The Wider Socio-Economic Impacts of Firm Insolvencies

2022 saw the largest number of firm insolvencies (bankruptcies) since 2009 in England and Wales. Professor Simon Collinson, Dr Huanjia Ma and Dr Matt Lyons discuss the impact of this on the Birmingham city-region. In 2022 we saw the largest number of firm insolvencies (bankruptcies) since 2009 in England and Wales. Building on previous analysis … Continue reading “The Wider Socio-Economic Impacts of Firm Insolvencies”

The Impacts of Government R&D Funding in the UK: Key Questions for Improving Investment Allocations

Professor Simon Collinson was recently quoted in a House of Commons briefing on Research and Development (R&D) Funding policy. Here, he provides further detail on the issues involved with using Government R&D investments as a tool to support balanced economic growth.   Promoting R&D and innovation The UKRI, as the main UK funding agency responsible for promoting … Continue reading “The Impacts of Government R&D Funding in the UK: Key Questions for Improving Investment Allocations”

How England’s Devolution Catch-22 Stands in the Way of Balanced Growth

Charlotte Hoole, Jack Newman and Simon Collinson discuss their recent paper that shows a lack of decentralisation is limiting the capacity and capability of local institutions to devise and implement growth and development strategies important for locally-driven ‘levelling-up’ in England. In recent years, the UK has experienced increased economic and social inequalities. Of particular concern … Continue reading “How England’s Devolution Catch-22 Stands in the Way of Balanced Growth”

The Poorest UK Households are Hit Hardest by the Highest Rate of Firm Failure

With bankruptcies on the rise in the UK, Simon Collinson, Matt Lyons and Huanjia Ma look at the impact of firm failure on the economy, employment and households. Data released by the Insolvency Service at the end of January shows that firm insolvencies, or bankruptcies, in England and Wales reached the highest level since 2009. … Continue reading “The Poorest UK Households are Hit Hardest by the Highest Rate of Firm Failure”

Linking Research to Localities – The City-Region Economic Development Institute

Simon Collinson, Rebecca Riley, and Anne Green reflect on the experience of developing City-REDI and the factors that have enabled it to produce research tailored to the needs of regional stakeholders. An invitation to write a chapter for a book titled ‘How to Engage PolicyRe Makers with Your Research: The Art of Informing and Impacting Policy’ provided a … Continue reading “Linking Research to Localities – The City-Region Economic Development Institute”

WMREDI Policy Briefing: Financial Resilience During Economic Decline

In this policy briefing, Dr Amir Qamar, Dr Emma Gardner, Professor Anne Green and Professor Simon Collinson review the financial health of the largest 50 manufacturing firms within the West Midlands. Introduction The ongoing impact of the UK’s departure from the EU, the aftermath of the pandemic, and the recent depreciation of the pound provide … Continue reading “WMREDI Policy Briefing: Financial Resilience During Economic Decline”

The Legacy of Mega-Events: Birmingham’s Challenges in Securing Lasting Impact From the 2022 Commonwealth Games

James Davies and Simon Collinson examine the economic and cultural benefits for Birmingham and the West Midlands from the 2022 Commonwealth Games. This article was originally published on the University of Birmingham news site. With the 2022 Commonwealth Games taking over the city of Birmingham this summer, it’s a perfect moment to consider the Games’ … Continue reading “The Legacy of Mega-Events: Birmingham’s Challenges in Securing Lasting Impact From the 2022 Commonwealth Games”

WMREDI Policy Briefing: The Manufacturing Technology Centre

In this policy briefing, Robert Lynam, Dr Chloe Billing and Professor Simon Collinson look at the Manufacturing Technology Centre and its impact in the West Midlands. It outlines the findings from one of our WMREDI projects focused on examining regional innovation ecosystems and the relationships between universities, local firms, entrepreneurship, innovation, technology transfer, and knowledge … Continue reading “WMREDI Policy Briefing: The Manufacturing Technology Centre”

Innovation Accelerators

Simon Collinson and Carolin Ioramashvili discuss how University-Industry Collaborations support SME Innovation in the West Midlands and Beyond. This blog post was produced for inclusion in the Birmingham Economic Review for 2022.  The annual Birmingham Economic Review is produced by the University of Birmingham’s City-REDI and the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce. It is an … Continue reading “Innovation Accelerators”