Devolution and Levelling Up: Boon or Bane for the Region?

Charlotte Hoole discusses the levelling up agenda, what it means for devolution, and what opportunities it presents for the West Midlands.  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 … Continue reading “Devolution and Levelling Up: Boon or Bane for the Region?”

West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 10 December 2021

This week we see the rise of the new variant of Covid-19 which could be set to slow economic recovery down. Omicron developed in southern Africa and has now spread worldwide. New restrictions are emerging in many countries. This is leading to mass protests and in some cases violence, as citizens see this as an … Continue reading “West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 10 December 2021”

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”

Future Trends Post-COVID and Their Impact on Birmingham

Rebecca Riley highlights some of the threats and opportunities that Birmingham and other cities face in the future.  This blog post was produced for inclusion in the Birmingham Economic Review for 2021. The annual Birmingham Economic Review is produced by the City-REDI, University of Birmingham and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. It is an … Continue reading “Future Trends Post-COVID and Their Impact on Birmingham”

COVID-19 Recovery: Birmingham Cannot Miss the Opportunity for a Restart

Tasos Kitsos and Raquel Ortega-Argiles discuss some of the key factors that need to be overcome in Birmingham to continue its economic recovery in the post-COVID era.  This blog post was produced for inclusion in the Birmingham Economic Review for 2021. The annual Birmingham Economic Review is produced by the University of Birmingham’s City-REDI and … Continue reading “COVID-19 Recovery: Birmingham Cannot Miss the Opportunity for a Restart”

Tackling Covid-19 in Birmingham

Dr Justin Varney discusses how community engagement, partnership working and communication allowed Birmingham to tackle the challenges thrown up by Covid-19.  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 … Continue reading “Tackling Covid-19 in Birmingham”

The Great Resignation, The Great Reset, The Great Reshuffle and The Great Retention

Rebecca Riley discusses the current high levels of resignations, the movement towards flexible working, changing business models and the fight to keep employees. For a number of editions of the West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor, we have been reporting that many sectors are experiencing high levels of vacancies; whilst labour market data shows that unemployment … Continue reading “The Great Resignation, The Great Reset, The Great Reshuffle and The Great Retention”

West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 29 October 2021

Economic news this week has been dominated by the Budget and Spending Review in the UK. Preparations are ongoing for COP 26 in Glasgow, and the increased profile of the climate emergency is causing businesses to consider their carbon footprint, and take steps to mitigate its growth. Businesses remain concerned about rising cost pressures and … Continue reading “West Midlands Economic Impact Monitor – 29 October 2021”

Launch of the Birmingham Economic Review 2021

On 21 October 2021, a launch event was held for the Birmingham Economic Review 2021.  All images from the event are courtesy of Jas Sansi.  The Birmingham Economic Review (BER) is produced by the City-REDI, University of Birmingham and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. The BER is a deep-dive into the economy of England’s … Continue reading “Launch of the Birmingham Economic Review 2021”

The Future Business District in a Changing City Centre

The onset of the coronavirus pandemic has forced us to change the ways in which we work, socialise, and move around. The profound impact the pandemic has had on city centres is clear. Yet, as we look to the future, this is less certain. So, what are the long-term trends in the future city centre … Continue reading “The Future Business District in a Changing City Centre”