The Importance of Good R&D Data and Current Challenges

Kelvin Humphreys and Kostas Kollydas discuss why detailed R&D is essential and examine the challenges in current data collection and availability, particularly at the sub-national level. The UK government’s 2017 Industrial Strategy committed to spending 2.4% of GDP on Research and Development (R&D) by 2027. Following the Levelling up White Paper, the government has embarked … Continue reading “The Importance of Good R&D Data and Current Challenges”

Reflections on an Academic’s Secondment to the Office for National Statistics (ONS)

Donald Houston discusses his recent secondment at the ONS. What did he learn whilst he was there and what did the ONS gain from having an academic on board? I am a labour market researcher and a long-time user of ONS data.  I have always been impressed at the quality and precision of the labelling … Continue reading “Reflections on an Academic’s Secondment to the Office for National Statistics (ONS)”

An Intern’s Perspective on Data Collection and Analysis in the UK

Gantavya Maheshwari reflects on his internship for City-REDI, collecting and analysing data for the Birmingham Economic Review. The Birmingham Economic Review (BER) is produced annually by the University of Birmingham’s City-REDI and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. The report is an in-depth exploration of the economy of England’s second-largest city and a high-quality resource … Continue reading “An Intern’s Perspective on Data Collection and Analysis in the UK”

Regional Input-Output Group Meeting

se On the 26th of April, City-REDI hosted a gathering for those interested in the development and application of regional input-output (IO) techniques in the UK. Matt Lyons summarizes the papers shared and the discussions had about the shared challenges and opportunities for researchers in the field. It is an exciting time for an input-output … Continue reading “Regional Input-Output Group Meeting”

Red Flag and Data City: A Comparison

Reen Blake-Carr looks at two companies providing economic and business data and assesses their similarities and differences. With thanks to Charlie Hopkirk, Black Country Consortium for his input into the development of this blog. What is Red Flag Alert? Red Flag Alert is a company that was founded in 2004 to help identify new business … Continue reading “Red Flag and Data City: A Comparison”

Launch of the City Index

On 2nd September 2022, we launched the City Index, part of the new WMREDI Data Lab. The event featured a presentation by Josh Swan who led the development of the data dashboard, followed by a Q&A session. The City Index is an interactive dashboard tool developed by our team that assesses 61 English cities on … Continue reading “Launch of the City Index”

Launch of the Civic Index

On 30th August, we launched the Civic Index, part of the new WMREDI Data Lab. The event featured a presentation by Josh Swan who led the development of the data dashboard, followed by a Q&A session. What is the Civic Index The Civic Index project is an interactive dashboard tool in which Universities can assess … Continue reading “Launch of the Civic Index”

The Launch of the West Midlands Data Lab

WMREDI and its partners have launched the West Midlands Data Lab. The data lab provides a single interactive portal for a wealth of up to the minute regional data and research. A unique tool to inform decision making around key investments and policy formulation for economic, social and environmental benefit in the West Midlands. The … Continue reading “The Launch of the West Midlands Data Lab”

The West Midlands Datastore: Request for Partners

The WMCA today issued a Request for Proposals (Access tender documents here) to help us develop a West Midlands Datastore. This was a key element of our Digital Roadmap and builds on the work of our Office for Data Analytics and Transport for the West Midlands Data Insights team. In this blog, Adam Hawksbee and Rebecca … Continue reading “The West Midlands Datastore: Request for Partners”

Economic Aspects of the COVID-19 Crisis in the UK: DELVE Report No. 5

Dr Chloe Billing looks into the importance of high-quality data and the impact having access to this can have on influencing decision making and policy. By way of example, she looks at the impact the recent DELVE report has had on supply chains and intraregional inequalities. On the 14th August, the DELVE initiative released their … Continue reading “Economic Aspects of the COVID-19 Crisis in the UK: DELVE Report No. 5”