts for the UK’s various nations and regions, let alone … Continue reading “West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 18 February 2022”

New Report: What Is Levelling Up and Can It Work?

Dr Abigail Taylor summarises key findings from a recent report published by the Centre for Inequality and Levelling Up to which she contributed. The Centre for Inequality and Levelling Up (CEILUP) at the University of West London has published a collection of contributions and perspectives from a range of contributors across policy, politics, and academia … Continue reading “New Report: What Is Levelling Up and Can It Work?”

Financial Support for Businesses in the West Midlands During Covid-19

George Bramley discusses the various national and regional financial support schemes that were set up to support businesses in the West Midlands during the pandemic. 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 … Continue reading “Financial Support for Businesses in the West Midlands During Covid-19”

Growth Hubs as an Intermediary of University Business Support: The Case of Coventry University Services Ltd

Freya Williams examines the role of growth hubs in helping businesses to access support from universities.  The Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP) Growth Hub supports local businesses. Support is provided either within the Growth Hub, GBSLEP or external partners. One aspect of this provision is serving as an intermediary between businesses seeking support and … Continue reading “Growth Hubs as an Intermediary of University Business Support: The Case of Coventry University Services Ltd”

Labour Market Disconnect in the West Midlands

In this blog, Dr Juliane Schwarz summarises the key issues on why there are currently high levels of unemployment in the region, whilst at the same time, record numbers of vacancies for jobs and apprenticeships. View the full policy briefing on the labour market disconnect. The research is a response to a query by the … Continue reading “Labour Market Disconnect in the West Midlands”

West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 26 November 2021

Globally we are seeing the majority of economies starting to recover; however, the speed of job creation is generally lagging behind, unable to compensate for earlier employment losses; especially in developing economies. Currently, the UN is predicting the global unemployment rate will hit 6.3%, falling to 5.7% in 2022, above the pre-pandemic level of 5.4%. … Continue reading “West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 26 November 2021”

Regional Growth Opportunities: Building Productivity and Resilience Through Supply Chains

Dr Wanrong Zhang & Prof Jan Godsell discuss the importance of supply chains for the region, the issues affecting them, and why we should develop a regional ‘supply chain productivity’ goal. 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 … Continue reading “Regional Growth Opportunities: Building Productivity and Resilience Through Supply Chains”