Striking new research findings from the Enterprise Research Centre (ERC) at Warwick Business School show that while three quarters of UK firms acknowledge that they have responsibilities to address employee mental health, only half actually have any initiatives in place. What’s more, this ‘attitude to action’ gap is widest in the smallest firms, which are… Read more
Imagine two businesses. One is a tech start-up that has developed new AI software. Another is a well-established restaurant in a small town serving their local community. Both count as ‘micro’ businesses, yet their needs will be worlds apart, and no single policy could serve them both well. Micro businesses are often bundled into the… Read more
In the world of small businesses, innovation often hinges not on internal R&D budgets, but on the ability to learn from others. Haldane (2018) observed that a major productivity problem for 99% of UK firms is the failure of diffusion—the inability of good ideas and practices to spread from the leading firms to the rest…. Read more
The long-anticipated UK–EU Reset Summit, held in London on 19 May 2025, marked a significant, despite cautious, turning point in the post-Brexit relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union. As the first structured political dialogue since the implementation of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) in 2021, the summit offered a new platform… Read more
Launched on Small Business Saturday on 7th December 2024, the details of what the new Business Growth Service (Mk2) will provide for the small business sector across England has yet to be revealed, but we are assured it will not be long now. Under the previous Government, the business support landscape in England was weakened… Read more
Place-based policy is well-established in the UK. However, in my research on business support for creatives and conversations with policymakers, I have observed that ‘place’ is often used interchangeably with ‘location’, with no distinction made between the two. This observation has caught my attention, not only as a former geographer, but also because I believe… Read more
In 2019 the UK Government set the goal of achieving Net Zero – where the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced are equal to or less than the amount removed from the atmosphere – by 2050. This is a commitment that will impact on all businesses, including the more than 5.9 million of firms in… Read more
In some recent work on net zero support for SMEs carried out with the Federation of Small Businesses, we called for a new organisation to be set up called ‘Business England’. One key reason for this was to ensure that there would be a highly visible place for entrepreneurs in England to go to for… Read more
For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the agri-food sector, Brexit has ushered in a new era of challenges. Previously accustomed to the frictionless trade afforded by EU membership, these businesses now face significant trade barriers, including stricter checks and complicated documentation requirements. SMEs are particularly affected, as they often lack the resources to navigate… Read more
I recently worked on some new groundbreaking research with the ERC examining access to and use of equity finance amongst UK early-stage ventures. This involved the first national survey to explore the process of how potential high growth startup ventures access their first formally reported round of equity finance. The research is important because the… Read more
Mind the (Support) Gap: SMEs and the Mental Health Disconnect
Striking new research findings from the Enterprise Research Centre (ERC) at Warwick Business School show that while three quarters of UK firms acknowledge that they have responsibilities to address employee mental health, only half actually have any initiatives in place. What’s more, this ‘attitude to action’ gap is widest in the smallest firms, which are… Read more
Time to Think Differently About Micro Firms
Imagine two businesses. One is a tech start-up that has developed new AI software. Another is a well-established restaurant in a small town serving their local community. Both count as ‘micro’ businesses, yet their needs will be worlds apart, and no single policy could serve them both well. Micro businesses are often bundled into the… Read more
Mavens and the missing link: Unlocking innovation diffusion in small firms
In the world of small businesses, innovation often hinges not on internal R&D budgets, but on the ability to learn from others. Haldane (2018) observed that a major productivity problem for 99% of UK firms is the failure of diffusion—the inability of good ideas and practices to spread from the leading firms to the rest…. Read more
Post-Brexit Pragmatism? What the UK–EU Reset Summit Means for SMEs
The long-anticipated UK–EU Reset Summit, held in London on 19 May 2025, marked a significant, despite cautious, turning point in the post-Brexit relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union. As the first structured political dialogue since the implementation of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) in 2021, the summit offered a new platform… Read more
The New Business Growth Service – Six Steps to Growth
Launched on Small Business Saturday on 7th December 2024, the details of what the new Business Growth Service (Mk2) will provide for the small business sector across England has yet to be revealed, but we are assured it will not be long now. Under the previous Government, the business support landscape in England was weakened… Read more
The value of entrepreneurial placemaking for rural development: supporting rural creatives
Place-based policy is well-established in the UK. However, in my research on business support for creatives and conversations with policymakers, I have observed that ‘place’ is often used interchangeably with ‘location’, with no distinction made between the two. This observation has caught my attention, not only as a former geographer, but also because I believe… Read more
SMEs and Net Zero: how can we break the cycle of inaction?
In 2019 the UK Government set the goal of achieving Net Zero – where the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced are equal to or less than the amount removed from the atmosphere – by 2050. This is a commitment that will impact on all businesses, including the more than 5.9 million of firms in… Read more
Two critical reasons why SME policy must involve consistent institutions
In some recent work on net zero support for SMEs carried out with the Federation of Small Businesses, we called for a new organisation to be set up called ‘Business England’. One key reason for this was to ensure that there would be a highly visible place for entrepreneurs in England to go to for… Read more
How could a new trade agreement revitalize SMEs in the agri-food sector?
For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the agri-food sector, Brexit has ushered in a new era of challenges. Previously accustomed to the frictionless trade afforded by EU membership, these businesses now face significant trade barriers, including stricter checks and complicated documentation requirements. SMEs are particularly affected, as they often lack the resources to navigate… Read more
Equity finance access and use in early-stage UK ventures
I recently worked on some new groundbreaking research with the ERC examining access to and use of equity finance amongst UK early-stage ventures. This involved the first national survey to explore the process of how potential high growth startup ventures access their first formally reported round of equity finance. The research is important because the… Read more
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