Over the past decade, we have seen a historic slowdown in productivity growth. While there is some cause for optimism based on the rapid adoption of tech during the pandemic, boosting productivity should still be the top priority for any government. After all, more than anything else, it is what determines wages and living standards…. Read more
The National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE) is asking rural and farming businesses in the North East, South West and Midlands how they are dealing with COVID-19 to explore the lesser-known area of rural resilience. There is little research about how small firms in rural areas manage crises and how they recover so NICRE… Read more
2020 was a terrible year for UK trade. Overall, UK exports in goods contracted by almost 15%, down by £54.5 bln[i] in the twelve-month period, this is even worse than the contraction seen in the UK economy as a whole, which was just under 10% in GDP terms. [ii] Furthermore, the early 2021 bilateral trade… Read more
In a report published today research conducted by UK Research and Innovation found that only 56% of UK businesses across six foundation industry sectors introduced new products and 53% new processes in the last three years, namely metals, paper, chemicals, glass, ceramics and cement companies. UKRI commissioned the Enterprise Research Centre to undertake the research as… Read more
Climbing a mountain, travelling North or spending time near the sea we all become aware of differences in the climate. In some places configurations of landscape create specific micro-climates, which create conditions of warmth or shelter allowing plants and gardens to flourish. Recent research suggests that business innovation may work in a similar way, with… Read more
ERC Deputy Director Mark Hart joined an expert panel at the The Centre for the New Midlands webinar ” How do we fire up the start-ups” discussing how to make the West Midlands the most attractive place to start a new business in the UK. Amongst the questions discussed were Is the West Midlands the place… Read more
Business Live: The challenges and opportunities facing SMEs Real Business: Are business survival statistics relevant? Business Leader: Small businesses entitled to insurance payouts covering losses during first lockdown following supreme court ruling
The dire consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on many firms across the UK continue with depressing implications for employment and future prosperity. The government has invested heavily in supporting businesses through the furlough scheme, loan schemes and rate relief. The strengths and limitations of these measures have been widely covered in the media, but less… Read more
Financial Times: Starting a business in the midst of a pandemic Business Fast: Starting a business in the midst of a pandemic Bdaily: Major initiative calls on Midlands businesses to prioritise mental health and boost productivity Love Business: Major initiative calls on East Midlands businesses to prioritise mental health and boost productivity H&W Chamber: The… Read more
ERC’s 2020 State of Small Business Britain is now out. And what a year it has been for the UK’s small businesses. ‘Unprecedented’ must be the defining word of 2020 and our latest report looks at how the unprecedented events of this year have translated into impacts on and actions by small and medium enterprises… Read more
